What is lens flare? It’s probably appeared on some of your photos or footage. Sometimes it ruins images, and sometimes it surprises you and makes you feel like you are the greatest photographer in all the land. If you’re an aspiring photographer or filmmaker, though, you’ll probably want and need more control over your images. So, once we determine what is lens flare, we’ll provide some suggestions for how to avoid it and how to capture it.
Continue reading What is Lens Flare? How to Get It & How to Avoid It
Before the 1950s, nearly every single movie was in the same 4:3 aspect ratio. But then CinemaScope from 20th Century Fox changed the landscape with widescreen imagery to get people into theaters nationwide. Pretty soon, other studios were making their own widescreen movies, including Paramount Pictures with VistaVision. What is VistaVision, you ask? Well, it takes a bit of explaining, so if you can, please join us as we look into the origins of VistaVision, what it was like, and why it still matters today.
Continue reading What is VistaVision — A History of Widescreen in Hollywood
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 list is by definition subjective, it doesn’t have to be arbitrary. One way of more rigorously determining if a movie is the best in a certain category is by ranking it according to aggregated scores across categories.
Continue reading Best Movie Sequels of All Time, Ranked for Filmmakers
Catchphrases are an integral part of our social and cultural fabric. They are everywhere in advertising, bring back memories of our favorite shows or movies, and sometimes even shape our behaviors and attitudes. How do writers and creatives make catchphrases that are so memorable?
Continue reading What is a Catchphrase — Definition, Examples & Uses
The 2000s were a weird time for cinema — kind of sandwiched in between the indie 90’s scene and the blockbuster 2010’s scene. But there are so many great movies that came out between 2000 and 2009, that we thought it would be interesting to look back at what made them so great. So without further ado, this is our list of the best movies of the 2000s.
Continue reading Best Movies of the 2000s — The Entire Decade Ranked
The 1980s were a seminal time for the horror genre. It was the decade of slasher films and when the genre began to become deconstructed as audiences became more familiar with the tropes present in horror films. It was also a great time for films involving vampires, which is why we are ranking the best 1980s vampire movies.
Screenwriters and directors have much to learn from the genre. Vampires are rife with symbolism, and many of these films come with amazing shots you can learn from. On the other hand, there are some films on this list that show you precisely what NOT to do for your project.… Keep reading
