BasicsOpen menu Basics of Film Lighting What Does a Cinematographer Do What is Cinematography What is Digital Cinematography Cinematography Terms What is Motion Blur Lighting EssentialsOpen menu 3-Point Lighting What is Key Light What is Fill Light What is Backlight What is Practical Lighting When is Golden Hour E-BooksOpen menu FREE Ebook: Camera Lenses Explained… Continue reading What is Chiaroscuro in Film? Definition, Techniques, & 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 Director — Oscar Winners Ranked
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
The heist film has evolved over the decades, taking on many forms and styles. From sleek and chic to rough and gritty, filmmakers have taken the heist movie in every direction. The best of which have perfected the criminal ensemble, the intricate heist executions, or have taken the heist narrative into completely unique and innovative… Continue reading The Best Heist Movies of All Time, Ranked for Filmmakers
Mise en scène. It’s a fancy looking phrase that you’ve seen floating around many film-related articles, carrying with it an immediate sense of snobbery. Don’t worry, you’re not the first person to ask “what is mise en scene?” After today, you’ll have a better sense of this concept and its fundamentals so you can apply… Continue reading What is Mise en Scène in Film: Definition and Examples
Mafia Movies hold a dear spot in the hearts of many filmmakers. Every filmmaker remembers the first time they saw Francis Ford Coppola’s The Godfather; a type of film that inspires us as cinema fans. But before we rank the best mafia movies of all time, let’s define the key characteristics.The ranking of these films… Continue reading 13 Best Mafia Movies of All Time, Ranked for Filmmakers
You’re looking for a list of the best crime movies of all time. Maybe you want to find action crime films, or crime thrillers, or perhaps even a crime comedy movie or a crime drama. We’ve got you covered. In this post, we’ve compiled a list of the best crime movies of all-time, including American crime… Continue reading 73 Best Crime Movies of All Time, Ranked for Filmmakers
Types of FramingOpen menu Establishing Shot Single Shot Two Shot Over the Shoulder Insert Shot POV Shot More ShotsOpen menu All Shots & Angles Camera Shot Ultimate Guide Create Free Shot List Now → Why do filmmakers use over-the-shoulder shots? Can they signal to the viewer that two characters are, at the very least, on… Continue reading Over-the-Shoulder Shot: Examples of Camera Movements & Angles
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 Sound Editing vs Sound Mixing — What’s the Difference?
A filmmaker is a visual artist. To be a great visual artist you need mastery of the color palette. Many of the greatest Directors, Cinematographers, and Production Designers have extensive backgrounds as visual artists themselves. There are many ways to use color in film. We’re going to break down the key approaches as well as… Continue reading How to Use Color in Film: 50+ Examples of Movie Color Palettes
Dramatic IronyOpen menu Types of Irony What is Tragic Irony Stages of Dramatic Irony Verbal IronyOpen menu Sarcasm Understatement Overstatement Socratic Irony Situational IronyOpen menu Cosmic Irony Poetic Justice Structural Irony Historical Irony Dramatic irony is one of the three main types of irony. Like verbal and situational irony, dramatic irony is an integral element… Continue reading What is Dramatic Irony? Definition and Examples
Directors and cinematographers shoot with purpose, as they match their technical shot choices with the intended tone or emotion of the story. Of course, they’re not the only ones making critical choices. Editors’ decisions hugely determine the success of a film.  It is up to the editor to assemble every scene, every cut in a… Continue reading The Rule of Six — Eye Trace Editing Technique Explained
Why do we find ourselves drawn to tales steeped in sorrow, where heroes crumble and hopes are dashed? This magnetic pull is the work of tragedy, a narrative mechanism that mirrors our own struggles against fate and the human condition. In this article, we’ll peel back the layers of tragedy in storytelling, journeying from its ancient… Continue reading What is Tragedy — Definition, Examples & Types Explained
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 Crime Movie Scripts Online (with PDF Downloads)
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
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 → In the vast realm of literature, characters either evolve or remain the same throughout the narrative. This dichotomy is… Continue reading Static vs Dynamic Characters — And Why Writers Use Them
Hollywood – a single word that instantly conjures up images of glitz, glamour, and the silver screen. It’s the birthplace of countless cinematic masterpieces and home to some of the most influential entities in the global film industry – the ‘Big Five.’ But what exactly are these major film studios? Let’s dive in and uncover… Continue reading What are the Major Film Studios — Hollywood’s Big Five
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 In the world of screenwriting, details matter, and one such detail that carries significant weight is font choice. The font used in a screenplay isn’t merely… Continue reading Screenplay Font Explained — And Why Hollywood Uses It
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)
