It was the book they said couldn’t be filmed. Many before him tried— to varying degrees of success— but the Denis Villeneuve Dune adaptation stands as the definitive cinematic telling of this intimidating science fiction story. So, how was Villeneuve able to succeed where others failed? We’ll start by taking a brief look at Villeneuve’s… Continue reading Dune — Denis Villeneuve Directing Techniques Explained
Narrative ElementsOpen menu Antagonist Catharsis Motif Plot Protagonist Theme Narrative DevicesOpen menu Deus ex Machina Foreshadowing Irony Personification Plot Twist Red Herring Write Your Script For Free → What is mood in literature and film? We often use the term “mood” in a generalized sense to describe the overall feel of situations – but is… Continue reading What is Mood in Literature & Film — A Guide for Storytellers
In psychology, there’s something called the serial position effect. It means people tend to remember what comes first and last, not what occurs in the middle. Filmmakers know this phenomenon all too well. Combine that with today’s stream-ability and countless options… and the opening to a film is as important as ever. Today, we study the best… Continue reading 25 Best Opening Scenes in Movies & What Makes Them Great
Screenplays By GenreOpen menu Comedy Sci-Fi Drama Crime TV Scripts Horror ResourcesOpen menu FREE Scripts: StudioBinder Screenwriting Library Best Screenplays to Read Shane Black Movies & Screenwriting Explained Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay Best Horror Movie Scripts to Download Write Your Script for Free → Blade Runner 2049… Continue reading Blade Runner 2049 Script PDF — Download and Analysis
We’ve discussed the basics of exposure — overexposure, underexposure and what camera settings control it. But what is double exposure? It isn’t a difficult technique to master, it just takes a little practice. In this post, we’ll cover the basics behind this style with some tutorials on how to do double exposure in Photoshop. Let’s… Continue reading What is Double Exposure? Techniques in Photography and Film
Cinematography BreakdownsOpen menu Stranger Things Cinematography Better Call Saul Cinematography Euphoria Cinematography Analysis Drive Cinematography Breakdown Blade Runner 2049 Cinematography Sicario Cinematography Cinematographer StylesOpen menu Roger Deakins Style Hoyte van Hoytema Style Linus Sandgren Style Rodrigo Prieto Style Robert Yeoman Style Darius Khondji Style E-BooksOpen menu FREE Ebook: Camera Lenses Explained FREE E-Book: Exposure The… Continue reading Water Light Reflection in Blade Runner — Deakins Explains How
Major Awards:Open menu Best Picture Best Director Best Actress Best Supporting Actress Best Actor Best Supporting Actor Writing & Visual:Open menu Best Original Screenplay Best Adapted Screenplay Best Film Editing Best Visual Effects Best Cinematography Animation & Production:Open menu Best Animated Short Film Best Animated Feature Film Best International Feature Film Best Costume Design Best… Continue reading Academy Award for Best Cinematography — Top 20 Winners
Lenses work in a very similar way to the human eye. However, not all lenses have an angle of view that is similar to the human eye. The normal lens aims to capture a shot in a way that is most similar to how we see the world. So what is a normal lens exactly?… Continue reading What is a Normal Lens? Definition & Uses of a Standard Lens
From movies to novels to video games, dystopian fiction is consistently one of the hottest genres in entertainment. But given its broad scope and variety of forms, the dystopian genre can sometimes be hard to categorize. What is dystopian fiction? What are its defining features and how can we account for its enduring popularity? This… Continue reading What is Dystopian Fiction? Definition and Characteristics
Types of LensesOpen menu Lens Basics Prime Lens Zoom Lens Anamorphic Lens Focal LengthsOpen menu Wide Angle Lens (14mm – 35mm) Standard (35mm – 70mm) What is a 50mm Lens Good For 35mm vs 50mm Lenses Telephoto Lens (70mm – 200mm) Create your free shot list → Finding the right lens for your camera can… Continue reading The Different Types of Camera Lenses for Video and Photography
The best movie directors of all time — the idea of such a list sparks immediate debate. Rather than try to impose any sort of definitive or objective best directors list, consider this more of a celebration of the entire medium. Woefully underrepresented on this list are women. While women have been an integral part… Continue reading 55 Best Movie Directors of All Time and Their Greatest Films
Color BasicsOpen menu What is Color Temperature Color Grading vs. Color Correction What is LUT What is Technicolor First Color Movie Film Colorization Process Color SchemesOpen menu What is a Color Palette What is a Color Scheme Triadic Color Scheme Monochromatic Color Scheme Analogous Color Scheme Complementary Color Scheme FREE Ebook: How to Use Color… Continue reading How to Use Color in Film like Kubrick: Mise-en-Scène Elements Explained
Audiences and filmmakers alike love sequels. And we all love to rank and debate which are the “greatest.” But deciding which films belong on a “best movie sequels of all time” list can feel overwhelming. How does one choose from every film ever made? And how to rank one above the other? While such a… Continue reading Best Movie Sequels of All Time, Ranked for Filmmakers
EssentialsOpen menu What is Sound Design Sound Editing vs Sound Mixing What is Voice Over What is Diegetic Sound What is Non-Diegetic Sound What is a Film Score TechniquesOpen menu Ultimate Guide to Sound Recording Filmmaker’s Guide to Sound Effect Techniques What is a Sound Bridge What is The Shepard Tone How to Design a… Continue reading 23 Best Movie Scores of All Time — Filmmaker Playlist
When making a movie, it can be a struggle to decide between the two most common widescreen aspect ratios: 1.85:1 and 2.35:1. For anyone who has ever felt this struggle, there is an ideal middle ground. We’re talking about the 2:1 aspect ratio which has seen a resurgence in the last decade. In this article, we’ll… Continue reading What is 2:1 Aspect Ratio (Univisium) & Why Are Directors Switching Over?
Screenplays By GenreOpen menu Comedy Sci-Fi Drama Crime TV Scripts Horror ResourcesOpen menu FREE Scripts: StudioBinder Screenwriting Library Best Screenplays to Read Shane Black Movies & Screenwriting Explained Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay Best Horror Movie Scripts to Download Write Your Script for Free → Introducing StudioBinder’s screenplay… Continue reading Explore and Read the Best Free Movie Scripts Online (with PDF Downloads)
Types of LensesOpen menu Lens Basics Prime Lens Zoom Lens Anamorphic Lens Focal LengthsOpen menu Wide Angle Lens (14mm – 35mm) Standard (35mm – 70mm) What is a 50mm Lens Good For 35mm vs 50mm Lenses Telephoto Lens (70mm – 200mm) Create your free shot list → Kit lenses are great for beginners, but if… Continue reading What is a Prime Lens and What are the Benefits of Using One?
Most filmmakers likely know Denis Villeneuve for bursting onto the scene with 2013’s Prisoners. However, the truth of the matter is that he’s been directing excellent movies for well over 20 years now. With Dune just around the corner, it’s time to look at the best Denis Villeneuve movies of all time. There’s really no… Continue reading 9 Best Denis Villeneuve Movies, Ranked for Filmmakers
Denis Villeneuve, director of such modern classics as Blade Runner 2049 and Sicario, has yet to make a bad movie. His first two features might be flawed but they are still fresh and exciting. Between his 2nd and 3rd features, Villeneuve took a nine-year break but, since he’s been back, he’s never missed the mark.… Continue reading Denis Villeneuve ⏤ Directing Style and Techniques
Ah yes, we’ve arrived back at the most carnal of all storytelling devices: the sex scene. Writers, artists and filmmakers have used sex to evoke a multitude of different emotions to the audience, like love, hate, confusion, lust, among many, many more. But every one of the best movie sex scenes of all time adds… Continue reading The Best Movie Sex Scenes of All Time, Ranked from Worst to Best
