Discontented with his capitalistic lifestyle, a white-collared insomniac forms an underground fight club with Tyler, a careless soap salesman. The project soon spirals down into something sinister.
The best dark comedy movies and TV shows go for the jugular. It’s not enough to just be edgy, or even malicious. You need to tap into deep, disturbing levels of discomfort… and build a summer home. We made the ultimate list of dark comedy movies and TV shows, plus a video essay that takes a… Continue reading 70 Hilarious Dark Comedy Movies & TV Shows
Brad Pitt is one of the most iconic American actors today, simultaneously revered for his good looks and depth as an actor. In this list, we’re going to rank the best Brad Pitt movies. The ranking of these films are in regards to their quality and impact, not Brad Pitt’s performance. But every film on the… Continue reading Best Brad Pitt Movies List — Top Films Ranked
Cinematography Terms Screenwriting Terms Film Terms In cinema, there exists a niche that often goes unnoticed by the mainstream yet holds a magnetic allure for those who discover it: the realm of cult classics. These films may not have garnered immediate acclaim or box office success, but over time, they’ve managed to carve out their… Continue reading What is a Cult Classic — The Allure of Fringe Films
Internal dialogue is one way writers communicate the inner-thoughts of their characters – but what is internal dialogue? I should say something like worry not, okay – worry not! I will explain internal dialogue with examples from American Psycho, Seinfeld, and more. By the end, you’ll know how to implement internal dialogue in prose and… Continue reading What is Internal Dialogue — Definition, Examples & Techniques
Over the last few years, Hollywood has tried to reinvent its definition of the “strong female protagonist” – but the result has been mixed. Although there has been a greater representation of empowered women in Hollywood films, there has also been a dissolution of nuanced characters. All of this begs the question: how do you… Continue reading Strong Female Characters in Film — With 5 Tips on Writing Them
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 David Fincher Uses Color in Film Explained
Filmmakers and screenwriters will always be faced with the same challenge for every film: How, when, and where should the film start? One method in a screenwriter’s toolbox when beginning their script is by commencing the story in medias res. But what does in medias res mean, and how is it used? Read more to… Continue reading In Medias Res — Definition, Examples & How It Works in Stories
Close UpsOpen menu Extreme Close-Up (ECU) Medium Close-Up (MCU) Medium ShotsOpen menu Medium Shot (MS) Cowboy Shot (CS) Medium Full Shot (MFS) Wide ShotsOpen menu Full Shot (FS) Wide Shot (WS) Extreme Wide Shot (EWS) Create Free Shot List Cowboy shots are something we see all the time in film and television. Even from the… Continue reading The Modern Cowboy Shot — Types of Shots in Film, Explained
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
When people ask me if I went to film school, I tell them no, I went to films. – Quentin Tarantino Quentin Tarantino is not just a world-class filmmaker but also a renowned film lover. He is a lifelong cinephile with an encyclopedic knowledge of the medium. Tarantino always packs his films with homages to the… Continue reading Quentin Tarantino’s Favorite Movies of All Time — 20 Cinematic Gems
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
For the most part, filmmakers strive to make audiences forget that they are in fact an audience watching a film. They work to make the film completely immersive. But sometimes filmmakers intentionally draw attention to the medium being used by breaking the fourth wall. While not all stories benefit from such interruptions, here are the… Continue reading 15 Movies That Break the Fourth Wall (Besides Deadpool)
Writing dual protagonists is generally frowned upon, unless you’re one of the select few who can break the rules, like Quentin Tarantino (Once Upon a Time in Hollywood) or the late William Goldman (Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid). Critics argue that writers, especially amateur ones, can get lost in the logistics attempting to craft… Continue reading How to Write A Compelling Script with Dual Protagonists
90s movies may forever be my favorite movies. For whatever reason, whether comedy, drama, or horror, I feel this overwhelming sense of peace when one of my favorite 90s films is on. Is it just nostalgia or do they actually hold up? I suppose that’s always debatable. But there is a thin line between what… Continue reading Best 90s Movies of All Time — An Awesome 90s Movies List
Types of CharactersOpen menu Protagonist Antagonist Hero Anti Hero Tragic Hero Foil Character Character TropesOpen menu Common Character Types Types of Villains Femme Fatale Mad Scientist Mary Sue Damsel in Distress Write Your Free Script → Continue reading 8 Character Archetypes — Examples in Literature & Movies
A shocking twist ending is a great way to end a film with a bang but great twists aren’t confined to just the ends of films. The best plot twists catch us off guard, recontextualizing everything we just watched and rewarding subsequent rewatches. There will, of course, be major spoilers to follow, this is your SPOILER… Continue reading Best Plot Twist Movies & Biggest Plot Twists in Movie History
Though best known for producing many of the best television shows of all time, HBO is also home to many excellent films. HBO caught on quick that streaming was the way of the future, and got into the only media game early. We’ll be taking a look at what movies are on HBO right now.… Continue reading Best Movies on HBO Right Now — Filmmaker Playlist (Oct 2020)
Think for a moment about some of your favorite films and books. How was the story told to you? Is there a voice you can think of behind it? If so, this is the power of the narrator. How much can a narrator impact a story and what exactly is narration? In this read, we’ll… Continue reading What is Narration — Definition, Types, and 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 → Introducing StudioBinder’s screenplay… Continue reading Explore and Read the Best Free Movie Scripts Online (with PDF Downloads)
What is an unreliable narrator? We expect the narrator of a film to guide us through the journey and tell us the truth. But what happens when the narrator’s credibility is thrown into question? When we can’t even trust the narrator, it changes our perception of the film. When done well, an untrustworthy narrator can create… Continue reading What is an Unreliable Narrator? Definition and Examples for Filmmakers
