In an England of the future, Alex (Malcolm McDowell) and his “Droogs” spend their nights getting high at the Korova Milkbar before embarking on “a little of the old ultraviolence,” while jauntily warbling “Singin’ in the Rain.” After he’s jailed for bludgeoning the Cat Lady to death, Alex submits to behavior modification technique to earn his freedom; he’s conditioned to abhor violence. Returned to the world defenseless, Alex becomes the victim of his prior victims.
There are many elements that go into creating a cinematic shot. The key light is important to expose the image. The fill light can determine the visual tone of a shot. But all too overlooked is the backlight. Back lighting can be the determining factor between a flat image and an interesting shot full of… Continue reading What is Backlight Photography — Lighting Techniques Explained
We do not always place a lot of emphasis or importance on sound, even though its impact on motion pictures is huge. Movies didn’t start with sound, but now they’re part of the package that comes with filmmaking. And while sound in movies has been around since the late 1920s, it would be Dolby Stereo… Continue reading What is Dolby Stereo — History of Game-Changing Sound in Film
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)
From movies to novels to video games, dystopian fiction is consistently one of the hottest genres in entertainment. But given its broad scope and variety of forms, the dystopian genre can sometimes be hard to categorize. What is dystopian fiction? What are its defining features and how can we account for its enduring popularity? This… Continue reading What is Dystopian Fiction? Definition and Characteristics
There’s no doubt about it: Stanley Kubrick is one of the greatest filmmaking pioneers of all time. Stanley Kubrick was, in many ways, a perfectionist. As such, his filmography isn’t as expansive as those of his contemporaries. But for what Kubrick lacked in quantity he made up for in quality: Each film he directed was a… Continue reading Best Stanley Kubrick Movies — 13 Masterpieces Ranked (and Video Essay)
How often do you find yourself scrolling through Netflix for an hour trying to find something to watch? The next time that happens, put down the remote for a second and bring up this list. We’ll be updating this guide to the best movies on Netflix monthly, so all of you aspiring filmmakers out there can… Continue reading Best Movies on Netflix — A Playlist for Filmmakers (January 2021)
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 | Dark Humor in 2022
What is theme? In the simplest terms, a theme is the subject of a story. But that definition actually does more harm than good in fully understanding the theme of a story. In this article, we’re going to look at some common misconceptions by breaking down how to use theme in literature and screenwriting, with… Continue reading What is Theme in Literature and Film? Definition and Examples
How often do you find yourself scrolling through Netflix for an hour trying to find something to watch? The next time that happens, put down the remote for a second and bring up this list. We’ll be updating this guide to the best movies on Netflix monthly, so all of you aspiring filmmakers out there can… Continue reading Best Movies on Netflix — A Playlist for Filmmakers (December 2020)
Every month, dozens of movies arrive on Netflix, but it can be a hassle keeping track of all the great content that comes and goes. Don’t fret though, we’re going to break down the best new movies on Netflix each month to help you decide on what to watch. These are the best of what’s… Continue reading Best New Movies on Netflix, Filmmaker Playlist (Dec 2020)
Every month, dozens of movies arrive on Netflix, but it can be a hassle keeping track of all the great content that comes and goes. Don’t fret though, we’re going to break down the best new movies on Netflix each month to help you decide on what to watch. These are the best of what’s… Continue reading Best New Movies on Netflix, Filmmaker Playlist (November 2020)
Satire is one of the most useful tools writers can use to comment on the follies of humanity and the evils that exist in the world. We’re going to look at some satire examples in literature and movies to gain a better understanding of the term. By seeing how satire is used in a variety… Continue reading Satire Examples in Literature and Movies Explained
Types of LensesOpen menu Prime Lens Zoom Lens Anamorphic Lens Lens Basics More About Lens Types Focal LengthsOpen menu Wide Angle Lens (14mm – 35mm) Standard (35mm – 70mm) Telephoto Lens (70mm – 200mm) More Focal Lengths Specialty LensesOpen menu Macro Lens Fisheye Lens Tilt-Shift Lens Split-Diopter Lens Deakinizer Lens Lens BrandsOpen menu Lens Buying… Continue reading What is a Zoom Lens? Definition and Examples in Photo and Film
The saying goes, “If you’re going to steal, steal from the best.” So, is Stanley Kubrick the best? For many filmmakers, the immediate answer is yes. The harder question is “why?” Like a great magician, we appreciate the end result without knowing how it was done. There is certainly a lot of “process” in his… Continue reading Stanley Kubrick Directing Style Explained in 8 Parts
Types of FocusOpen menu Shallow Focus Deep Focus Rack Focus Zoom Shots Dolly-Zoom (Zolly) Tilt-Shift More ShotsOpen menu All Shots & Angles Camera Shot Ultimate Guide Create Free Shot List Now If you’re an aspiring cinematographer or director, you know that the camera is your primary storytelling tool. How you move the camera or how… Continue reading What is a Zoom Shot and When You Should Use One
Introducing StudioBinder’s screenplay library — your one-stop-shop for reading, downloading, and analyzing the best movie scripts online. Our collection contains all the feature-length screenplays in our database as well as scripts that we have broken down by plot, character, ending, quotes, and more. Our hope is that screenwriters everywhere can have access to these iconic… Continue reading Explore and Read the Best Free Movie Scripts Online (with PDF Downloads)
Jurassic Park is one of the few movies that have set the standard among audiences’ expectations for modern blockbusters. With more recent installments such as Jurassic World and Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom falling short of many viewers’ expectations, what exactly made the original so amazing? The answer is largely due to the Jurassic Park cinematography… Continue reading The Spielberg Oner — How to Direct a Long Take Like Steven Spielberg
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
Have you ever wondered why movies are rated the way that they are? The rating a film receives can have a significant impact on its audience size and, by the same token, on its box office revenue. But, what do all of the various letter ratings really mean? We will be explaining each of the… Continue reading Movie Ratings Explained — Origins & How They’ve Changed
