The investigation of a publishing tycoon’s dying words reveals conflicting stories about his scandalous life.
What is tone? To answer that question we have to place tone in an appropriate context. Tone can refer to the intonation/pitch of acoustics, the meeting of light and shadow, the firmness of muscles, etc. — but we’re going to focus on what tone means in storytelling. Tone is how an artist feels towards the… Continue reading What is Tone? — A Guide for Storytellers
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 an allegory? An allegory is an important part of a symbolic story. Many of us have heard the term used when describing literature or film,… Continue reading What is an Allegory? Definition and Examples
Editing EssentialsOpen menu What is Film Editing Types of Editing Transitions How to Become a Film Editor What is a Film Cut What is a Freeze Frame DownloadablesOpen menu Free Video Transitions Free Sound Effects for Video Editing Best Free Video LUTs Ding Sound Effect Download Muzzle Flash Effect Download Free Fog Overlay Templates Editing… Continue reading What is a Cross Fade Transition — Definitions & Examples
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 → I Welcome to StudioBinder’s… Continue reading Best Free Drama Movie Scripts Online (with PDF Downloads)
H ave you ever wondered why the mockingbird sings in Harper Lee’s classic, or what the green light at the end of the dock means in The Great Gatsby? Or perhaps you’ve pondered on the deeper significance of the spinning top in Christopher Nolan’s Inception. These aren’t just random elements thrown into the mix to make… Continue reading Types of Symbolism — Examples from Literature and Cinema
ConnotationOpen menu Connotation Negative Connotation Positive Connotation Denotation Connotation vs Denotation Connotation vs denotation: one is subjective, the other is objective. Can you guess which is which? Fear not, no guessing required; we’re going to explain everything there is to know about connotation vs denotation by breaking down examples from literature and film. By the… Continue reading Connotation vs Denotation — Examples & Differences 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 subtext? The age-old adage says that subtext is what’s inferred by reading between the lines, but how do we know what to look for? In… Continue reading What is Subtext — How to Use Subtext in Screenwriting
What is an anecdote? In simplest terms, an anecdote is a short story that illuminates a nuanced facet of a greater subject matter. We’re going to break down anecdotes by looking at their definition — and anecdote examples in film and literature. By the end, you’ll know how to recognize and implement anecdotes in your… Continue reading What is an Anecdote — Definition, Examples, and Functions
Motion pictures have enticed and inspired artists, audiences, and critics for more than a century. Today, we’re going to explore the history of film by looking at the major movements that have defined cinema worldwide. We’re also going to explore the technical craft of filmmaking from the persistence of vision to colorization to synchronous sound.… Continue reading The History of Film Timeline — All Eras of Film History Explained
Index & TimelineOpen menu Art Styles Explained Art History Timeline Renaissance & Classical (1400-1600)Open menu Renaissance Gothic Art Rococo Baroque Classicism Neoclassicism Romanticism & Contemporary (1827-20XX)Open menu Avant Garde Post Impressionism Romanticism Expressionism Contemporary Art Modern Art It’s an art style that had roots in the late 19th century but came into full force in… Continue reading What is Expressionism Art — Definition, Examples & Artists
Writing a script can be a daunting task – but there are strategies for making it an engaging and fun exercise in creative practice. We’re going to answer the essential questions involved in writing a script, with character arc and plot examples. Then we’ll explain how to use our script analysis worksheet so that you… Continue reading Script Analysis Worksheet PDF — How to Analyze a Script
Swiss philosopher Carl Jung theorized that all people are connected by a collective unconscious; which dictates we understand a collection of archetypes and symbols. But how do we understand these archetypes and symbols? Where do they appear? And how are they used? We’re going to answer those questions by exploring “repetition in art,” from character… Continue reading Repetition in Art — Patterns, Meanings & Techniques Explained
Editing EssentialsOpen menu What is Film Editing Types of Editing Transitions How to Become a Film Editor What is a Film Cut What is a Freeze Frame DownloadablesOpen menu Free Video Transitions Free Sound Effects for Video Editing Best Free Video LUTs Ding Sound Effect Download Muzzle Flash Effect Download Free Fog Overlay Templates Editing… Continue reading What is a Dissolve in Film — Editing Transitions 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 → You’re pretty familiar with Bruce Wayne, aka Batman. He lives in Gotham City, he stops crazy villains, and he spends a lot of his time with bats.… Continue reading What is a Backstory — Building a Foundation for Your Narrative
What defines a cinematic shot? For many of us, it is the result of masterful cinematography that creates depth, tone, and tells a story through lighting and camera work. One lighting technique that can help achieve all of these things is volumetric lighting. What is volumetric lighting in filmmaking? Odds are, you have seen this… Continue reading What is Volumetric Lighting — Definition and Examples
Hollywood has gone through a lot of different eras, but perhaps none were more influential on society than the golden age. But when was the golden age of Hollywood? What made it golden? And why did it end? We’re going to answer those questions by looking at some examples from The Maltese Falcon, Citizen Kane,… Continue reading When Was the Golden Age of Hollywood — And Why Did It End?
Of all of the parts of a screenplay, the opening scene is perhaps the most important – not only because it has to establish the world of the story, but because it also has to grab the attention of the script-reader. We’re going to look at a few different ways you can start your screenplay… Continue reading Screenplay Opening Scene Examples — 6 Ways to Begin a Script
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 Film Colorization Process & The Debate Over Colorized Movies
How to Format a ScreenplayOpen menu Scene Headings Sluglines Action / Description Dialogue Transitions TV Script Format 101 FREE Movie Scripts: StudioBinder Screenwriting Library Write Your Script for Free Screenwriting books and instructors often warn aspiring writers against writing flashbacks in their scripts. They know beginning and amateur writers often use them in a way… Continue reading How to Write a Flashback in a Script — Techniques & Format
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 → You cannot capture… Continue reading Citizen Kane Screenplay PDF Download — Summary & Analysis
