Star Wars is an American epic space-opera media franchise created by George Lucas, which began with the eponymous 1977 film and quickly became a worldwide pop-culture phenomenon.
While many films include archetypal supporting characters, these molds are a little worn out. The audience is getting smarter and more curious. They crave more than the all-too-familiar “mentor” or “sidekick” as a way to convey information or to push the protagonist forward. Watching to see what a supporting character is capable of by themselves… Continue reading What is a Supporting Character — And Why They Matter
Plot TropesOpen menu What is a Trope What is a Cliche Flashback MacGuffin Plot Twist Red Herring FREE Movie Scripts: StudioBinder Screenwriting Library Write Your Script for Free What is a character trope? In screenwriting, a trope is a common element of a story. In other words, a trope is something we see a lot.… Continue reading Character Tropes — 15 Common Character Types Explained
Plot TropesOpen menu What is a Trope What is a Cliche Flashback MacGuffin Plot Twist Red Herring FREE Movie Scripts: StudioBinder Screenwriting Library Write Your Script for Free You’ve seen them: the crazy scientist, the damsel in distress, a noble and chaste hero, the villain who keeps his identity secret, the old guy who trains… Continue reading What is a Stock Character — Definition, Examples & Tropes
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
Swiss psychoanalyst Carl Jung changed the conversation on psychology forever when he proposed his theory on archetypes and the collective unconscious. But Carl Jung’s proposed archetypes, otherwise known as Jungian archetypes, aren’t just pertinent for psychologists – they’re applicable for storytellers too. So, what are the Jungian archetypes? We’re going to look at these to… Continue reading What are the Jungian Archetypes — A Writer’s Guide
What is a leitmotif? What makes it different from a theme song? How is it used in cinema? These are the questions we’re going to answer as we look at the leitmotif definition and examples. We’re also going to show you how masterclass composers like John Williams apply leitmotifs to their films. By the end,… Continue reading What is a Leitmotif? Definition and Examples
Star Wars is the second highest grossing film franchise in the world – second only to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Over the past 40+ years, nine directors have worked on theatrical Star Wars films, including George Lucas, J. J. Abrams, Ron Howard and more. We’re going to explore the careers of every Star Wars film… Continue reading Every Star Wars Director — How Each Helped Shape a Franchise
When it comes to the best training scenes in movies, the mind immediately jumps to some of the most iconic — Rocky, Rocky IV, and perhaps the new equivalents Creed and Creed 2. But the truth is, the training montage transcends the Rocky franchise. In fact, it transcends film genres. In our featured video, we… Continue reading Best Training Montage — 15 Scenes Beyond Rocky & Creed
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 → Characterization is simply “what makes a character a character.” But under the umbrella of characterization, there are two subtypes:… Continue reading What is Direct Characterization? Definition & Examples
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 Film Editing — Top 20 Winners Ranked
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 → Indirect characterization is an essential part of developing nuanced characters. But what is indirect characterization? We’re going to break… Continue reading What is Indirect Characterization? Definition & Examples
The bigger the budget, the more that’s at stake. While many directors never have to worry about films costing over a few million (if that), there are some who regularly operate in the area of $200 million. It begs the question: what is the most expensive movie ever made? We’ve adjusted the budgets of various… Continue reading What is the Most Expensive Movie Ever Made — Top 25 Ranked
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 Types of Editing Transitions in Film — The Ultimate Guide
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 → What does tank-warfare and the aspect ratio of… Continue reading What is an Anamorphic Lens? How to Get that Cinematic Look
When you think of some of the most iconic films in cinema history, quite a few also have an iconic prop. The Godfather and the horse head, The Wizard of Oz and Dorothy’s shoes, and of course Star Wars and the lightsaber. All of these props differ greatly from each other in how they look and… Continue reading What is a Movie Prop — Types of Film Props & Why They Matter
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 What is a Film Score — Movie Score vs. Soundtrack Explained
Plot TropesOpen menu What is a Trope What is a Cliche Flashback MacGuffin Plot Twist Red Herring FREE Movie Scripts: StudioBinder Screenwriting Library Write Your Script for Free W hat is a Mary Sue? This much-maligned character type is often the subject of fierce online debate, and pinning down a precise definition requires sorting through swaths… Continue reading What is a Mary Sue — Character Types 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 S creenplay transitions in cinema have been used ever since filmmakers had the ability to edit. At first, what was a simple cue to an editor of… Continue reading How to Write Transitions in a Script — Tips & Formatting
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 What is Dolby Stereo — History of Game-Changing Sound in Film
Plot TropesOpen menu What is a Trope What is a Cliche Flashback MacGuffin Plot Twist Red Herring FREE Movie Scripts: StudioBinder Screenwriting Library Write Your Script for Free What does deus ex machina mean? Writers work hard to put their characters into terrible situations to find new and creative ways to get them out. It’s… Continue reading Deus ex Machina — Meaning, Definition & Examples
