Latest News in the category production
A news aggregator from various RSS feeds, like technology, gaming, development and general news sites.
Is the On-Set Download Solution We've All Been Waiting for Finally Here?
Into that hole in the market comes the Orico Data Matrix, which could possibly be the “single unit” download system we need.What is the Orico Data Matrix?Back up your card to the SSD, which will happen very quickly, then you can format the camera card while your SSD backup copies over to your HDD raid.
2/5/2025
How Rejection Turned into an LA Microbudget Movie Love Letter
Their film, Sour Party, is set to premiere in LA on Saturday, February 8, at Gardena Cinema.The film is about two broke, struggling 30-somethings who desperately need to come up with money for a baby shower gift.The film is reaching the end of its journey after three long years.
2/5/2025
Record the Moon in UHD 4K with the New Nikon COOLPIX P1100
This COOLPIX P1100 model is set to bring 125x optical zoom which will span across a 24-3000mm full-frame equivalent focal length.Let’s look at this new COOLPIX P1100, its 16MP CMOS sensor, and its photo and video recording capabilities.The Nikon COOLPIX P1100 is available for pre-order now with shipments expected to be delivered end of the month.
2/5/2025
The 25 Best Valentine's Day Movies
My ideal Valentine's Day is watching a movie with the person I love. So, what are the best Valentine's Day movies?I made a list of my 25 favorites, so if you and your special someone are stuck, I can help you pick out something fun to check out.
2/5/2025
Nikon’s First Ever 35mm f/1.2 Lens is Ready for Event and Documentary Work
This new 35mm f/1.2 S lens will offer some great subject isolation in a fully rendered environment and is set to be the latest option in a f/1.2 prime lens series offered by Nikon which also includes 50mm and 80mm focal length versions.Nikon NIKKOR Z 35mm f/1.2 S LensThis 35mm f/1.2 S lens also promises to be a key player for event and documentary photography as well as for lifestyle shoots and environmental portraits.
2/5/2025
What Movie Trailers Will Play During the 2025 Super Bowl?
But what trailers can we expect? According to Deadline, Disney, Paramount, and Universal are the only studios “willing to pony up $7.5 million-$8 million for a 30-second spot on Fox before an audience that last year reached 123.7 million viewers across live linear and streaming.”So, which movies do these studios believe will benefit the most from Super Bowl spots?
2/5/2025
What Is Falling Action?
Writing your screenplay's ending is hard.But what is the falling action?Summing Up Falling ActionHopefully, this enlightens you on how you can make the last pages of your screenplay count.
2/4/2025
Sundance 2025: Editing 'Sugar Babies' with Premiere Pro and Frame.io
Faced with limited minimum wage job options, Autumn devises an online sugar baby operation.This documentary is directed by Rachel Fleit (BAMA RUSH), known for her nuanced explorations of identity and belonging.Read more on the making of Sugar Babies below, premiering at Sundance on January 27th.
2/4/2025
The 'Final Destination' Movies Ranked
Now, a sixth movie — Final Destination: Bloodlines — is set to release later this year, so we thought it was time to rank the other five films in the franchise. The third movie has some of the most inventive kills across the franchise.this movie is actually a prequel.
2/4/2025
Light Your Tiny Tabletop Videos With These Miniature Matthews C-Stands
Let’s look at the new Matthews 5” Pocket C-Stand with 1/4-20 adapter and how it can be used to light your tabletop, miniature, or micro-videography projects.Matthews 5” Pocket C-StandWith a height adjustment from 6" to 18", this miniature stand is ideal for product photography, tabletop shoots, stop-motion animation, and beyond.
2/4/2025
Power Your Productions Anywhere With Anton/Bauer’s New Mobile Power Station
The Anton/Bauer EdenFurthermore, the Eden will be equipped with two AC outlets and four USB-C ports for flexible and continuous grid power.The Anton/Bauer Eden is out and available for pre-order now.
2/4/2025
Top 11 Character Archetypes in Comedy
One of the most diverse types of movies or shows you can write is comedy because it feels like almost any character can feel funny in the right situation and with the right actor playing them. Today, I want to go into eleven of the most common character archetypes within comedy and show you how writers employ them. They are grounded and serve as a foil to the eccentric characters.
2/3/2025
Off the Rails: Lens Cuff Does One Thing (but Does It So Well)
The lens cuff is another way to mount motors and accessories to your lens.The Lens Cuff is a ring that mounts to the body of your lens.The Lens Cuff will save you the weight of rails and dovetail plate and let you still run a motor.
2/3/2025
Piracy Strikes Sundance: Festival Pulls 'Twinless' and More from Streaming
Sundance has announced that two films have had to be pulled from the festival’s streaming site due to piracy.The films in question are James Sweeney’s standout heartfelt comedy Twinless and Isabel Castro’s documentary on Selena Quintanilla Selena y Los Dinos.We intend to keep the Sundance Film Festival platform fully available for all remaining films.
2/3/2025
Sundance 2025: Inside the Making of 'Third Act' with Victoria Chalk and Travis Hatfield
What emerges is an exploration of art, activism, grief, fatherhood, and legacy that paints an intimate, emotional picture of the Asian American experience.If you could share one tip about Premiere Pro or After Effects, what would it be?CHALK: Find the tools that work for you and your way of approaching things.
2/3/2025
Sundance 2025: Editing 'Didn’t Die,' a Thriller about Podcasting in a Zombie Apocalypse
This low-budget thriller, written and directed by Meera Menon and edited by Geoff Boothby, pays homage to zombie pioneer George Romero to creatively capture the emotional toll of living through a civilizational crisis.Because the film was shot over a long period of time, Boothby started the edit with only 50% of the film shot.Read on for more from Boothby on the making of Didn’t Die, premiering at Sundance on January 28th.
2/3/2025
7 Movies That Won a Grammy For Their Soundtracks
That's why it's not hard to see why many songs and soundtracks have gone on to win Grammys after being in popular movies. Today, I want to share seven of my favorite movie soundtracks that have won Grammys with you and go over what makes the pictures and music so special. The music in this movie gave us a futuristic look at where society was going with social media.
2/3/2025
Lexar Introduces World’s First Stainless Steel Memory Cards
Lexar is going this route with the company’s new ARMOR GOLD and Silver UHS-II SDXC Memory Cards which are—according to Lexar—the world’s first memory cards that use stainless steel for some steel-clad protection of your data.Lexar ARMOR GOLD and Silver UHS-II SDXC Memory CardsBoth of these new cards are set to come in five sizes ranging from 64GB to 1TB and are set to offer exceptional reliability with anti-magnetic, anti-static, and X-ray protection.
2/3/2025
Sundance 2025: Crafting Alien Fever Dream 'Touch Me' with Premiere Pro, Frame.io and After Effects
The second feature film from writer and director Addison Heimann explores mental health, desire, and everything in between, packaged in a stylistic ode to ‘60s and ‘70s-style Japanese cinema.Editor Jess Weber worked diligently with Heimann from the beginning to ensure they were aligned on the tone of this frenzied fever dream.Weber leveraged Adobe’s video tools to craft the highly specific look and feel, including Premiere Pro Productions for maximum organization, the Essential Sound and Graphics Panels for layered effects, and After Effects for screen comping and masking.
2/1/2025
How Sundance Didn’t Die
In this episode of No Film School, GG Hawkins and Ryan Koo bring you a special live report from the 2025 Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah.Joining the conversation are the creators behind Didn't Die, a unique take on the zombie apocalypse that blends horror, dark humor, and indie filmmaking ingenuity.Listen to more episodes of the No Film School podcast right here:
1/31/2025
The 10 Best 'Stranger Things' Characters
You need people on the screen that keep bringing the audience back for more.I want to dive into 10 of the best characters on Stranger Things, the Netflix hit that will soon return for its 5th season.Let me know what you think in the comments.
1/31/2025
Sundance 2025: 'Endless Cookie' Is an Animated Look at Two Half-Brothers’ Complicated Relationship
While traveling from the present in isolated Shamattawa, Canada to bustling 1980s Toronto, the film debates complex issues of race and identity while reflecting on the challenges that come with trying to make a documentary while raising nine kids and a bunch of dogs.Endless Cookie premieres January 25th at the Sundance Film Festival.COWPER: At a certain point in your career, either when you financially can afford to, or when you’ve had enough experience trying out a lot of different things within your craft, you have to make the decision about what kinds of projects you want to work on.
1/31/2025
Canon Ranks #1 in Top-Selling Cameras of 2024
In particular, it’s also interesting to see reports from Canon that the EOS R6 Mark II was the top-selling full-frame camera in the U.S. in 2024—taking home perhaps the biggest prize in all of digital camera manufacturing.The Popularity of the Canon R6 Mark IIWith a highly affordable price that has now dropped to below $ 2,500 USD, the Canon EOS R6 Mark II is a versatile mirrorless body for the multimedia creator.
1/31/2025
Sundance 2025: How Editor Anadi Athaley Brought 'Sabar Bonda' to Life with Premiere Pro
This debut feature from writer and director Rohan Parashuram Kanawade offers a personal and original depiction of queer life among the rural and lower castes of India, taking audiences on a journey with Anand, a 30-something city dweller compelled to spend a 10-day mourning period for his father in the countryside.Athaley relied on Premiere Pro’s intuitive and customizable tools to edit this touching narrative, leveraging its powerful masking tools to combine elements from different takes into a single shot and clean up dialogue with Enhance Speech.Read on for an inside look at editing Sabar Bonda, premiering at Sundance on January 26th.
1/31/2025
Check Out the 2025 Sundance Film Festival Winners
From thought-provoking documentaries to captivating narratives, this year's festival highlighted the future of filmmaking.Short Film Special Jury Award for DirectingAmazon MGM Studios Producers Award for Fiction: Joe Pirro for The Wedding BanquetThe 2025 Alfred P. Sloan Feature Film Prize: SALLY
1/31/2025
Surprise, Sidney! Matthew Lillard Returns in 'Scream 7'
Deadline is reporting that Matthew Lillard, who played Stu Macher in Scream, is returning to the franchise in Paramount's Scream 7. Lillard just released an Instagram video in which he scribbles a cryptic callback to one of his most famous lines in the original film: "My mom and dad are gonna be so mad at me."Scream 7 will be in theaters February 27, 2026.
1/31/2025
Sundance 2025: Erik Vogt-Nilsen on Editing “Plainclothes” with Premiere Pro
Editor Erik Vogt-Nilsen collaborated closely with Emmi to bring together this narrative that cleverly deploys lo-fi VHS footage and plays with chronology to keep the audience on its toes.Read on for an inside look at editing “Plainclothes,” premiering at the Sundance Film Festival on January 26th.Arielle is a mentor of mine and such an editing inspiration to me.
1/31/2025
The 18 Best Adapted Screenplays of All Time
Adapted from the novel by Margaret Mitchell.The Lord of the Rings TrilogyDirected by Peter Jackson.Summing Up The 18 Best Adapted Feature Screenplays of All TimeThese are some of my favorite adaptations, but I know there are lots of other ones out there for you to enjoy.
1/30/2025
11 Great Technicolor Movies Across History
I decided to make a list of my favorite technicolor movies for you to check out. Summing Up Technicolor Films Now that you have this list of technicolor films to watch, you better head to the library or the Criterion closest to see what you can find. I want to know your favorites.
1/30/2025
‘Back in Action’ Director Seth Gordon: Get Lost in One Detail at a Time
GG Hawkins and Jason Hellerman talk with Seth Gordon, the celebrated writer-director behind Back in Action, Horrible Bosses, and The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters. Seth shares the joys and challenges of creating large-scale films, balancing action and comedy, and his insights into leadership and creativity.This episode is packed with practical advice for emerging filmmakers and candid reflections on Seth’s career journey.
1/30/2025
Exclusive: How Short Film Series 'Cavewoman' is Evolving with Digital Formats
It's the latest story from award-winning filmmakers Christopher Rohrbeck and Bianca Dovarro.This series of Vertiscope™(9:16 format) short films reimagines the lost-world genre, with puppets, animations, retro costumes, and a booming voiceover from iconic Star Trek narrator Jonathan Frakes.Set in a prehistoric-inspired world, Cavewoman follows the ecological misadventures of a curious cave girl—the last human on Earth.
1/30/2025
Sundance 2025: How Editor Viridiana Lieberman Used Premiere Pro and Real-Life Footage to Craft “The Perfect Neighbor”
Told entirely through real-life footage – including police body cameras, dashboard cameras, Ring cameras, and more – the documentary transports viewers to the center of a seemingly minor neighborhood dispute that slowly becomes something much darker.Editor Viridiana Lieberman used Premiere Pro to experiment with a unique structure and manage the range of sources with different frame rates, sizes, colors, and more.The magic of Premiere Pro is how easy and seamless it is to work with so many different types of media.
1/30/2025
Free Blackmagic App Unlocks More Android Phones for Pro Filmmaking
Blackmagic has announced that the Blackmagic Camera App for Android 2.0 is set to add support for remote control and monitoring of multiple Android phones, plus more additional support for selected Android tablets and Samsung S25, S25+, and S25 Ultra phones.Blackmagic Camera App for Android 2.0Already designed to work with Samsung Galaxy and Google Pixel phones, the Blackmagic Camera app is set to add even more Android phones, plus support for selected Android tablets and Samsung S25, S25+, and S25 Ultra phones.
1/30/2025
New Blackmagic URSA Cine 12K Body Version to Retail for Just Under $7K
The Blackmagic URSA Cine 12K LF BodyCinematographers will be able to shoot in 12K, 8K, or 4K at the full sensor size and will be able to choose the resolution for the job or the shot they want.When working in 8K 2.4:1 the camera can shoot up to 224 fps.
1/30/2025
Sundance 2025: Editor Benjamin Shearn On Using Premiere Pro and Frame.io to Bring 'By Design' to Life
Juliette Lewis stars in this epic fable that cleverly pokes fun at the social scripts people use to convince themselves their lives have purpose.Shearn relied on Premiere Pro, Productions, and Frame.io to bring Kramer’s surreal, spontaneous vision to life in an extremely tight timeframe, finishing a full cut just a month after filming wrapped to make the Sundance deadline.Read on for a behind-the-scenes look at editing By Design, premiering at Sundance on January 23rd.
1/30/2025
Sundance 2025: Behind the Scenes with the Editor of “BunnyLovr”
Directed by, written by, and starring Zhu and edited by Stephania Dulowski (Tendaberry), the film follows a drifting Chinese American cam girl, Rebecca, struggling to navigate an increasingly toxic relationship with one of her clients while rekindling her relationship with her dying estranged father.We sat down with Dulowski for an inside look at how she used Premiere Pro and Frame.io to craft a story that offers a nuanced, nonjudgmental approach to sex work, while also raising important questions about the commodification of intimacy and fragmentation of family.Neon Heart Productions, one of the production companies behind Bunnylovr, recommended me to edit the film after our collaboration on Tendaberry, which premiered at Sundance 2024 in the NEXT Category.
1/29/2025
How DeepSeek Might Shake Up the Generative AI Video Industry
The AI industry has been thrown into flux as the Chinese AI company DeepSeek has announced its game-changing ChatGPT rival DeepSeek-R1.Will DeepSeek Create an AI Video Model?What’s most likely going to happen is that DeepSeek or other Chinese AI companies will further disrupt the AI industry by releasing new AI technologies and possibly generative AI video models that will rival the best that we’ve seen so far.
1/29/2025
What is Hemingway’s Iceberg Theory?
It's a technique coined by American writer Ernest Hemingway that will be at the forefront of my thoughts when I sit down to write my next spec screenplay. It's also called "the theory of omission."Summing Up Hemingway's Iceberg Theory At the end of the day, this advice and theory work well for writers and filmmakers.
1/29/2025
The VFX Secrets Behind Lush Sundance Short 'Em & Selma Go Griffin Hunting'
That's the case for writer/director Alexander Thompson, who transports audiences to a fantastical place through his Sundance short, Em & Selma Go Griffin Hunting.The short follows a mother and daughter with radically different views on their magical world, a version of Depression-era California where griffins and wood nymphs inhabit the local woods.Alexander Thompson: In so many words, fantastical storytelling is a very excellent insurance policy against the ravages of time.
1/29/2025
When Does Tarantino Think Real Movies Ended?
Now, as he prepares to make his tenth and final film, Tarantino has gotten reflective on whether or not movies even exist anymore. Currently, he's writing a play, which he says, if it becomes a smash hit, could be adapted into his last movie. If we want to save these theatrical windows and bring movies back, we need more generals and fewer prophets.
1/29/2025
Z Cam E2 Mark II Camera Series Gets a Big Makeover
Z CAM E2-F6 Mark II Full-Frame 6K Cinema CameraThis E2-F6 Mark II model will be able to record 6K video at up to 60 fps and HD to 170 fps directly to a CFexpress Type B card.All of the cameras above are out and available for purchase now.
1/29/2025
Bringing Mexico’s Vibrant Culture to Life in Sundance Short Film 'Susana'
As co-founders of Thumper Films, they're currently working on a trilogy of shorts that examine this complex relationship.Their first film, Viaje de Negocios, premiered at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival.We spoke with the filmmakers via email ahead of the festival to learn about their low-budget approach and their festival experiences.
1/28/2025
Protagonist vs. Antagonist: How to Pit Characters Against Each Other
The opposite of a protagonist is an antagonist.There should be some kind of imbalance between the protagonist and antagonist in your story at each moment, so we know why the characters are fighting.Explore the relationship between the protagonist and antagonist.
1/28/2025
Sundance 2025: How Editor Lev Lewis Crafted Cinematic Fever Dream “Dead Lover” on Premiere Pro
The film follows a lonely gravedigger (played by Glowicki) who finally meets her dream man, but their whirlwind affair is cut short when he tragically drowns at sea.Editor Lev Lewis worked closely with Glowicki to create the film’s colorful spectrum of creative influences – from disco to German Expressionism to sketch comedy to Bugs Bunny.Because the film was shot in only 16 days and almost entirely on a black soundstage with minimal backgrounds to differentiate scenes, Lewis relied on the fluidity of Premiere Pro to organize takes, streamline his workflow, and bring this genre-bending, “cinematic fever dream” to the big screen.
1/28/2025
19 Best Alien Movies of All Time
That's why I am obsessed with alien movies.Today, I want to make a list of what I think are the best alien movies and take you through them. Close Encounters of the Third KindMusic is one of those things we classify as only human, but what if it's something that unites the universe?
1/28/2025
Sundance 2025 Filmmakers Share What Cameras They Used (and Why)
The 2025 Sundance Film Festival is off to a rip-roaring start in Park City, Utah and we’re excited to share some firsthand insights into what cameras were used by filmmakers for their films this year. As we’ve done in years past, we surveyed all of the filmmakers at this year’s Sundance Film Festival to seek out trends and insights into what gear is being used to bring these brilliant films to fruition.The ARRI ALEXA 35 in particular took the top spot in our results which reflects trends from years past as well.
1/28/2025
A Future-Proof and Affordable ARRI ALEXA 35 Base Model is Here
However, a new trend is emerging: Brands like Sony, Blackmagic, and Canon are releasing more affordable and easier-to-access versions of some of their top cine cameras.And the day for ARRI to release a more affordable entry model for their ALEXA 35 is finally here.Both of these models will feature the same Super 35 sensor, industry-leading 17 stops of dynamic range, REVEAL Color Science, and ARRI image quality.
1/28/2025
The 80 Best SNL Skits of All Time
And no one does it better than Saturday Night Live.I've put together a massive list of the best SNL skits of all time, from classics like Mr. Robinson's Neighborhood and Matt Foley to bizarre gems like Dr. Beaman's Office and Massive Head Wound Harry.What are your favorite SNL sketches?
1/28/2025
What Is A Sitcom?
But what is a sitcom?These new innovations have kept sitcoms fresh and kept audiences engaged.So if you have an idea on how to spinoff a sitcom into something fun and interesting, there are people who want to hear it.
1/27/2025
SXSW Vets Teach Rookies How to Fest
In this episode of No Film School, GG Hawkins sits down with filmmakers Sarah Mokh, Stephen Cedars, Benji Kleiman, and Imran J. Khan to discuss navigating the South by Southwest (SXSW) Film Festival.With insights from seasoned festival veterans, this episode offers practical advice and candid reflections on how to make the most of a festival experience, whether you’re a first-timer or a returning filmmaker.In this episode, No Film School’s GG Hawkins and guests discuss:The importance of preparation before attending a festival and knowing how to pitch yourself and your project.
1/27/2025
How This Filmmaker Turned Stock Animations into a Sundance-Worthy Short
That's certainly the case for Paradise Man (ii), a quirky short film that's playing in the animated shorts block at this year's Sundance Film Fest.The short is a reflective piece featuring the eponymous Man, who appears on screen and immediately starts waxing poetic about life and golf and love.The writer/director/producer of the short is Jordan Michael Blake, who was kind enough to chat with us ahead of the festival.
1/27/2025
Follow the 'Star Trek' Movies in Chronological Order
So today, I wanted to go over the chronological order of Star Trek movies, so we can see how they shaped generations. The 'Star Trek' Movies in Chronological Order'Star Trek V: The Final Frontier' (1989)Plot: A crazy Vulcan, Spock's half brother, threatens the stability of the galaxy.
1/24/2025
This Filmmaker Used Personal Experience to Make an Impactful Sundance Short
Sundance Film Festival is one of the best places in the film/TV industry to explore new points of view.For instance, the short film Unholy features a young woman who is chronically ill and using a feeding tube.Writer/director Daisy Friedman took inspiration from her own experience as a feeding tube user to tell a story about a young woman struggling to connect with family and faith in the face of her illness.
1/24/2025
11 Movies We Can't Wait to See at Sundance 2025
So, what movies should we be keeping an eye on out of Park City this year? Let's jump into 11 Movies we can't wait to see at Sundance 2025...Let me know what you think in the comments about these titles!
1/24/2025
Automatically Upload Proxy Files to Frame.io with These Canon Cameras
Adobe has shared that they’ve partnered with Canon to deliver some new integrations between Frame.io Camera to Cloud (C2C) and some select Canon cameras.Plus, with a recent firmware update, users of these cameras are now able to automatically upload proxy files directly from your Canon cameras to Frame.io.With just a Frame.io account, a Canon C80 or Canon C400, a network connection, and a simple six-digit pairing code, shooters will now be able to start uploading video files to the cloud within minutes of capture.
1/24/2025
Sundance 2025: Filmmaker Alireza Khatami Used Premiere Pro and After Effects to Bring Sundance Debut “The Things You Kill” to Life
As the writer, director, co-editor, and co-producer of the film, Alireza Khatami used Adobe’s suite of video editing tools to bring his creative vision to life: “Premiere Pro was our go-to for editing, thanks to its speed and stability, and After Effects was critical for the complex visual effects we needed.”“The Things You Kill” premieres at Sundance on January 24th.We sat down with Khatami to learn more about his workflow on this ambitious feature, seven years in the making.
1/24/2025
How These Filmmakers Took Their Production Adventure to a Global Scale
As the global content company launches its crew-focused anthem “Chasing the Same Sun”, we chatted with Hometeam founders Brandon Bloch, Lagan Sebert, Harrison Winter and their producing team about how they’ve been able to take their production adventures to a global scale.At its highest purpose, Hometeam empowers filmmakers to do their best work on a global scale by working with the best crews on a local level.With Chasing the Same Sun, we filmed in nine cities across six continents all without ever setting foot on a plane.
1/23/2025
Why Did The Best Picture Oscar Nominees Leave The Producer Spot Blank?
In the race for best picture, where the names of producers should be, there were the four words: “nominees to be determined.”Well, as you can see, some of the movies have their producers' spots listed.The academy has a very strict policy for that.
1/23/2025
Panasonic Announces Major Firmware Updates for Host of LUMIX Cameras
Speaking of which, Panasonic has announced a series of new firmware updates for its full-frame and micro four thirds LUMIX cameras.These firmware updates are set to add new features like enhanced AF detection modes, frame markers, and codec and zoom options.The big headlines for both the Panasonic LUMIX S5II and the updated Panasonic LUMIX S5IIX model have to do with compatibility with the LUMIX Lab smartphone app which adds more remote shooting controls and features, along with updates to the cameras’ phase hybrid autofocus systems and their hybrid zoom and crop zoom features.
1/23/2025
Canon’s Latest RF Zoom Lens is Its Smallest and Lightest Yet
The Canon RF 16-28mm f/2.8 IS STMThe Canon RF 16-28mm f/2.8 will provide 5.5 stops of correction automatically for cameras without IBIS and up to 8 stops when used in coordination with a compatible camera's built-in stabilization system.The Canon RF 16-28mm f/2.8 IS STM is available for pre-order now with units expected to start shipping beginning February 2025.
1/23/2025
The 2025 Oscar Nominations: Who's In and Who Got Snubbed?
This year's race has been crazy, with Emilia Perez picking up 13 nominations, and it is the first time since 1997 that everyone in the Directing Award category is a first-time nominee. Conan O’Brien will host the 97th Academy Awards on Sunday, March 2, from the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood.The 2025 Oscar Nominations
1/23/2025
8 Films That Inspired Robert Eggers' 'Nosferatu'
Eggers shared a list of eight films with Film at Lincoln Center for its film series “Conjuring Nosferatu: Robert Eggers Presents," stating:"It’s a world of Gothic Romance, fairy tales, and folklore, made by filmmakers with a passion to transport the audience to another time, another place, and another way of thinking and believing."Let's take a look at the films that inspired Eggers' remake of Murnau's classic gothic horror film.Beauty and the Beast (1946)
1/23/2025
Read and Download 'The Night of the Hunter' Script
Its chilling depiction of religious fanaticism and predatory evil, as well as its dreamlike atmosphere and haunting visuals, make it one of the most important movies ever made. It tells the story of two young children fleeing from a murderous preacher with "LOVE" and "HATE" tattooed on his knuckles.James Agee’s screenplay is a plethora of lessons stretched across a gripping narrative.
1/22/2025
Netflix Celebrates Record-Breaking Sub Surge With...a Price Hike?
The standard monthly membership without ads will go from $15.49 to $17.99, and an account with ads will rise a dollar to $7.99. These are the first price rises since 2022.When it comes to their stock, they just hit a yearly high of $999 per share.
1/22/2025
Sony BURANO Gets Major Upgrades Including New Recording Formats
That day is here now, as Sony has just announced some major new features for the BURANO with a new version 2.0.Let’s look at what the Sony BURANO version 2.0 will feature, including new recording formats, monitoring and SDI output updates, and exposure tools.BURANO version 2.0 will feature a new 3.8K Full Frame crop that will be able to make use of nearly the entire sensor to record up to 120 fps.
1/22/2025
Premiere Pro Adds AI Clip Recognition with New Media Intelligence and Search Panel
The biggest headlines here might have to be the new features coming to Premiere Pro (beta) first though.Adobe Premiere Pro is getting faster with AI-powered Media Intelligence and a new search panel.Then, with the new Search panel, users will be able to use natural language to find visuals, spoken words, or content with embedded metadata like shoot date or camera type all at the same time.
1/22/2025
The 7 Best Movies About American Presidents
Let's take a look at seven of the best movies about American presidents.'Lincoln'Day-Lewis' spot-on (we think) portrayal of the 16th president makes this biopic feel almost like a cinéma vérité documentary.
1/22/2025
What is a Flat Character?
In general, flat characters are just useful bodies in the story you can use to advance the plot.But if someone tells you your main characters or villains are coming across as flat, then you have a problem.Why Do You Need a Flat Character?
1/21/2025
Meet the Most Affordable Lightweight Robotic Camera Arm Yet
The new Noxon Arm, the latest smooth motion solution for filmmakers from Noxon, promises to be a new take on the robotic arm that should be quite competitively priced for the level of technology that you’re getting.The Noxon ArmThe Noxon Arm is tailored for cinema cameras and can support up to 6kg, which should ensure quality across a wide range of projects and challenges.
1/21/2025
18 Civil Rights Movies to Watch on MLK Day
'Judas and the Black Messiah'You'd get One Night in Miami, Regina King's feature debut as director.'To Kill a Mockingbird'
1/21/2025
11 Best Martin Scorsese Movies, Ranked
And that's not just because he's delivered some all-time classics, but because he has dedicated his life to the art of film.Ranking Martin Scorsese's movies felt like an impossible task.Killers of the Flower MoonThough a recent film, it's a movie I think about all the time.
1/20/2025
Netflix Adds Blackmagic URSA Cine 12K LF to Approved Camera List
The Blackmagic URSA Cine 12K LF has already proven to be a very capable and popular cinema camera from Blackmagic Design.It more than meets all of the standards that Netflix required to be included on the list and will join the likes of several other Blackmagic cameras already on the list.The new URSA Cine 12K sports a gorgeous new cinematic 12K full-frame 36 x 24mm sensor with an advertised 12 stops of dynamic range and Blackmagic raw capture up to 12K 3:2 open gate.
1/20/2025
How Did 'The Brutalist' Utilize AI in Post Production?
Of course, we also learned that some of the other films many assumed would be nominated for Best Picture had also used AI in post-production.'The Brutalist' and AILook, a lot of Hollywood used AI this year.
1/20/2025
New DaVinci Resolve Update Adds Cache Clearing and Fusion Effects Fixes
Resolve has had many updates over the past year, each improving upon one of the more exciting, and improving NLEs for filmmakers and video editors.This latest 19.1.3 update adds some new improvements (namely cache clearing) as well as fixes to some Fusion effect previews and other small issues.DaVinci Resolve 19.1.3
1/20/2025
2025 ASC Awards Nominees: 'Dune', 'Wicked', & 'Nosferatu' Make the List
The American Society of Cinematographers (ASC) has announced the nominees for its 39th Annual Outstanding Achievement Awards. The awards will be presented on February 23, 2025, at The Beverly Hilton, and you can livestream at theasc.com.The awards are considered among the most prestigious in Hollywood and are often seen as a predictor of the Academy Award for Best Cinematography.
1/18/2025
Read and Download the Most Iconic David Lynch Scripts
Lynch was a singular voice whose work on screen came from some of the most inventive and engaging screenplays I have ever read.David Lynch Scripts There's so much to learn from the screenplay below.
1/18/2025
How to Not Sabotage Your Film’s Score
But did you consider the crucial step of transitioning from digital to human music performance in your budget or post-production plans?Don't Sabotage Your Film Score As orchestration and music preparation professionals, our careers transition from digital to human performances.A good orchestrator often aids in decisions about the best approach for distributing elements between limited live musicians and digital tracks.
1/17/2025
Laowa Teases Groundbreaking Zoom Probe Lens
Laowa has announced that the company is set to launch a groundbreaking new Zoom Probe Lens here in 2025 that is going to follow up on the success of the company's previous 24mm f/14 Probe, Periprobe, and 24mm T8 Pro2be lenses.The Laowa 15-35mm Zoom Probe LensAnd Laowa reports that it will be available for shipment in Q2 2025.
1/17/2025
Artlist Empowers Creation Without Limits With Creative Tools and Digital Assets
Artlist is the place to go for creators who want to empower creation without limits.Including hundreds of thousands of premium songs, SFX, footage, templates, LUTs, and plugins, Artlist’s creative asset collections aim to provide creators with a full solution to content creation.This AI voice-over feature is one of the first AI voice generators offered by a creative assets platform.
1/17/2025
TikTok vs YouTube: Which is Better for Filmmakers in 2025?
We'll look into the pros and cons of each platform and come up with a plan of action. TikTok vs. YouTube Let's look at the debate in some pros and cons list to really get to the bottom of the question and help you decide which platform is best for you.Essentially, TikTok is great for marketing and YouTube is great for distribution.
1/16/2025
How the Editors of 'Eno' Used Premiere Pro and After Effects to Cut the First Generative Film
In addition to showcasing Eno’s rich archive of hundreds of hours of never-before-seen footage and unreleased music, director Gary Hustwit and creative technologist Brendan Dawes developed bespoke generative software that sequences a human-coded mixture of scenes, music, and interviews to create a film that is never the same twice.As the first-ever “generative” film, Tippett and McDonald relied on Adobe Premiere Pro and After Effects to manage Eno’s technical complexity.McDonald: We used Premiere Pro and After Effects for this film.
1/16/2025
Rest in Eccentric Peace, David Lynch
A painter turned filmmaker, Lynch was an exceptionally artistic oddball whose work helped bridge the commercial and experimental filmmaking gap in many ways.From his early animated works inspired by his talents as a painter in "Six Men Getting Sick" and "The Alphabet" to his final short, the Netflix-produced "What Did Jack Do?", each short carries its own charm and fleshes out his body of works with his classic surrealist charm.But, if David Lynch taught me anything, it's that when the dark and evil things out of our control start to take hold, the best way to move forward is to hold on to the beautiful things we can control.
1/16/2025
The 2025 WGA Awards Nominations Revealed
The Writers Guild of America (WGA) has announced the nominees for its Writers Guild Awards, celebrating outstanding achievements in film, television, radio, audio, and promotional writing.This year's nominees represent a diverse range of storytelling, from big-budget blockbusters to intimate independent films, sharp satirical comedies to thought-provoking dramas, and groundbreaking documentaries to innovative children's programming.The WGA Awards Nominations 2025
1/16/2025
Leica Announces a Speedy New SL3-S With Unlimited Open Gate 6K Video
Featuring a 24MP full-frame sensor, the Leica SL3-S will be able to provide unlimited 6K Open Gate internal recording while utilizing the full size of the sensor in its native 3:2 aspect ratio.The Leica SL3-S boasts a 24 MP full-frame BSI CMOS sensor which features an ISO range of 50 to 200,000 and allows 48 and 96MP in handheld Multishot mode.The Leica SL3-S has just been announced and is available for pre-order now with an expected availability starting January 20th, 2025.
1/16/2025
These 21 Movies Had The Best Cinematography of All Time
So, I scoured the internet to make a list of movies I could learn from.Once I went down that rabbit hole, I found myself actually making a list of the best cinematography of all time.I love Ridley Scott's work here.
1/15/2025
How Filmmakers Are Coming Together Amidst the LA Fires
They share personal experiences of evacuation and the emotional toll of the crisis, emphasizing the importance of community support and resilience. The conversation highlights the need for filmmakers to prioritize their safety and mental health while navigating the uncertain future of the industry. They also explore the power of storytelling as a means of processing trauma and fostering empathy in challenging times.
1/15/2025
BAFTA 2025 Nominations: 'Conclave' is Praised and 'Challengers' Fumbles
The three leading films are Conclave (12 nominations), Emelia Pérez (11), and The Brutalist (9), shortly followed by Anora, Dune: Part Two, and Wicked (7).The biggest surprise here might be that Conclave is in the lead, papally towering over the competition.Considering it only took away Best Screenplay at the Golden Globes, we'll see if its nominations bear any weight to victory.
1/15/2025
Expand Your Shutter Speed Options With These Sony Alpha Firmware Updates
here soon, we do get a sneak peek at some major firmware updates that are on the way for some of Sony’s flagship line of cameras.Sony has announced that firmware updates for the Alpha 1 II, Alpha 1, and Alpha 9 III will be available starting later this month and will bring a range of improvements including the expansion of shutter speed options for said cameras.Again, Sony has shared that all three of these new firmware updates — Alpha 1 II (Ver. 2.00), Alpha 1 (Ver. 3.00), and Alpha 9 III (Ver. 3.00) — are all set to be available here sometime in January 2025.
1/15/2025
Expand Your Shutter Speed Options With These Sony Alpha Firmware Updates
here soon, we do get a sneak peek at some major firmware updates that are on the way for some of Sony’s flagship line of cameras.Sony has announced that firmware updates for the Alpha 1 II, Alpha 1, and Alpha 9 III will be available starting later this month and will bring a range of improvements including the expansion of shutter speed options for said cameras.Again, Sony has shared that all three of these new firmware updates — Alpha 1 II (Ver. 2.00), Alpha 1 (Ver. 3.00), and Alpha 9 III (Ver. 3.00) — are all set to be available here sometime in January 2025.
1/15/2025
What is Shallow Depth of Field? Definition & Examples
Today, we want to go over one that gets used a lot: shallow depth of field. We'll review the definition, look at some examples, and talk about why filmmakers have been using shallow depth of field more and more in Hollywood. What is Shallow Depth of Field?
1/15/2025
Watch David Ehrlich's 25 Best Films of 2024 Video Countdown Now
Another year, another eloquently edited video countdown of the year's best films from Indiewire's Chief Film Critic, David Ehrlich.No matter what kind of year you had in 2024, there's no denying it was an amazing year for movies.Did your favorite movies make the final cut?
1/14/2025
The DJI Flip Camera Drone Aims to Bring Vlogging to the Skies
Aimed at beginners and novice aerial videographers, this sub-249g drone can be operated with or without a controller and has a variety of auto-flying modes.It also features a pretty decent camera for a sub-$500 price point that can record 4K video at up to 100fps and shoot 10-bit clips with D-Log M.The DJI Flip Vlog Camera Drone
1/14/2025
This Film Stock Is Why '70s and '80s Movies Look So Good
I went to YouTube to figure out why that was, and I ran into this incredibly helpful video from In Depth Cine, which taught me all about the world of Kodak 100T 5247, the film stock that dominated Hollywood for nearly two decades and left an enduring mark on the aesthetic of cinema. So, join me as I explore the unique characteristics of this film, its impact on legendary movies, and how it continues to influence filmmakers today.Kodak 100T 5247 is the Film Stock of a Generation
1/14/2025
What is Technicolor?
Today, we're going to define the Technicolor process, talk about its history, and look at a few examples across cinema. The term "Technicolor" actually refers to a bunch of motion picture processes developed by the Technicolor Motion Picture Corporation throughout the early 20th century.Let us know your favorite technicolor movie in the comments!
1/14/2025
Our 2025 Oscar Predictions: Who's Taking Home Best Picture?
My favorite ceremony is the Oscars.Today, I want to go over some of the Academy Awards and make my predictions for who will win the Oscar.2025 Oscar Predictions
1/13/2025
The Ending of 'Conclave' Explained: Who is the New Pope?
We'll explain the Conclave ending, go over its plot, and discuss its meaning. The Plot of 'Conclave'The conclave becomes a battleground for the future of the Church, with four cardinals emerging as the leading contenders.
1/13/2025
How Leaving LA Led to a 40 Theater Release With a First Script
Writer-director Eddie Mensore shares the journey of creating Hazard, an indie drama about the opioid crisis in Appalachia, and how leaving LA led to the film's 40-theater release. Later, Marc Saltarelli discusses the acclaimed LGBTQ+ documentary Studio One Forever, exploring its historical significance and enduring legacy.In this episode, No Film School’s GG Hawkins, Eddie Mensore, and Marc Saltarelli discuss:How Eddie’s move away from LA revitalized his career and allowed him to focus on meaningful indie filmsThe challenges and triumphs of making Hazard, a deeply personal story about the opioid crisisMarc’s experience documenting LGBTQ+ history through Studio One Forever and the film’s resonance in today’s political climateAdvice for filmmakers navigating the industry outside of traditional Hollywood structuresResources:Hazard Official WebsiteHazard Theatrical ReleaseStudio One Forever Official TrailerSubscribe to the No Film School Podcast on:Apple PodcastsSpotifyGoogleGet your question answered on the podcast by emailing [email protected].
1/13/2025
How Premiere Pro and Frame.io Helped 'Black Box Diaries' Filmmakers Tell Shiori Ito’s Powerful Story
Directed by Ito herself and edited by Ema Ryan Yamazaki, the film follows Ito through her very personal journey and campaign to hold her assailant accountable.She not only becomes the face of Japan’s #MeToo movement but also launches a landmark case in Japan, exposing the country’s desperately outdated judicial and societal systems.We caught up with Yamazaki to get a behind-the-scenes look at the four-year process of crafting Black Box Diaries.
1/13/2025
DJI 04 Air Unit Series Will Allow You to Add FPV Capabilities to Your Non-FPV Drones
The 04 Air Unit series is set to include a DJI 04 Air Unit and a DJI Air Unit Pro, which—when working with DJI Goggles—will unlock real-time video streaming from many miles away.The DJI 04 Air Unit SeriesThe DJI 04 Air Unit Pro
1/13/2025
9 Most Brutal Westerns Ever Made
When I made our list of the best westerns ever made, I spent a few weeks in heaven watching all sorts of different versions of these films, but a few stuck with me.They were some of the most brutal movies I had ever seen, and I love recommending them to people. He was a little crazy, incredibly bold, and made one of the greatest westerns of all time in The Wild Bunch.
1/13/2025
How a TikTok Ban Could Effect Filmmakers
The Supreme Court heard arguments today on whether or not it would uphold the current law banning the enormously popular social media app in the United States unless ByteDance sells it by January 19th.If you're wondering how our silly little videos are facing the cold hand of the law, the argument being made is that TikTok's Chinese ownership poses security concerns due to US citizen data collection and potential influence from the Chinese government.Well, the fear amongst lawmakers is that since ByteDance is a Chinese company, they are more susceptible to interference and influence from the Chinese government which may want to access and gather user personal data.
1/10/2025
Television Academy Announces Rules Changes for 77th and 78th Emmy Competitions
Recently, the Emmys changed the rules for some of their categories for what can compete and how. Television Academy Announces Rules Changes for 77th and 78th Emmy CompetitionsThese changes will go into effect over the next two Emmy awards.
1/10/2025
HDMI 2.2 Has Been Announced and Will Support Resolutions Up to 16K
HDMI 2.2 is set to deliver 96Gbps of bandwidth and will be capable of supporting up to 16K resolution.The focus of the HDMI 2.2 announcement has been on future needs for supporting HDR video and virtual reality, mixed reality, and augmented reality content.However, the HDMI Forum has shared that the HDMI 2.2 technology will be shared to TV and cable manufacturers here in the first half of 2025.
1/10/2025
9 Best Modern Black & White Movies
But it's not just old movies that are made in black and white, lots of directors choose the color palate to better signify the themes of their films. Today, I wanted to go over some great modern black-and-white movies and talk about what makes them so special. Let's dive into the movies.
1/10/2025
'Juror #2' Ending Explained: Does Justice Prevail?
So, today, we will discuss the ending of Juror #2.A young woman named Kendall Carter is found dead, and her boyfriend, James Sythe, is accused of her murder.I want to hear your interpretations of the film and what you have to think.
1/10/2025
Hollyland Debuts Teeny-Tiny Wireless Mic System That Weighs Less Than 7 Grams
Designed to record up to two people for mobile journalism or on-the-run content creation, the new Lark M2S combo wireless microphone system is exceptionally small, weighs just 7 grams (0.25 ounces), and is easily conceivable.The Hollyland Lark M2S Wireless Mic SystemIdeal for mobile journalists, documentarians, or any video pros looking for the smallest gear possible, the Hollyland Lark M2S wireless microphone combo system includes two ultracompact transmitters with built-in omnidirectional microphones.
1/9/2025
'The Brutalist' Director Brady Corbet on Why 70mm Matters
The director of the film, Brady Corbet, is urging everyone to see the movie that way.He spoke to TIFF Originals about why he thinks it matters. Corbet's passion for film is evident throughout the interview, and he expresses his belief that large format film is the future of cinema.
1/9/2025
Cinema Audio Society Reveals Nominations for 61st Annual CAS Awards
The Cinema Audio Society has revealed nominations for Outstanding Achievements in Sound Mixing.The 61st CAS Awards will be held on Saturday, February 22, 2025, at the Beverly Hilton.Tickets are now available at cinemaaudiosociety.org.
1/9/2025
The 2025 DGA Award Nominations Announced
The winners in all categories will be announced at the 77th Annual DGA Awards on Saturday, February 8, 2025.The 2025 DGA Award NominationsOutstanding Directorial Achievement in Dramatic SeriesThe nominees for the Directors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Dramatic Series for 2024 are (in alphabetical order):Alex GravesThe Diplomat, “Dreadnought”(Netflix)Hiromi KamataShōgun, “Ladies of the Willow World”(FX)Issa LópezTrue Detective: Night Country, “Part 6”(HBO)Unit Production Manager: Mari Jo WinklerFirst Assistant Director: Richard GraysmarkFrederick E.O. Toye Shōgun, “Crimson Sky”(FX)Jonathan Van TullekenShōgun, “Anjin”(FX)Outstanding Directorial Achievement inComedy SeriesThe nominees for the Directors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Comedy Series for 2024 are (in alphabetical order): Lucia AnielloHacks, “Bulletproof”(Max)Unit Production Manager: Chris R. RobinsonFirst Assistant Director: Jeff RosenbergSecond Assistant Director: Erin Stern LinaresSecond Second Assistant Director: Alaina Neumann RafdalAdditional Second Assistant Director: Chalis RomeroAyo EdebiriThe Bear, “Napkins”(FX)Unit Production Managers: Carrie Holt de Lama, Tyson BidnerFirst Assistant Director: Duccio FabbriSecond Assistant Director: Olivia Dame, Larissa MalarekSecond Second Assistant Director: Sofía BlancoLocation Manager: Maria C. RoxasDuccio FabbriThe Bear, “Doors”(FX)Unit Production Managers: Carrie Holt de Lama, Tyson BidnerFirst Assistant Director: Larissa MalarekSecond Assistant Director: Olivia DameSecond Second Assistant Director: Sofía BlancoLocation Manager: Maria C. Roxas Jeff SchafferCurb Your Enthusiasm, “No Lessons Learned”(HBO)Unit Production Manager: Mary ChurchFirst Assistant Director: Adam FeilSecond Assistant Director: Jessica Faires McGinnSecond Second Assistant Director: Timothy MuirChristopher StorerThe Bear, “Tomorrow”(FX)Unit Production Managers: Carrie Holt de Lama, Tyson BidnerFirst Assistant Director: Duccio FabbriSecond Assistant Director: Olivia DameSecond Second Assistant Director: Sofía BlancoLocation Manager: Maria C. RoxasOutstanding Directorial Achievement inMovies for Television and Limited SeriesThe nominees for the Directors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Movies for Television and Limited Series for 2024 are (in alphabetical order):Kevin BrayThe Penguin, “Top Hat”(HBO)Unit Production Managers: Dana Robin, Bill CarraroFirst Assistant Director: Jude GorjancSecond Assistant Director: Brad RobinsonSecond Second Assistant Director: Matt MerksamerAdditional Second Assistant Director: Maritza GomezAssistant Unit Production Manager: Mike BuonannoLocation Manager: Keith AdamsAlfonso CuarónDisclaimer(Apple TV +)Unit Production Manager: Donald SabourinFirst Assistant Director: Chris CarrerasJennifer GetzingerThe Penguin, “A Great or Little Thing”(HBO)Unit Production Managers: Dana Robin, Bill CarraroFirst Assistant Director: H.H. CooperSecond Assistant Director: Eric CalatayudSecond Second Assistant Director: Matt MerksamerAdditional Second Assistant Director: Maritza GomezAssistant Unit Production Manager: Mike BuonannoLocation Manager: Keith AdamsHelen ShaverThe Penguin, “Cent'anni”(HBO)Unit Production Managers: Dana Robin, Bill CarraroFirst Assistant Director: H.H. CooperSecond Assistant Director: Eric CalatayudSecond Second Assistant Director: Matt MerksamerAdditional Second Assistant Director: Maritza GomezAssistant Unit Production Manager: Mike BuonannoLocation Manager: Keith AdamsSteven ZaillianRipley(Netflix)Unit Production Managers: Clayton Townsend, Joe Guest (New York)First Assistant Director: Peter ThorellSecond Assistant Directors: Justin Bischoff (New York), Nick Notte (New York)Second Second Assistant Director: Melissa Morphet (New York)Location Manager: Paul Eskenazi (New York)Outstanding Directorial Achievement inVariety/Talk/News/Sports – Regularly Scheduled ProgrammingThe nominees for the Directors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Variety/Talk/News/Sports – Regularly Scheduled Programming for 2024 are (in alphabetical order):Paul G. CaseyReal Time with Bill Maher, “Jiminy Glick, Andrew Cuomo, Adam Kinzinger”(HBO)Associate Director: Stacy TalbotStage Managers: Brian Anderson, Patrick WhitneyJim HoskinsonThe Late Show with Stephen Colbert, “Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez & Mavis Staples w/ Jeff Tweedy”(CBS)Associate Directors: Yvonne De Mare, Karen YaegerStage Managers: Mark McKenna, Jeff LeibDavid Paul MeyerThe Daily Show, “Indecision 2024: The Democratic National Convention - Plot Twist!”
1/9/2025
Check Out The SAG Award Nominations 2025
The ceremony will stream on Netflix on Sunday, February 23, with Kristen Bell as host.Check out the list of nominees below. The SAG Award Nominations 2025
1/9/2025
DJI’s New Compact Flagship Enterprise Drones Take Flight
The latest news from the civil drone and creative camera company comes in the form of the company’s new compact flagship enterprise drone series.The DJI Matrice 4 Series will feature a new Matrice 4T and Matrice 4E, new intelligent multi-sensor compact drones which will feature advanced capabilities such as smart detection and laser range finder measurements.The DJI Matrice 4 Series
1/8/2025
Dive Into 10 Screenwriting Tips From Robert Eggers
Now, How To Screenplay has compiled a list of ten of his screenwriting tips so that we can learn from his process. 10 Screenwriting Tips From Robert Eggers To Get Your First Feature Produced, Make a Proof of Concept We love a good proof of concept here at No Film School.
1/8/2025
Insta360 Partners With YouTuber Peter McKinnon for Creator-Ready X4 Pro Bundle
The latest example of this easy entry into the world of film and video comes with a new content creation bundle brought together by Insta360 and YouTuber Peter McKinnon.The Insta360 X4 360-degree 8K CameraThe Peter McKinnon Edition Insta360 X4 bundle is out and available now.
1/7/2025
How To Edit A Documentary With a Personal Impact
That's why I was keen to check out Zurawski v Texas and speak with its editor, Austin Reedy.I had worked with Maisie and Abbie before on a film called At The Ready and was excited when they asked me to help tell this story––it felt immediate and essential.Reedy: Maisie and Abbie always wanted the film to feel as authentic as possible.
1/6/2025
A New Future of Autofocus Anamorphic Lenses is On the Way
SIRUI 40mm T1.8 1.33X S35 AF Anamorphic LensThe lens is set to be 614g super compact and offer equivalent to 42mm focal length as a T1.8 lens featuring constant 1.33x squeeze ratio, as well as offer some blue/neutral flare and distinctive bokeh, which should give DPs both cinematic look image and the autofocus design to make anamorphic creating much more efficient.Reviews of the SIRUI 40mm T1.8 1.33x S35 Lens
1/6/2025
Who Won the 2025 Golden Globes?
The 82nd Golden Globe Awards, hosted by Nikki Glaser, just ended, and the entire night was kind of a blur of speeches, hilarious sketches, and a few upsets. Emilia Pérez led the nominations with a staggering ten nods, but did it sweep the awards?The 2025 Golden Globe Winners
1/6/2025
Everything Steven Soderbergh Watched in 2024
From the latest releases to obscure classics, Soderbergh's viewing habits offer a fascinating glimpse into the mind of a master storyteller.Steven Soderbergh Watch List 2024NOW, SITTING TARGET02/18 STAR WARS: RETURN OF THE JEDI, THE TRIAL (’63)02/19 STAR WARS: ATTACK OF THE CLONES, CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM02/23 MLLION DOLLAR MERMAID, THE DYNASTY (2)02/26 Long Island Compromise, Taffy Brodesser-Akner02/28 THE GREATEST LOVE STORY NEVER TOLD03/01 THE DYNASTY, CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM03/02 THE DYNASTY03/03 Lowdown Road, Scott Von Doviak03/04 Charlesgate Confidential, Scott Von Doviak03/05 The List, Yomi Adegoke03/06 ALL ABOUT EVE03/07 ANDOR, CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM, THE GENTLEMEN03/08 THE DYNASTY (2)03/09 Piglet, Lottie Hazell, CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM03/11 AMERICAN CONSPIRACY: THE OCTOPUS MURDERS, THREE DAYS OF THE CONDOR03/14 AMERICAN CONSPIRACY: THE OCTOPUS MURDERS (3)03/15 THE DYNASTY (2)03/16 Neon in Daylight, Hermoine Hoby03/17 CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM, THE GENTLEMEN03/18 THE GENTLEMEN (3)03/19 3 Shades of Blue, James Kaplan, THE GENTLEMEN (2), THE RIVALS OF AMZIAH03/20 WHEN YOU FINISH SAVING THE WORLD03/22 THE PIKE COUNTY MURDERS (3)03/23 AMERICAN MANHUNT: THE BOSTON MARATHON BOMBING (2), BRANNIGAN03/25 CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM03/30 SPY OPS (2), MIAMI OPEN WOMEN’S FINAL03/31 The Twenty Year Death, Ariel S. Winter, LOVE, BROOKLYN, MIAMI OPEN MEN’S FINAL04/03 JAWS, AMERICAN MANHUNT: THE BOSTON MARATHON BOMBING04/04 CHINATOWN04/05 SCOOP, THE FILE ON THELMA JORDON04/06 BULLSEYES AND BEER: WHEN DARTS HIT BRITAIN, BORN TO BE BAD, MAD MAX04/07 DUNE: PART TWO04/08 CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM, The Club, Leo Damrosch04/09 NEAL BRENNAN: GOOD CRAZY04/10 WHAT JENNIFER DID04/11 Grief is for People, Sloane Crosley04/12 OBSESSION (’49)04/13 The Cocktail Waitress, James M. Cain, CATCH-22, SHELL04/17 THE QUILLER MEMORANDAM04/18 Close to Death, Anthony Horowitz04/19 PIECES (’97)04/20 WELCOME TO COLLINWOOD04/21 RED EYE (3), James, Percival Everett04/22 THE JINX PART TWO, RED EYE (3)04/23 The Making of the Movie Jaws, Edith Blake, THE REAL VANISHING ACT—MISSING MILLIONAIRESS04/25 Dr. No, Percival Everett, THE MAGUS, KISS THE BLOOD OFF MY HANDS04/27 ALIEN04/29 THE JINX PART TWO05/01 Jaws, Peter Benchley05/03 THE MAKING OF JAWS05/04 MADRID OPEN WOMEN’S FINAL, HACKS05/06 MADRID OPEN MEN’S FINAL, HACKS, THE JINX PART TWO05/07 Begin principal photography on BLACK BAG05/12 THE HOLLYWOOD CON QUEEN (3)05/16 HACKS05/17 HACKS05/18 HACKS, THE FOOTBALLER FRAUDSTER05/19 HACKS, LA CHIMERA05/20 THE JINX PART TWO05/22 NIKKI GLASER: SOMEDAY YOU’LL DIE05/23 HACKS05/24 HACKS05/25 CIVIL WAR05/26 JAWS: THE INSIDE STORY, THE INNOCENT (’22), IN COLD BLOOD05/27 Worry, Alexandra Tanner, THE JINX PART TWO, GOOD FORTUNE06/01 THE THICK OF IT, HACKS06/03 THE THICK OF IT (3)06/04 REN FAIRE06/06 REN FAIRE06/07 REN FAIRE06/10 DEADLY WATERS WITH CAPTAIN LEE06/12 Exhibit, R.O. Kwon06/13 HIT MAN06/16 Negative Space, Gillian Linden, Annie Bot, Sierra Greer06/19 JAWS06/20 Queen and Country, Alan Judd06/23 Parade, Rachel Cusk, The English Understand Wool, Helen DeWitt, BLACK BAG, PERFECT WIFE06/24 PERFECT WIFE (2), Caledonian Road, Andrew O’Hagan06/25 Tennis Lessons, Susannah Dickey06/26 FURIOSA: A MAD MAX SAGA06/27 The New Me, Halle Butler06/28 THE FRIEND07/02 Common Decency, Susannah Dickey07/04 INTIMIDATION07/07 “Opening Theory” Sally Rooney07/13 SPRINT (6)07/14 WIMBLEDON MENS FINAL, JAWS07/15 BLACK BAG07/18 Kairos, Jenny Erpenbeck, HOMICIDE: LOS ANGELES, HOMICIDE: NEW YORK07/19 Banal Nightmares, Halle Butler, HOMICIDE: LOS ANGELES07/20 The Winner, Teddy Wayne07/21 The Coin, Yasmin Zaher07/22 HOMICIDE: NEW YORK, IN A VIOLENT NATURE07/23 THE NATURAL HISTORY OF DESTRUCTION07/24 A NIGHT AT THE OPERA*07/25 HOMICIDE: LOS ANGELES (2), FUGITIVE: MYSTERY OF THE CRYPTO QUEEN (3)07/26 Funny Story, Emily Henry, Liars, Sarah Manguso, 2024 OLYMPIC OPENING CEREMONY07/27 300 Arguments, Sarah Manguso, 2024 OLYMPIC GAMES07/28 OLYMPIA PART ONE, ABOUT DRY GRASSES, 2024 OLYMPIC GAMES07/29 OLYMPIA, PART TWO, HOMICIDE: NEW YORK, 2024 OLYMPIC GAMES07/30 2024 OLYMPIC GAMES07/31 2024 OLYMPIC GAMES08/01 Autocracy, Inc., Anne Applebaum, BALDWIN’S N****R, 2024 OLYMPIC GAMES08/02 2024 OLYMPIC GAMES, UNSOLVED MYSTERIES08/03 VISIONS OF EIGHT, 2024 OLYMPIC GAMES, UNSOLVED MSYTERIES08/04 2024 OLYMPIC GAMES, UNSOLVED MYSTERIES08/05 2024 OLYMPIC GAMES, Catalina, Karla Cornejo Villavicencio08/06 2024 OLYMPIC GAMES08/07 2024 OLYMPIC GAMES, Bear, Julia Phillips08/08 2024 OLYMPIC GAMES, THE KEEP08/09 2024 OLYMPIC GAMES, UNSOLVED MYSTERIES08/10 2024 OLYMPIC GAMES, The Audacity, Ryan Chapman, COWBOY CARTEL (2)08/11 2024 OLYMPIC GAMES08/12 HARRY POTTER AND THE PRISONER OF AZBAKAHN08/13 COWBOY CARTEL, Bonding, Mariel Franklin08/14 JAWS08/17 ANDOR (3)08/18 ANDOR (3), THE BODY NEXT DOOR (3)08/20 GODS OF TENNIS08/21 GODS OF TENNIS08/22 BLACK BAG08/23 LONGLEGS08/25 THE MURDER OF LYN DAWSON (2), THE BIG CLOCK (’48)08/26 THE MURDER OF LYN DAWSON (2), TOP SECRET!
1/3/2025
John August Wants to Make Your (Screenwriting) Life Easier
In this episode of No Film School, GG Hawkins and Jason Hellerman chat with John August, an acclaimed screenwriter, podcaster, and software developer.Known for films like Big Fish and Aladdin, as well as co-hosting Scriptnotes with Craig Mazin, John August discusses his career, the evolution of screenwriting tools, and how he's simplifying life for writers with his app, Highland.In this episode, No Film School’s GG Hawkins, Jason Hellerman, and John August discuss:John’s journey from journalism major to one of Hollywood’s most recognized screenwritersHow working across different mediums—from novels to musicals—has shaped his storytellingThe philosophy behind creating Highland, a screenwriting app designed to keep writers in the flowPractical advice for writers starting out in today’s industryResources:John August on IMDbHighland AppScriptnotes PodcastSubscribe to the No Film School Podcast on:Apple PodcastsSpotifyGoogleGet your question answered on the podcast by emailing [email protected].
1/3/2025
DJI Drones Avoid Congress Ban, But Still Face Commerce Department Concerns
However, as is the case with most things in the government, it also now sounds like DJI could face similar threats of a ban through different forces.The Countering CCP Drones ActDJI filed a lawsuit against the United States Department of Defense in October 2024 to fight this as well.
1/3/2025
Golden Globes vs. Oscars: 5 Surprising Differences You Might Not Know
Two major ceremonies define the season: The Golden Globes and The Academy Awards.The Golden Globes covers both TV and film.Summing Up Golden Globes vs. OscarsAt the end of the day, this is a fun season that should be celebrated.
1/3/2025
How Extensive Makeup Research Unlocked Character
Written and directed by Tyler Perry, it's the story of the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion, an all-black and all-female battalion, in World War II.NFS: Six Triple Eight is based on the true story of the US Army's only all-Black, all-women battalion after World War II.Facial hair looks for men, women's makeup, and nail styles.
1/3/2025
Is This SmallRig x Potato Jet Tripod One of the Best Options for Traveling Videographers?
This latest collaboration from SmallRig is with Potato Jet (aka Gene Nagata) for their co-branded TRIBEX Hydraulic Carbon Fiber Tripod Kit.The SmallRig x Potato Jet TRIBEX Hydraulic Carbon Fiber Tripod KitThis SmallRig x Potato Jet tripod is constructed with durable carbon fiber and, along with the fluid head, has an adjustable height range of 10.6 to 66.1".
1/2/2025
When Did You Imagine Your First Story?
However, I am here to tell you that it is possible to bring your visions to life no matter what your age is or the amount of resources you have.I am 15 years old, and I'm The director, writer, and producer of Attribute of the Strong.My film, Attribute of the Strong, is about a homeless man who wins the lottery and then seeks to take revenge on a man who wronged him.
1/2/2025
What's New on Public Domain Day 2025?
You can view an extensive list via Duke Law, but we'll recap the biggest titles in it below. Public Domain 2025Books and PlaysWilliam Faulkner, The Sound and the FuryErnest Hemingway, A Farewell to ArmsVirginia Woolf, A Room of One's OwnDashiell Hammett, Red Harvest and The Maltese Falcon (as serialized in Black Mask magazine)John Steinbeck, Cup of Gold (Steinbeck's first novel)Richard Hughes, A High Wind in JamaicaOliver La Farge, Laughing Boy: A Navajo Love StoryPatrick Hamilton, RopeArthur Wesley Wheen, the first English translation of All Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Maria RemarqueAgatha Christie, Seven Dials MysteryRobert Graves, Good-bye to All ThatE. B. White and James Thurber, Is Sex Necessary?
1/1/2025
How Did Sound Capture The Essence of Gabriel García Márquez’s 'One Hundred Years of Solitude'
That's why I was so excited by the new Netflix film One Hundred Years of Solitude.La Tina’s collaborative work on One Hundred Years of Solitude brought together the talents of Andrés, Alejandro, and Manuel to create an immersive and dynamic soundscape that captured the essence of Gabriel García Márquez’s world. NFS: Manuel, your work with Colombia's biodiversity was integral to shaping the film's sound.
1/1/2025
How Costume Design Immersed Audience in Magical Realism of 'Pedro Páramo'
Costume design plays a crucial part in setting the tone of the film, and No Film School had a chance to sit down with Anna Terrazas, the costume designer on the film.For the film, Anna worked with local artisans to design and hand-make over 1000 pieces of clothing, from blouses, shirts, and hats to sandals and underwear, to ensure everything characters wore was period-appropriate. I am really grateful that I got to be a part of Rodrigo Prieto’s interpretation of the story.
1/1/2025
How 'Children of the Church Steps' Uses Sound to Find Authenticity in Tragedy
Two people who know just how important it is are the sound designers behind Netflix's Children of the Church Steps, Tomás Alem and Bernardo Uzeda.Lucky for you, we had the opportunity to interview Alem and Uzeda on their process.Netflix’s Children of the Church Steps is inspired by an incredibly well-known tragedy in Brazil’s history, the Candelária Massacre.
1/1/2025
What's the Story Behind the Tinsel and Nuance in Anora's Hair?
To pull that off, you need an all-star hair and makeup team to nail the details.Enter Justine Sierakowski, the artist responsible for crafting the many looks for our titular heroine, Anora (Mikey Madison), as well as the rest of the supporting cast.Below, we chat with Justine about how she pulled off the intricate details of Ani's story via hair styling, as well as some fun insights into some of the more specific choices throughout Anora's beautifully heart-wrenching story.
12/31/2024
'Sullivan's Crossing' Composers Ari Posner and Joel Schwartz Take Us Through Crafting a Multi Seasonal Score
Composers Ari Posner and Joel Schwartz understand that, and rise to the challenge over and over on the CW's Sullivan's Crossing, the juicy and thrilling show starring Chad Michael Murray and Morgan Kohan, which welcomes fans into a world of deception and heartbreak in rural Nova Scotia.Ari and Joel’s score for Sullivan’s Crossing required a very minimalist and organic approach.Showrunner Roma Roth’s keyword for the composing duo was “melancholic.”
12/31/2024
'Dune: Prophecy' Editors Amelia Allwarden and Anna Hauger Explain How Editing Is All in Your Character's Head
Enter melia Allwarden and Anna Hauger. Anna, who is also an associate producer on the show, edited episode 2, Amelia edited episode 4, and they worked together on the finale, episode 6. AH: I really enjoyed working on the Agony sequence in episode 2.
12/31/2024
A Real Long Shot from the Movie 'Deepfake'
But for our micro-budget indie Deepfake, it was Kilimanjaro.As it turned out, Fujinon had just released their new Duvo PL-mount cine box lens designed to cover full-frame sensors and bridge the gap between the cinema world and live events.Fujinon’s demo unit was coming to New York, and there was exactly a one-day window for us to get the shot, right at the very end of production.
12/30/2024
You Can Now Charge Your DJI Batteries With Your Car
DJI has unveiled a new Power 1kW Super Fast Car Charger for its giant portable batteries.This new car charger will be able to charge DJI’s lineup of power stations at up to 1000W from your car’s alternator.The charger can also connect your Power 1000 power station to your car's battery for two-way charging and car battery stabilization.
12/30/2024
No Crew, No Problem: Defy All Odds for Your First Feature
My first attempt, a 90-minute coming-of-age crime drama called Barcley, was a scrappy, zero-dollar production.By graduation, I had ten award-winning feature films, an Emmy-nominated limited series, and twenty shorts under my belt.I’m in post-production on my latest feature, Cardboard Island, a science fiction adventure that has consumed years of my life.
12/30/2024
Take These Lessons From Billy Wilder to Guide Your Filmmaking Journey
Wilder is an incredible writer and director who seems to master every genre.Thinking Like Billy Wilder In this new video, they tackle Billy Wilder and break down his career as a writer and a director.
12/30/2024
James Mangold Unwraps the Craft of "A Complete Unknown"
In this episode of No Film School, GG Hawkins and Jason Hellerman sit down with acclaimed director James Mangold to dive into the making of his latest film, A Complete Unknown.Known for iconic works like Logan and Ford v Ferrari, Mangold shares deep insights into his creative process, the importance of preparation, and how he navigates the complexities of storytelling.This holiday special offers invaluable lessons for filmmakers at every level.
12/27/2024
How The ‘Los Frikis’ Directors Injected Dark Humor, History, and HIV into Their Film
In this episode of No Film School, Jason Hellerman interviews Tyler Nielsen and Michael Schwartz, the dynamic directing duo behind the bold and provocative film Los Frikis.Known for their previous success with Peanut Butter Falcon, Tyler and Michael take listeners on a journey into the making of their latest project—a darkly comedic and deeply human tale about the Los Frikis generation in 1990s Cuba.The film explores themes of rebellion, freedom, and survival, centering on punks who willfully injected HIV to escape oppression.
12/27/2024
Cinematic Lighting Continues to Get More Versatile With Latest Godox LEDs
The latest LEDs from Godox’s KNOWLED line bring several helpful modes such as CCT, HSI, X-Y, and FX.Godox KNOWLED MS60R LED LightsThe KNOWLED MS60Bi model is quite similar yet offers a bi-color capability that enables both daylight and tungsten CCT.
12/27/2024
Blackmagic Camera on iOS Finally Adds Support for Controlling PYXIS 6K Cameras
Blackmagic Camera 2.2 for iOSWith this update Blackmagic Camera for iOS users will be able to remotely control their PYXIS cameras with all types of controls including focus, white balance, frame rate, and shutter angle.Download the Blackmagic Camera 2.2 Update
12/26/2024
How the 'Silo' DP Used Classic Sci-Fi to Inspire Its Look
I had the chance to explore the dark, subterranean, eerie world of the new Silo 17, where Juliette arrives in episode one.Episode one takes us on a journey of discovery as Juliette descends through the Silo, searching for signs of life.We put the camera at the bottom of the famous underwater tank at Pinewood Studios, and our stunt double dropped from a cable above, matching the falling movements from the Silo set, and as we only needed the last few feet of the drop, it worked beautifully with the overhead shot previously discussed.
12/25/2024
Breaking Down the Cinematography Style of Erik Messerschmidt
And I've found that one of the most versatile DPs out there is Erik Messerschmidt.He's worked on four Fincher movies, comedy and drama TV, and features with Michael Mann, the list seems endless.We'll delve into his background, influences, and the gear he uses to achieve his images.
12/25/2024
'Scrap' Actress-Writer-Director Vivian Kerr On Doing It All
Vivian Kerr is the writer/director and star of the independent feature Scrap, which follows single mom Beth as she moves into her car and struggles to hide her homelessness from her estranged brother Ben. The film has screened at several independent film festivals across the country, including the Coronado Island Film Festival, where it won the award for Best Narrative Feature.Vivian Kerr: It’s been such a long journey to bring Scrap to this point.
12/24/2024
Dissecting Closing Shots In Movies
Today, I want to look at some of the best closing shots of all time and see what you can learn from them as filmmakers. I find that a lot of these shots capture the theme of the movie.What other closing movie shots are in the video?
12/24/2024
Godox Takes on the DJI Mic Mini With New Cube-C Wireless Microphone System
The new Godox Cube-C (a follow-up to the company’s popular Cube-S which was released just back in August) takes aim at the recently released DJI Mic Mini.Introducing the Godox Cube-CThe Godox Cube-C wireless microphone is now available for pre-order.
12/23/2024
How the 'Blitz' Sound Department Created an Immersive Experience
One of the most intense experiences I've had this year was watching the Steve McQueen movie Blitz on Apple TV+. Blitz's sound department was run by James Harrison, who also worked on Ridley Scott movies like The Last Duel and Napoleon.The biggest surprise, though, was Saoirse Ronan’s singing.
12/23/2024
9 Best Quentin Tarantino Movies, Ranked
But before he's all said and done, we wanted to take an internal poll to rank his movies to what we consider to be his lesser to his best.A disclaimer: Tarantino movies are all pretty good, and some are stone-cold classics.'Once Upon a Time...
12/23/2024
Read and Download the 'I Saw the TV Glow' Screenplay
Thanks to Deadline’s Read the Screenplay series, you can now read and download Schoenbrun's beautiful screenplay for free from your home, favorite coffee shop, are anywhere else with WiFi that you love downloading your favorite PDFs from.I Saw the TV Glow is a special, unique movie that's loaded to the brim with deep metaphors and striking visuals, some of which are horrific.Read and Download 'I Saw The TV Glow' Now
12/21/2024
What New Cameras Can We Expect in 2025?
The biggest news from Sony in 2024 was perhaps the unveiling of the Sony Burano.2025 Camera Speculations: For 2025, we expect Fujifilm to try to double down its success in 2024 and release several new cameras.We expect to see new DJI drones, gimbals, and other technologies in 2025.
12/20/2024
Dive into the Editing Secrets of 'Challengers'
One of this year's best films, Challengers follows three fledgling tennis champions.No Film School: Sports films can present unique editing challenges.Marco Costa: It’s true that there’s a lot of tennis in Challengers, but we approached the film as if it weren’t a sports movie.
12/20/2024
How 'Laid' Uses Lens Swaps to Dictate Genre and Tone for a Killer Rom-Com
After a seemingly infinite series of misses, Ruby (Stephanie Hsu) sees life slipping through her fingers until she realizes each of her exes is dying in the exact order she slept with them.No Film School had a chance to sit down with the series' lead cinematographer, Judd Overton, who established the show's tone as a perfectly balanced rom-com and death. In our conversation, Overton shares insights into his creative process, his creative partnership with director Nahnatchka Khan, his collaboration with the stunts department, and more.
12/20/2024
NFS Podcast: The Invisible Work of Producers and Sundance 2025 Slate
They are joined by Emmy-nominated producer Carolina Groppa, who shares insights from her remarkable career.The episode also highlights key films from the newly announced Sundance 2025 slate, offering reflections on the festival’s evolving influence.Carolina produced the 2017 Emmy-nominated feature documentary Autism is Love, which explores how adults with autism find and navigate romantic relationships.
12/20/2024
Inside The Epic, Intimate Visual World of 'Dune: Prophecy'
Cinematography plays a big part in setting the tone of the show, and No Film School had a chance to sit down with Pierre Gill, CSC, the lead cinematographer on the series. As the lead cinematographer, he was tasked with establishing the look of the show.In our conversation, Gill shares insights into his creative process, creating distinctive looks for various planets, portraying power dynamics, and more.
12/19/2024
Slamdance Announces Lineup for 2025 Festival in Los Angeles
And with that comes another fun announcement just in time for the holidays: Slamdance's lineup for their 31st annual festival in Los Angeles for the first time.Slamdance was kind enough to share all 146 films with us today from upwards of 20 different countries.The fest will take place Screenings and events will run February 20-26, 2025 at the Director’s Guild of America (DGA) and Quixote in West Hollywood, Los Angeles, CA and will also be available online on the Slamdance Channel from February 24 to March 7, 2025Considering Slamdance is such a filmmaker-first festival, we love to promote it on No Film School as much as we can.
12/19/2024
Best Winter Holiday Deals for Filmmakers in 2024
Previs Pro uses cutting-edge AR and LiDAR technology, letting you place virtual elements into real-world locations.Get 30% off Final Draft with the code NOFILMSCHOOL24 at checkout.For a limited time, when you purchase an INOVATIV Workstation Cart, you’ll receive a $500 gift card to use toward your next online purchase.
12/19/2024
'Superman' Trailer Bleeds With Hope for the Future of Comic Book Movies
Or does James Gunn's Superman have the potential to be an amazing comic book movie?Let's break down why the Superman trailer is bleeding with hope for the future of comic book storytelling on the big screen.He's not only going to take one of DC's big three Trinity characters and tell a full-throttle comic book story, he's going to start an entire new era of comic book storytelling where we don't have to worry about cameos and origin stories.
12/19/2024
The Nikon Z9 Gets Another Major Firmware Update Boost to its Video Features
Still, Nikon is still on the grind just releasing a new firmware update to the Z9 which expands the camera’s video capabilities pretty significantly.Nikon Z9 Firmware Update 5.10The Nikon Z9 firmware update 5.10 is out and available to download for free here.
12/19/2024
What is "Nose Room" in Photography? The Definition and Examples
Today, I want to go over a term I just learned called "Nose Room".If you're interested in learning what nose room is all about in both video and still photography, join me as we go over the definition, look at some nose room examples, and unpack just why cinematographers and photographers use this setup. How do you shoot good nose room?
12/18/2024
Gabriele Calvi Makes a Case for Fresh, Clean Fun
His animated music video, “Mom, How Fresh I Am,” made oral hygiene cool for Italy’s youth and helped his client, Silvercare, give its communications a “fresh” touch.Image source: Gabriele Calvi.Calvi designed every element for “Mom, How Fresh I Am” using Illustrator.
12/18/2024
Blackmagic Improves Open EXR Metadata Specs With DaVinci Resolve Update 19.1.2
Another new update to Blackmagic’s popular video editing platform is here to add notable improvements for your video editing workflows.For DaVinci Resolve 19.1.2, we have taken efforts to keep the project libraries compatible with DaVinci Resolve 18.6.6.Finally, Blackmagic also recommends that users download and install the latest Blackmagic Design Desktop Video software for monitoring with their Blackmagic Design video hardware.
12/18/2024
How Do You Capture the Essence of Bob Dylan on Camera?
This year, he’s likely to get even more awards recognition for his latest collaboration with Mangold on the Bob Dylan biopic A Complete Unknown, which stars Timothée Chalamet as the folk singer.We spoke with Papamichael ahead of the film’s Dec. 25 release to learn more about his collaboration with Mangold and get a peek into his process.Walk the Line.
12/18/2024
How Did 'Wicked' Capture the Audio For Its Musical Numbers Live?
We were lucky enough to sit down with Simon to talk about his work on the film.Given that both Ariana and Cynthia are accustomed to full-range, cabled IEM systems for their live performances, Arthur Fenn (1st Assistant Sound) and I quickly agreed that the small hidden earwigs wouldn’t cut it.NFS: What was it like working with actors Cynthia Erivo and Jonathan Bailey in this particular number?
12/18/2024
How to Decide Which Movie You Should Make on a Tiny Budget
That’s why I’ve always been partial to building ideas out of available resources.It’s a lesson stolen straight from Robert Rodriguez, whose book Rebel Without a Crew should be required reading for any budding filmmaker.And if you shoot incognito with a smartphone to really avoid the need for permits, like Sean Baker did with Tangerine, you could even shoot your movie in a location you don’t have access to.
12/17/2024
NFS Podcast: Lie Your Way to the Top, FYC, Festival Purgatory, and The Indies
In this episode of No Film School, host GG Hawkins and tech editor Jordan Aldridge are joined by two guests: filmmaker Leah Saint Marie and award-winning director Lizzy Born.The discussion delves into the challenges of navigating the indie film world, the stress of festival notification season, and creative approaches to career-building in a competitive industry.Both guests share personal stories, practical advice, and insights on how to push boundaries in filmmaking.
12/17/2024
The Top 10 Most Searched Movies on Google in 2024—And Why
So, whether you're a fan of Superhero blockbusters, slasher movies, or animated sequels, it's likely you typed in one or all of these movies in your search bar this year.Read below for the top 10 movies worth a Google in 2024.We had a blast with this hilarious return to form from Tim Burton.
12/17/2024
Panasonic Debuts Affordable New LUMIX G97 With These Slick Upgrades
An upgrade of the previous G95 model, the new LUMIX G97 will now feature USB-C power and data connectivity along with some respectable video specs.What’s unique about this new LUMIX G97 model is the USB-C power and some improved data connectivity, including Bluetooth 5.0 for faster and more reliability.The G97 will also support external recording via micro-HDMI with 4:2:2 sampling and 8-bit color depth.
12/17/2024
What is a Match on Action Cut: Definition & Editing Technique
When they match or have similar shapes or colors in common, we call those cuts a 'match on action' cut or a 'match cut.' Today, we're going to define that term, look at some examples, and explain why filmmakers use them. Now that you understand what a match cut is, it's time to put them into your work.
12/17/2024
Why is it So Tricky to Adapt Superman to the Big Screen?
So why is this so hard to get this level of characterization in feature films? What makes us believe in a character like this is that he's supposed to be the best of us.But I have hope for the future of the character of Superman.
12/17/2024
Read and Download the Screenplay for A24's 'Heretic'
While there are many different texts out there to cozy up with—whether that's The Bible, The Court of Thorns and Roses series, or Watchman, we don't judge—the text in particular we're sharing today is none other than Scott Beck and Bryan Wood's script for A24's theological thriller Heretic. Want to impress your parents with your best manipulatively maniacal Hugh Grant impression?The Heretic script is perfect.
12/16/2024
What Short Films Made it Into the 2025 Sundance Film Festival?
This crop of films will be screened as part of eight curated Short Film Programs presented by Vimeo.The programs will include fiction, nonfiction, and animated titles from the U.S. and globally, showcasing a rich diversity of short-form storytelling.The Sundance Film Festival will take place in person from January 23 to February 2, 2025, in Park City and Salt Lake City, Utah.
12/16/2024
Blackmagic URSA Cine Immersive Camera Gets Price and Release Date
As we covered when first announced at WWDC 2024, Blackmagic Design’s URSA Cine Immersive camera is set to be the world’s first camera system designed to specifically record immersive video to display on Apple’s Vision Pro.Blackmagic reports that deliveries will start in late Q1 2025.The URSA Cine Immersive will be available from Blackmagic Design resellers later next year.
12/16/2024
15 Iconic Movie Props That Redefined Cinema
What are the most iconic and important props of all time?Let's dive into the list and see what props are the most iconic of all time. Let me know what you think are the best props of all time in the comments!
12/16/2024
Now You Can Learn AI Filmmaking at NYU—What This Means for Film Schools
The latest news is that the NYU Tisch School of the Arts, which offers one of the most prestigious film and television programs in the country, is partnering with Runway to incorporate the company’s AI video tools into their Masters of Professional Studies in Virtual Production program as part of a new course offered during the 2025 spring semester.Special Topics in Virtual ProductionIf you’d like to be a part of this AI revolution and explore how to use AI video in your filmmaking career, the NYU Tisch School of the Arts, Masters of Professional Studies in Virtual Production is now accepting applications for Fall 2025.
12/16/2024
Corsets, Crushed Buttons, and Vampire Fashion in Robert Eggers' 'Nosferatu'
The film is a reimagining of the classic Nosferatu story, which itself is a reimagining of Dracula.Ahead of the film’s Dec. 25 release, we spoke to Muir about the film.For aspiring costume designers, Muir offers advice that speaks to the technical and interpersonal aspects of the role.
12/16/2024
The Shocking 'Yellowstone' Ending Explained
the Dutton family and their ranch have been the center of drama.The show was conceived by Taylor Sheridan, who quickly became one of television's auteurs, writing all the episodes and directing a number of them as well.Let me know what you thought of Yellowstone and the finale in the comments.
12/16/2024
Mark Duplass Shares His Thoughts on Sundance Acceptance
Be proud of your project no matter what.Sundance—or any film festival, for that matter—is not the end all be all of your film or filmmaking career.Just as Duplass mentions, sometimes getting into a bunch of smaller festivals is even more satisfying and fulfilling than getting into one with a bigger name.
12/14/2024
Is 'The Little Mermaid' a Perfect Metaphor for AI?
We've been poking around at this topic all year, and filmmaker Mercedes Arturo has entered the discourse with her latest short film, "Back Home".We had the pleasure of speaking with Mercedes, a multidisciplinary artist whose work spans film, theater, and visual arts. Selected for the prestigious Rising Voices Programme in 2024, Mercedes created Back Home, a thought-provoking short film that delves into the future of artists in an AI-driven world, and is now in contention for the Oscar shortlist.She discusses the film's exploration of AI's impact on the arts and the importance of collaboration in her work.
12/13/2024
Here's Why Danny Boyle Shot '28 Years Later' on an iPhone 15
The iPhone 15, which is what Boyle and his team reportedly used for the long-awaited follow-up to the original 28 Days Later in 2002 and its 2007 sequel 28 Weeks Later, in particular, has proven to be a major step forward for Apple and was very much promoted as a filmmaking-capable camera.So let’s explore how Danny Boyle and his team were able to shoot 28 Years Later on an iPhone.What was 28 Years Later Shot on?
12/13/2024
Is 'The Lion King' the Greatest Animated Movie of All Time?
Is The Lion King the greatest animated movie of all time?Because for me, the best animated movie of all time is Toy Story. Toy Story is the Best Animated Movie of All Time
12/13/2024
Paul Schrader’s Three-Pronged Pitch for Landing Film Investors
It kicked off with 2013’s The Canyons, which was a slightly different experiment in film financing.Schrader’s latest, Oh, Canada, was shot in only 17 days and reunited him with Richard Gere 44 years after American Giglio kicked both of their careers into full swing.American Giglio was Schrader’s third feature as director and was shot in around 45 days.
12/13/2024
Here's Why You Need to Revisit 'Interstellar' in 70mm IMAX
With Interstellar's IMAX release, it's a great time to shed some tears in a public setting in one of the most prestigious film formats around.In that regard, Interstellar was made for 70mm IMAX.In light of climate change and growing social unrest, Interstellar reminds us that love and hope are our saving grace.
12/12/2024
Effortlessly Add Voiceovers to Your Videos with Motion Array’s AI Voice Generator
Let’s take a look at Motion Array’s new AI feature, which enables video creators to effortlessly convert text into speech and add voiceovers to their videos.Motion Array AI Voice GeneratorHere are some of the key features of this new AI Voice Generator from Motion Array:Filters to quickly find the perfect voice for any type of video.
12/12/2024
Not Just Drones: Will the DJI Ban Apply to Cameras Too?
Back in September the Counter CCP Drones Act passed the House and is moving closer to fruition.However, as this effective “DJI Drone Ban” draws closer, there are a lot of questions surrounding what this Counter CCP Drones Act will actually enforce when it comes to Chinese companies like DJI and their myriad of drone, gimbal, and camera offerings.The Latest on the DJI Drone Ban
12/12/2024
How Makeup Changes Everything in 'A Different Man'
That's where makeup artists Sarah Graalman and Melanie Licata step in.Sarah Graalman: My three creative loves have always been makeup, theater, and film.We are incredibly excited for a movie we shot this spring called History of Sound, starring Paul Mescal and Josh O’Connor.
12/12/2024
21 Best Family Movies of All Time
So, today, I wanted to pick out what I think are the 21 best family movies of all time.They are sure-fire crowd pleasers you can watch and make everyone in the room happy.'Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory'The original movie has music that sticks in your head and can bring people together by different generations talking about when they first saw it.
12/12/2024
Sundance Announces Its 2025 Lineup—With a Few Surprises
Sundance 2025 is upon us, and it's our joyful pleasure to share with you the first 96 projects announced by the Sundance Institute to be screened in Park Slope from January 23 to February 2, 2025. If you can't make the festival in person, Sundance also offers tickets for virtual tickets online starting January 30th.To address the specific preservation risks posed to independent film, Sundance Institute partnered with UCLA Film & Television Archive in 1997 to form the Sundance Institute Collection at UCLA and preserve independent films supported by Sundance Institute.
12/11/2024
Meet Your Pro Shooting Demands With Godox's Latest Cinematic-Grade Parallel Beam Lights
Let’s look at these latest additions to the Godox Cinematic-Grade Parallel Beam Lighting System and explore how they’re set to be more powerful and complete for all of your video shooting needs than ever before.Whether you are shooting in a studio or on location, the Godox parallel beam system will meet your demands of professional shooting!Compared with Beamlight Max90, the B60, and Max60 are lighter, weighing only 10 kg, making them lightweight enough for one person to carry and easy to set up.
12/11/2024
On-the-Run Audio for Video Gets Easier and More Affordable With New RØDE Microphones
RØDE has been a consistent brand in the audio-for-video space over the years and is back with a new generation of their popular Wireless GO Microphone System, this time with new pro features, a more affordable price, and plenty of bright colors.Let’s check out this new Gen-3 version of the RØDE Wireless GO.Introducing the Gen-3 RØDE Wireless GO Microphone System
12/11/2024
11 Famous Directors Who Write Their Own Screenplays
Today, I wanted to go into some of my favorite writer-directors and take a look at some of their best films. So, without further ado, let's dive into these 11 directors who write their screenplays.Nancy MeyersI've always had a soft spot for Nancy Meyers.
12/11/2024
How 'Anora' Used Makeup to Craft a Modern, Gritty Cinderella
Some of the best I've seen was in Sean Baker's 2024 Palme d'Or Award-winning film Anora.Thrilling, hugely entertaining, and genuine, Anora is like a gritty Cinderella story. Set in 2018, the movie follows the wild odyssey of its titular protagonist, a young Russian American sex worker who is swept out of her everyday life as an erotic dancer by the impetuous, free-spending son of a Russian oligarch.
12/11/2024
Understanding Film Gauge: From 8mm to 70mm
Below, you will find a quick brief of film gauges, as well as a breakdown of the most common formats—8mm, 16mm, 35mm, and 65mm.Let's explore why different movies use different film gauges in the Fandor video below. Below, let's briefly explore some of the different ways we can use different gauges of film, and with some examples of how they have been and can be used.
12/11/2024
Slamdance Announces Winners for the First-Ever Indies Awards
The Slamdance Group also made moves last night with their first annual awards ceremony celebrating independent film, the Indies Awards.Many of the buzziest independent films in narrative and documentary went home big this year, with projects like Atikamekw Suns, All We Carry, and The People's Joker walking away with newly minted Indies trophies. Check out the winners below!
12/10/2024
See What's on the 2024 Black List
It was back in 2013 when my screenplay, Shovel Buddies, got on the list.The 2024 Black ListThis is the incredible true story of a women’s public health crisis, a gunslinging plaintiff lawyer, and the biggest lawsuit in American history.
12/10/2024
Programmers & Filmmakers on the State of Shorts
In this episode of No Film School, hosts GG Hawkins and Jason Hellerman are joined by filmmakers and programmers Erin Brown Thomas, Jillian Corsie, and Rafael Leyva to discuss the current state of short films. They dive into the challenges, creativity, and evolving landscape of the medium, exploring how short films serve as a crucial platform for experimentation and storytelling.In this episode, No Film School’s GG Hawkins and Jason Hellerman discuss:The current climate for short films in the industry, including programming and distribution challengesHow filmmakers like Erin, Jillian, and Rafael are innovating within the short film formatThe role of short films as both creative playgrounds and stepping stones for larger projectsProgramming insights from festivals like Salute Your Shorts and SlamdancePersonal experiences creating impactful shorts, including Tooth and The Foster RanchResources:Tooth Short FilmErin Brown Thomas on Instagram: @erinbrownthomas_filmmakerErin on TikTok: @erinbrownthomas_filmJillian Corsie on Instagram: @jcorsieSalute Your Shorts on TikTok: @salute_your_shortsThe Foster Ranch Trailer: The Foster RanchRafael Leyva's Website: RLEYVADP.COMVersatile Assassins FilmsSubscribe to the No Film School Podcast on:Apple PodcastsSpotifyGoogleGet your question answered on the podcast by emailing [email protected].
12/8/2024
'Smile 2' Ending Explained
The Rules of the Smile Monster, The EntityJumping off from the events of Smile, Smile 2 opens in an expertly crafted one-shot cold open that could work as a standalone short film.Lewis Creepy Smile kills himself, passing The Entity to Skye.
12/7/2024
How You Edit Comedy and Trans Visibility in 'Will & Harper'
One of which is the exceptional Sundance-premiering documentary, Will & Harper.The premise of Will & Harper is pretty straightforward: Will Ferrell goes on a road trip with his longtime SNL best buddy Harper Steele shortly after she reveals to him that she's transitioning.Monique Zavistovski's Editing Origins
12/6/2024
Ranking Worst to Best Paramount Movies in 2024
So, what were the worst to best Paramount movies to come out this year? 'Dear Santa'Rotten Tomatoes Score: 41% 'Bob Marley: One Love'This biopic failed to connect with a wide audience.
12/6/2024
Blackmagic Camera for iOS 2.1.1 Update Addresses Colorspace and White Balance Issues
Released for both iOS and Android devices now, the Blackmagic Camera app has received several updates for each as the smartphone filmmaking app has improved in terms of useability and capability.Blackmagic Camera for iOS 2.1.1 UpdateThe most notable would be a fix to an issue with colorspace tagging when recording with LUTs enabled.
12/6/2024
Blackmagic Camera for iOS 2.1.1 Update Addresses Colorspace and White Balance Issues
Released for both iOS and Android devices now, the Blackmagic Camera app has received several updates for each as the smartphone filmmaking app has improved in terms of useability and capability.Blackmagic Camera for iOS 2.1.1 UpdateThe most notable would be a fix to an issue with colorspace tagging when recording with LUTs enabled.
12/6/2024
How the Rich History of Cooke Optics is Shaping the Future of Film and Video
The result: the S8/i series for Full Frame production, a spherical lens precisely tuned for digital sensors with all the character of the Cooke Look released in 2022.The T2.4 range features six focal lengths, a choice of user-changeable mounts, and is of small, lightweight yet robust construction.The Cooke SP3 full-frame prime lens series is based on the Cooke Speed Panchro, one of the most influential lenses in film history, with a new design optimized optically and mechanically for mirrorless cameras.
12/6/2024
Are Online Film Schools Worth It?
When choosing an online film school, consider factors such as the program's curriculum, faculty, reputation, and cost. New York Film Academy Online: NYFA offers a variety of online programs in filmmaking, producing, screenwriting, and other creative fields.Most of these online film schools just feel like places wanting to charge you for information you can get for free.
12/6/2024
Preview Some of the First Footage Shot on the ARRI ALEXA 265
Here’s a collection showcasing some of the first footage shot on the ALEXA 265 and some insights shared from the lucky DPs featured on ARRI’s channel.ARRI ALEXA 265 First LookFeaturing a trio of cinematographers who specialize in some stylistically different filmmaking approaches, ARRI has released three preview videos showcasing the ALEXA 265’s 65mm possibilities.
12/5/2024
Revolutionize 65mm Cinematography With the Light and Compact ARRI ALEXA 265
In the middle of the busy holiday season, ARRI has made a surprise announcement of a new small and lightweight ALEXA 265 camera which is set to revolutionize 65mm cinematography.Roughly one-third the size and weight of the ALEXA 65, this light and compact model is set to feature a revised 65mm sensor which will bring higher dynamic range and sensitivity.The entire camera form is only 4mm longer and 11mm wider than the ALEXA 35, which allows it to achieve a lightweight that is one-third that of the ALEXA 65.
12/5/2024
11 Classic Claymation Christmas Movies to Watch in 2024
Among the ones I love are the Rankin and Bass claymation movies that are so delightfully singular.In honor of the art of animated clay, I wanted to make a list of 11 I think are the best ever. Who Are Rankin and Bass?
12/5/2024
Samantha Scaffidi Talks the Unlikely Success of 'Terrifier 3'
At the center of these movies is actress Samantha Scaffidi, who plays Victoria Heyes.Her work in these splatter films is revelatory, and I was so excited to sit down with her to talk about making it in Hollywood and being one of the faces of the franchise.Samantha Scaffidi: It’s surreal.
12/5/2024
What is Post-Production?
Ideally you have a dedicated, knowledgeable team that will take care of all of this technical fare for you without you needing to be entirely in the know.However, the more you know as a producer, director, or anyone sticking with and seeing the project through the post-production process, the better equipped you'll be to communicate with your post team, allocate the appropriate amount of time and money for post, and keep everyone sane along the way.Once the media is handed off, the assistant editor typically will start syncing and organizing stringouts per their editor's preferences.
12/4/2024
Read and Download 'The Substance' Screenplay
The movie is a satirical body horror film that explores themes of beauty, and aging.It was written and directed by Coralie Fargeat, who shot up to being a director whose work you have to see in theaters.'The Substance' Screenplay
12/4/2024
Who's Nominated for the 2025 Indie Spirit Awards?
2024 was a really fun year for indies, with breakout hits like I Saw the TV Glow, which seemed to go viral on TikTok, and big horror like The Substance, which dominated conversations. Take a look at who's up for what award below! The 2025 Indie Spirit Awards Nominations
12/4/2024
Generate “High-Quality” 1080p Resolution Video with Google’s AI Model Veo
And with Google Veo, we appear to have a quite sophisticated AI video model that is capable of generating what the company dubs as “high-quality” videos at up to 1080p resolution across a range of different visual and cinematic styles.Google Veo AI Video ModelExamples of Google Veo AI Video
12/4/2024
A Massive List of Winter Grants, Labs, and Fellowships
Deadline: December 9CAAM FellowshipThis program from The Center for Asian American Media pairs documentary filmmakers telling Asian American stories with accomplished professionals for a six-month mentorship.Fellows will receive a $3,000 grant, one-on-one sessions with a Sundance Institute alumni mentor, and a 12-month membership to Adobe Creative Cloud.From Sundance: “The Sundance Ignite x Adobe Fellowship began in 2015 and now has an alumni network of more than 100 artists.
12/4/2024
The Top 23 'Star Wars' Characters of All Time
One of the best movie series to do this is Star Wars, which uses its characters not only in the plot, but to give us more facts about the world and to make everything feel real. So, come with me as we explore the top 23 Star Wars characters of all time. He's a character who was supposed to be there for comedic effect and to sell toys.
12/4/2024
How Director David Gordon Green Reverse-Engineered ‘Nutcrackers’ Plus Major Movie Monologues
In this episode of No Film School, hosts GG Hawkins and Jason Hellerman explore the craft of cinematic monologues and discuss how these powerful moments can elevate films. They also sit down with director David Gordon Green, whose latest holiday family film, Nutcrackers, debuts on Hulu.In this episode, No Film School’s GG Hawkins and Jason Hellerman discuss:The craft of writing and performing memorable movie monologuesIconic monologues from The Godfather, Network, Cabin in the Woods, Scent of a Woman, and moreDavid Gordon Green’s process of reverse-engineering Nutcrackers around its young, untrained starsWhy David values improvisation and naturalism in his filmmakingAdvice for indie filmmakers about creating economically viable films while staying true to their creative visionResources:The 25 Best Movie MonologuesWatch Nutcrackers on HuluDavid Gordon Green’s IMDb: David Gordon GreenSubscribe to the No Film School Podcast on:Apple PodcastsSpotifyGoogleGet your question answered on the podcast by emailing [email protected].
12/4/2024
Editing a Quest for Justice and Healing in “Black Box Diaries”
But that’s exactly what happened to Shiori Itō, the subject and director of MTV’s new documentary, Black Box Diaries, due for release in October.For five years, the young Japanese journalist documented her quest for justice after she was drugged and raped by Noriyuki Yamaguchi, a prominent TV journalist and friend of Shinzô Abe, the then-prime minister of Japan.Her 2017 memoir, Black Box, prompted a reckoning over gender-based violence in Japan.
12/3/2024
Get in the Game This Basketball Season With 'Starting 5'
We met, and he took a chance on me to lead the editing for a documentary series about the rapper Tekashi 6ix9ine called Supervillain (dir. Karam Gill).When we finished those projects, Peter Scalletar called and asked me to come lead the edit on “Starting 5” for Netflix.Mahaffie: The first thing that drew me to working on Starting 5 was working with Peter Scalletar again.
12/3/2024
Read and Download the Wicked Musical Script PDF
But did you know the musical was also adapted from Gregory Maguire's novelWicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West even before then?Not to mention the novel is a spinoff from the original The Wizard of Oz, which is also an adaptation of L. Frank Baum’s 1900 novel, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Anyway, if you're interested in reading the musical screenplay, check out the PDF below.
12/3/2024
Blackmagic Camera 9.1.3 Update to Fix Iris Lapsing with the URSA Cine 12K
That’s why Blackmagic has released Blackmagic Camera 9.1.3 to fix some small iris display compatibility issues with some PL lenses for the URSA Cine 12K LF.What’s new in Blackmagic Camera 9.1.3Here are some of the minimum system requirements for this update.
12/3/2024
How 'The People's Joker' Got Away With A Heartfelt Batman Parody
Vera Drew's (dare I say) comic book masterpiece is everything a good comic book movie has the potential to be.It uses the larger-than-life mythos built over years of comic book storytelling to explore something very personal and human in a way that a traditional grounded story never could.This is the first feature film I made.
12/3/2024
Our View On The Top CSU Film Schools for Screenwriting
With the constant uncertainty of "where is best" lingering in the air for film-oriented academia, I wanted to make a list of the California State Universities (CSU) schools so that people applying for these kinds of programs could make sure they had these spots on their lists. Visiting campuses, reviewing student work, and aligning the program with your career aspirations are crucial steps in making the best decision for your screenwriting future.Did you go to a different school in the CSU system that was awesome?
12/3/2024
Best Cyber Monday Deals for Camera 2024
While we're only scratching the surface of all the deals available on Cyber Monday, we tried our dangdest to create an easy-to-navigate list of some of the best deals around for filmmakers scouring for cameras we could assemble.From DJI to Canon to Sony, there's lots of good stuff out there that's especially affordable.Best DJI Cyber Monday Deals
12/2/2024
Blackmagic Desktop Video 14.3 Adds New Camera Extensions in Final Cut Pro
The big news here is that Blackmagic Desktop Video 14.3 is going to implement camera extensions in Final Cut Pro.What's new in Desktop Video 14.3Implement Camera Extensions in Final Cut Pro.
12/2/2024
The 7 Best New Christmas Movies Of 2024
I tried to make a list of the best new Christmas movies of 2024 we've seen. It's fun for the whole family.What are some of your favorite Christmas movies you've caught this year?
12/2/2024
How Hair and Makeup Transform Lily Gladstone in 'Fancy Dance'
Hair and makeup always plays a crucial part in transforming the actors into their characters and the film as a whole, and No Film School had a chance to sit down with Sharon Tabb, the hair and makeup department head on the film.For the film Sharon used her vast experience to created a wide range of looks from natural for the Lily Gladstone as well as more glamorous looks for the powwow scenes.In our conversation, Tabb shares insights into a no makeup make up look that might fool everyone, her experience across Native American storytelling, and her tips on getting started.
12/2/2024
Producer vs. Executive Producer: What's the Difference?
What Does an Executive Producer Do?In contrast, an executive producer is often more involved in the business and financial aspects of a project.The job of a producer is crucial on every set.
12/2/2024
How 'Thanksgiving' Uses Black Friday as the Perfect Slasher Set-Up
What started as a goofy parody sizzle trailer for Grindhouse was adapted into a feature last year and is arguably one of the most fun, best written slasher movies we've gotten in a long time.But it was silly with a wink, using the simple set-up of "slasher villain in a generic John Carver mask" to an elevated blast.Part of why it works so well is in it's opening scene portraying a Black Friday riot inciting the motive for its masked killer.
11/29/2024
Celebrate Your Culture Through Art With the Writer-Director of 'Moana 2'
Luckily, Dana Ledoux Miller, the first Pasifika woman to co-write and direct a Disney animated feature, was up to the task. Miller brings a unique and powerful perspective to the film, drawing on her deep reverence for her Samoan heritage and her experiences growing up in Hawaii. Our Interview With 'Moana 2' Filmmaker Dana Ledoux Miller
11/29/2024
Save on Blackmagic Cloud Storage With Major Price Reduction for Services
Blackmagic Design has a pretty significant price reduction for storage on Blackmagic Cloud as the price has been cut by half and will now be just $15 (USD) per TB.Blackmagic reports that this reduction has been made possible by new improvements in its data center backend and should allow more people to access Blackmagic Cloud storage for media sync.Blackmagic Design reports that this new price reduction began this week, so all customers already using Blackmagic Cloud storage will see their bills immediately cut by half going forward.
11/29/2024
Increase Your Power Capacity With DJI’s Latest Power Expansion Battery
It is designed as a modular extension option to the DJI Power 1000 portable charging solution, and this Power Expansion Battery 2000 should greatly increase your power capacity and potential.Introducing the DJI Power Expansion Battery 2000With its modular form too up to five units of the DJI Power Expansion Battery 2000 can be connected to DJI Power 1000 via cables which should offer increased power up to 11 kWh, which can consistently supply power at 2400 watts.
11/29/2024
What Does a Producer Do?
What does a producer do?There are five major stages to the life of a film, a producer is the key factor in all five.Once you start to have your whole team in place, a producer will work with an AD department to build a shooting schedule.
11/29/2024
Affordably Shoot Ultrawide with Tamron’s First-Ever Canon RF Mount Lens
So it’s exciting to see that Tamron has just announced its first Canon RF mount lens with a new compact, lightweight, and fast-aperture ultra-wide-angle zoom.Tamron 11-20mm f/2.8 Di III-A RXD LensAs mentioned at the start, this new Tamron will be an affordable option for Canon RF shooters and is available to pre-order with units expected to start shipping in mid-December.
11/27/2024
Screenplay Examples: From Action to Westerns and Everything Between
If you want to unlock film genres and all the beats of a story, reading your favorite movie scripts is a great place to start.Today, I want to get into screenplay examples from many different genres and give you the opportunity to read and download them for your own edification. Murder on the Orient Express (2017) - an Agatha Christie adaptation.
11/27/2024
Stuff Your Face With Show&Tell's November Comedy Spectacular
Show&Tell's November 2024 Shows and TellsRuthie Joins a Death CultFollow Show&Tell on Instagram to stay up to date with their upcoming shows (and tells).
11/26/2024
Unlock Wireless Drone Recording With the New DJI Mic Mini
Introducing the DJI Mic MiniThe Mic Mini can also record clear and reliable audio from an extended distance of 1312' via a miniature clip-on omnidirectional mic/transmitter and can—as a tiny receiver—easily be mounted on your camera or plugged directly into the Lighting/USB port of a smartphone or laptop using the USB-C port or a separately available mobile phone adapter.The DJI Mic Mini is out and available to order now.
11/26/2024
Composer Christoph Zirngibl Talks Scoring for Emotional Tone
One of the people most adept at understanding this is composer Christoph Zirngibl, whose work on Apple+'s Where's Wanda exemplifies this platitude. Christoph Zirngibl: Growing up in a musical family was like being part of a lively jam session.Since then, I have had the privilege of working on over 80 scores for prime-time movies, feature and independent films, as well as TV series across various genres.
11/26/2024
29 Best Thanksgiving Movies in 2024
A time for some yummy food, some family time, and, most importantly, a perfect time to watch a bunch of movies.While a "Thanksgiving" movie might be harder to qualify than a "Christmas" or "Halloween" movie, there are lots of movies that take place around Thanksgiving or have a pertinent Thanksgiving scene that make them a perfect side to any main course Thanksgiving dish.Check out our list below, and enjoy the holiday with some of the best movies Turkey Day has to offer.
11/26/2024
Give Your Footage That Extra Hazy Look With FilmConvert’s Latest Diffusion Plugin
One of the better tools for post-pros to add depth and richness to their footage is with FilmConvert’s color grading tools.The new Hazy diffusion tool is set to soften the bright areas of your images and will be able to help smooth any uneven skin tones.Hazy by FilmConvert is out and available now.
11/25/2024
Get Our Career-Changing Cinematography Course 50% Off for Black Friday
Over the past fourteen years, No Film School has published thousands of free articles, videos, and podcasts about how to make better movies.How to Make Money as a Cinematographer is a step-by-step guide on how to level up your career as a video shooter — no matter your current skill level.Across 75 chapters and 8 hours of video, Professor/DP Charles Haine shares the lessons he’s learned from over 20 years in the film industry.
11/25/2024
WWII Recap and 'Best Man's Ghostwriter' Creator Matthew Starr
In this episode of No Film School, host GG Hawkins sits down with Jason Hellerman and special guest Matthew Starr, the creator of the Audible original series The Best Man's Ghostwriter.They delve into the creative process behind the audio series, which is described as an American version of Love Actually for audio, starring Glenn Powell and Nicholas Braun.In this episode, No Film School’s GG Hawkins, Jason Hellerman, and Matthew Starr discuss:Matthew Starr's journey creating The Best Man’s Ghostwriter, from its early concept to Audible productionAdapting personal experiences into a scripted audio seriesChallenges and advantages of creating an episodic narrative in the audio formatA discussion on their favorite World War II movies, including The Longest Day, Band of Brothers, Raiders of the Lost Ark, and Jojo RabbitHow WWII movies have shaped film culture and continue to resonate with audiencesMemorable Quotes:“Narrative audio is such a vibrant medium—it's about figuring out how to make it fun and engaging to listen to.”
11/25/2024
Revolutionizing Video Creation: How AI is Empowering Creators
The Adobe video team recently presented their approach to AI at Adobe MAX, highlighting the features they innovated to supplement your creative motivations and address your post-production pain points.The team also compares the difference between Assistive AI and Generative AI and how to ensure that all AI features keep you in the creative zone.Integrating AI into video production tools isn’t just about saving time—it’s about expanding creative horizons.
11/25/2024
EditRave 2024: Global Summit for the Future of Editing
EditRave, a virtual summit celebrating video editing craft and hosted by film editor Sven Pape of the YouTube channel ThisGuyEdits, is bringing together some of the most innovative voices in post-production for an unprecedented online experience.From Hollywood veterans to AI pioneers, the digital festival showcases the evolving landscape of video editing through daily content and interactive sessions that put you in the editor's chair.Enter the future with Shamir Allibhai, CEO of new AI storytelling partner, Eddie AI.
11/25/2024
Best Black Friday Deals for Filmmakers in 2024
Be sure to act fast, though, as these deals are here for your Black Friday window only, so be sure to scoop them up before the season ends.This Black Friday and Cyber Monday, pay just once for lifetime access to award-winning, high-quality, hassle-free music at 85% off.The Z6III is available now for an SRP of $2499.95, but lookout for Black Friday instant savings.
11/25/2024
Composer David Bertok Takes on AI and Hollywood With His Originality
Meet composer David Bertok.He's worked on award-winning feature films like Peace by Chocolate, Daughter of the Sun, and Botero.We had the pleasure of sitting down with David to discuss his process as well as why the human element of live music is so beautiful.
11/25/2024
How to Shoot Inside a Moving Trunk
What starts as a simple lunch between exes turns into a fight for their lives when Emma and Dale are kidnapped by two masked men and locked in the trunk of a '86 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme.STEP 3:Find a picture car for the hero vehicle to match the trunk.With these eight easy steps, you too can shoot inside a moving trunk!
11/25/2024
Get The 'Wicked' Ending Explained
The movie is split into two parts, with the second coming out next year. So today, I want to go over the ending for part one and explain it to you. At the end of Wicked Part One, Elphaba is tricked into casting a spell that gives the Wizard's monkey guards wings.
11/22/2024
Get The 'Gladiator II' Ending Explained
Well, that's what happened in my mind anyway as Ridley Scott's Gladiator II ended.Lucius is sold into slavery to Denzel Washington's Macrinus, a social climber who has his eyes on being in control of Rome. But General Marcus Acacius has his own plot with the senate.
11/22/2024
The 'Gladiator II' Ending Explained: Swords and Symbolism
Well, that's what happened in my mind anyway as Ridley Scott's Gladiator II ended.Macrinus uses Lucius's rage to make him into a famous gladiator, while simultaneously figuring out that he's the lost so of Lucilla, who is now married to Marcus Acacius. In the poignant ending to the movie, Lucius returns to the Coliseum, the site of so much bloodshed and sacrifice and the death of both his mother and father.
11/22/2024
Sony Releases its First GM Zoom With a Constant f/2 Maximum Aperture
Introducing the Sony FE 28-70mm f/2 GMThe Sony FE 28-70mm f/2 GM is available for pre-order now and should start shipping in mid-December.This lens is Sony's first GM zoom with a constant f/2 maximum aperture and spans a useful wide-angle to portrait-length range.
11/22/2024
What is Analog Horror?
But how would you define Analog Horror, and what are some examples of the genre? Analog Horror uses the technology of older media, like VHS tapes, CRT TVs, and radio broadcasts, to create a sense of dread and unease in the viewers.Here are some key characteristics of the analog horror genre: Found footage: Many analog horror works mimic the style of found footage movies. Distorted visuals and audio: The use of glitches, static, and other digital imperfections add to the powerless nature. Symbolism: Analog horror often relies on hidden messages within frames and symbolism to create a sense of mystery and dread. Limited special effects: The limitations of older technology are often used to enhance the horror, creating a sense of realism.
11/22/2024
Blackmagic Camera for Android 1.5 Adds Live Syncing to Blackmagic Cloud
To keep up, Blackmagic has released a new updated version of their Android app which is set to add live syncing of media to Blackmagic Cloud and directly into the bin of all DaVinci Resolve workstations, along with some other support and upgrades.Blackmagic Camera for Android 1.5Here are all of the updates set to come to Blackmagic Camera for Android version 1.5: Support for Live Sync to DaVinci Resolve using Blackmagic Cloud.
11/21/2024
'Nobody Wants This' Editor Maura Corey Explains Cutting For Comedic Timing
That's where Maura Corey comes in. Maura received three Emmy nominations for her work at The Oscars and one Eddy nomination for her work on the documentary series Beyond Scared Straight and has had the pleasure to edit projects for Warner Brothers, ABC, and Netflix.We sat down with her to discuss her work on the hilarious Netflix sensational hit, Nobody Wants This.
11/21/2024
Make Sure You Can Answer These Questions About Your Screenplay
Take some time to journal about the origins of the various threads of your idea.Want to submit your feature-length screenplay to the Moonshot Feature Accelerator?Applications are now open through Dec. 8, 2024!
11/21/2024
MFA vs. BFA: Which Screenwriting Degree is Right for You?
Should you pursue your BFA or MFA in screenwriting?So, why get an MFA in Screenwriting?I got my BFA in film and TV from Penn State, but I chose to keep studying and get my MFA in screenwriting at Boston University.
11/21/2024
Four New Sigma DC DG Primes are Here to Boost Your Canon RF APS-C Cameras
The latest new lenses for RF APS-C cameras comes from Sigma with four new additions to the company’s Contemporary line. Sigma has introduced new DC DN Contemporary lenses including 16mm f/1.4 DC DN, 23mm f/1.4 DC DN, 30mm f/1.4 DC DN, and 56mm f/1.4 DC DN focal lengths—which are set to combine with Sigma’s 10-18mm 2.8 DC DN Contemporary and 18-50mm F2.8 DC DN Contemporary lenses which were released earlier this year to give Canon creators more—and better, perhaps—options than ever before.Sigma Adds Four Canon RF APS-C Lenses
11/20/2024
The 25 Best Movie Monologues
The best movie monologues have everything working for them, with this collaboration working on every front. But what are the best movie monologues in my opinion?The Best Movie Monologues
11/20/2024
Make It To Air in Style With the Iconic Music Editing of 'Saturday Night'
We might take that for granted nowadays, which is why I was a big fan of the choice to frame the production nightmare leading up to the premiere episode of SNL in Jason Reitman's ode, Saturday Night. Something particularly cool is that Jon Batiste recorded the score live on set during production—a feat that is both insanely impressive and certainly challenging (i.e. vibe).Enter Music Editor Chris Newlin.
11/20/2024
How 'Heretic's Sound Team Plays with Fear and Silence
Today, we're looking at Beck and Woods' Heretic, a psychological thriller starring Hugh Grant that follows two young religious women entangled in a dangerous game within a stranger's house.As a sound designer, it's good for each movie to have a vocabulary.Definitely try to broaden, even if you're a horror fan and you just want to do horror, if you just try to listen to horror, you're not really going to get out of the box for your sound.
11/20/2024
Cinematographer Sheldon Chau Talks Shooting Internationally
We had the pleasure of sitting down with Cinematographer Sheldon Chau, whose work has taken him everywhere you can imagine.The most recent project he DP'd, Pooja, Sir, took him to Nepal, which came with its own series of hurdles and rewarding experiences.One of the more extraordinary challenges we faced just before I left for Nepal in late summer 2022 was when Deepak’s wife and lead actress of the film, Asha Magrati, was diagnosed with three rare types of cancer.
11/19/2024
The New Flagship Sony a1 II is Here to Redefine Camera Versatility for Creators
This updated version retains many of the same features as the original a1 and makes many improvements—including some new AI features and AF and IBIS technologies.Overall, the new Sony a1 II is set to be one of the company’s most versatile cameras ever, setting the pace for other mirrorless options to excel in both photography and videography.In particular, the a1 II will feature an upgraded BIONZ XR processing, an AI processing unit, and a more powerful 8.5-stop IBIS—along with the still-impressive 50MP stacked BSI CMOS sensor from its predecessor.
11/19/2024
Diegetic Versus Non-Diegetic Sound in Movies
There are two kinds of ways you hear sound in movies: Diegetic and Non-Diegetic. Today, we're going to go over Diegetic versus Non-Diegetic and learn when you use what and why each of those terms means. Non-diegetic sound is sound that only the audience can hear and not the characters in the story.
11/19/2024
Every Documentary Filmmaker Needs to Know This Statistic
In October 2024, I published The Documentary Filmmaker’s Workbook.It’s intended for filmmakers to write in it and take with them wherever the filmmaking journey leads.The Workbook contains writing prompts so filmmakers can link introduced ideas directly to their own project.
11/19/2024
'Heretic' Ending Explained
But, hey, it can also be a very fulfilling belief system and a wonderful moral compass when practiced with kindness and inclusion.Heretic, at it's core, is thematically more interested in theology and faith than any specific religion directly, and Hugh Grant's Mr. Reed certainly pontificates this ad nauseam with cheeky sardonic arrogance.The Young Pope: This show is so wild and I wish more people talked about it!
11/19/2024
Cooke Optics to Go Large Format with New Panchro 65/i Lens Series
To get in on the excitement Cooke Optics has announced its entry into larger format cinema with the new Panchro 65/i lens series specifically engineered for 65mm imager cameras.Cooke Optics Panchro 65/i Lens SeriesCooke Optics has not yet shared pricing and availability for the lenses just yet, but we expect we’ll be getting more info here in early 2025.
11/18/2024
Aaron Erol Ozlevi Talks Directing 'Exile' With a Multicultural Lens
Born in Turkey to a Spanish-speaking household, Aaron brings a distinctive perspective to his work, enriched by his diverse cultural heritage.In this in-depth conversation, we explore Aaron's award-winning film, Exile, which has captivated audiences and critics worldwide.Aaron Erol Ozlevi: The biggest challenge in portraying the cultural and historical context of the Istanbul pogrom was ensuring authenticity.
11/18/2024
A Hands-On Interview Review of the Blackmagic URSA Cine 12K
To give a glimpse into the real-world experiences of those who might benefit the most from using the URSA Cine 12K for their various projects, we chatted with working videographer Tanner Fowler about his first reactions to using the Cine 12K for his run-and-gun sports videography work.It's the Ursa Cine 12K.”Tanner Fowler: Yeah, I think this camera would be fantastic for documentary film work and running gun-style work as well as narrative work.
11/18/2024
11 Character Archetypes in Film Noir Movies
If you watch enough noirs, you start to see many of the same characters over and over again. Today, I want to go over the film noir character archetypes with you all and look at how they can inspire your writing. She's an alluring and seductive woman who uses her beauty and charm to manipulate men for her own gain.
11/18/2024
Editing India’s Official Entry for the 2025 Oscars with Adobe Premiere Pro: Spotlight on “Laapataa Ladies”
We spoke to the film’s editor, Jabeen Merchant, about how she used Adobe Premiere Pro to edit the movie — currently streaming on Netflix — and organize the many hours of footage that was shot for it.I’ve now used it to edit a number of feature films, fictional series, and documentaries.“ Laapataa Ladies” is aimed at women and made by women.
11/16/2024
Louper v2.0 Launches With Groundbreaking Tools to Transform Creative Collaboration
This groundbreaking update introduces a suite of powerful features designed to revolutionize post-production workflows, foster seamless collaboration, and expand Louper’s utility across video, audio, and image-based projects—all within a single, unified platform.Louper v2.0 is the first platform to fully integrate real-time and asynchronous collaboration tools in one place, offering an unprecedented level of flexibility and functionality that is unmatched in the market.Louper is a venture-backed collaboration platform designed for media and entertainment professionals.
11/15/2024
Editing Duplass Episodic Penelope & Film Industry Outside of NY & LA Feat. Celia Beasley
In this episode, GG Hawkins sits down with editor Celia Beasley to discuss her role in shaping Penelope, the new episodic series by the Duplass Brothers, now on Netflix. They explore the unique process of editing an episodic series that was shot like an indie film and edited entirely in the cloud.Celia shares her experiences of working outside major film hubs and the impact of community on her career.
11/15/2024
Editing Duplass Episodic Penelope & Film Industry Outside of NY & LA Feat. Celia Beasley
In this episode, GG Hawkins sits down with editor Celia Beasley to discuss her role in shaping Penelope, the new episodic series by the Duplass Brothers, now on Netflix. They explore the unique process of editing an episodic series that was shot like an indie film and edited entirely in the cloud.Celia shares her experiences of working outside major film hubs and the impact of community on her career.
11/15/2024
The Top 25 World War II Movies of All Time
Today, I wanted to go over the 25 best WWII movies, and give you a list of stuff you should check out. Dissecting World War II MoviesLike anyone nearing 40, I love a good World War II movie.
11/15/2024
"Covid Confessions": One filmmaker’s journey to capture a global crisis
In the end, Alec featured more than 335+ workers across 40 industries in a multi-part documentary series called " Covid Confessions", which he has been releasing free to watch on YouTube.We sat down with Alec to find out about his workflow filming and editing the hundreds of hours of footage for " Covid Confessions".In the end, I filmed 330 people across 40 industries between 2020 and 2021.
11/15/2024
Capture Log-Encoded HEVC Video With the Upgraded Final Cut Camera 1.1
Apple Final Cut Camera 1.1Capture high-quality 4K footage at up to 120 fps with iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max.Final Cut Camera 1.1 is available today as a free standalone app on the Apple App Store.
11/14/2024
Upgrade Your Hands-on Editing Workflow With Final Cut Pro for iPad 2.1
Apple has announced a new update to Final Cut Pro for iPad which is set to bring Enhanced Light and Color improvements to how the iPad-based editor handles color, color balance, contrast, and brightness in your videos and still images.Final Cut Pro for iPad 2.1This new Enhanced Light and Color feature is optimized for SDR, HDR, RAW, and Log-encoded media and should give a major boost to working with color grading and correction for your projects done on the go.
11/14/2024
What is Kishotenketsu?
It's widely recognized as "writing without conflict".The Four Acts Inside Kishōtenketsu Kishōtenketsu has four parts that get used to outline a story.
11/14/2024
Begin a New Chapter in Mac Video Editing With Final Cut Pro 11
Apple has unveiled Final Cut Pro 11 which sees the NLE get many supercharged intelligent new features and tools including a Magnetic Mask, a transcribe-to-captions feature, and several timesaving updates.Apple Final Cut Pro 11Here are the rest of the new AI-enhanced features set to come to Final Cut Pro 11:
11/14/2024
PROOF Film Fest Offers a Future For Your Short Films
That's where PROOF Film Fest is here to help.Developed with festival director Imani Davis alongside the American Cinematheque, PROOF offers a shorts fest with the intention of bigger, loftier goals.Only on its second year its a very fun and cool fest with lots to offer.
11/14/2024
The “ChatGPT for Video Editing” Tool Eddie AI Releases Automatic Multi-Cam Editing Feature
Following up on its chat-based video editing main function, Eddie AI has added a multi-camera editing feature that promises to help video editors quickly rough cut their multi-cam projects into more manageable (and editable) portions.The new feature has been demonstrated at Apple’s Final Cut Pro Summit in Cupertino, California, and showcased its latest prompt-to-edit capabilities.Eddie AI Multi-Cam Editing
11/14/2024
MFA in Screenwriting: Is it worth it?
One popular route you're probably considering is film school, or pursuing a screenwriting degree.My name is Jason Hellerman, and I received my Masters in Screenwriting from Boston University in 2012.In this post, I’ll take you through the pros and cons of a screenwriting degree program, and help you suss out whether or not a degree is worth the time and effort.
11/13/2024
What Are Some of the Most Cliché Lines of Dialogue?
We're writing a scene, and we get stuck, so we don't write the best line of dialogue to get out of it.Today, I wanted to make a list of some cliche lines of dialogue that can cause readers to bump on you're script. This is by no means an exhaustive list, but these examples should give you a good idea of the types of overused lines and dialogue that are often found in movies and TV shows.
11/13/2024
Composer Jens Bjornkjaer on His Journey in Film and TV Music
He's a Danish composer, producer and multi-instrumentalist living in Los Angeles.He has scored films for Ai Weiwei and Lars Von Trier, composed for the Royal Danish Theatre and in 2021 he was nominated for a Danish Oscar for the score for the documentary 7 Years Of Lukas Graham.I was excited to chat with him about his newest film, Tell Them You Love Me.
11/13/2024
A Worldbuilding Template for Filmmakers
Today, I want to look at why worldbuilding is a screenwriter's most powerful tool and why you should try our template.In stories like The Chronicles of Narnia, Lord of the Rings, and Star Trek, you have to build new worlds from scratch.Try to establish a timeline in any world you're building.
11/12/2024
Fujifilm’s Upcoming GFX Eterna is Set to be the Company’s First Cinema Camera
Fujifilm has just announced that they are planning to release a new GFX Eterna—a large format GFX cinema camera with a 102megapixel CMOS II HS image sensor.The Fujifilm GFX EternaComing up on the company’s 90-year anniversary, this new GFX Eterna will build on Fujifilm’s Eterna series motion picture color negative film technology and utilize its cinema zoom lenses from its Premista series and ZK Cabria series.
11/12/2024
Unpack Scriptation 5.0's New Features For All Facets of Filmmaking
Scriptation 5.0 The first is called Read, and it basically allows you to assign an AI voice to your screenplay to read it aloud to you.You can also use the Rehearse tool if you're an actor, to have AI read one set of the lines, and then you can work to memorize and do your lines with the computer as your scene partner.
11/12/2024
Tips for Creating an Imperfect and Raw Style From the Filmmakers of ‘Young King’
One of the standout films at this year’s Austin Film Festival, Griffin and the team behind Young King were able to bring a documentary, true-life quality to a film that is presented in a very personal and sincere way.Bryant T. Griffin: Young King was inspired by true events.Selena Leoni: I’m a longtime alum of the Austin Film Festival, having had four of my short films selected there in both 2021 and 2023, so having Young King at the Austin Film Festival this year was truly a dream come true.
11/12/2024
Tips for Creating an Imperfect and Raw Style From the Filmmakers of ‘Young King’
Bryant T. Griffin: Young King was inspired by true events.Griffin: The Austin Film Festival has been amazing!Vittoria Campaner: The Austin Film Festival has been an incredible experience, especially for its strong support of independent films and the sense of community it fosters.
11/12/2024
Why is Sony Discontinuing its Flagship Airpeak S1 Professional Drone?
Yet, despite Sony’s strong support of their flagship professional drone, the company has reportedly decided to discontinue the Airpeak S1 and cut their losses on this pricey, yet at times capable, aerial drone.Sony Discontinues Airpeak S1The decision reportedly comes to “recent changes in the business environment,” and that “sales of the Airpeak S1 and related products, except for some accessories, will end at the end of March 2025.”
11/11/2024
Edgar Wright Provides 10 Tips for Getting Your Movie Made
The video below is packed with 10 tips from Edgar Wright.He will cover everything from overcoming imposter syndrome to making your first feature film on a budget.10 Filmmaking Tips From Edgar Wright
11/11/2024
Make Your Movie For an Audience of One
Mine and Kimball’s previous collaboration was a 25-minute short film called Andronicus.There’s a strange phenomenon that I’m sure you’ve experienced where you’re recommended a post on a social media platform like TikTok or Instagram that fits perfectly to your tastes.We found one such group of kindred spirits in the incredible folks at Rough House Pictures, the Charleston-based company behind such wild creations as The Righteous Gemstones.
11/11/2024
How Non-Actors Make a Story More Real in ‘The Ego Death of Queen Cecilia’
Telling the story of a washed-up YouTube star who blackmails a rival in an attempt to reclaim her fame, ‘The Ego Death of Queen Cecilia’ is a fascinating look at what the future of filmmaking and content creation could become—and it was shot on a microbudget with some very insightful indie filmmaking techniques.Check out our interview with writer and director Chris Beier below.Chris Beier: The cinematic inspiration was the top floor of an empty parking garage.
11/11/2024
How Non-Actors Make a Story More Real in ‘The Ego Death of Queen Cecilia’
Telling the story of a washed-up YouTube star who blackmails a rival in an attempt to reclaim her fame, ‘The Ego Death of Queen Cecilia’ is a fascinating look at what the future of filmmaking and content creation could become—and it was shot on a microbudget with some very insightful indie filmmaking techniques.Check out our interview with writer and director Chris Beier below.Chris Beier: The cinematic inspiration was the top floor of an empty parking garage.
11/11/2024
'The Old Man' Season 2 Director Shares Insights Into Episode 5
As season 2 of The Old Man unfolds, No Film School sat down with Ben Semanoff, the director on episode 5.Ben previously directed episodes on season 2 of Yellowjackets and was Emmy-nominated for his work on Ozark.Focus on being the best you can be at the job you’re doing at the moment.
11/8/2024
See What Firmware Updates Are Planned For Your Sony Cinema Cameras
So, to help you plan accordingly, here is Sony’s full roadmap for its Cinema LIne including what feature upgrades are set to come and when these new firmware updates should be released.Beginning next year and set to go through 2026, these Sony Cinema Line firmware updates are set to offer some significant (and some minor) improvements to the range of cinema cameras in Sony’s lineup.The new BURANO Version 2.0 will be available in March 2025.
11/8/2024
Microbudget Filmmakers Are Not Okay (But Thanks for Asking)
They share their journeys of creating feature films under tight budgets and high personal stakes.Each filmmaker provides insight into the emotional, physical, and financial tolls of producing indie films while managing personal challenges.From crafting stories inspired by personal traumas to relying on a supportive community to rally resources, the episode reveals what it truly takes to complete a microbudget film.
11/8/2024
Elevate Your Color Grading Skills in Adobe Premiere Pro with Karl Soule
Join video, film, and television workflow expert Karl Soule for an immersive session on mastering color in Adobe Premiere Pro, which was recently presented at Adobe MAX.What You’ll LearnKarl Soule will guide you through essential strategies to improve both the aesthetic and technical quality of your sequences.Karl Soule brings years of industry expertise, and his practical tips will help you make the most of Premiere Pro’s powerful color tools.
11/7/2024
Step Into the World of Content Creation With the Beginner-Friendly Nikon Z50 II
The latest new hybrid content creator focused camera is the new Nikon Z50 II, a mirrorless camera with a high-performance 20.9 megapixel DX CMOS sensor that is capable of UHD 4K video at 60p.UHD 4K Video RecordingThe new Nikon Z50 II is available to pre-order today with units expected to start shipping later this month.
11/7/2024
Co-DP of 'City of Dreams' Trevor Roach Talks Commitment to Craft
This film took six years from principal photography to theatrical release, where in that time, I was promoted from 2nd Unit DP to Co-Director of Photography. My involvement in the film began in late 2018, when the cinematographer for the project, Alejandro Chávez, A.M.C., asked me to come on board to be his 2nd Unit DP and ‘B’ camera on the main unit.Mo had practically pre-shot the entire film on his iPhone, which became a pivotal blueprint for how the film was shot.
11/7/2024
Save Big on SIGMA Cine Primes for Your Next Film or Video Project
Now through November 30th this year filmmakers, DPs, and shooters of all types can save 20% off all SIGMA Cine prime lenses and up to 32% off build-your-own bundles.Which SIGMA Cine Prime Lenses are Right for You?Interested filmmakers and DPs will be able to save between 20 and 32% on all prime lenses & kits through November 30th.
11/7/2024
A Guide to Special Formatting Circumstances in Screenplays
While the standard script format covers most writing scenarios, some special circumstances require unique formatting considerations.Used to show a series of related actions within a scene.All you want to do is make your story clear to the audience and get them to imagine the movie.
11/7/2024
Insights into Indie Dramedy Filmmaking With the Team Behind ‘Lady Parts’
This year’s Austin Film Festival was no different.One of the films we featured from this year’s AFF was Lady Parts, a dramedy film about vaginal health care which comes from executive producer and screenwriter Bonnie Gross’ very real-life experiences. After years of doctors not believing my pain, I found a specialist in New York that correctly diagnosed my vulvar vestibulitis and vaginismus.
11/7/2024
Composer Jonathan Scott Friedman on How Music Adds to the Laughs in 'Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter's Dead'
When I was a kid, I grew up with the cult classic, Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter's Dead.We had the pleasure of sitting down with the composer, Jonathan Scott Friedman, and talking about how music can add to the laughs in these kinds of movies. "Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter's Dead" is a reimagining of a cult classic.
11/6/2024
FPV Fly Your Drones on a Budget with DJI’s Affordable New Goggles N3
To make this FPV drone experience more affordable and accessible to everyone DJI has just announced that they’re going to release a new Goggles N3 version which will offer the same experience at a budget—but with some notable reductions in features.Introducing DJI’s New Goggles N3The DJI Goggles N3 have just been announced but will be available for pre-order with an expected ship date of late November.
11/6/2024
Dissociate From Election Anxiety With These 10 Punk Movies
I've assembled a list of my 10 favorites if you'd like to join.'The Decline of Western Civilization' TrilogyAs previously mentioned, Sheeris' Decline of Western Civilization trilogy is a pitch-perfect exploration of the punk scene as it evolved over the decades.
11/6/2024
Sometimes, You Have To Put On Your Thinking Cap, Literally
Writers can use it as a mental cue to shift into a creative mindset, ready to brainstorm, develop ideas, or solve plot problems.Overcoming Blocks: When facing writer's block, this phrase can be a prompt to actively seek solutions rather than remaining stuck.Problem-Solving: Whether it's figuring out a character's motivation, resolving a plot hole, or refining a sentence, the phrase can remind writers to apply critical thinking skills to their work.
11/5/2024
Upgrade Your Canon C400 Rig With a Range of New Bright Tangerine Accessories
Featuring the ability to record 6K Cinema RAW at 60p along with a solid mix of built-in features like a 3.5” full touchscreen LCD and several modular ports, the C400 is already quite versatile.The accessories offered by Bright Tangerine include a Top Plate and Top Plate Filler, along with a range of extra accessories that can be added to the C400 or other cinema cameras.The Bright Tangerine Top Plate is set to retail for $125 and the Top Plate Filler will be an add-on for $49.
11/5/2024
Fund Your Short Film With the 2024 Pandora Short Film Grant
The Pandora Short Film Grant is our new 501(c)(3) nonprofit film grant, sponsored by Panavision and Kodak.The Winner receives $12,000 to aid in the production of their short narrative film. The Pandora Short Film Grant is sponsored by Panavision and KodakIf that ain’t enough, the Winner and three Finalists enter into our mentorship program to help get your film made.
11/5/2024
VFX Supervisor Aaron Wright Dishes On the Time Travel Secrets of 'My Old Ass'
That being said, one of the movies that I connected with its charming charisma this year was My Old Ass.It took a lot of work for this indie to come together, and one of the unsung heroes of the film is Aaron Wright, the VFX supervisor who put a lot of care and attention into the reliability of the movie behind the scenes. NFS: How did you enhance the scar on Aubrey Plaza's stomach for the night scene?
11/5/2024
You Can Now Use Runway’s AI Editor to Add a Range of Precise Camera Controls
Yet, despite the launch of AI video models from the likes of Runway, Pika Labs, and OpenAI (kinda), things in the AI video world have cooled off a bit.The latest announcement that we have to share comes from Runway about their new precise camera control feature and the various camera moves it can allow AI creators to use in their video editing tool.Runway Precise Camera Control Feature
11/4/2024
How Indie Body Horror Comedy 'Booger' Director, Editor & Lead Meld Minds
Director Mary Dauterman, editor Kyle Moriarty, and lead actor Grace Glowicki share the creative and logistical challenges they faced bringing this unique film to life.From crafting a cat-human transformation story inspired by loss to the collaborative spirit on set, they reveal how to keep indie film projects grounded in vision, even on a tight budget.Mary Dauterman is a director and writer making her feature debut with Booger, a horror-comedy that blends humor and body horror to explore themes of grief.
11/4/2024
The Results of the AI vs. Human Screenwriting Challenge
Overall, social media did its job: get the pages in front of the public.And with No Film School's readers essentially split on which pages are AI/human vs human only, I'm guessing most producers in Hollywood will opt for speed - especially for the first draft."Why cheat the world from what you have to say?
11/4/2024
Tips for Cinematically Achieving a 90s Look
Many movies in the 90’s were shot on vibrant film stocks that emphasized contrast and saturation.When DP Powell Robinson signed on to the Hulu horror film, Mr. Crocket, one of the main directions the film’s director, Brandon Espy, told him was that he wanted the film to feel like a gritty 90’s drama.Powell Robinson: The production company behind Mr. Crocket actually produced the last film I shot for Hulu as well, Appendage.
11/1/2024
How to Sound Design the Afterlife (And Evil Babies)
This is a task that veteran sound designer Jimmy Boyle took the reigns on for Tim Burton's fun-as-heck followup to his '90s classic in Beetlejuice Beetlejuice. Based on his credits (including everything from James Bond to The Northman), Jimmy hands down knows how to build an auditory world.Below, we chat with Jimmy about all things sound design—from his process and technique to how he builds his folly SFX library.
11/1/2024
How to Get Your Film Into Big Film Festivals
Know your characterNight to be Gone stars a non-actor, Omer Cissé, a Black African refugee playing himself in a dramatization of his own life story.For programmers, his identity as a Black refugee was the most important part of his character.The film's "ironic distance" from the character would ensure that Omer would not be viewed as "all Black refugees."
11/1/2024
Why Filmmakers Should Watch Nitrate Film Projections (and How They Can)
K.J. Relth-Miller, the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures' Director of Film Programs, was kind enough to speak with us ahead of the museum's upcoming screening of 1932 film Blonde Venus in 35mm nitrate. Blonde Venus screens Nov. 2, 2024.We hope to maintain at least a semi-frequent cadence of nitrate projection just so that because it is so special for audiences and being one of only five theaters in the country that can project nitrate, we really want to make sure that that's something we continue to offer for audiences.
11/1/2024
Explore Storytelling in VR and 3D With Canon’s New RF-S 7.8mm F4 STM DUAL Lens
This new lens is set to be compatible with APS-C EOS mirrorless cameras like the EOS R7 and will feature an autofocus-enabled 60-degree field of view ideal to mirror human vision and produce photos and videos that will be able to be viewed on popular headsets like the Apple Vision Pro and the Meta Quest 3.The Canon RF-S 7.8mm f/4 STM Dual VR LensThe Canon RF-S7.8mm F4 STM DUAL lens is scheduled to be available in November 2024, here are its full specs and purchase options:
11/1/2024
Russo Brothers Hire AI Expert to Help With Creative Decisions
The Russo brothers, filmmakers behind Avengers: Endgame, Cherry, The Grey Man, and the upcoming The Electric State have announced that their production company, AGBO, has hired an AI consultant to help with creativity within the company. As reported by The Hollywood Reporter, Dr. Dominic Hughes, an AI expert with a PHD from Oxford, “will partner with AGBO’s in-house storytelling and innovation teams to guide the development and deployment of AI technologies to enrich the creative process,” according to a statement from the company. AGBO chief creative officer Angela Russo-Otstot said the company was “determined to ensure that new technologies are developed by the creative community.
10/31/2024
How Cinematographer Leung Ming-Kai Brought Emotion to the Indie Drama 'All Shall Be Well'
His latest project, All Shall Be Well, is a heartfelt drama with deep, emotional shots that help contribute to the film's tone and staying power.“Poetry in everyday life” was something director Ray Yeung said to me when we started shooting Twilight’s Kiss.7. The film won the Teddy Award for the Best LGBTQ+ Film at the Berlin International Film Festival.
10/31/2024
Find New Life For Your Short Films on The Short Vault
The goal of the Short Vault is to build a community where talented creatives can share and discuss work from their past to a new audience.If you have a short film you'd like to submit, head to the submission form, review the requirements, fill in the required information, and hit send.I’m looking forward to building a community of fellow short film lovers.
10/31/2024
Tips for Creating the Perfect Halloween-Themed Score
A subgenre that you don’t often hear a composer specializing in is Halloween music, but that’s just what Chris Thomas has become known for.Whether it be a haunting video game (Hyde’s Haunt & Seek), a horror film (Don’t Look Back) or a Halloween theme park attraction (Knott’s Scary Farm), Thomas has created music for it.Chris Thomas: I grew up in farm country in rural, Eastern Oregon and I was blessed to have a very musical family.
10/31/2024
New Web-Based Software Playbook Integrates AI for Enhanced Rendering and 3D Scenes
One of which is the newly released, web-based AI tool called Playbook.Playbook was developed by Jean-Daniel LeRoy (CEO) and Skylar Thomas (CTO) as part of their capstone at USC and further developed it into a marketable web software.Playbook uses 3D rendering software with tools and keyframes similar to that of Blender and After Affects, adding the additional element of generative AI prompts to create digital sets and elements that animators and filmmakers can quickly design in order to play around with the built-in camera tools for film projects.
10/31/2024
Move Over, Ghosts—Hot Dogs Reign for Show&Tell's October Spooktacular
The filmmakers of Los Angeles comedy's elite backyard screening show brought the spooky comedy galore for Show&Tell's 11th annual screening spooktacular last Friday.For your monthly collection of comedy shorts made by some of the best filmmakers around, check out this month's block below!Show&Tell's October Screening Spooktacular
10/30/2024
Apply To This Screenwriting Camp for First-Time Filmmakers
The Antigravity Academy Screenwriters Camp is a program designed to help up to six emerging filmmakers (or writing teams) develop and package their first features.Each filmmaker (or filmmaking team) will enter a 7 month development deal with Antigravity Academy starting with the intensive in May and concluding with the period of industry exposure/project presentation. Applications are open October 21st until November 22nd, 2024.
10/30/2024
Three New Hybrid RF Lenses from Canon Are Here for Photo and Video Pros
This 24mm option is a fast wide-angle prime designed for full-frame RF-mount camera systems.This hybrid lens design is also set to incorporate a video-friendly Voice Coil Motor (VCM) rear focus system with a Nano USM (Ultrasonic Motor) for precise autofocus and near-silent lens operation.Canon RF 50mm f/1.4 L VCM Lens
10/30/2024
'Thelma' Writer-Director Josh Margolin Tells Us The Process Behind One Of The Year's Best Films
The movie is a laugh riot that contains a powerhouse performance from June Squibb.NFS Interview with Josh Margolin Josh Margolin: It was inspired by real events, actually.
10/30/2024
Choose Your Own Flaring Options with Venus Optics’ Refreshed Laowa Proteus Flex Lenses
Let’s take a look at the new “Flex” versions of the Laowa Proteus line of 2x squeeze Super35 anamorphic lenses and their user-interchangeable flaring options which come in four different colors.Venus Optics Laowa Proteus Flex Cinema LensesThe Venus Optics Laowa Proteus Flex Cinema Lenses will come in four flare color options including amber, silver, blue, and clear and will offer swappable PL and EF mounts for further flexibility.
10/29/2024
Apple’s New M4 Mac Mini is Smaller and Powered Up for Video Work
Now equipped with the latest M4 silicon, this new Mac Mini will support ray tracing for the first time and will be highly powered by more Apple Intelligence tools and features.Apple’s New Mac MiniModels will ship with 16GB of RAM by default, yet even with advanced speed and storage Apple reports that the Mac Mini’s will remain tiny and cool with a new thermal structure.
10/29/2024
How Do You Keep a Film Moving When Your Protagonist Can't?
In the film, Iris (Kelsey Asbille) returns to a place of trauma in her life, swallowed whole by grief.For the rest of the film, the trajectory of Iris' paralysis was of the utmost importance.Hopefully Don’t Move answers that question when it premieres on Netflix on October 25th.
10/29/2024
How June Squibb Tackled The Titular Role of Thelma at 94
The star of the movie is June Squibb, who infuses every beat of the movie with heart. I was honored to interview her for No Film School, and to talk to her about starring in this movie at 94 years old. No Film School: In Thelma, you get to be the titular role at the age of 94.
10/29/2024
How These Filmmakers Made an Award-Winning Horror Short (and Proof-of-Concept)
Just a week ago, the Austin Horror Film Festival came through town with a great lineup, including one fun and colorful short, "When Shadows Lay Darkest."Written and directed by Jacob Leighton Burns, the short is a contained story about a character who arrives home just in time to catch a low-budget scary movie on TV, which features your new favorite slasher villain."When Shadows Lay Darkest" premiered at the Chattanooga Film Festival, and was later nominated for Best Thriller Short at NoHo CineFest, won Best Actress (Leah N.H. Philpott) at Red Brick Film Festival, and most recently won Audience Choice at the Austin Horror Film Festival.
10/29/2024
Austin Film Festival Announces 2024 Film and Screenplay Competition Winners
Known as one of the best writers’ festivals in the world, this year’s festival has not disappointed as attendees have heard some great pitches, read some great scripts, and learned quite a bit about the art of screenwriting.Austin Film Festival 2024 Award WinnersHere are the winners for the different competition categories:
10/28/2024
Behind the Scenes of 'Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story' With PD Matthew Flood Ferguson
Netflix series Monsters recently returned with second season Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story and No Film School got a chance to chat with Matthew Flood Ferguson, the production designer behind both seasons. As the series explores Menendez’s story, Matthew takes us behind the scenes of how he not only recreated the family home, but also brought back to life late 80s LA.Production Designer Matthew Flood Ferguson Interview
10/28/2024
From Madagascar to Hollywood with Director Andrew Kightlinger; Plus, 'Don't Move' Directors’ Microbudget to Sam Raimi-Produced Journey
Andrew Kightlinger’s journey from Madagascar to Hollywood shows how personal experiences shape a filmmaker’s voice.Filmmakers Adam Schindler and Brian Netto share how they moved from microbudget horror films to collaborating with one of the industry’s icons.Their latest film, Don’t Move, produced by Sam Raimi, is set to release on October 25, 2024 on Netflix, proving that powerful stories don’t require massive budgetsIn today’s episode, No Film School’s Jason Hellerman and GG Hawkins speak with Andrew Kightlinger, Adam Schindler, and Brian Netto to discuss:Andrew Kightlinger’s journey from Madagascar to HollywoodHow his upbringing influenced Lost on a Mountain in MaineThe need for preparation and improvisation with tight budgetsSchindler and Netto’s move from micro budget films to working with Sam Raimi on Don’t MoveCreating real-time horror with minimal voiceover and non-linear techniquesThe role of trust and collaboration in elevating a projectSubscribe to the No Film School Podcast on:Apple PodcastsSpotifyGoogleGet your question answered on the podcast by emailing [email protected].
10/28/2024
We Challenged An AI Screenwriter to See Who Could Write A Better First Ten Pages
Enter Matt Allen, an AI enthusiast and WGA writer who says he and his writing partner, Krista Suh use AI to crank out pages in short times.Check out the scripts below and then vote on X for which you think is better.In order to vote, head over to X and cast your ballot!
10/28/2024
What the Tortoise and the Hare Can Teach You About Your Filmmaking Career
Maybe the most important one is the story of the tortoise and the hare.The Tortoise and the Hare AllegoryThe Tortoise and the Hare for Filmmakers
10/26/2024
These 10 Must Watch Horror Projects Use Blackmagic to Perfection
For independent filmmakers Blackmagic Design is a household name.In honor of Horror Week (also graciously supported by Blackmagic), we've compiled a top 10 list of some of the greatest modern horror projects that used Blackmagic Design in some way or another to bring our favorite spookies to life. Check out the list below, and let us know if any of your favorites didn't make it!
10/25/2024
Insights From Shooting One of the First Horror Films on the Blackmagic PYXIS
One horror that was unique to filmmaker Julian Terry in one of his most recent short films was the horror of being one of the first filmmakers to use a new camera for the first time.As we discussed with him in a previous interview for our Horror Week, Terry was one of the lucky few first filmmakers to get to use the Blackmagic PYXIS cinema camera.Julian Terry: It was a blast to work with!
10/25/2024
How AI Shaped the Production Design of 'Con Job' and Pushed the Boundaries of Filmmaking
For our latest project, Con Job, we decided to experiment with something that’s still relatively uncharted territory in indie filmmaking: artificial intelligence (AI).This article takes you behind the scenes of Con Job to show how we integrated AI into our workflow.AI Generated poster for the movie.
10/25/2024
You Can Now Record on iPhone 16 Series with Blackmagic Camera iOS Update 2.1
Let’s take a look at this latest iOS 2.1 update to the Blackmagic Camera app and what the app will unlock for iPhone 16 shooters.Blackmagic Camera for iOS 2.1 UpdateThe Blackmagic Camera app is free to download for both iOS and Android users.
10/25/2024
How to Blend Horror and Romance With the Editors of 'Your Monster'
Enter Daysha Broadway and Jon Higgins, both ACE editors who helped the movie Your Monster find its way into something really special.Your Monster offers a clever blend of horror, romance, and comedy.But Nora Ephron and Rob Reiner were inspirations, for sure.
10/25/2024
How Do Pro Writers Create Characters?
Today, I want to go over how pro writers create characters.In this video, some of the best writers working in Hollywood givr a plethora of answers on how they create characters. Instead, the writer needs to find a way to personally connect with the characters that they want the audience to connect with.
10/24/2024
How Writer-Director Sophia Rivera Uses '80s Horror Nostalgia to Fuel Her Work
For filmmaker Sophia Rivera, these films she watched actually knocked her into a filmmaking career.For Horror Week, we sat down with Sophia Rivera to chat about all that and her most recent film Not Just Another Zombie Film and how her obsessive movie fandom lead her to her filmmaking career. Rivera: What I’ve learned from being on set and what I would like to bring on my next project is a personal assistant.
10/24/2024
Scare Your Way From Zoom to Stephen King With Rob Savage's 'The Boogeyman'
Below, we were lucky enough to chat with Savage about his underrated 2023 adaptation in honor of Horror Week.No Film School: Stephen King is one of the most prolific horror writers not only for his writing but also how frequently his work is adapted to the screen.My career began when I decided to make a no-budget feature film at age 17, which ended up being shortlisted for a BAFTA and launching me as someone to pay attention to in this industry.
10/24/2024
Explore the Horrors of Food Delivery With Indie Filmmaker Julian Terry
For his latest horror project, indie filmmaker Julian Terry has found a new subject to explore.Following up on his previous efforts (which we’ve featured before on No Film School and part of our Horror Weeks in the past), Terry casts his gaze on DoorDashing and food delivery."Daniel Wants To Play" was such a fun short to make since it was such a last-second switch from a camera test to being short.
10/23/2024
Combine German Precision and Japanese Elegance With New ARRI Ensō Prime Lenses
ARRI Ensō Prime Lens LineThese focal lengths can cover a wide range of applications from precise product imagery to more expansive narrative films and documentary interviews.These Vintage Elements kits can also be purchased individually and will include six different Elements to provide three levels of positive vintage bokeh for soft looks and three levels of negative vintage bokeh for sharper looks.
10/23/2024
Vimeo Moves into Spatial Video With New Apple Vision Pro App
So, it’s noteworthy that Vimeo has announced that they are releasing an app for Apple Vision Pro that aims to be one of the top places for filmmakers in particular to use and explore this space.Vimeo Spatial Video AppThe Vimeo app for Apple Vision Pro is now available to download from the Apple App Store.
10/23/2024
What's With The Colors Green and Red in 'Vertigo'?
Today, I want to go over the colors of red and green in the movie and discuss what they mean. Not many people know this, but Saul Bass not only did the poster and titles, but was also the color consultant on the film.His collaboration with Hitchcock on this film makes it one of the best all time.
10/23/2024
How Colorist Mitch Paulson Nailed the Eeriest Looks in Modern Horror
Besides a general spooky vibe, they all could share over a beer that each of their respective, recently released genre vehicles Abagail, Alien: Romulus, and Longlegs were beautifully colored by Mitch Paulson with DaVinci Resolve.NFS Interviews Mitch Paulson No Film School: How did you get into color grading and what do you love about it?
10/23/2024
Dig Into The Immersive Horror Scene with Writer, Producer, and Streamer Saige Ryan
Meet Saige Ryan, the creator and writer of They're Here, an immersive horror story that was unlike anything I have ever seen. Saige is also producer, streamer, YouTuber, actress, editor and a ton more.Saige Ryan's Horror Week Interview With NFS
10/22/2024
Let AI Assist Your Action Shots With the Updated Insta360 Ace Pro 2
The new Ace Pro 2 from Insta360 is the latest action cam to get some new AI features as this updated model is set to include some enhanced AI capabilities, along with some updated audio capture specs, a larger touchscreen, and an overall more robust design.The action cam also features a wide-angle lens which was developed by Leica and will allow for a 157-degree field of view.The new Insta360 Ace Pro 2 is available to pre-order with units expected to start shipping soon.
10/22/2024
Create Horror Films for Under $10,000 With These Tips
Together the filmmaking duo have written, directed, and produced 19 feature films and TV series that can be seen in 160 countries on Amazon Prime, Apple TV, Tubi, Flix, Roku, and 30 other platforms.For their latest projects, the duo are working on two horror projects both set to release in 2025.These projects—The Salem Sisters and Zombie Repellent—follow the duo’s goal of making films for under $10,000.
10/22/2024
The 'Curse of the Sin Eater' Crew Opens Up About What Gear is Essential to Shoot Horror
Well, luck for all of us, it's Horror Week here at No Film School, and I'm delighted to share that I got to chat with a lot of the crew of Curse of the Sin Eater, who unveiled a lot of information about what it takes to make a great horror movie on every facet of production. Our Interview with the 'Curse of the Sin Eater' CrewNFS: Do you have any advice for indie filmmakers trying to make their own horror movies?
10/22/2024
Unlock Your Filmmaking Potential with Free Adobe Training at AdobeVideoTraining.com
Adobe has recently introduced AdobeVideoTraining.com, a free training platform that is designed to help you do just that.Led by industry experts and Adobe-certified instructors, the platform offers hands-on learning, real-world projects, and insider tips that can make a massive difference in your filmmaking career.That’s why AdobeVideoTraining.com offers on-demand learning.
10/22/2024
Inside the Frenetic Editing Style of the Horror Flick 'ICK'
It feels like every Joseph Kahn movie goes viral, and this certainly fits the bill.Read below for Hayne's first hand account of how he pulled off the frenetic style and tone of Ick. Chancler Haynes: Joseph Kahn definitely plans every frame of his movies/tv shows/commercials/music videos.
10/21/2024
Adobe Sneaks Showcases How AI Continues to Push Video Workflows Forward
At this year’s Sneaks event at Adobe MAX in Miami, FL, the Adobe team brought comedian Awkwafina to check out their latest technological innovations.Project In MotionAdobe also unveiled some impressive AI-powered audio features like this new Project Super Sonic which would grant users the ability to create their own sound effects quickly and easily.
10/21/2024
Why Writer-Director Hallie Meyers-Shyer Wrote ‘Goodrich’ for Only Michael Keaton
This episode delves into the creative journey of writing and directing a deeply personal film, navigating the challenges of independent production, and discovering the heart of the story during editing.Hallie Meyers-Shyer is a writer and director known for her heartfelt and character-driven stories.Following in the footsteps of her legendary filmmaking parents, Nancy Meyers and Charles Shyer, Hallie made her directorial debut with Home Again in 2017.
10/21/2024
A Cinematic Aspect Ratio Guide for Every Filmmaker
70mm boasts an aspect ratio of 2.76:1 – twice as large as the standard 35mm film.Amazon's aspect ratio is 16x9.The first step in getting your aspect ratio to work for you is to get the story down on the page.
10/21/2024
Brian De Palma's Style Is Highly Underrated for Its Originality
He is the master of the macabre.But at the heart of De Palma's career is an overt love of movies and moviemaking.Brian De Palma's Style
10/21/2024
What Are Stanley Kubrick's Best Shots?
Stanley Kubrick is one of the most influential filmmakers in Hollywood history.Dissecting Stanley Kubrick's Best Shots And from there, despite internal debate, I concluded that 2001: A Space Odyssey is the most Kubrickian of his movies.
10/21/2024
What Is the Epistemological Definition?
Now that you have a handle on this philosophical idea, it's time to put it to the test in your own work.Pick apart your characters and your story.Not just what you know to execute your work, but what the characters in your story know that justifies their actions or the arc or the tale.
10/20/2024
What's the Most Spielbergian Spielberg Shot?
I think he is the greatest director in history.His work with Janusz Kaminsky is legendary, and his commitment to shooting on film has kept Hollywood looking both classic and cutting edge, thanks to his experimentation.Over the Moon for Spielberg
10/20/2024
What's Your Filmmaking Brand?
We'll learn why Hollywood wants you to signify what you're good at, how people get picked for jobs, and the importance of figuring out who you are, to market yourself.In these generals, you talk to executives about what you're working on next and the type of projects you want to work on in the future.First, it's important to talk with your agent or manager and make sure that everyone is on the same page when it comes to how you're being portrayed in Hollywood.
10/20/2024
What Is a Prologue?
And we'll look at some examples in literature, film, and television.A prologue (sometimes spelled "prolog") is an opening to a story that establishes context and background details that set up the main story, which follows.Remember, you need to capitalize on the reader's understanding of the prologue to set up the rest of the story.
10/20/2024
When Was the Golden Age of Hollywood?
In fact, as movies grew in popularity, Hollywood's Golden Age helped solidify the movie business as one of the most important and influential superpowers over the last hundred years.We'll look at quotes from film historians, discuss some movies, and even get into antitrust laws in the studio system.The Hays Code was the name for the Motion Picture Production Code.
10/20/2024
Does Hollywood Know What to Do with You?
Ideally, I wanted to be a writer in Hollywood.I had spent all 10 years building a portfolio of work that answered his worry about the last decade of my career.That's what I'm looking for in a manager or agent.
10/20/2024
What Does Anachronistic Mean?
So, what does anachronism mean?How do anachronisms pop up in film, literature, and television?But did you know that there are four specific types of anachronistic details?
10/20/2024
We Undress The "Bodice Ripper" Meaning
Today, we're going to go over these "bodice rippers" and look at examples across film and television.These movies and TV shows can also be known as historical romance or costume dramas (as long as they have some sex), and have been a popular genre for decades.Streaming platforms like Netflix and Amazon have made it easier for people to access bodice ripper movies and TV shows.
10/20/2024
10 Ways a Filmmaker Can Break Into Hollywood
One of the best ways to start in the film industry is to gain experience in low-level productions such as student-led projects or low-budget production companies.Once you've identified your area of expertise, invest time in developing your skill set.Before pursuing a career in the film industry, consider whether the demands and lifestyle suit your personal needs and preferences.
10/20/2024
10 Great Horror Screenplays to Download, Read, and Study
Horror movies are in season, and horror screenplays are here for you to download and learn from.So don't worry, we have assembled 10 of the best horror screenplays below, all available for you to read and download!10 Great Horror Screenplays to Download, Read, and Study
10/20/2024
What Are Mumblecore Movies?
We'll look at examples, talk about which ones are considered the best, and detail why filmmakers continue to choose mumblecore over and over again.Mumblecore is a subgenre of independent cinema.Filmmaker Andrew Bujalski is called the "Godfather of Mumblecore" because his 2002 directorial debut, Funny Ha Ha, is considered the first mumblecore film that existed.
10/20/2024
What Is a Fisheye Lens?
When is it right for the story to use a fisheye lens?Now put the glasses lens on top of the camera lens.The glasses lens will create a fisheye effect in the photos or video you take.
10/20/2024
From Film School to Coppola With 'Megalopolis' DP Mihai Malaimare, Jr.
On our latest pod, he shares his journey from film school to working with legendary director Francis Ford Coppola, offering insights into his approach to cinematography and navigating the evolving role of technology in film.In this episode we also explore how the Austin Film Festival (AFF) stands out for its unique focus on writers and emerging filmmakers, providing a space for attendees to connect with industry professionals and discover creative collaborations.Mihai Malaimare Jr. is a cinematographer known for Megalopolis and Jojo Rabbit.
10/18/2024
Characterize Space With the Production Designer of 'Exhibiting Forgiveness'
The extremely talented Production Designer Olivia Peebles knows all about that. Peebles got her early introduction working in the film industry working as a prop master on small projects like Adult Swim's Delocated, working her way up to Set Decorating Oppenheimer, to working in the art department and building a town from the ground up in Killers of the Flower Moon, and finally, most recently, working as Production Designer for harrowing Sundance drama Exhibiting Forgiveness. For Exhibiting Forgiveness in particular, Peebles talks about her particular attention and detail that goes into characterizing the space around the film's characters to further express who they are.
10/18/2024
Characterize Space With the Production Designer of 'Exhibiting Forgiveness'
The extremely talented Production Designer Olivia Peebles knows all about that. Peebles got her early introduction working in the film industry working as a prop master on small projects like Adult Swim's Delocated, working her way up to Set Decorating Oppenheimer, to working in the art department and building a town from the ground up in Killers of the Flower Moon, and finally, most recently, working as Production Designer for harrowing Sundance drama Exhibiting Forgiveness. For Exhibiting Forgiveness in particular, Peebles talks about her particular attention and detail that goes into characterizing the space around the film's characters to further express who they are.
10/18/2024
Take This Invaluable Filmmaking Advice From John Carpenter
Utilizing suspenseful filmmaking techniques Carpenter made Michael Meyers one of the most terrifying horror icons of all time.The original Halloween was made for $325,000—an incredibly small amount in the grand scheme of filmmaking.John Carpenter on the Art of Horror
10/18/2024
How to Compose a More Chaotic Film Score
The director was Jeffrey St. Jules, and his film, The Sadness of Johnson Joe Jangles, was a 20-minute short detailing a young family’s struggle to adapt and persevere in the new frontier.It was the beginning of a beautiful relationship, and Jeff and I have worked on every film he’s directed since, including his third and latest feature film, The Silent Planet. The Silent Planet has a hybrid score—orchestral elements tied together with processed samples and a good dose of chaotic “let’s fuck this sound up” processing.
10/18/2024
The 6 Steps to Create a Memorable Character
Six Steps to Create a Memorable CharacterThink about their sense of humor, their values, their fears, and their strengths.Give your characters the agency to make choices, face consequences, and learn from their mistakes.
10/18/2024
What Is a Jump Cut?
Today, we're going to go over the definition of a jump cut, some examples from film and TV, and even some strategies you can use to make sure your edits stand out among the crowd.Using a jump cut in a film or TV show allows you to tell the audience time has passed.You can use jump cuts and smash cuts to dice a sequence up, like in Requiem for a Dream.
10/17/2024
What Is An Over the Shoulder Shot?
Today, we're going to look at a few examples of the shot, look at a definition, and talk about why you would use it in your film and television shows. Over the Shoulder Shot (OTS) DefinitionYou could frame it just off the shoulder, and capture the person in a single.
10/17/2024
How Development in Hollywood Burdens Creatives
Writers across film and TV have been burdened with developing their own projects for no pay. Nowadays, all the development is done for free by the writers.You need a spec script to remind execs you exist so you get sent ideas to pitch on anyway.
10/17/2024
How to Write Short Films (Free Template)
Still, if you’re just starting out, or trying to hone your voice on the page, writing a short film is a great way to define your voice and master screenplay formatting.First thing you want to do is you want to make your short film.Recently, Damien Chazelle directed a short film version of Whiplash to secure funding for the feature film.
10/17/2024
ASC-Winning Cinematographer Jules O'Loughlin on Season 2 of 'The Old Man'
Cinematography plays a big part in setting the tone of the show, and No Film School had a chance to sit down with Jules O'Loughlin, a cinematographer on the series, who previously earned ASC and ACS Awards for his work on season one. As the only returning cinematographer, he was tasked with shooting four episodes, including the series premiere.In our conversation, O'Loughlin shares insights into his creative process, favorite moments from the season, and invaluable advice for aspiring cinematographers.
10/17/2024
Talk to the Dead With "The Crossing Over Express"
Indie filmmakers Luke Barnett and Tanner Thomason delivered this eerily specific quota in full with their beautiful, now viral short film "The Crossing Over Express".NFS Interview with Luke Barnett and Tanner Thomason No Film School: "The Crossing Over Express" was shot in only one day on a skeleton crew."The Crossing Over Express" was rejected by Sundance, SXSW, Tribeca, Cannes, Fantastic Fest, Beyond Fest, and more.
10/17/2024
Composer Joseph Metcalfe on the Importance of Character Themes in 'Depravity'
In Paramount’s latest horror/thriller, Depravity, character themes play an important role in navigating the story through its twists and unexpected turns.Composing for film is not about the music.We formed the Simi Valley Scoring Orchestra the same year, performing for events like the 50th Anniversary of Little House On The Prairie.
10/16/2024
DJI Announces Air 3S With Dual Cameras and Advanced Video Encoding
This dual-camera drone features a 1-inch-CMOS primary camera and a 70mm medium telecamera, each with up to 14 stops of dynamic range.The New DJI Air 3SHere is a full list of the new features included with the DJI Air 3S:
10/16/2024
How This Documentary Filmmaker Got Immersed in a World
Back in 2019, when I happened to see an ad for a run of shows that two-time world champion magician Shawn Farquhar was hosting in my hometown of Vancouver and decided it would be a fun thing to do for my birthday.Backed partially by a very successful crowdfunding campaign in 2021 that saw us hit almost 300 percent of our original target, we hit the road in March of 2023 and ended up logging around 27,000km through ten cities in six countries.Lost in the Shuffle is now available to buy or rent from iTunes or wherever you get your movies, check us out at lostintheshuffle.film to learn more.
10/15/2024
Frame.io to Add Cameras from Canon, Nikon, and Leica to its Camera-to-Cloud Ecosystem
Frame.io is now set to add several cameras from Canon, Nikon, and Leica to allow more shooters the ability to quickly get their media from the set to editors, producers, or whoever needs to work with it.The Frame.io functionality will be available in 2025.Adobe Updates for Frame.io
10/15/2024
The 'It Ends With Us' Editor Takes Us Through Balancing The Story
The Justin Baldoni and Blake Lively project has made all the headlines for being the movie everyone is talking about from the summer of 2024.The movie balances different tones, some serious scenes, and a theme, but all of it works because editor Oona Flaherty was performing the delicate balancing act. It Ends With Us features several poignant flashbacks of young Lily and Atlas.
10/15/2024
Applying for Your O-1 Visa to Work in Film and TV
This episode offers insights into what it takes to qualify, how to strengthen your application, and common challenges faced by those seeking an O-1.Julia Zanin de Paula is a Brazilian filmmaker, director, and editor currently based in New York.Sneha Mendis is a producer and screenwriter from India, currently in New York, and in the midst of applying for her O-1 visa.
10/14/2024
The Disaster Genre in Film and TV (Definition & Examples)
The disaster film and TV genre is epically fun.We'll look at the definition, examples, and some of the tropes you can expect to find inside it.A disaster film or TV show is classified by the use of an ongoing disaster as its primary driving force of the plot.
10/14/2024
How Do You Break Into Hollywood Now?
How Do You Break Into Hollywood Now -- Streaming?So, instead of making a movie to break in, you might consider making some short films instead.If you want to become a cinematographer, get out in the world and shoot.
10/14/2024
How to Create Three-Dimensional Characters From a One-Dimensional Character
There is a way to turn your one-dimensional character into a three-dimensional character.The main takeaway should be that you want to round out the characters in your story.You can use these characters to build out your smaller scenes, but when you're shaping protagonists and antagonists, you want to make them three-dimensional.
10/14/2024
How to Write a Final Battle
Today, I want to cover final battles and grab some tips from Lesson from the Screenplay on how you can make your battles memorable.Writing a Final Battle is Hard The secret formula for every genre of film is to make sure it's centered around compelling stakes.
10/14/2024
Unlock the Historical Movie and TV Genre (Definition & Examples)
One of the easiest and most marketable things to use for film and TV ideas is a historical event.Today, we're going to unlock the historical genre in film and TV.A biographical film, or biopic for short (pronounced "bio-pick"), is a film that tells the story of the life of a non-fictional or historical person.
10/14/2024
Fujifilm Introduces Light and Affordable X-M5 With Optimized Audio and 6K Video
However, in an effort perhaps to keep the good vibes going, Fujifilm has announced another new camera with the Fujifilm X-M5, the first X-M camera by the brand in more than a decade.Featuring the same 26.1 MP X-Trans 4 CMOS sensor as the X100V, this X-M5 is set to excel in both video and audio making it a sneaky option as one of the lightest, and most affordable, options for video pros.The new Fujifilm X-M5 will be available in silver starting in November 2024 and in black in April 2025.
10/14/2024
Horror Story Ideas, Prompts, and Screenplays to Kickstart Your Creativity
The theme of your screenplay refers to the issue at the core of the story itself.The themes for your screenplay matter.Horror short film ideas
10/14/2024
How Adobe’s Firefly Video Model is Set to Change the Game for Video Editing
Along with the news that Adobe’s new Firefly video model is available starting today, Adobe has kicked off their Adobe MAX 2024 conference in Miami, Florida with some news about how this new AI video model is going to upgrade several features and tools in video apps like Premiere Pro, After Effects, and Frame.io.Adobe Firefly Video Model Hits Premiere ProThe new “Send to After Effects” feature in Substance 3D Painter allows artists to transfer fully textured 3D models directly to After Effects with a single click, empowering motion designers with new levels of 3D creative capability and efficiency.
10/14/2024
Adobe’s Firefly Generative AI Video Model Finally Releases to Public Beta
Adobe made the announcement at the opening keynote of this year’s MAX conference and plans to add this new Firefly generative AI model to Premiere Pro workflows (more on those later).Adobe Firefly Generative Video AIThe Firefly Video Model (beta) is set to extend Adobe’s family of generative AI models and make Firefly one of the most comprehensive model offerings for creative teams.
10/14/2024
10 Screenwriting and Story Tips from Robert McKee
Robert McKee is a screenwriting guru and a story consultant who is known for his "Story Seminar," which he developed when he was a professor at the University of Southern California.His extremely thick book takes you through the principles of writing and some techniques that can make you a better writer.9. When you don't know what to write about, ask yourself what your favorite movies are and why they are your favorite.
10/14/2024
Hollywood Is Moving Away from LA—Where Is Everyone Going?
In Los Angeles, people moved away.Many people are using this time to move away from the city itself but still work in the industry.If you are working in the industry outside of Los Angeles, we want to hear from you.
10/14/2024
How to Develop Characters with Action
I love movies and TV shows that give us strong characters who have warrior backstories.Even more so when you are developing these characters and working toward their arcs, you want a creative way to show who they are and what they become.Summing Up Character in Action When it comes yo your own writing, you can create action set pieces that reveal a lot about character.
10/14/2024
What Is a Bottle Episode? (Definition and Examples)
"Cooperative Calligraphy" is the eighth episode of the second season and features the cast in the study lounge.Maybe the second in line for "famous bottle episodes" is season 3, episode 10 of Breaking Bad."The Box" is Brooklyn 99's season 5 episode 14 excursion into the interrogation room.
10/14/2024
How Did These Epic Paintings Inspire Hitchcock's 'Rear Window'?
Edward Hopper and Alfred Hitchcock For Rear Window, it appears that he channeled images from Edward Hopper paintings exclusively.Rear Window was written by John Michael Hayes, who based it on Cornell Woolrich’s 1942 short story, "It Had to be Murder."
10/14/2024
Did 'How I Met Your Mother' Have the Best Sitcom Conceit of All Time?
How I Met Your Mother was written by Carter Bays and Craig Thomas and was a massive success.Don’t know what “an idea with legs” means?The legs of your show are also known as its conceit.
10/14/2024
How Did George Lucas' Theft Change American Science Fiction?
Especially when that winner is George Lucas.See, with a simple win on THX-1138, he was able to solidify himself as a voice in science fiction and go on to create Star Wars.Lucas needed the studio to release the film, but he wanted audiences to see it his way.
10/14/2024
How Did 'Malcolm in the Middle' Change Sitcoms?
The first television show that ever spoke to me was Malcolm in the Middle.Malcolm in the Middle changed the landscape for what a sitcom could pull off in a half-hour time slot.How Did Malcolm in the Middle Change Sitcoms?
10/14/2024
Top 10 Horror Movies With the Best Practical Effects
Some of the greatest horror directors in history have made a name for themself by mastering the craft of intricate, believable practical effects moments of all time (eh-hmmm, David Cronenburg).Below, we've compiled a top 10 list of some of the most impactful special effects in horror history.Crazy twist ending aside (that is also one of the best jump scares of all time), Sleepaway Camp is a movie that wears its affection for horror via practical effects on its sleeve.
10/12/2024
Blackmagic Video Assist Adds RAW Recording for Fujifilm X-M5 and Panasonic LUMIX SD5
Blackmagic Video Assist 3.17This update is set to add support for Blackmagic RAW recording for both the Panasonic LUMIX SD5 and the soon-to-be-officially-announced Fujifilm X-M5 and will be available for both the 5-inch and 7-inch models.The update is also set to bring some additional new features, bug fixes, and other enhancements, as well as install Blackmagic RAW Player, Blackmagic RAW Speed Test, Blackmagic RAW SDK, and Blackmagic RAW plugins.
10/11/2024
Take Big Swings to Produce Your Next Movie
This article is co-written by two filmmakers who met at a film festival and joined forces to produce a movie that went into production nine months later.We want to share our experience with you and a few tips along the way, and one resounding piece of advice: Make big asks. "Crazy As A Loon" is a short film and proof of concept for a larger series called Committed.
10/11/2024
Praising Great Exposition in Film and TV
I came across this awesome video from Thomas Flight on the topic, and wanted to share it with you all here. What does good exposition look like? Hook the audience with the most dramatic part of the story first.
10/11/2024
Panasonic Announces New LUMIX S5D With DJI LiDAR AF in Europe
The new Panasonic LUMIX S5D—an upgraded version of the hybrid full-frame LUMIX S5 mirrorless camera—is set to hit the European markets here soon.Featuring the same 24.2-megapixel 35mm full-frame CMOS sensor as the LUMIX S5, this new S5D version does include some upgrades and new features, most notably being ready to utilize DJI LiDAR AF.The Panasonic LUMIX S5D
10/10/2024
How 'Stalker's Prey 3' Used VFX to World Build on a Budget
The script was originally written for Falkner’s Island. Luckily producer Andrew Gernhard found a lighthouse at the end of a long rock jetty, isolated and perfect for filming.The movie opens with a 10-page shark attack sequence at night, where kids sneak onto the island, have a bonfire, swim, get attacked by a shark, and are rescued by the villain’s boat.
10/10/2024
How to Scale Video Editing With an AI Storytelling Partner
This episode explores how AI is changing the landscape of post-production, addressing both the excitement and concerns about its growing role in filmmaking.Shamir Allibhai is the co-founder and CEO of Eddie AI, an innovative tool designed to assist filmmakers in streamlining the video editing process.Today's NFS podcast is hosted by our very own Jourdan Aldredge, our esteemed tech editor at No Film School.
10/10/2024
How to Cinematically Achieve a '70s Look
Another new film with nods to the classic '70’s look is Spider One’s Little Bites, which recently world premiered at Fantastic Fest and is now available on VOD. To achieve a '70s vibe I shot in Alexa Mini, Super 35, with vintage-ish lenses.DP Andy Patch on creating the vintage look of Spider One’s Little Bites.
10/10/2024
Protect Your Work from AI Training With Adobe’s Content Authenticity App
Adobe has announced that they’re launching a free web app designed to help creators protect and receive attribution for their work.Adobe Content Authenticity Web AppAdobe Content Authenticity is a powerful new web application that helps creators protect and get recognition for their work.
10/9/2024
Capturing the Look of FOX’s New Lifeguard Drama 'Rescue: HI-Surf'
His latest FOX series is Rescue: HI-Surf, which premiered on Sept. 22 and is TV’s highest-rated fall drama debut in six years.NFS: The great John Wells (known for ER and The West Wing) directed the pilot episode.I ended up spending over 158 days on set, working across all 19 episodes with about 10 different directors, which kept us moving—literally logging 10 miles a day on the beach.
10/9/2024
Explore the Fallout of Mythologizing True Crime With 'Red Rooms'
Red Rooms is centered around the trial of Ludovic Chevalier (Maxwell McCabe-Lokos), a man who is accused of murdering young girls on the dark web where spectators can compete in bidding wars to watch the horrific, brutal murders.Creating a Believable Dark Web Poker Game Red Rooms is now available on VOD.
10/9/2024
'Bad Shabbos' Editor Talks Mental Health in Post & How Doc Informs Narrative
We answer all of this and more in our latest NFS podcast!Check out our interview with Bad Shabbos editor Kait Plum below for all these juicy secrets.Listen to more episodes of the No Film School podcast right here:This episode of The No Film School Podcast was produced by GG Hawkins.
10/9/2024
Panasonic Unveils the World’s Lightest and Smallest AF-Compatible Interchangeable Zoom Lens
The LUMIX 18-40mm f/4.5-6.3 LensThe Panasonic Lumix 18-40mm f/4.5-6.3 lens also promises to bring high resolution from corner to corner in a unique zoom range for a flexible, versatile, walk-around lens.The LUMIX S9 features a 24.2MP full-frame sensor which makes creating high-quality images much easier, even in dimly lit situations.
10/8/2024
Costume Designer Richard Cooke Takes Us Through His Work on 'Joan'
Some costumes that really stood out to me are from the recent show Joan, and they were done by seasoned costume designer Richard Cooke. Richard's meticulous design for Joan is rooted in extensive research and a deep dive into her character evolution, inspired by Joan Hannington's autobiography, I Am What I Am.The 90 costumes crafted for Sophie Turner's portrayal of Joan showcase Richard's ability to maintain a cohesive wardrobe across a vast spectrum of styles.
10/8/2024
Is 'Joker: Folie à Deux' the Anti-Blockbuster of a Generation?
Below, let's explore the anti-blockbuster nature of the second (final?) entry into one of the most controversial comic book movies of all time.This worked extremely successfully for a long time—it's the highest grossing franchise of all time with a total gross of $28.9 billion, after all.But, considering that Folie à Deux only made $40 million with a $200 million dollar budget...
10/8/2024
'Joker: Folie à Deux' Ending Explained
opens with ironic, animated ode to Looney Tunes and ends with a brutal and abrupt tragedy.Below, let's explore the anti-blockbuster nature of the second (final?) entry into one of the most controversial comic book movies of all time.This worked extremely successfully for a long time—it's the highest grossing franchise of all time with a total gross of $28.9 billion, after all.
10/8/2024
Eddie AI: ChatGPT for Video Editing
Eddie is your AI video storytelling partner who's turning reluctant editors into nimble and adept storytellers.Eddie crafts rough cuts from your text input.A new future of video storytelling is here.
10/8/2024
Fix Any Potential iPhone 16 Camera Freezing Issues with iOS 18.0.1 Update
Apple iOS 18.0.1Camera may freeze when recording macro mode video on the Ultra Wide Camera in 4K with HDR turned off on iPhone 16 Pro models.This new iOS update 18.0.1 is here to fix all of the above as well as provide some other bug fixes and security updates.
10/7/2024
Lessons in Composing The Marvel Series 'Agatha All Along'
As a composer working primarily in visual media, being a sonic sponge is essential to my creative process.This acoustic openness has been a key part of my artistic journey, from being born into a musical family to my latest creative endeavor, collaborating with Christophe Beck to co-compose the spooky score to Marvel’s Agatha All Along.Through her guidance, Chris and I developed prominent themes and interwoven motifs to accompany our coven’s adventure down the Witches’ Road.
10/7/2024
No One Is Coming To Save Your Filmmaking Career
But I'm here to tell you that no one is coming to save you. You are not Lois Lane.Don't get complacent with your career and wait for an incoming call.
10/7/2024
Do Iraq War Movies Have a Specific Genre?
The war in Iraq officially began on March 20, 2003, and has been going ever since.World War II has its own sense of genre.But the Iraq War and the American occupation of Iraq don't have such a clear perspective when it comes to storytelling.
10/6/2024
What Are The Best Screenwriting Websites?
The official blog of the Black List, this informative space is run by Scott Myers.We're big fans of the Writers Guild of America.The Internet Movie Script Database is a place to download screenplays for free.
10/6/2024
The Making Of 'Star Wars'
As The Rise of Skywalker hits theaters this weekend, we're treated yet again to the end of a journey in the Star Wars universe, a theatrical event that Disney hopes launches a thousand spinoffs and toy sales for the new year (and beyond).Marcia Lucas's heartSteven Spielberg is a master of cinema, and for his birthday, we meditate on what that means to the next generations.
10/6/2024
How Do You Define the Premise of a Movie or TV Show?
Super basics to start: the premise of a screenplay for a movie or TV show is the driving force behind why everything happens on screen.So if you're defining the premise of your screenplay, first clue us in on the genre of the story.Then pick the highlights of your synopsis, what are the moments in which the premise shines?
10/6/2024
Coincidences in Movies and Television Only Work When...
Today, we're going to talk about those coincidences and how you can work them to your advantage while writing.As I mentioned above, every movie and TV show gets one coincidence per story.Scott Myers from Go Into the Story had this to say about coincidences:
10/6/2024
How Does Steven Spielberg Play With Aspect Ratio?
Todd Vizari is a blogger and FX guru put together this useful infographic breaking down Steven Spielberg's use of aspect ration and his collaboration with cinematographers.After Raiders, 14 out of his next 18 films were shot in 1.85 aspect ratio with spherical lenses.Kaminski and Spielberg have now collaborated on 14 films in a rowAll five of Spielberg's recent films have all been photographed in the 2.35 aspect ratio; all but one were shot with spherical lenses (Super35).
10/6/2024
The 'Vertigo' Ending Explained
Alfred Hitchcock is a true master and one of the greatest directors of all time.Today, Vertigo is heralded as one of the best and most important movies ever made, but when it came out, it received mixed reviews.Vertigo was released in 1958.
10/6/2024
Cars are Characters: Why Vehicles Need Personality
Batman's car was a character unto itself.But what if you want the car to function more like a character?Examples of cars with a personality
10/6/2024
What Are The Best TV Finales?
In light of the recent ending of Game of Thrones, we decided to dig into television finales to talk about how you can stick the landing for your shows.Another show that mirrored the pilot in its finale was How I Met Your Mother.I wanted to come up with a list of the best TV finales, in my opinion.
10/6/2024
How to Deal with Rejection in Hollywood
James Cameron is said to have worked on two different desks while writing Aliens and Rambo at the same time.One of my favorite things in the world is Don Hertzfeld's Rejected.If you need help getting that new script finished check out our FREE ebook How to Write a Screenplay.
10/6/2024
The Hero's Journey in Screenwriting
That someone is Joseph Campbell.Today, I want to go over the fundamental beats of the hero's journey and talk about how you can make sure you hit those notes in your script while giving yourself room to be inventive.Joseph Campbell's Hero's Journey
10/6/2024
Why the Basketball Game from 'The Office' is Genius Writing
But aside from Super Bowl LII and the '08 World Series, the sporting event that shaped me as a human being is probably the basketball game on The Office.Season One, episode five of The Office was simply titled Basketball.It was written and directed by one of the show's creators, Greg Daniels.
10/6/2024
How to Shoot Stop Motion at Home
How to Shoot Stop Motion Animation at HomeStill, you clicked on this post to learn how to do your own stop motion animation.Go shoot your stop motion!
10/6/2024
What's the Best 'Simpsons' Episode?
That's what happened during season 4 episode 12 of The Simpsons...Let's take a look at some of the favorites. What's the Best Simpsons Episode?
10/6/2024
What Does the Ending of '2001: A Space Odyssey' Mean?
The ending of 2001: A Space OdysseyThe Ending of 2001: A Space Odyssey ExplainedSometimes you want to say more about a film or TV show.
10/6/2024
Death of Pilot Season, Max Lugavere's ‘Little Empty Boxes’, and Big Pivots
This episode of the NFS Podcast explores staying resilient in a world without structure, featuring Max Lugavere's decade-long journey with Little Empty Boxes, a deeply personal documentary about his mother's battle with dementia that evolved in ways he never expected.Max Lugavere is a filmmaker, health journalist, and New York Times bestselling author.After his mother’s diagnosis with Lewy body dementia, Max chronicled her experience in Little Empty Boxes.
10/5/2024
The Future of Storytelling: A Sit-Down Interview with 'Euphoria' Editor on AI
Recently, Meagan Keene, director of product marketing from Adobe, sat down with accomplished editor Aaron Butler, ACE, known for his editorial work on the hit series Euphoria, in the new Adobe Video YouTube series - Cutting Edge: Editor on AI.While AI is reshaping the video industry, Butler emphasizes the timeless importance of human emotion in storytelling.For those entering the field, Butler advises staying informed about emerging technologies, including AI.
10/4/2024
How Trial and Error in Writing Lead to 'Things Will Be Different'
Written by Michael Felker I spent the last twenty years writing features because I wanted to make a movie.The premise was: "on an isolated farmhouse, an old woman loses her husband through horrifying circumstances.One of the movies is Blood Simple, the Coen Brothers first feature.
10/4/2024
Watch the First Short Film Ever Shot on an iPhone with Pro Anamorphic Lenses
This new short film titled ‘O2’ and directed by Stanislav Kapralov and produced by Evotime Films falls into the latter category as the first ever short film shot entirely on an iPhone using professional PL anamorphic lenses.Watch the "O2" Short FilmSet in a post-apocalyptic world where air has become lethal due to chemical and nuclear wars, the concept is basically a zombie survivor vehicle.
10/4/2024
Hollywood Needs to Prioritize Research and Development or It Will Die
Hollywood its Research and Development budget.Well, when Hollywood paid for research and development, they were much more interested in green lighting ideas from new voices.Hollywood has prioritized IP and packaging for the last 20 years and it's come to a head.
10/4/2024
Kate Siegel Tells Us What She Learned as a First-Time Director
One segment is called "Stowaway," directed by Kate Siegel from a script by Mike Flanagan.It stars Alanah Pearce as an intrepid filmmaker trying to find proof of extraterrestrial life.Take an acting class and talk to your actors.
10/4/2024
DaVinci Resolve 19.0.2 Offers Improved Audio Alignment and More New Support
Blackmagic just rolled out a new 19.0.2 update which is set to add support for decoding MPEG transport stream clips as well as offer some audio alignment improvements.What's new in DaVinci Resolve 19.0.2The other big new feature is new support for decoding MPEG transport stream .ts clips, along with your usual host of smaller bug fixes and minor speed and performance updates and improvements.
10/3/2024
Pilot Season is All Year Now
While network shows went off the air in the summer, streaming shows were available year round, and because they had no time slots to fill, they constantly needed a stream of new shows for people to check out. Now, while network shows still have traditional seasons, writers are working year round pitching to streamers to try to sell their wares. So to make money, they're also pitching in the endless cycle that used to be a season.
10/3/2024
The Storytelling Challenges of 'Transformers One' with Director Josh Cooley
Telling an origin storyCooley said the most challenging thing about approaching this story was finding balance and tone. Nailing the production designI told Cooley that parts of the movie really did have that sense of childlike wonder you get while playing with toys, and he said that was by design and a feeling they wanted to capture, especially through production design.Cooley said you have to be willing to cut it.
10/3/2024
'Family Guy' Takes Center Stage at Show&Tell's September Screening
Below the below, you can find the accredited filmmakers who created these very special videos that premiered last Friday night in the coveted home of Show&Tell's very famous mascot Shodent The Rodent.Show&Tell's September 2024 Shows and TellsFollow Show&Tell on Instagram to stay up to date with their upcoming shows (and tells).
10/3/2024
'Family Guy' Takes Center Stage at Show&Tell's September Screening
Below the below, you can find the accredited filmmakers who created these very special videos that premiered last Friday night in the coveted home of Show&Tell's very famous mascot Shodent The Rodent.Show&Tell's September 2024 Shows and TellsFollow Show&Tell on Instagram to stay up to date with their upcoming shows (and tells).
10/3/2024
Pika’s New AI Video Model Adds More Realistic Movements and Trippy Effects
However, with news dropped by Pika Labs (now stylized as just Pika), we do have a “half” update announcement to share as Pika has followed up their version 1.0 with a new 1.5 AI video model which offers some more realistic movement controls and some rather interesting new video effectsAdd Pikaffects to Your VideosThe six effects in total offer prompters the ability to Inflate it, Explode it, Squish it, Crush it, and Cake-ify it.
10/2/2024
Editor Ryan Folsey Explains The Creative Dynamics of Cutting 'K-Pops!'
Get ready to step into the editing room and discover the creative dynamics behind the movie, K-Pops!. In this interview, acclaimed editor Ryan Folsey shares insights into the art of cutting a music-driven film, the challenges of capturing the electrifying energy of K-Pop, and the collaborative dance between editor and director that brings a captivating story to life.Ryan Folsey: I was lucky enough to secure a Zoom interview with Anderson .
10/2/2024
Find Your Authentic Self Through Comedy and Animation With 'Unicorn Boy'
The medium to absurdity can always change, but something that Matty Kiel found a particularly niche voice with in their debut feature Unicorn Boy is through a colorfully unique animation style.Unicorn Boy is a semi-autobiographical fantasy tale of Matty's heartbroken induced self discovery.Matty Kiel: The whole process took around eight years from the initial creative idea to the release, and the animation itself took around four years.
10/2/2024
The Cinematography behind BFI's Premiere 'Dawn Every Day'
A true story about the director, Amir Youssef’s Father in 1950s Cairo Egypt.A new camera that had just been released from Arri called the Alexa 35.The film Dawn Every Day Premieres at BFI in London 2024.
10/1/2024
The TASCAM FR-AV2 Offers Another 32-Bit Float Recording Option for Your Field Audio
The new TASCAM FR-AV2 is a 32-bit field recorder that offers no-clip recording, timecode generation, and plenty of inputs and functions.A Compact 32-Bit Float Field RecorderThe TASCAM FR-AV2 is available to pre-order now and is expected to ship here starting October 7th, 2024.
10/1/2024
Why Am I Always Getting Stuck in My Screenplay?
Day after day, I see posts on Screenwriting Reddit and Twitter, and I get emails from people wondering why they're always getting stuck in their screenplays. So today, we're going to tackle why people get stuck in their screenplays and talk about how to solve that problem.If you spend way more time outlining and creating the beats of the movies, for ever act, then you will not get stuck in the actual creation of story pages.
10/1/2024
Composer Juan Cortés Arango Explains What Draws Him to Projects
Juan Cortés is a versatile Spanish-Colombian composer and filmmaker based in Los Angeles who combines his passion for music with storytelling.This is definitely on display in his new work, the soundtrack for Funny Birds. Juan Cortés Arango: After working with Marco and Hannah on their last film, Anywhere with You, which was selected for Cannes in 2018 under the L'ACID program, I have always looked forward to their work coming forth.
9/30/2024
Get Pro Quality with Plug-in Power with Sony’s New ECM-L1 Lav Microphone
Building off the professional performance of ECM-77, Sony has announced a similar new lav microphone with plug-in power.The new Sony ECM-L1 omnidirectional lavalier microphone should offer some solid sound quality along with quick and easy features to make it a very capable option for solo videographers or on-the-run content creators of all types.It’s currently available for pre-order with shipments expected to land in late October 2024.
9/30/2024
4 Steps to Writing a Great TV Pilot
You’ll have to learn how to write a TV pilot.To learn how to write a TV pilot, you can read a ton of pilot scripts, and peruse the following steps.To write a great TV pilot, you have to have a world, legs, and some enthralling characters.
9/29/2024
Act One 101: What You Need to Know to Get Your Script Started
Today I want to go over what's expected in act one and how you can crush the beginning to get to the next two acts.Let's talk about act one in storytellingMostly, we want to know what the story is going to be.
9/29/2024
What Movie Contains the Best Acting?
So, let's use this time and the comments section to talk about some of the best and talk about who we aspire to write for in the future.Meryl Streep disappears into the role of an authoritarian nun.Paul Thomas Anderson is the perfect director for that, after all, Boogie Nights remains some of the best work by an ensemble cast in the history of motion pictures.
9/29/2024
How to Write Subtext in a Screenplay
Today, we're going to define subtext, examine its use in entertainment, and look at how it bolsters the themes of the story.On-the-nose dialogue is when characters just say exactly how they feel.To get subtext into your movie and TV shows, you need to build a story that has depth.
9/29/2024
How Do Entertainment Lawyers Help Filmmakers?
As an entertainment lawyer and the founder of the Law Offices of Mark Litwak and Associates, he gave some incredible answers.From the article, "Litwak works with filmmakers in roles ranging from producer representative to executive producer to production counsel.The author of 6 books, including “Dealmaking in the Film and Television Industry,” which is directed to lawyers and filmmakers alike, Litwak also serves as an adjunct professor at the USC Gould School of Law and provided legal services to over 200 feature films."
9/29/2024
What Are the 'Camera Specs' of the Human Eye?
But what if your eyes were the camera?What would the specs of that camera be?They took a RED Gemini camera and tested it against the human eye.
9/29/2024
The Stunning 'Parasite' Ending Explained
Bong Joon-ho is nominated for Best Director at the Oscars, and everywhere you turn, someone else is talking about that enigmatic ending.The logline for Parasite is "Greed and class discrimination threaten the newly formed symbiotic relationship between the wealthy Park family and the destitute Kim clan."The movie ends with this realization that both the Kim father and son are chained down by the economy and by being stuck in a rich person's basement.
9/29/2024
The Ending of 'Tenet' Explained
Tenet is about a war with the future and the past.At the beginning of the movie, a guy we know only a Protagonist is recruited to figure out what Tenet is by the CIA.I think the Director's Cut of this movie could be really meditative, and I look forward to seeing it.
9/29/2024
Let's Discuss Sex in Steven Spielberg Movies
Why has Steven Spielberg, the master of emotional filmmaking, not used more sex scenes in his work?Today I aim to tackle the idea of sex within Steven Spielberg's oeuvre and discuss how his uses of sex in his films have implicit reasoning and importance behind them.Sex in Steven Spielberg movies
9/29/2024
Act Three 303: How to End Your Screenplay
We have a whole post on three-act structure, but I wanted to spend some time on crafting act three and the artful way to end films.So, we prepared a checklist to remind you of what the characters might be going through.So much of what we're talking about on No Film School when it comes to screenwriting is summarized in our new eBook.
9/29/2024
Defining B-Roll and Making it Cinematic
B-roll is the alternative footage to the principal photography—the main shots in your project—and is used to complement the A-roll.B-roll in film and televisionIt's from Mad Max: Fury Road.
9/29/2024
How to Record, Sound Edit, and Mix a Podcast
You can take the easy route and hire someone to do it for you, but with some know-how, practice, and patience, you can start editing and mixing your own podcast.Industry leaders including Spotify, CNN, the New York Times, Marvel and Disney use Riverside.fm to record their remote podcasts.Let's talk about designing the sound of your podcast.
9/29/2024
How to End A Screenplay
So today we're going to go over how to end your screenplay.We're going to talk about pilots, movies, and come up with some strategies to make sure you get your story across and put yourself in the best position possible for the next step in your career.A final movie I want to mention is Lynn Shelton's Your Sister's Sister.
9/29/2024
Act Two 202: How to Survive the Hardest Part of Your Script
I want to be good at writing act two.Act two is when the meat of your story happens.Let's look at a few movie examples that show you some excellent moments in act two.
9/29/2024
What Are the Best Shakespeare Movie Adaptations?
Today I wanted to take a look at the best Shakespeare movies and show you how these kinds of film adaptations can help inspire your own writing.Shakespeare in the MoviesSome obvious entries into the "best" category are Shakespeare in Love, 10 Things I Hate About You, and Much Ado About Nothing.
9/29/2024
Check Out SSFF & Asia's Autumn Showcase of Spectacular Shorts
Short Shorts Film Festival (SSFF) & Asia is one of our favorite, extremely innovative collaborators, and they're offering access to some of their best shorts of the 2024 festival this Fall for their "Screening in Autumn" event.They have several specially coordinated programs hosted for your viewing pleasure, all for $12, dates ranging from now through Nov. 7.This year, which marks the 160th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Switzerland and Japan, we invite you to rediscover the fascinating Japan depicted in these three short films by Swiss directors.
9/28/2024
Find the Subjectivity of Your Narrative With "The Professional Parent"
Unfortunately, in some of the more underdeveloped regions, especially in eastern Slovakia, the role of a professional parent is often sought primarily for financial gain.Our story centers on Ingrid, a middle-aged woman who becomes a professional parent to a Roma girl in a village where prejudice against the Roma community runs deep.The Professional Parent marks my professional short film debut.
9/27/2024
How 'Chimp Crazy' Was Edited With Ethics
Well, editor, writer, and producer Evan Wise was one of those people helping craft the series into such a sensational journey.Evan Wise: The biggest thing that made me want to tell the story of Chimp Crazy was the complexity and possibility of the story. The Travis storyline became a great illustration of the danger of keeping a chimp and added big stakes to PETA’s search for Tonka in episode two.
9/27/2024
The State of Spec Scripts, ‘The Substance’, and Panama Filmmaking
From using platforms like The Black List to writing query letters and building personal connections, breaking into the industry is challenging but not impossible.Plus, we explore the rise of the Panamanian film industry with three of its leading filmmakers—how it's evolved, and what it takes to make a mark in a smaller but growing market.In today’s episode, No Film School’s GG Hawkins speaks with Jason Hellerman and filmmakers from Panama Delfina Vidal, Arianne Benedetti and Maria Isabel Burnes to discuss:How to break into the industry by selling or optioning scriptsThe importance of getting your work out into the world and building a community around itThe Substance, the film starring Demi Moore, Dennis Quaid and Margaret Qualley, written and directed by Coralie FargeatWhat emerging filmmakers in Panama are doing to grow their film industryStrategies to create universal stories that can travel beyond local marketsWhy female filmmakers are thriving in Panama’s expanding film sceneSubscribe to the No Film School Podcast on:Apple PodcastsSpotifyGoogleGet your question answered on the podcast by emailing [email protected].
9/27/2024
Put Fast Macro Shooting in Your Hands With This New Tamron 90mm f/2.8 Short-Telephoto
The latest Tamron is a new short-telephoto prime designed for Sony E and Nikon Z-mount mirrorless camera systems.Introducing the Tamron 90mm f/2.8 Di III VXD Macro LensAs mentioned above, the new Tamron 90mm f/2.8 Di III VXD Macro Lens is going to be available in both Sony E-mount and Nikon Z-mount versions.
9/26/2024
A Look at the Award Winners from This Year’s Fantastic Fest
To go along with our coverage this year we’d like to share the announced awards and winners of this year’s Fantastic Fest.Fantastic Fest 2024 AwardsHere are the full lists of award winners from this year’s Fantastic Fest.
9/26/2024
Why Writers Love A Mentor Character
One of the hardest parts about writing is getting your character to learn things in a natural way.Still, not every mentor character is a nice person.You can also build a mentor from you lead character's desires.
9/26/2024
How to Shoot Cooking Videos at Home
How to Shoot a Cooking Video at HomeHave all your ingredients laid out ahead of time and don't be afraid to shoot multiple takes.Learning how to shoot stop motion can open your world to a new variety of filmmaking.
9/26/2024
What Assistants Look for From Your Script Submission
As an assistant, you're the first person to read and usually cover the hottest scripts in town.What does an Assistant Look for in a Script Submission?Landing a job in the entertainment industry can be hard to find.
9/26/2024
Three ASUS ProArt Displays Tailored for Your Different Use Scenarios
So, in that vein, to help you find the right monitor just for you, here are three of the best ASUS ProArt displays for you to use in different sceneries and for your different needs.ASUS ProArt Display PA32UCXRThe ASUS ProArt Display PA278CFRV 1440p Monitor features a high-quality panel and massive connectivity options, the ProArt can streamline your workload and act as the centerpiece of your productivity.
9/26/2024
How to Make Your Location a Character
Today I want to go over how locations can become a character within your story.Hogwarts is the primary location for everything happening in the seven Harry Potter films and books.Billy Wilder's The Apartment is not only one of the best movies ever made but the title refers to the location that the movie is sort of about.
9/26/2024
How Animation Cinematography Breathes Life into 'Transformers One'
Christopher’s recent role as Head of Cinematography on Transformers One represents a pinnacle in his career, showcasing his exceptional ability to harmonize cutting-edge technology with deep narrative exploration. In this exclusive Q&A, he shares insights into his creative journey, detailing the challenges and triumphs of bringing beloved characters like Optimus Prime and Megatron to life on the screen.Join us as we delve into how Christopher balances innovation with the rich legacy of the Transformers franchise, introducing fresh cinematic techniques while staying true to the essence of the story.
9/26/2024
What 'The Penguin' Production Designer Thinks Every Creative Should Know
From her start as the storyboard artist on The Silence of the Lambs to now serving as governor of the production design branch at AMPAS, her experience is varied and impressive.Most recently, she was the production designer on Max's highly anticipated spin-off to The Batman, the Colin Farrell-starrer The Penguin.Ivanov cooperated with actor Colin Farrell on aspects of the set.
9/26/2024
How Brad Pitt’s ‘F1’ Movie Got Sony to Custom Design a Camera With a Detachable Sensor
In this case, we have the Oscar-winning cinematographer Claudio Miranda behind the lens of the Joseph Kosinski-directed new F1 movie which stars Brad Pitt.Working directly with members of the Sony team, Miranda and Kosinski were able to develop a custom Rialta system rig that was able to effectively untether the body of the camera from the sensor so that it could be mounted inside a Formula One race car.A similar solution was used for shooting footage in the tight cockpits in Top Gun: Maverick, however according to Miranda in the interview with Variety, the need for shooting in a Formula One race car was even more extreme as “the actors didn’t fly the aircraft.
9/25/2024
An Interview With DP Graham Sheldon About Capturing the D&D Web Series ‘Goblin Mode’
One type of long-form video on the rise is tabletop role-playing game content.Mostly centered around Dungeons & Dragons (but also including hundreds of other popular titles), this genre of digital content has exploded in recent years with the likes of Dropout.tv’s Dimension 20 and Geek & Sundry’s Critical Role.Graham Ehlers Sheldon: ‘Sagas of Sundry: Goblin Mode’ is out now!
9/25/2024
An Interview With DP Graham Sheldon About Capturing the D&D Web Series ‘Goblin Mode’
One type of long-form video on the rise is tabletop role-playing game content.Mostly centered around Dungeons & Dragons (but also including hundreds of other popular titles), this genre of digital content has exploded in recent years with the likes of Dropout.tv’s Dimension 20 and Geek & Sundry’s Critical Role.Graham Ehlers Sheldon: ‘Sagas of Sundry: Goblin Mode’ is out now!
9/25/2024
Provoke Thoughtful Conversation With Your Art
A historical drama which takes place in 1982 USSR, "Saint Vassily" revolves around a self-righteous theological academy student, Vassily, preparing for Russian Orthodox priesthood."Saint Vassily" premiered at HollyShorts Film Festival in LA this August.While it is a historical drama, it was made to be relevant today, more than two years into the war.
9/25/2024
How to Agent Your Agent
This is a phrase that implies taking an active role in managing your relationship with your talent agent.Be knowledgeable about the industry and the types of projects you're suited for.Share relevant information with your agent.
9/25/2024
How 'Beetlejuice Beetlejuice' Edited Practical FX With Grandiosity
As a horror-comedy that's loaded with practical effects, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice seemingly would be a tricky movie to edit. Toeing the tonal line while also maintaining the grandiosity of Tim Burton's original is no small feat, but editor Jay Prychidny (Scream VI, Wednesday) makes it look easy in his halrious, very Beetlejuice final cut. If you haven't seen it yet, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is an absolute blast from start to finish, taking us back to Burton's original in exciting ways.If you've ever wondered how a movie on this scale is cut together, Prychidny was kind enough to share his experience with No Film School below.
9/25/2024
James Cameron Joins the Board of An AI Company
According to a story by Deadline, James Cameron has joined the board of an AI company to consult with them. Stability AI bills itself as a program for humans to reach their potential through generative AI. Prem Akkaraju, CEO of Stability AI, said of the deal, “James Cameron lives in the future and waits for the rest of us to catch up.”
9/24/2024
The New Cooke SP3 18mm T2.4 Lens is Here to Enhance Your Mirrorless Camera’s Optical Performance
Cooke SP3 18mm T2.4 Full-Frame Prime LensAs with previous SP3 models, this new lens is also based on the Speed Panchro lens and has been optically and mechanically optimized for full-frame mirrorless cameras.Each of these new lenses in the series will match the Cooke Panchro/i Classic series, which should enable you to use the SP3 primes as a "B" or "C" camera drone or gimbal solution that complements your "A" camera footage.
9/24/2024
Fujifilm to Host Second Annual ‘Create With Us’ Event for Fuji Shooters and Visual Artists
Fujifilm has announced that they are hosting a one-day ‘Create With Us’ event for those in, or nearby, Austin, Texas this weekend which should be worth checking out for any nearby Fuji shooters.The event is free and set up to be a hands-on event for all those who work in photography, cinematography, or the visual arts and will feature a curated, dynamic public exhibition that showcases the power of image and video making from an emerging generation of image makers and content creators.Fujifilm Create With Us Event
9/24/2024
Why Practical FX are Almost Always Better Than CGI
This is exactly why when it comes to low budget films, be them short, feature length or anything else, I’m always going to encourage the use of practical effects over CGI for a number of reasons.When I was deciding which way I wanted to go for my debut film as a director, I put serious consideration into using CGI for the monster, feeling I may have had greater control during post and endless possibilities for tweaking and editing, but in the end I decided to go practical since my experience both watching and making films showed that a practical puppet with a low budget is 99 percent of the time going to work better, look better and not ruin the viewing experience.It can be remarkably easy to build a puppet or otherwise animatable prop for your film.
9/24/2024
How Did The Composer of 'Average Joe' Give the Movie a Genre Identity?
Andrew Morgan Smith, the mastermind behind the captivating score of the hit film Average Joe, is anything but average.Today, we sit down with Andrew to discuss his creative process, the challenges of scoring a film, and the power of music to tell a story.Andrew Morgan Smith: Discovering the sonic identity for Average Joe was a real challenge.
9/24/2024
Record Better Audio With the New Zoom H2essential 32-Bit Float Recorder
Building on the success of their multi-microphone H2n audio recorder, Zoom is back with a new H2essential version, a compact audio recorder that is set to feature three internal microphones for a wide range of pickup options and nine ways to record.The H2essentail will feature three internal microphones, including two cardioid mics facing the front and rear of the device and one bi-directional microphone which will face side to side.The new Zoom H2essential is online and available for pre-order with units expected to start shipping by the end of October 2024.
9/23/2024
What's the Difference Between an Agent and a Manager?
Those people are agents and managers.The largest talent agencies are:If you don't think you need advice or development help, having an agent is an excellent way to only pay out 10% and to get your ideas across to the right people.
9/23/2024
6 Ways Your Screenplay Midpoint Can Save Your Story
The Midpoint is a major plot point that happens in the middle of the screenplay.One strategy to employ when tackling the midpoint of your story is engaging the audience with a false ending.The inciting incident is the most important thing in the first act of your film or TV script.
9/23/2024
What Can Jackson Pollock Teach Us About Film & TV?
I believe we are on the cusp of another era that will define film moving forward.The DGA just announced they won't honor movies that release day and date, which feels shortsighted given streaming is where all the work has gone.Steve McQueen's heist thriller Widows incorporates the city of Chicago in amazing ways, teaching us how setting can be an important character in a film.
9/22/2024
What is the Save the Cat Beat Sheet?
So Blake Snyder set to work on what would become Save the Cat, a bestselling book that would require multiple printings.Today, Save the Cat is taught in film schools, sold on Amazon, and has become ubiquitous with screenwriting in general.What is the Save the Cat Beat Sheet and Why is it Popular?
9/22/2024
How to Make a Dynamic 60-Second Short Film
That's why we issued the #NFS60 challenge and also why we think writing and directing an excellent minute-long short is one of the best ideas.Today we're going to go over how to write and direct a movie that only takes a minute.How to Make a Moving 60 Second Short Film
9/22/2024
What is a Script Doctor?
So let’s define what a script doctor is and explore some of the ways they help productions.Tony Gilroy: Script DoctorThe Hollywood Reporter mentioned that Gilroy was making around $200,000 a week for his work on Rogue One.
9/22/2024
Why Nemo's Mom is the Most Important Character in the Movie
One of my favorite opening scenes of all time is from Finding Nemo.I'm sure you've heard of Pixar's 22 Rules of Storytelling.Learn how to define the premise of your film or TV show!
9/22/2024
What Is Third-Person Point of View?
The third person point of view definition is as follows—in the third person, our point of view is told by a narrator who exists outside the story.When it comes to the third-person POV, you should have a narrator who knows what's going on in all aspects of the story.Now that you know third person POV, you can focus your work so that every single character is delivered the right way for your story.
9/22/2024
What Are Anton Chekhov’s Six Writing Principles?
Chekhov is famous for his gun, but he also spent a lot of time writing letters to his brother.They'd talk and talk about life, writing, and writing tips.What are Anton Chekhov's Six Tips for Writing Fiction?
9/22/2024
What is a Pan Shot?
Today we're going to to go over the pan shot camera move, learn how to use it effectively, and set you up with a few more camera shots to try out.A pan shot or panning shot is when you turn the camera on a fixed head.Learn all your camera shots and angles!
9/22/2024
How to Market Yourself As a Filmmaker
Understanding your target audience is essential to marketing yourself effectively as a filmmaker.Creating a portfolio of your work is essential to marketing yourself as a filmmaker.Share your films, trailers, and behind-the-scenes content on social media.
9/22/2024
What Is a Colloquialism?
We'll define them, show examples in literature, film, and TV, and go over the purpose of using them in your writing.Then you develop your next character and get to work on their dialogue, think about what colloquial phrases might mean to them, and how they may use them.What are some of your favorite examples of colloquialism in writing?
9/22/2024
Why Do So Many Filmmakers Use The Color Red?
I suppose we can blame The Wizard of Oz for the onset of red in film.Everything Scorsese does is purposeful, so he's using red in his movies to let you know what's going on within the characters...The color red serves as a versatile tool for filmmakers, allowing them to visually communicate complex emotions, themes, and ideas, while also creating a memorable and impactful cinematic experience.
9/22/2024
10 Questions TV Writers Use to Refine Their Scripts
Recently, Yorke provided the BBC Writer's Room with 10 questions writers need to be able to answer in order to have a successful TV show.What are the 10 Questions TV Writers Use to Refine Their Scripts?Want to learn how to write a TV pilot?
9/22/2024
Can Writing Great Dialogue Be Taught?
Today we're trying to figure out if learning to write great dialogue is indeed possible.2. Follow David Mamet's 3 QuestionsLearning how to write dialogue that conveys plot and jumps off the page by studying the best dialogue examples.
9/22/2024
When to use 'Continuous' in a Script?
One element of that is mastering when to use "continuous" within the scene headers.Today, I'll show you how and when to link scenes together and give you a trick to master "continuous" while you're formatting.Get familiar with these types of tools so you can use them in your script to create pacing and a mental picture of the cut.
9/22/2024
Public Domain Stories and Movie Ideas
but what is the public domain?That’s why in today’s post, I’m going to take you through the public domain definition, public domain books, public domain poetry, and how you can use the public domain to brainstorm your next screenplay for film or television.Put your public domain search to the test!
9/21/2024
How to Write Sociological Stories
Today I want to talk about the sociological elements that might be affecting your characters and how to incorporate them into your storytelling.Want to learn more about murder mystery screenplays and how Rian Johnson writes?Read and download Knives Out.
9/21/2024
Analyze Toxic Relationships Through Absurdity With 'Crumb Catcher'
Well, look no further than Chris Skotchdopole's absurdist thriller, Crumb Catcher. Eloquently described as a mash-up of Scorsese's After Hours and Edward Albee's Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf, Skotchdopole's Crumb Catcher uses genre filmmaking to hold a microscope over the pitfalls of toxic relationships via the hook of a bulky invention known as, you guessed it, the Crumb Catcher.Secret Origins of the Titular Crumb Catcher
9/21/2024
Balancing Studio and Indie Genre Filmmaking with "Faces" Director Blake Simon
For our coverage of Fantastic Fest this year, we were delighted to catch up with filmmaker Blake Simon to talk about his unique career trajectory from indies to studio films and back to genre indie filmmaking.We also gleaned some insights into how to pull off his stylized, genre-bending horror short "Faces", which plays Fantastic Fest after winning the Gold for Best International Short Film at Fantasia 2024.Simon: We shot on ARRI Amira.
9/20/2024
“Start by Making Yourself Laugh”: An Interview with Lenny & Harpo Guit About Their Fantastic Fest Comedy Feature ‘Heads or Fails’
The Guit Brothers, Lenny and Harpo, are known for developing their own genre of sorts, dubbed “trash cinema,” as a way to explore down-on-their-luck misfit characters who seem to bumble and stumble their way into outlandish situations that explore some surprisingly poignant views about life, friendship, and even romance.We got the chance to chat with Lenny and Harpo about Heads or Fails, the duo’s follow-up to their Sundance standout Mother Schmuckers, to see if we could learn a bit about how fellow aspiring filmmakers can find genre filmmaking paths of their own.Lenny & Harpo Guit: After Mother Schmuckers, we wanted to do a short film with no money again, so we decided to make a film with just the two of us for the crew and an actor who makes us laugh all the time, Axel Perin (who plays Ronnie in HEADS OR FAILS).
9/20/2024
Master an Authentic Jump Scare With 'Oddity' Editor Brian Phillip Davis
Oddity isn't only one of the best horror flicks of the year, it's also one of the scariest and best made.Well, we were curious too, and were lucky enough to chat with the incredibly cool and kind editor of Oddity, Brian Phillip Davis.In our chat with Davis, we dive deep into two of every young editors worst nightmares: crafting a jump scare, and breaking into the industry as a respected feature editor.
9/20/2024
Why Indie Film Distribution Is About To Go Punk Rock
This episode explores how the indie film landscape is shifting, with filmmakers taking control of their own distribution, marketing, and audience-building strategies.Jon Reiss is a filmmaker and author of the book Think Outside the Box Office, as well as a media strategist who runs 8 Above, a company that creates custom distribution strategies for indie films.In this roundtable discussion, No Film School’s GG Hawkins speaks with Jon Reiss, Annamaria Sofillas, Scott Monahan, and Glen Reynolds to discuss:Why hybrid distribution is essential for indie filmmakers todayHow film festivals and events can help grow your audienceWhy setting clear release goals is crucial for your film’s successHow building your audience starts long before your film's releaseReal-world examples of filmmakers using grassroots promotion and festival toursWhy filmmakers are taking control of their own marketing and outreach strategiesHow indie filmmakers are embracing a punk rock mentality to bypass traditional distribution modelsSubscribe to the No Film School Podcast on:Apple PodcastsSpotifyGoogleGet your question answered on the podcast by emailing [email protected].
9/20/2024
Break Through to Your Inner Shakespeare With the Director of 'A Different Man'
Writer/director Aaron Schimberg's third feature is a complex tale of identity, image, and insecurity, with incredibly earnest and complicated characters.Sebastian Stan, now something of a Sundance darling, plays Edward, an aspiring actor.A Different Man will have a wide release on Oct. 4.
9/20/2024
Fabricate True Crime Documentary-Style With 'Strange Harvest'
While not quite mockumentary, Strange Harvest: Occult Murder in Inland Empire finds way to tell an intricately fabricated, documentary-style true crime narrative in an interesting and engaging way.Strange Harvest premieres at revered genre festival Fantastic Fest September 22, so it'll be awhile before it will be available to the public.If not, enjoy this interview with writer-director Stuart Ortiz in the mean time to et your fictional true crime fix.
9/19/2024
How Helen Huang Designed Grounded Costumes for 'The Penguin'
But in his newest iteration, costume designer Helen Huang was tasked with giving the character and expansive cast of The Penguin their looks, and you might be surprised at some of her inspirations—and how this version of Oz Cobb is dressed as more of a working-class hero, rather than the tuxedoed supervillain we're used to. But these unique takes on characters, both familiar and new, lend HBO's new spin-off series air of gravitas not often afforded to comic book adaptations.Huang's specific goal was timelessness—the looks are familiar, but not trendy, keeping all the characters grounded while not pinning them to a specific decade.
9/19/2024
How to Shoot Close-Up Animal Sequences
This time around in his latest film, Out Come the Wolves, Adam pits three hunters against a pack of wolves, which turns into a bloody fight for survival.Meet the trainers and animals ahead of time and run through the actions with your stunt performers.Bielz talks more in detail about the Out Come the Wolves shoot below.
9/19/2024
DJI Unveils New Osmo Action 5 Pro Camera With Even More 4K Video Perks
The latest action camera from DJI, the new Osmo Action 5 Pro, is here and it promises to take things up another notch.Introducing the DJI Osmo Action 5 ProThe DJI Osmo Action 5 Pro features a 1/1.3" sensor to record up to UHD 4K120 video and capture experiences in dynamic, smooth detail.
9/19/2024
Lionsgate Licenses All Its Movies and TV For AI Mining
Lionsgate has announced it will allow Runway to train its AI on Lionsgate's deep library of film and television content. They claim the content created by Runway will be exclusive to their studio. The basic idea is that this will make changes to movies and VFX much cheaper if they can be done easily with AI trained on finished movies and TV shows.
9/18/2024
What Every Filmmaker Should Remember About Publicity
As you build out your budget, remember to add line items for everything a promotional campaign entails.Be prepared before you pitch and have everything at the ready that journalists will need to write or talk about your film.To get your promotional campaign started on the right foot and create the press materials essential to successful outreach, get the Press Kit Essentials Checklist.
9/18/2024
What Is a Simile?
Today, we're going to define "simile," examine it against metaphors, and look at examples of similes in literature, film, and television.The best example of similes and themes in film and TV is in Forrest Gump.Let me know your favorite similes from film and TV in the comments.
9/18/2024
What You Need to Know About Securing Music Rights
Katy McIlvaine served as music supervisor on Sam and Max Eggers’ directorial debut, The Front Room, a new horror film based on Susan Hill's short story of the same name.The movie finds expectant mother Belinda (Brandy) dealing with her husband's pushy, religious, racist stepmother Solange (Kathryn Hunter), who moves into their home after losing her husband.Katy McIlvaine: The position of music supervision can be anything that's music-related.
9/18/2024
The Metaphysical Meaning in Poetry, Literature, and Filmmaking
But what is the meaning of the word "metaphysical"?We'll look into logical positivists and metaphysical questions and get to the history and root of the word.Examples of the Metaphysical Meaning in Filmmaking
9/18/2024
What Are 'Parentheticals' and When Do I Use Them in My Script?
Enter the screenwriter's best friend, a parenthetical.Parentheticals or "wrylys" are the secret weapons to make sure your intentions on the page are reflected within the story.Understanding how they work, and how to use them is critical to getting your best work on the page.
9/17/2024
The 'Baby Reindeer' Ending Explained
Netflix's Emmy-winning Baby Reindeer is a rare miracle of a hit show. Despite sporting no big names and filled to the brim with dark and potentially triggering subject matter, Baby Reindeer somehow attracted enough viewers to earn 18.6M views from April 29 to May 5. Just as its implied Martha was never able to move on from her own childhood abandonment issues, Donny is stuck in his own cycle of repressed trauma.
9/17/2024
What Did Quentin Tarantino Say About Michael Mann's Movies?
Recently, a quote from Tarantino from a back episode went viral with Tarantino talking about Michael Mann. The reason I believe that is that Tarantino has been well-documented at praising Michael Mann. In another episode of the podcast, Tarantino said of Mann, “When Michael Mann came out with Thief with James Caan, he blew our minds.”
9/17/2024
Defining the Psychological Horror Genre
While this often overlaps with psychological thrillers, psychological horror films and TV shows are intent on disturbing us to enhance the suspense, drama, action, and paranoia of the story.The Tropes of Psychological HorrorNow that you understand some of the ideas behind the genre, let's look at a few examples of the best psychological horror movies and TV shows.
9/17/2024
How I Accidentally Created 'The MUTE Series'…and its Three Strict Rules
Before long, these two initial films became a short form series, called “The MUTE Series”, in which each film pledged allegiance to three strict rules: Rule # 1 — No DialogueRule # 2 — No Camera MovementRule # 3 — Only One Shot AllowedPurely by chance, I had stumbled upon my cinematic voice and shooting more MUTE films became an obsession.Now I have made twenty-two films in the series, with the latest two, Stop and The Prisoner, currently screening as supporting shorts across 36 screens in seven independent cinemas in California, Massachusetts, Tennessee, and Illinois this September and October."Stop" and "The Prisoner" from The MUTE Series are playing in select cinemas across the USA during September & October.
9/17/2024
Shoot Light and Fast With Canon's Smallest RF Zoom Yet
The camera and lens company has unveiled its third lens of 2024 with a new RF 28-70mm f/2.8 IS STM.Canon RF 28-70mm f/2.8 IS STMThe Canon RF 28-70mm f/2.8 IS STM is available to pre-order now and is expected to ship here at the end of September 2024.
9/17/2024
What's a "Wunza" Movie or TV Show?
In this article, we will explore the history and evolution of wunza movies, examine some of the most successful examples from different eras, and discuss their impact on the film industry and popular culture.Rush Hour (1998) is an action-comedy film that could be considered a "wunza movie" because it combines elements from two familiar genres - action movies and buddy comedies.Here are a few examples of TV shows that could be considered "wunza TV shows" based on their genre combinations:
9/16/2024
How to Use the Beautifully Neutral Eye Level Shot
One of those ways is inserting an eye-level shot.An eye-level shot is a camera angle where the point of view is set at the eye-level of the subject you are capturing.As a director or DP, you may want to use an eye-level shot to bring the audience into the story.
9/16/2024
Blackmagic Camera for Android Adds Support for Recording Timecode with Clips
The popular Blackmagic Camera for Android app is getting another update with version 1.3 which is set to add support for recording timecode with clips, anamorphic de-squeeze, higher frame rate recordings on Pixel smartphones, as well as new support for your favorite Samsung Flip and Fold phones.Finally, all of you flippers and folders can now use Blackmagic Camera for Android on your Xiaomi 13T, Samsung Flip 5/6, and Fold 5/6 phones.Here are all of the new Blackmagic Camera for Android 1.3 Features:
9/16/2024
How to Write a 'Contained' Movie
One of the hardest things to write is the "contained" screenplay.When Scott Myers from Go Into the Story interviewed Chris Sparling, the writer of Buried, he asked him about the challenges of writing a contained screenplay.So much of what we're talking about on No Film School when it comes to screenwriting is summarized in our new eBook.
9/16/2024
What's the Difference Between Color Correction and Color Grading?
The point of color correction is to ensure that whatever you do next to the color on screen yields the intended result.Once your footage is color corrected, it's time to bring it in for color grading.Learn what you need to deepen your understanding of color theory.
9/16/2024
Does the Ending of 'Se7en' Mean Evil Wins?
Upon its release, Roger Ebert called Se7en "one of the darkest and most merciless films ever made in the Hollywood mainstream."It's one of the best screenplays of all time.Se7en ends on a twist where serial killer John Doe reveals he's murdered Tracy (Gweneth Paltrow), the pregnant wife of detective Mills (Brad Pitt).
9/16/2024
What Is Motion Smoothing? And How Can You Turn It Off?
Today we're going to teach you how to turn motion smoothing off on your TV so that you can enjoy movies, television, and web series without your TV inserting frames to try to fool your eyes, and messing with the program of your choice.Motion smoothing allows your TV to guess the missing frames between the natural, intended FPS and the FPS your TV runs at.Here's a list of popular television makers and how you can turn off motion smoothing on their sets.
9/16/2024
The 20 Best Books for TV Writing
I wanted to sit and compile a list of the best books on TV writing.The 20 Best Books on TV WritingIf you want to be a TV writer then you're going to want to be in the WGA.
9/16/2024
Animate and Blend 3D Objects Easier Than Ever Before in Adobe After Effects
As part of their IBC 2024 showcase, Adobe is here to make it easier than ever before for motion designers and video editors to animate and blend 3D objects seamlessly with real-world footage and other 2D elements.Adobe After Effects UpdatesAdobe has unveiled a range of new tools to help motion designers work with native 3D objects in the 3D workspace—including new features to allow designers to make their 3D objects blend more seamlessly with their photo-realistic and real-world environments.
9/16/2024
Jennifer Kent Tells Us What Horror Filmmakers Need to Know Today
Enter The Babadook, writer/director Jennifer Kent's supernatural story about a widowed mother raising her young son.IFC Films, in partnership with Iconic Events, will present The Babadook—followed by an exclusive filmed Q&A with Kent—in theaters nationwide Sept. 19 to 22.
9/16/2024
Cliche Jokes in Film and TV
One of the things about writing great dialogue in film and TV is that sometimes a joke or common turn of phrase can be overused.Here are some common jokes that can be overused in screenwriting dialogue:Find the balance in the story.
9/16/2024
Premiere Pro Set to Become More Beginner-Friendly and Better for Color Management
The focus of Adobe is on working faster and more efficiently, as well as overhauling Premiere Pro’s overall color management.A new wide gamut working color space that’s vastly larger than Premiere’s HD Rec.709 working space in which all image processing operations are performed.All of these new features are out and available now in beta with Adobe sharing that the updates should eventually be live for everyone later this fall.
9/16/2024
The Meaning of the Ending of Steven Spielberg's 'A.I. Artificial Intelligence'
It's hard to imagine two directors with as different of personas as Steven Spielberg and Stanley Kubrick.The idea for A.I. Artificial Intelligence came from Brian Aldiss’s short story, “Supertoys Last All Summer Long.”Roger Ebert described the movie as "wonderful and maddening."
9/16/2024
What Is a Montage in Film and Television?
Today we're going to cover all forms of the montage.According to Hollywood Lexicon, "Juxtaposition is the film editing technique of combining of two or more shots to evoke an idea or state of mind.There are a few different ways to write a montage in your script.
9/16/2024
The Difference Between Anamorphic and Spherical Lenses
No matter what, at some point, you'll have to choose between anamorphic and spherical lenses.Now, both types of lenses produce different image characteristics, but if you can't tell the difference between them, how will you know which fits the ideas you had for your story?So pick carefully, and watch a lot of movies to see which ones share a look you think you may want to capture for your story.
9/16/2024
All the 2024 Emmy Winners
This was a very fun show hosted by Eugene Levy and his son, Dan Levy. And the streamers and premium cable networks won big again, with The Bear, Shogun, and Baby Reindeer winning lots of awards. Check out all the winners below.
9/16/2024
We’re All Halfway Through Writing a Short Film That We Will Direct
Actor Saoirse Ronan recently revealed that she is halfway through writing a short film that she plans to direct— and it feels so relatable.But being halfway through is not a failure but a part of the journey.In today’s episode, No Film School’s GG Hawkins, Jason Hellerman and guest Patrick Walsh discuss:Saoirse Ronan is halfway through writing a short film she plans to direct The relatable struggle of getting stuck halfway through a projectOutlining and having a clear ending in mind to avoid getting stuck in the middle of a writing projectActors transitioning to directing and the unique perspective they bringThe value of grants, labs, and workshops for filmmakers to get support and feedbackThe list of grants and labs that No Film School has launched on its websiteThe recent positive performance of films at the box officePatrick’s journey into editing, starting from film studiesPatrick’s experience of destination editing for the film The UninvitedTechnical challenges and workflow of remote editingSubscribe to the No Film School Podcast on:Apple PodcastsSpotifyGoogleGet your question answered on the podcast by emailing [email protected].
9/15/2024
What Is the Cosmic Horror Genre?
Today, we're going to examine the cosmic horror definition and examples of it, as well.We'll dig into all the Lovecraftian monsters, aliens, and spectral forces.What Is the Cosmic Horror Genre in Film and TV?
9/15/2024
How to Give Notes on a Script
One of the best skills to acquire if you're aspiring to work in Hollywood is the ability to give great critiques on people's work without being critical of it.Just how do you give good script notes?How to Give Notes on a Script
9/15/2024
'Swimming with Butterflies': From Passion Project to Big Brand Film
But that has nothing to do with how I was introduced to three times Paralympian Lizzi Smith (now competing in Paris on September 6 and 9—watch via Peacock!), or why Invisalign bought the project. Finding the StoryI was introduced to Lizzi through a fellow producer and EP who also happened to represent her as an athlete.Three time Paralympian Lizzi Smith crushing the BTS!
9/13/2024
Godox Adds App and New Solutions to its Cinematic Lighting Lineup
Godox is a name associated with a range of lighting solutions for filmmakers, videographers, and photographers.Godox at IBC 2024Godox Knowled App: The Godox Knowled app has been upgraded with new features to boost lighting control efficiency.
9/13/2024
Check Out These New RED N-Log LUTs for Your Nikon Cameras
One of the first—and more notable—partnerships of Nikon and RED Digital Cinema technologies is finally here.Nikon has announced that they are releasing free N-log LUTs based on RED DSCM3 cameras.These LUTs are optimized for N-log footage and can be used for on-set monitoring as well as all of your creative color grading needs.
9/13/2024
Find Harmony Among Chaos With Austin Weber's 'Rent Free' Score
The joy of movie-making is collaboration.Rent Free is a movie propelled by chaos—scrappy, horny, manic, hilarious chaos.Fernando’s script and direction in Rent Free itself is a masterclass in this engineered chaos.
9/13/2024
This Doc Tackles The Hypocrisy of the Healthcare Industry
When we started production in 2015 on our first medical documentary, To Err Is Human, our mission was to show the work done behind the scenes to make health care safer and more reliable.We ended up with nearly 300 screenings across 12 countries and many hospitals making bold commitments to improve their safety measures.For our new film, The Pitch, we introduce audiences to the heroes of healthcare.
9/13/2024
Descend to Madness With Steffen Thum's 'Slingshot' Score
It’s an incredible tool for storytelling, and it can help us look deep inside the mind of a character.In Slingshot, we follow John (Casey Affleck), one of three astronauts aboard a mission to Saturn's moon, Titan.The score album for Slingshot releases August 30th, alongside the film, only in theaters
9/13/2024
The PYXIS is Set to Get a Major Upgrade with Blackmagic’s New External Monitor
The new monitor will feature a bright 1500 nit high brightness screen which will also include a removable sunshade that also folds up to protect the monitor when not in use or when traveling.“Blackmagic PYXIS Monitor is more than just an external monitor, it’s an extension of the camera with full camera control that you can place almost anywhere.If you’re at IBC 2024 in Amsterdam this year the Blackmagic PYXIS Monitor will be demonstrated on the Blackmagic Design IBC Stand 7.C49.
9/12/2024
Pricing and Details for the Blackmagic URSA Cine 17K 65 Are Finally Here
Yet, with a large format 65mm format RGBW 17520 x 8040 sensor with larger photo-sites for 16 stops of dynamic range, interchangeable PL, LPL, and Hasselblad lens mounts, and industry-standard Lemo and Fischer connections, it ain’t going to be cheap.Blackmagic URSA Cine 17K 65 is the realization of that dream with a massive 65mm image sensor, a body with industry standard features and connections, and seamless integration into high end workflows.The larger sensor builds on the technology featured in the URSA Mini Pro 12K with larger photo-sites leading to an impressive 16 stops of dynamic range.
9/12/2024
How I Filmed My First Feature While Hiking For Half a Year in the Wilderness
Gary was a TV writer living in LA and just about the most “indoorsy” person I had ever met, so when he proposed the wild idea of living in the woods for six months while he hiked 2,600 miles straight I was onboard.The lightweight, mirrorless camera lent itself well to long-form filming in the elements.The new batteries with the A7siii purportedly had extremely long life of over two hours of continuous shooting per battery.
9/12/2024
What Is Imagery?
There are a few types of imagery that you can employ in your writing.William Carlos Williams uses sensory imagery to make you hungry in "This Is Just to Say."When it comes to making a town feel alive with imagery, check out Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird.
9/12/2024
What is Deep Focus?
You don't have to be Stanley Kubrick to use deep focus in your projects. Deep Focus DefinitionBut when it comes to visual context, you can use deep focus to your advantage.
9/12/2024
DJI Drone Ban Passes House and Moves One Step Closer to Fruition
As we’ve been following over the past several months, a de facto DJI drone ban continues its way through the US government system as the Countering CCP Drones Act has now officially passed a vote in the House of Representatives and is now on its way to the Senate.Of course, this doesn’t mean that any DJI drone ban is certainly going into effect today or tomorrow for sure, but the potential ban is moving closer to reality if passes the Senate and is signed into law by the President.Let’s take a look at the latest state of this potential drone ban and how DJI is planning to fight to keep its drones flying in the US.
9/12/2024
Masterfully Integrate Soundtrack and Score With Alex Ross Perry
In honor of Alex Ross Perry's first movie in six years, how about an unpublished interview from the archive, huh? Her Smell explores the harrowing and tragic arc of fictional 90’s era punk star Becky Something (Elizabeth Moss) in a Shakespearean five-act epic.On working with Alicia Bognanno of Bully to craft original Music for Something She
9/12/2024
What Is Subtext?
Today we're going to go over what the subtext is in film and how you can make sure your work has it.And it's that of the coin toss in the gas station.I think the idea about Top Gun being a "gay" movie came to pop culture in the movie Sleep with Me.
9/12/2024
What Is a Costume Designer?
That's why making costumes for movies and TV shows is one of the most important jobs on set.A costume designer is responsible for everything worn by the cast in a movie or TV show.Academy Award for Best Costume Design
9/12/2024
How ‘Continue’ Director Nadine Crocker Turned Rejection Into Two Lionsgate Features
In our latest podcast, we explore how passion, persistence, and determination can turn seemingly insurmountable odds into career-defining moments.Nadine is a filmmaker, actor, and mental health advocate.In her latest feature, Continue, she explores her own struggles with depression and suicide.
9/11/2024
More Generative AI is Coming to Your Adobe Workflows with New Firefly Video Model
Designed to be commercially safe and to be integrated into Adobe workflows all across Creative Cloud, Adobe has shared a preview of its upcoming FireFly Video Model—the latest generative AI video offering from the makers of Premiere Pro and After Effects.As we’ve seen in the past from Adobe with its popular Generative Fill tool in Photoshop, generative AI has been on Adobe’s roadmap for some time.A Preview of Adobe’s Firefly Video Model
9/11/2024
Tips for Shooting Special Effects
Another new film pushing the boundaries when it comes to effects is Shudder’s recently released Hell Hole.So what are some of the different ways to shoot special effects? We spoke to cinematographer Sean Dahlberg about some of his experiences shooting effects on the new film Hell Hole.
9/11/2024
Behind the scenes of Lionsgate’s “Greedy People” with editor Jamie Kirkpatrick, ACE
After accidentally killing a local resident, rookie cop Will (Himesh Patel) and his rogue partner Terry (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) discover a million dollars at the scene.We spoke with Jamie Kirkpatrick, ACE, about editing the film using Adobe Creative Cloud tools.“Greedy People” is available to stream on Apple TV, Prime Video and in select theaters now.
9/11/2024
The Best Fight Scenes In Movies
In honor of John Wick's fifth anniversary this week, let's highlight the best action sequences that didn't have any guns in them.First up, we have to herald John Wick 3.3. From Russia With Love (1964) - Bond vs. Red on the Train
9/10/2024
Types of Film Lights (and How to Use Them)
We've deconstructed lighting on No Film School before, but today we want to aggregate all the ideas and techniques behind picking a lighting scheme for your film.A key light is the primary light source of the scene.The definition of high key lighting is a style of lighting for film, television, or photography that reduces the lighting ratio in the scene.
9/10/2024
What is an Antihero?
Let's breakdown the tropes, ideas, and script techniques you can use to solidify an antihero in your screenplays.Here's a list of popular antiheroes in movies and television.Write a protagonist that pops off the page!
9/10/2024
What Is Alliteration?
When you're picking the title for your script, many choose alliterative titles.Some examples of alliterative movie, TV, and game titles include:Examples of alliterative character names:
9/10/2024
What is a Leitmotif?
Leitmotifs are a powerful tool in music, and it is a literary device that has been used for centuries to create a sense of unity and coherence in a piece of music or story and to help the listener or reader identify and follow the narrative or emotional arc of the composition.In this article, we will explore the history and significance of leitmotifs in music, as well as some notable examples of their use in film scores.We'll also show them in screenwriting and examples in film and TV.
9/10/2024
Let's Talk All Things Micro-Budget With the Directors of ‘Peak Season’
For filmmakers Henry Loevner and Steven Kantor, it sparks what they’ve dubbed the “micro-budget chain reaction,” inspiring others in their community to pick up cameras and start shooting.As the industry consolidates and traditional distribution becomes harder to navigate, indie filmmakers are finding new ways to create and share their work, embracing folk filmmaking and using platforms like YouTube to bypass traditional barriers.Peak Season, the duo's second feature, serves as a perfect example of this movement.
9/10/2024
What is a 'Zoom Shot' In Film and TV?
One of those ways is the camera zoom.The Dolly ZoomWhile zoom shots were more popular in the past, they are still used today by filmmakers to achieve specific creative effects.
9/10/2024
What Is the Meaning of a Slow-Burn Movie or TV Show?
Today, I want to go over the definition, meaning, and look at some examples of this kind of screenwriting across film and television.What Is the Meaning of a Slow-Burn Movie or TV show?Sometimes, people refer to a character relationship that's a slow burn.
9/10/2024
Record 4K Video at 120fps with the New and Improved iPhone 16 Pro
Let’s take a look at the new iPhone 16 Pro lineup and the A18 Pro chip at the heart of the latest iPhone models powering 4K video at 120fps—plus some impressive new features to go along with the screen and spec upgrades.Apple has also shared that the new iPhones will include improved audio hardware in the form of four microphones which will be able to capture spatial audio along with your spatial video. The new iPhone 16 Pro is set to retail at $999 for 128GB of storage and the Pro Max model will start at $1,119 with 256GB of storage.
9/9/2024
The Canon EOS C80 is Here to be a Solo Videographer’s Workhorse
Offering 6K full-frame video capture in the same smaller, lighter form factor of the popular EOS C70, Canon’s latest cinema camera offering should have plenty of rugged and versatile features to make it an ideal travel camera for cinematic shoots.The Canon EOS C80 Cinema CameraThis new EOS C80 will feature a RF mount that should provide compatibility with fast, reliable Canon RF lenses, and a motorized ND filter wheel enables on-the-fly exposure tweaking.
9/9/2024
How to Write the Best Fight Scenes
And while no fight scene will be as awesome as this one from Undefeatable (1983) - which you can check out in this behind-the-scenes interview here - let's take a look at how you can learn to write some punched-up, high-kicking fight scenes of your own.Now that you understand the five tips on how to write good fight scenes, I can’t wait to see them in your own writing.Join us for the Free Screenwriting Seminar, or just add these scenes to that pilot you've been working on for staffing season.
9/8/2024
5 Tips to Film Golden Hour
Today we're going to go over some tips for shooting at golden hour from Lewis McGregor, a.k.a. UglyMcGregor, (the video's an oldie but a goodie) and cover techniques that will help make you a better filmmaker during the most beautiful time of day.4. Shoot with multiple cameras if possibleIf you don't have an arsenal of extra cameras on-hand, consider renting multiple cameras for your golden hour takes to make sure you get the most for the minutes of action.
9/8/2024
The Sarcastic Meaning And How It Fits into Filmmaking
We'll define sarcasm, look at how you can clue your readers into your tone, and also look at some examples of sarcastic wit across the literature.While all sarcasm is verbal irony, not all verbal irony is sarcastic.We see that this sarcasm is an example of how Mark Antony would speak at Caesar's funeral.
9/8/2024
What's a Shooting Script and How Do You Create One?
To get all this ready, first, you need to create a shooting script.A shooting script is the version of a screenplay used during the production of a motion picture or a television show.If you want to make a shooting script, see if your screenwriting software has a template you can use.
9/8/2024
What Is a "Kitchen Sink Drama"?
We saw French New Wave and German Expressionism, but one that often gets overlooked is the British movement of Kitchen Sink Realism or "the Kitchen Sink drama."Today, I want to take you through the kitchen sink drama's definition and examples.The kitchen sink drama (or kitchen sink realism) is a term used to describe a British cultural movement that developed in the late 1950s and early 1960s in theater, art, novels, film, and television.
9/8/2024
What Can Filmmakers Learn from the Way Andrew Wyeth Paints?
To say that Andrew Wyeth's work had a hand in raising me feels like an understatement.Today I want to take a look at a video essay about "Christina's World" and see what we can learn about filmmaking from Wyeth's process.Andrew Wyeth was at a party when "Christina's World" popped into his head.
9/8/2024
What is the 'Fish Out Of Water' Trope?
While there is no real magic formula to writing a screenplay, the "fish out of water" trope is an excellent crutch or trope that can help writers new and experienced layout a story that's engaging for the audience and easy for the writer to outline and write.The Fish Out of Water Definition The "fish out of water" idiom refers to a character who is removed from their normal day to day and has to catch up with their new outlook on the world.The Subgenres of the Fish Out of Water Trope The "fish out of water" trope is a versatile storytelling device that can be adapted and blended to create various subgenres, each offering unique narrative possibilities:Classic VariationsRural to Urban: A character from a small town or rural setting navigates the complexities and fast-paced lifestyle of a big city.
9/8/2024
What Are the Best Silent Films of All Time?
And some of the best movies ever made are silent.Today, we're going to talk about the silent era of films.The Best Silent Films of All Time
9/8/2024
Can You Make a Movie For Under $300 That's Accepted by Slamdance?
All I've Got and Then Some is a day in the life of Rasheed, a homeless standup comic on his way to his first paid gig.Rasheed Stephens, the star and centerpiece of the film, and Tehben Dean, documentary filmmaker and cinematographer, are credited for literally almost every role.NFS Interviews Rasheed Stephens and Tehben Dean
9/6/2024
Collaborate More Efficiently With Avid Huddle
This new Avid Huddle is set to provide secure project viewing for review of high-quality video content by simulating an in-person content review and approval experience.Teams using the tool can review, discuss, and comment on content as if they were working in the same room.Avid has shared that its new Avid Huddle will be a subscription-based service available at either $99 a month or $999 a year.
9/6/2024
How to Build an Artistic Title Sequence With Dave McKean
Not a single negative from the original film is in Caligula: The Ultimate Cut, pieced together by Thomas Negovan.History aside, we have something cooler for you today, folks: an interview with the artist behind Caligula: The Ultimate Cut's title sequence, Dave McKean. McKean is most notably known as a painter and comic book artist for projects like Grant Morrison's Arkham Asylum and Neil Gaiman's Sandman Overture.
9/6/2024
Quickly Customize Your Licensed Music with Soundstripe’s New AI Song Editor
However, this new announcement from Soundstripe promises to revolutionize how filmmakers and video editors are going to be able to work with their licensed music tracks by adding a new AI Song Editor tool that will allow editors the ability to quickly customize songs from the company’s music library.AI Song Editing is HereSoundstripe’s new AI Song Editing tool analyzes a song and instantly identifies its short, self-contained sections.
9/6/2024
Story Beats Are The Backbone of Your Screenplay
Today I want to go over the idea of beats and how they apply to your screenwriting.A beat sheet is a list of all the beats that happen within your idea.Really quickly, I wanted to go over some beats that happen in popular movies and TV shows.
9/6/2024
What Is The Verbal Irony Definition?
So today, I want to look at how you can work verbal irony into your dialogue as well as define it and learn some examples.One of the types of dramatic irony is verbal irony.Verbal irony is a figure of speech or a line of dialogue where the speaker intends to mean something that contrasts with the literal, or actual meaning of what they are saying.
9/6/2024
What is Shallow Focus?
Shallow focus is the opposite of deep focus in that the area around your subject is generally not as sharp.It uses a shallow depth of field where the out-of-focus area of the image is often referred to as bokeh.So, grab your camera, experiment with shallow focus, and see how it can transform your filmmaking!
9/6/2024
A Massive List of Fall 2024 Grants, Labs, and Fellowships
Deadline: September 15Breaking Through The Lens Action Grant*This €10,000 grant is open to any feature film director—narrative or documentary—who experiences marginalization due to their gender, including but not limited to women, non-binary, and trans filmmakers.The winner will be announced at Sundance 2025, and five finalists will receive market guidance and production support for their project.AFI Directing Workshop for WomenThe American Film Institute offers this educational program to women who have yet to direct a narrative feature.
9/6/2024
What Is Utopian Fiction?
The opposite of a utopia is a dystopia, which dominates most of film and TV.One of the largest subcategories in utopian fiction is that of the feminist utopia.Let's look at some more examples of utopia fiction in film and TV.
9/6/2024
How Netflix’s sci-fi thriller “Atlas” used cutting-edge visual effects
I graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in the broad subject of Multimedia.Several of the graphics and holograms in the film are close to the camera, and very out of focus.Oddly enough, the toughest thing I’ve had to face in my career was self-inflicted — it was participating in the Los Angeles 48 Hour Film Project for 8 years.
9/5/2024
Sigma Announces the Powerful 28-105mm f/2.8 DG DN Art Zoom Lens
We’ve seen some powerful new lenses from the likes of Sony, Fujinon, and Tamron, but we’re still excited to share the news of Sigma debuting a new full-frame 28-105mm f/2.8 DG DN Art zoom lens which is set to be available for Sony E and Leica L-mounts.The Sigma 28-105mm f/2.8 DG DN Art LensTailored for L-mount and E-mount full-frame mirrorless camera systems, this lens provides a minimum focusing distance of 15.8" across the entire zoom, ensuring your ability to capture detailed close-ups of your subjects.
9/5/2024
What Is a Texas Switch and How Can You Use It In Movies?
The Texas Switch is a technique used in cinematography, VFX, and stunts where a character does an incredible or elaborate stunt that invisibly transitions from lead actor to stunt performer through clever staging and camera movement.While shot on a blue screen, director James Wan still wanted to keep the integrity of the story and visuals.Check out the opening to The Place Beyond the Pines, where the stunt actor on the motorcycle takes over for a driving Ryan Gosling.
9/5/2024
Launch Into Drone Videography With DJI’s Tiny and Affordable Neo
It’s also capable of recording 4K video at 30p and powered by AI-based subject tracking, making it certainly useable for many content creation needs these days.The Neo has a compact design that is incredibly lightweight at only 4.8 oz and can fit inside the palm of your hand—which it can also take off from and land.When in flight the Neo's 1-axis camera can capture selfies and sweeping vistas at 4K30p resolution with its 1/2" sensor.
9/5/2024
Launch Into Drone Videography With DJI’s Tiny and Affordable Neo
It’s also capable of recording 4K video at 30p and powered by AI-based subject tracking, making it certainly useable for many content creation needs these days.The Neo has a compact design that is incredibly lightweight at only 4.8 oz and can fit inside the palm of your hand—which it can also take off from and land.When in flight the Neo's 1-axis camera can capture selfies and sweeping vistas at 4K30p resolution with its 1/2" sensor.
9/5/2024
20 Strong Character Traits to Revitalize Your Writing
Sure, you can adapt archetypes, but you also want strong character traits that stand out and help you define what needs to happen in every scene.Today, I wanted to introduce you to twenty traits that I think could help you really focus in on the wants and desires of your characters.I'm going to write a brief description of the trait and give you an example of how that character trait is exhibited in characters from film and television.
9/5/2024
A Conversation with 'Art Dealers' Directors Roy Power and Adam Weiner
A new documentary from directors Roy Power and Adam Weiner seeks to unpack rock and roll, and gives us a sweet and genuine look into the life of local rockers.We recorded a chat between directors Roy Power and Adam Weiner and now pass it on to you.The Art Dealers documentary comes out in theaters on September 6, 2024 in NYC and September 27th in LA (with additional regional cities).
9/5/2024
How to Write Great Character Descriptions
Great character descriptions are a crucial part of any screenplay, and a meaningful way to get your leads to stick out.Today, we’re going to go over what makes some character introductions better than others, and how you can write the best descriptions for your screenplay.Let’s examine at the way James Cameron describes Sarah Connor in the greatest sequel of all time, Terminator 2: Judgment Day.
9/5/2024
Why is RED Dropping Prices on the KOMODO and KOMODO-X Cinema Cameras?
It’s now been just over six months since RED Digital Cinema announced that they were being acquired by Nikon.The price cuts are for RED’s KOMODO-X and KOMODO cinema camera systems and represent up to 30 percent savings for each.The KOMODO‑X also has the groundbreaking 6K S35 global shutter sensor but with increased low-light performance and frame rates at 6K 80P and 4K 120P all in a form factor of only 4x4x5 inches and 2.6 lbs.
9/4/2024
When Were Cameras Invented?
Louis Le Prince built a single-lens camera and in 1888 used it to make a brief silent movie of people walking in a garden.William Kennedy Dickson definitely invented the movie camera.Now that you know where the first cameras came from and who invented the movie camera, it's time to learn some advanced film theory.
9/4/2024
Filmsupply's Annual 30-day Editing Competition, Filmsupply Editfest, is Officially Underway!
It's an annual 30-day editing competition providing editors with the opportunity to break through as storytellers and showcase their talent as editors through an original Title Sequence, Advertisement, or Movie Trailer.Participants will compete to create the best edit in their category to win their share of $60K in prizes and feedback from Filmsupply's panel of industry-leading judges.Voting for People's Choice runs from October 14 until October 23.
9/4/2024
A Huge List of Onomatopoeia Words for Your Screenwriting
If you're like me, you're always looking for a new way to spice up the action lines of your screenplay.But what is an onomatopoeia, and how do you use it in writing?Spice up the way you write and create an atmosphere with onomatopoeia.
9/4/2024
The Definitive Guide to Conflict in Storytelling
What is conflict in a story?So if you want conflict in story, think about what can affect your characters internally and externally.Now that we have covered internal and external, let's look at some other uses of conflict in story.
9/4/2024
Get Closer to the Action Than Ever Before With the New GoPro HERO13 Black
Still, GoPro has found a way to make their product even better with the new GoPro HERO13 Black which is set to feature pro-class 5.3K video at 60fps and is also able to accept interchangeable HB-series lenses.This latest GoPro will also have improved battery life and accessory options.Users will also be able to grab 24.7MP frames from their videos using the Quik app, as well as record 2.7K video at a 240 frame rate for playback at 8x slow motion.
9/4/2024
Robert Frost on Editing for the Espionage Dramedy 'Slow Horses'
Based on Mick Herron’s Slough House novels, the series follows the misfits of MI5, led by the indomitable Jackson Lamb, portrayed by Academy Award-winner Gary Oldman.This six-episode season premieres on Apple TV+ on September 4, with new episodes every Wednesday until October 9.In this insightful interview, we speak with Robert Frost, the talented television and film editor behind Season 4.
9/4/2024
DJI Announces First Medium Telephoto DL Mount Lens for 8K Gimbal Cameras
DJI has announced that they are going to release their first medium telephoto DL mount lens.The new DL 75mm Telephoto Lens will work great for gimbal cameras and drones and offer some beautiful cinematography capabilities with a total aperture range from f/1.8 to f/22.The new DL 75mm f/1.8 lens is out and available for purchase now.
9/4/2024
Let's Dissect the Laugh Track on TV
I want to talk about the laughter coming over your TV speaks from the laugh track on your parent's favorite sitcom.The laugh track, or canned laugh, has been around since the dawn of television.Ranker released a list of the funniest current shows that have a laugh track.
9/3/2024
What is the History of Zombies?
Zombie films and TV shows have been on the airwaves for years.Here's a breakdown about the history of this undead baddie, along with a discussion of some ideas about how they can continue to be relevant in the future.The future of zombies
9/3/2024
What is a Short Story?
Here's a guide to help you craft a compelling short story:1.Create an outline or mind map: This helps you structure your story and visualize its progression.Many beloved films and television shows have been adapted from short stories, demonstrating their enduring appeal and versatility.
9/3/2024
What Is Story Development?
If you work in the biz, you need to learn how to develop.We will learn how to develop a story, how to turn ideas into stories, and why story development is a skill that can take you far in your career in Hollywood.As a writer, you need to be working on ideas all the time.
9/3/2024
Creative Screenwriting Exercises, Character, and Dialogue Prompts
The short answer is: try some creative writing practice exercises.Now that you have the basic worksheets on how to write a screenplay, let's look at some prompts to get you out of the tough binds you'll get into on the page.Summing up creative screenwriting exercises, character, and dialogue prompts
9/3/2024
Is James Gandolfini as Tony Soprano the Greatest Acting Achievement of All Time?
The Sopranos was able to do all of this thanks in part to the performance of James Gandolfini as Tony Soprano.David Chase created The Sopranos and the show was a hit from the start.All things considered, do you agree, as Puschak says, that Gandolfini's portrayal of Tony Soprano is "probably the greatest acting achievement ever committed to the screen, small or big," or do you have another performance in mind?
9/2/2024
Why is 'The Silence of the Lambs' So Good?
The movie premiered in 1991 and was directed by the late, great Demme and written by Ted Tally from the novel by Thomas Harris.The Silence of the Lambs was released on Valentine's Day and grossed $272.7 million worldwide on a $19 million budget.According to Wikipedia, "The Silence of the Lambs is regularly cited by critics, film directors, and audiences as one of the greatest and most influential films.
9/2/2024
The Platonic Definition and Plato's Allegory of the Cave
and what does Plato's allegory of the cave have to do with modern cinema across the world?The allegory of the cave, also known as Plato's Cave, is a story in which there are prisoners in a cave.Republic is probably Plato's best-known work outside of the allegory of the cave, and it is one of the world's most influential philosophy and political theory books ever written.
9/1/2024
Defining the Psychosexual Thriller Genre
The psychosexual thriller genre in movies and TV is a complex, yet fascinating genre that explores the darker side of relationships.In this article, we will define the psychosexual thriller genre in movies and TV, and explore some of the key themes and tropes that make these stories so compelling.We will also look at examples of some of the most notable films and TV shows in this genre to give you a better understanding of what makes a great psychosexual thriller.
9/1/2024
Learn the Secrets of Perfecting Parody with 'Challengers' Spoof "Putters"
Shane Barbera's Challengers parody not only perfectly goofs Luca Guadagnino's horny masterpiece with a razor sharp sardonic tone, but also goes the extra mile to do so with some impressive artsy behind the camera.Barbera: All the extreme time jumps to the past and future in the film were made with stock footage I got from Motion Array. Here in LA, I use Sethward’s Show & Tell Screening Spectacular as a deadline to make new videos for.
8/31/2024
'Cuckoo' and 'The Nice Guys' Producer Ken Kao Wants More Mid-Budget Films
In this episode, we chat with producer Ken Kao, co-founder of Waypoint Entertainment, where he shares insights on these topics, some of his personal experiences, and his experience on some recent projects.Ken’s latest feature, Cuckoo, written and directed by Tilman Singer, stars Hunter Schafer, Dan Stevens, and Jessica Henwick and premiered at the 2024 Berlin International Film Festival.In today’s episode, No Film School’s GG Hawkins speaks with Ken Kao, co-founder of Waypoint Entertainment and producer of some of the hottest films of 2024, to discuss:How Ken started in the industry, moving from lawyer to producer without film schoolAdvice for emerging filmmakers and indie producersThe Waypoint x Neon partnership and the opportunity in mid-budget filmsHow he selects projects, being a genre-agnostic producerHow Waypoint stays nimble and adaptive in the ever-changing industryWhat every producer or aspiring producer should be consuming and Ken’s media diet beyond moviesLiving in Hawaii and maintaining distance from HollywoodHis latest feature, Cuckoo, by Tilman Singer, starring Hunter Schafer, Dan Stevens, and Jessica HenwickWaypoint’s involvement in the release of Longlegs, directed by Osgood Perkins and starring Nicolas Cage and Maika MonroeOther projects currently in developmentSubscribe to the No Film School Podcast on:Apple PodcastsSpotifyGoogleGet your question answered on the podcast by emailing [email protected].
8/30/2024
How Craig Tollis used Adobe Premiere Pro, Adobe After Effects and Adobe Photoshop for the Award-Winning film “Love & Taxe$”
What makes the process unique is that each scene was shot in a single continuous take, and editing techniques were applied to generate specific scene backgrounds.Notably, the film won several awards at the Myrtle Beach International Film Festival this year, including “Best Comedy,” “Best Actress,” and “Best Actor in a Comedy.”Jake Reiner (Donald) and Alexis Abrams (Belinda) are the two main characters in the movie and the only people we see speak directly.
8/30/2024
How to Score a Video Game
Robert Arzola, the composer behind the new video game Tactical Breach Wizards, stopped by to talk to us about all these topics and more.No Film School: What motivated you to experiment with jazz, reggae, orchestral, and percussion sounds for Tactical Breach Wizards?Working on Tactical Breach Wizards was an awesome experience in every facet.
8/30/2024
Broadcast Cinema Quality With the FUJINON DUVO 14-100mm PL Mount Zoom Lens
The Fujinon Duvo HZK 14-100mm Portable Zoom LensThe lens design allows its operation to be in line with that of broadcast lenses using zoom and focus demands, and at only 6.5 pounds, the Duvo HZK 14-100mm is built for portability.The FUJINON DUVO 14-100mm T2.9-3.9 Portable PL Mount Zoom Lens is available for order now.
8/30/2024
SSFF & ASIA's 2025 Cinematic Tokyo Competition Calls for Entry
If your film is selected, you will need to separately submit music cue sheets for all music used in your submitted film.If you want to cancel posting on the LIFE LOG BOX service after posting, please set your content to “private" in your LIFE LOG BOX account.・If you have previously submitted an entry to the Short Shorts Film Festival & Asia, an account for LIFE LOG BOX has been issued to the email address used for the entry.
8/29/2024
Options for Clearing IP for Independent Productions
But here’s the thing—creating an independent production involves many creative and logistical decisions, including the critical task of clearing intellectual property (IP) rights for any materials you want to include in your project.When clearing IP for your production, you need to identify who owns the material you want to use.By consulting a clearance attorney, you protect your project from potential lawsuits and ensure that all your legal bases are covered.
8/29/2024
Sony Kicks Off Second Generation of Master Primes With New 85mm f/1.4 GM II
Sony revealed today that they’re launching the second generation of G Master prime lenses.It will be more compact and lighter, as well as deliver smoother bokeh, and better autofocus, and still retain the highest image quality.The FE 85mm f/1.4 GM II is available to pre-order with units expected to ship by the end of August 2024.
8/29/2024
Navigate Genre and Gender With the Intricate Score of 'The People's Joker'
Creating a musical identity for a film like The People's Joker is no small feat.In this interview, composers Justin Krol & Quinn Scharber share their journey of weaving intricate musical themes and motifs that breathe life into the characters and storyline.From exploring a wide array of genres—ranging from orchestral to psychedelic rock—to collaborating closely with director Vera Drew, they reveal the creative process that sets this score apart.
8/29/2024
You Can Now Select Custom Colors for Your SmallHD Ultra 7 Monitors
SmallHD just announced that they’re introducing custom colors for their Ultra 7 models with ten different options to choose from.SmallHD Ultra 7 MonitorsUltra 7 Color Options
8/29/2024
"Show, Don't Tell" in Film and Television
Today, I'm going to go over the meaning of "Show, don't tell," provide some examples, and also talk about why this is maybe the most important thing to remember as you continue on your writing journey.The Origin of "Show, Don't Tell"Now that you know all about "Show, don't tell," go off and use it in your writing.
8/28/2024
Live Stream With Ease Using the New Hollyland VenusLiv V2 Vertical Camera
As a follow-up to their previous VenusLiv live streaming camera, Hollyland has released a V2 version that takes the vertical format and upgrades it for 4K video.The Hollyland VenusLiv V2 All-in-One Live Streaming CameraThe Hollyland VenusLiv V2 is currently out and available to order.
8/28/2024
How Can We Save Movie Theaters?
So, how can we save movie theaters?I want movies to be made for adults, at a responsible budget.More Taylor Swift and Barbenheimer
8/28/2024
How did Tarantino and Uma Thurman Conceive 'The Bride'
How did Tarantino and Uma Thurman Conceive 'The Bride'Years after the filming of Kill Bill, Uma Thurman came out to talk about the danger on set.Up Next: Exploring the Many Genres Present in Quentin Tarantino's Kill Bill
8/28/2024
What's "The Scorpion and the Frog" Fable?
So according to Wikipedia, the earliest publication of this allegory is from the 1944 book The Hunter of the Pamirs: A Novel of Adventure in Soviet Central Asia by Georgi Tushkan.Perhaps the most talked about instance of The Scorpion and the Frog comes from Drive, where our hero is the Scorpion on Ryan Gosling's jacket.Think about every character you write.
8/28/2024
Brian Cox on the Art of Voice Acting in 'Unsinkable'
Per their press release: “Unsinkable” tells the true story of the British tanker, the San Demetrio - one of the most extraordinary tales of heroism, fortitude, and seamanship of WW2.Below, we have an exclusive look inside the episode with Brian Cox, composer Stephen Endelman, and director Misha Crosby where they break down the art of recording an audio movie.Check it out below for some crazy cool insight into audio engineering.
8/28/2024
How to Make a Lookbook for Your Film or TV Project
Today I want to go over what a lookbook is, how you can make one, and look at a few examples of lookbooks I managed to dig up that can help you with your process.The lookbook is a visual blueprint for the project.After you have all the images and a template you want, you just plug in the photos and then add some headers that help the reader go through a journey inside your images.
8/28/2024
The Ending of 'mother!' Explained
Darren Aronofsky’s commitment to arthouse horror shines throughout his 2017 modern horror classic mother! Javier Bardem’s character, the poet, is God, and Jennifer Lawrence’s character, who is the mother, is Mother Nature.The Film Magazine believes that the fire crystal could also represent humanity's ability to manipulate nature.
8/28/2024
Composer Aza Hand Takes Us Through Sound Mixing Musical Comedy 'Kneecap'
I have been mixing, sound designing, and composing music for film for nearly two decades now, and in 2022 I became freelance.Roger Ebert's review likened the movie to the 1972 classic film, The Harder They Come, directed by Perry Henzell.Kneecap have brought new life to the Irish language through their work, a language in real danger of dying out.
8/28/2024
Re-recording Mixer Aza Hand Takes Us Through The Musical Comedy 'Kneecap'
I have been mixing, sound designing, and composing music for film for nearly two decades now, and in 2022 I became freelance.Roger Ebert's review likened the movie to the 1972 classic film, The Harder They Come, directed by Perry Henzell.Kneecap have brought new life to the Irish language through their work, a language in real danger of dying out.
8/28/2024
How Do Great Writers Use Scars to Reveal Character?
Scars hurt, but when you can tell a story about them, they reveal something about you and your past.Today we're going to go over some characters with scars and show you how you can use these physical ailments to build character.like Scar in The Lion King and Tony Montana in Scarface!
8/28/2024
How to Edit Sex Scenes
But editor Sven Pape details a few things you should keep in mind when editing one that'll help keep the experience professional and respectful, as well as cinematically effective and powerful.There are lots of things to think about when you edit a sex scene.Without a doubt, the most important thing to remember when editing a sex scene is that it must be respectful of the actors.
8/27/2024
What Are Movie Tropes?
A list of movie tropes and character tropesKnow what genre you want to work in and craft your story.So much of what we're talking about on No Film School when it comes to screenwriting is summarized in our new eBook.
8/27/2024
What is Cinema Verite?
Cinema verite overlaps with observational cinema and direct cinema.If you're setting out to make your own cinema verite documentary:What are some examples of cinema verite's influence on film and television?
8/27/2024
Learn How to Write a Sitcom
Let's learn how to write a sitcom pilot.We will go over the structure of a pilot, how to format a TV script, and offer some general story notes and examples.Want to learn how to write a TV drama pilot?
8/27/2024
Everything You Need to Know About Being a Showrunner
The main job is to protect the creative vision of the television show.There are times when the show's creator is not the showrunner.Want to learn how to write a TV pilot?
8/27/2024
What was The Meaning of 'Eyes Wide Shut'?
"the 2001 of relationship movies" - Christopher NolanHow Did Eyes Wide Shut Happen?Having his wife Nicole Kidman play his wife in the movie was Cruise's idea.
8/27/2024
Get Dick Smith's Famous Blood Recipe
But RocketJump Film School has put a bunch of fake blood recipes to the test to find out which ones work best for different cinematic needs.And as an added bonus, they share SFX legend Dick Smith's famous blood recipe that took gore to the next level.Dick Smith's Famous Blood Recipe
8/27/2024
Five Questions Your TV Pilot Should Answer
No matter the case, there are five big questions asked of every TV pilot.The biggest question people have after reading your pilot or writing sample is where the story will go.Learn how to write a TV pilot!
8/27/2024
Watch the Comedy Magic of Show&Tell's August Lineup
Below, you can find the entire stream from August's special 10 year anniversary spectacular—the shows, tells, stunts, etc.Show&Tell's August 2024 Shows and TellsFollow Show&Tell on Instagram to stay up to date with their upcoming shows (and tells).
8/27/2024
How to Create a Slasher Villain
Still, the best slasher movies and TV shows are not memorable for their plot or even their twists...It's time to go a bit deeper into the creation and character development of a slasher villain.These original stories were important to the creation of the character and to the movies.
8/27/2024
How to Write a Chase Scene In Your Screenplay
Today we're going to go over how to write a chase scene in a screenplay and some helpful tips and examples for each category.How to Write a Chase SceneHow to write a set piece!
8/27/2024
The Art of Writing an Invisible Creature Feature
Written by Johnny Wickham and Mike CapesWe’ve been writing comedy together and making each other laugh for the better part of 20 years now, so getting to have an idea as fun and as funny as The Invisible Raptor as our first feature length comedy script to get off the ground was a dream come true. We wrote The Invisible Raptor over the course of about six weeks in the Spring of 2020 (mostly over zoom) when another invisible threat was endangering our safety.The challenge writing a comedy creature feature with no visible creature is that when we wanted to have the raptor in a scene with us, we had to figure out creative ways to solve that problem without showing it.
8/27/2024
How Cinematographer Veronica Bouza Shot Two SXSW Projects
Veronica Bouza: The Gutter has been one of the funniest projects I've been a part of so far in my career. The Gutter is a bowling comedy that leans into absurdity and feels nostalgic to comedies of the early 2000s. Visually, Yassir, Isaiah, and I wanted to create a cinematic look that gave a fresh spin to the world of bowling.NFS: Could you describe your collaboration with directors Yassir Lester and Isaiah Lester on the film?
8/27/2024
The Paintings That Inspired David Lynch's Cinematic Style and Philosophy
Watching a David Lynch film is kind of like walking through an art gallery while on LSD.Well, although Lynch is definitely a unique breed of filmmaker, he's not without his teachers, and in this video essay by Menno Kooistra for VoorDeFilm, we get to take a look at the famous painters that inspired the director to create his bizarre brand and cinema.However, the artists that seem to have made the biggest impact on Lynch's visual style are Irish-born British figurative painter Francis Bacon and American realist painter Edward Hopper.
8/26/2024
Preview the AI-Powered Updates Coming to Final Cut Pro for Mac and iPad 2
We also have some new videos showcasing Final Cut Pro for iPad 2 as well as highlighting its latest updates and features as well.Final Cut Pro for Mac 10.8 is available as a free update for existing users and is available for first-time users for the $299 cost of Final Cut Pro in the Mac App Store.Final Cut Pro for iPad 2
8/26/2024
Most Screenwriters Don't Know The Nutshell Technique
That's why this recent interview with Jill Chamberlain and Film Courage caught my attention.In it, she claims that 99% of screenwriters do a certain thing...Learn how to write a feature screenplay!
8/26/2024
What is a Femme Fatale Character?
In this article, we'll explore her in Hollywood, examine why this character type has remained relevant for so many years, and look at some of the most iconic examples of the femme fatale in film and TV.Here are some famous femme fatale movies and the reasons why they are considered to be iconic examples of the genre:Ultimately, whether or not a femme fatale character is appropriate for your movie or TV show will depend on your specific goals as a filmmaker and the themes, tone, and plot of your story.
8/26/2024
What Are the Best Villain Monologues?
An evil villain monologue is a long speech by the antagonist in a scene, film, or TV show.Examples of the Best Villain Monologues These are the best examples of villain monologues I could think of.
8/26/2024
Craft Tension With ‘Spermworld’ and ‘How To Blow Up a Pipeline’ Editor Daniel Garber
Editor Daniel Garber proves it’s possible, sharing his unique approach to editing some of his most recent projects.He dives into the nuances of pacing, note-taking, and the art of knowing when not to cut.In today’s episode, No Film School’s GG Hawkins speaks with editor Daniel Garber to discuss:Getting his first editing credit and learning from other established editorsWorking with director Lance Oppenheim on multiple filmsKeeping your expenses low as a filmmakerHow tension emerges from the performances and the pacing of the editDifferences between doc and fictionThe unexpected moments that happen after a scene has wrappedA very efficient note-taking process Working on small indie films compared to large productions The power of face-to-face interactions Links:
8/26/2024
Celebrate Your Silly Comedy Shorts With Show&Tell's 10th Anniversary
Started by comic actors Sethward and Kyle Helf, Show&Tell is a comedy filmmakers haven to premier their comedy projects to a community of other comedy filmmakers and fans alike.Also, if you can't make the screenings, we're happy to announce we'll be sharing shorts from Show&Tell shows starting Tuesday."Literally anyone can submit.
8/24/2024
Blackmagic Set to Roll Out Final Release Version of DaVinci Resolve 19
But if you’d like to review all of the updated changes coming to DaVinci Resolve 19, check out the full list below.Replay WorkflowsSupport for the cut page as a media player and playout system.Option to specify a custom TURN server for remote monitoring.
8/23/2024
Francis Ford Coppola's Thoughts on Screenwriting
Now, you can watch an excerpt of Coppola's unique approach to writing a movie script from a 2009 episode of "Hollywood's Best Film Directors." Francis Ford Coppola on WritingWhen things dry up, he will make a short step outline to keep himself on track.
8/23/2024
How to Make Your Best Proof-of-Concept Short
That's definitely the case with writer/director Richard Bosner and his short Devotee, which just came off a successful run at HollyShorts Film Festival and is about to screen at Catalina Film Festival next month.I always feel that with a proof of concept, or something for a feature, it has to be on the same level as the movie's going to be.And Robbie Schafer, my editor, I think it's our third project together.
8/23/2024
How the NO FAKES Act is a Bipartisan Challenge To AI
On that date, two Democrats (Chris Coons, Delaware and Amy Klobuchar, Minnesota) joined two Republicans (Marsha Blackburn, Tennessee and Thom Tillis, North Carolina) to introduce the Nurture Originals, Foster Art, and Keep Entertainment Safe Act of 2024 (known colloquially as the “NO FAKES Act”)—a measure designed to protect the voice and visual likeness of all individuals from unauthorized AI-generated recreations. Notwithstanding the exceptional importance, and attendant dangers, of artificial intelligence to the entertainment community, the NO FAKES Act is not limited to protecting the rights of actors and recording artists.For nearly 30 years, Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act has effectively given blanket immunity to platforms that host user-generated content.
8/22/2024
How Composer Ryan Shore Brought the "East Meets West" Concept to the Big Screen
Ryan Shore is a composer who scored the documentary Veselka: The Rainbow on the Corner at the Center of the World.Shore: Veselka: The Rainbow on the Corner at the Center of the World presented a unique opportunity to blend the musical styles of Ukraine and New York City to enhance the story.The concept of "East Meets West" in the score has to do with the restaurant Veselka being located in New York City, however they serve Ukrainian food.
8/22/2024
Control Your Lights Wirelessly with amaran’s Intuitive New App
The app is a bit unique as it is designed for both smartphone and desktop use so shooters on both small and large projects can use its tools and features for wireless lighting control.The amaran app will feature an easy-to-use user interface that will include real-time control for your creative environments.The amaran app is free and available to download now.
8/22/2024
Who Wrote 'Interstellar'?
Christopher Nolan has one of the most interesting minds on the planet.He came into Interstellar after it was a Steven Spielberg movie, and after his brother, Jonah Nolan, had worked on the script.Nolan took over the project, performed his own research, and collaborated with his brother, and wrote a movie full of heart, adventure, and scientific exploration.
8/22/2024
Breaking Down Sex Scenes in Film and TV
Today, we're going to go over how to write and direct sex scenes.We want to talk about the sex scenes you see on shows like Game of Thrones and in movies like Lust, Caution.James Cameron has been putting sex scenes in his movies since the beginning.
8/22/2024
What Is a Bridging Shot?
Today, I want to go over how to complete a bridging shot, why they are effective tools, and we'll also go over the definition and example.A bridging shot connects two otherwise completely disconnected moments of a story.There are endless ways to pull off a bridging shot.
8/22/2024
Editor Kelly Lyon, ACE, used Adobe Creative Cloud tools on her two 2024 Emmy nominated projects
John Mulaney Presents: Everybody's in L.A." is a live talk show that aired during the Netflix Is A Joke Festival.Also, stream "John Mulaney Presents: Everybody's in L.A." on Netflix and “Tig Notaro: Hello Again” on Amazon Prime Video.For "John Mulaney Presents: Everybody's in LA," I have been a fan of Mulaney and Kroll's "Oh Hello" characters for years.
8/21/2024
'Alien: Romulus' Ending Explained
In an effort to both complete abandoned synthetic Rook's previous mission, our final three head for their escape route on cyropods station in the escape pods.The xeno fam is coming to Earth in Noah Hawley's (Fargo, Legion) upcoming FXX series Alien: Earth.Alien: Earth is expected sometime in 2025.
8/21/2024
Capture Live Sports and Streams With Sony’s Latest UHD 4K60 Camcorders
While these might not be the most cinematic cameras Sony has ever released, for those who work in the event and streaming space they should be quite exciting as both camcorder options are surprisingly packed full of nice features and both below $4,000.As the successor to Sony’s PXWZ190, this new version features a 1" Exmor RS CMOS sensor that captures up to UHD 4K resolution, AI-assisted autofocus and auto-framing, a variable electronic ND filter, BIONZ XR processing, and color matching with Sony Cinema Line cameras. Broadcast-friendly MXF wrapping will be available with a firmware update scheduled for the summer of 2025.
8/21/2024
'The Matrix' Explained
Today we’re going to explain The Matrix and write brief summaries of The Matrix 2 and The Matrix 3 to fully explain the Matrix series.The second movie in the trilogy focuses on the city of Zion.What’s the deeper meaning of The Matrix trilogy?
8/21/2024
Here's Why the Batsuit Had Nipples in the 90s
He's also the person who put the nipples on the Batsuit, forever changing the way we saw Batman in the 90s and echoing into what we associate with that period in Batman movies today."With Val Kilmer’s suit in Batman Forever, the nipples were one of those things that I added.George Clooney's Batman was a return to something much more camp, and it stirred fans.
8/21/2024
How to Write a Great Horror Movie
What is a horror movie?You have to write for found footage for it to be found footage.Now it's time to jump into the outline and then in your screenwriting software to type some pages.
8/21/2024
You Gotta See Martin Scorsese Doing an Alfred Hitchcock Homage in a Wine Commercial
Yes, you heard that right, Martin Scorsese directed a short film for the Spanish sparkling wine producer Freixenet, titled "The Key to Reserva," in 2007, and he did it as an homage to Hitchcock. It was part of Freixenet's annual Christmas advertising campaign, and it's as awesome as you think. Martin Scorsese's Cava Freixenet Wine Commercial
8/21/2024
How Carlos Rosario Dressed Characters for Zero Gravity and Stunts in 'Alien: Romulus'
The first Alien came out in 1979, on the cusp of the 1980s. Romulus takes place between the events of Alien and Aliens, and so in-universe, its look and feel align more with the same period the films were developed in, a deliberate choice from Álvarez and Rosario. Carlos Rosario: So my first conversation with Fede was really about designing the look of the colony, because in order to design the costumes for our lead characters, it was important to know where they were coming from.And that Hawaiian shirt was an homage to Brett [Harry Dean Stanton] in Alien who was wearing a Hawaiian shirt too.
8/21/2024
Where Was 'Grown Ups' Filmed?
The Adam Sandler movie Grown Ups has somehow become kind of a film legend.The Grown Ups movie is about friends who get their families together to commemorate a basketball coach's death, but it winds up being more of a buddy comedy about male bonding.How can you create a fresh location with enough personality that will make people want to visit the world of your movie?
8/21/2024
Rebuilding the Film Industry, Closure, Plus a $400 Doc Short
It’s time we indie filmmakers rebuild the film industry on our terms.Plus, we bid farewell to a beloved host of the No Film School podcast. Listen to more episodes of the No Film School podcast right here:This episode of The No Film School Podcast was produced by GG Hawkins.
8/20/2024
Blackmagic Camera for Android Adds Improved Stability and Support
Also, for all those Google Pixel 9 smartphone users itching to finally try out Blackmagic Camera for Android, you’re in luck as Blackmagic Design continues to roll out support for more smartphones and devices.This latest update expands support to the Google Pixel 9, Google Pixel 9 Pro, and the Google Pixel 9 Pro XL—Google’s latest Pixel smartphone and its most powerful one yet.Blackmagic Camera for Android 1.2
8/20/2024
Google Gemini Can Write Screenplay Coverage
Overall Assessment & Recommendation: Summarize your evaluation of the script's potential.LoglineThe story of Mark Zuckerberg, a brilliant but socially awkward Harvard student who creates Facebook, revolutionizing social networking and becoming the world's youngest billionaire, while facing personal and legal challenges along the way.The script for "The Social Network" is exceptionally strong and ready to be moved forward in the development process.
8/20/2024
When Does M. Night Shyamalan Cameo in Each of His Films?
M. Night Shyamalan is known for making cameo appearances in many of his films.Some of the films in which he has made a cameo appearance include:These are some of the most notable cameo appearances by M. Night Shyamalan in his films.
8/20/2024
What Was the First Color Movie Ever Made?
But when was the first color movie ever made?The history of color film goes back over 100 years in motion pictures and used some interesting chemical processes to produce the images.The first movie ever made in natural process color was The World, the Flesh and the Devil, produced in 1914.
8/20/2024
How Alfred Hitchcock Used Visionary Cinematography
There's an entire visual language he introduced to help those stories resonate with the audience.How Alfred Hitchcock Used Visionary Cinematic Language to Tell His StoriesFor this reason, many see Hitchcock as arguably the most important pioneer of the cinematic language.
8/20/2024
The Most Inspirational Steven Spielberg Quotes
Let's dive into these Steven Spielberg quotes and analyze each of them to see what you can glean from his wise words.Summing Up Steven Spielberg's QuotesCheck out other great filmmaker quotes we've compiled, from Akira Kurosawa, to The Coen Brothers, to Nora Ephron!
8/20/2024
What is a Wire Rig?
But what is a wire rig, and how are they used on set? Wire rigs have a broad spectrum of applications in film and television.Wire rigs are an indispensable tool in the world of film and television.
8/20/2024
How a Former Band Nerd Was Able to Make an Indie Feature Film
Instead, let’s focus on my top three best practices in the pre, production and post phases.Use it to your advantage.His first indie feature, Band on the Run, starring Larry Bagby, will be streaming sometime in early ’25.
8/20/2024
5 Screenwriting Tools You Need
But when you enter into the world of screenwriting, there are a few tools you need that will make the job much easier.Before you start your screenwriting journey, you should learn how to format a script.We outlined the 20 best books on screenwriting in another post.
8/19/2024
Has Nvidia Been Illegally Scraping YouTube Videos for its AI Models?
According to reports online, a lawsuit has been filed on behalf of a YouTuber against Nvidia alleging that the tech company has been illegally (and very unethically) training its AI video model on his content.Nvidia has denied any allegations of wrongdoing, yet regardless of what happens with this lawsuit, it does shine a light on an ongoing conversation and debate within the world of AI and the rules and ethics governing how these AI models are being trained.Instead, Millette in the lawsuit is alleging Nvidia of unethical business practices by scaping videos from his YouTube without asking the copyright holders.
8/19/2024
How to Cure Writer's Block
Why not learn how to cure writer's block together?To get rid of my writer’s block, I decided to write the movie in reverse.Consider booking yourself a writer’s retreat.
8/19/2024
How to Master AI Filmmaking
Right here, on this page, I’m going to give you a full breakdown of how we created this acclaimed AI trailer, and all of our best AI filmmaking secrets so you can start making your own killer AI projects.Midjourney is a great place to iterate, or you can create a mood board in ShotDeck, Pinterest, or your camera roll of the type of look you’re going for.Music-Based Editing is where you design the entirety of your trailer around a music track or tracks.
8/19/2024
"Support for Telling the Story"—Dressing the Characters of 'Fargo' Season 5
The anthology series Fargo is a gem in the TV landscape since it first premiered 10 years ago.This year, Season 5 received 15 Emmy nominations.Costume designer Carol Case has worked on the show for 40 episodes, and she snagged one of those nominations for Outstanding Contemporary Costumes for a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie.
8/19/2024
What Is the 'Call to Adventure'?
One of my favorite moments in movies and television is when the hero of your story accepts "the call."Whatever the case may be, your screenplay lives and dies by the "call to adventure" moment.One of the key steps on this journey is "The Call to Adventure."
8/19/2024
What Are the Best Screenplays of All Time?
In fact, the WGA has made a lit of their favorite screenplays in comedy, 101 Funniest Screenplays of All Time, which covers movies from The Gold Rush (1925) to Bridesmaids (2011).Back in 2005, The Writer's Guild of America (WGA) sent out ballots to its members asking them to list up to 10 of their favorite produced screenplays.Now that you've checked out these exhaustive lists and read through the WGA's rankings, what are some scripts you think were left off the list of greatest screenplays of all time?
8/19/2024
The 10 Best Screenwriting Podcasts
As a writer myself, I wanted to come up with what I think are the 10 best podcasts for screenwriters.The 10 Best Podcasts for ScreenwritersCome on, who doesn't know the John August and Craig Mazin pod?
8/19/2024
What Are the Best Research Methods for Writers?
The Writers Guild of America is my go-to source for all things professional screenwriting.Recently, screenwriters Andrew Lanham (Just Mercy, The Kid) and Kevin Willmott (Da 5 Bloods, BlacKkKlansman) dropped past the WGA YouTube channel to give some advice.One of the best ways to procrastinate writing is to research.
8/18/2024
A Week in the Life of Emmy-Nominated 'Frasier' DP Gary Baum
Written by Gary BaumSince I Love Lucy debuted on CBS in 1951, the Multi-Camera format has defined the comedy genre on television.Desi Arnaz and Lucille Ball created the format along with Karl Freund, ASC.Their original intention was to film the comedy series with 3 cameras shooting simultaneously in front of an audience.
8/16/2024
Expand Your EVF Mounting Options for the Sony BURANO
Let’s look at the Bright Tangerine Touche Loupe viewfinder adapter which is a nice tool to expand your EVF mounting options.Introducing the Bright Tangerine Touche Loupe Viewfinder AdapterWith this viewfinder adapter in particular, Bright Tangerine’s offering should be able to provide a straight viewing loupe which should offer better focus and compositing elements.
8/16/2024
Reviewing Eddy — Your Secret AI-Powered Assistant Video Editor
But when you click on the email invite you meet Eddy, an AI assistant video editor who is designed to help make your editing life easier.Eddy AI is meant to represent a whole new way to look at your video editing workloads.And for editors that work with clients, Eddy can be used to develop a quick rough cut that you can turnaround in blazing-fast speeds.
8/16/2024
What is the Extreme Close-Up Shot?
In film and television, the ECU is a versatile tool used to emphasize emotions, reveal hidden details, and heighten tension. Some notable examples of effective extreme close-ups in film and television include:The eye of Jack in Lost.It is a testament to the versatility of this technique that the ECU continues to be used to great effect in both classic and contemporary films and television shows.
8/16/2024
How to Write a Murder Mystery
Plotting out your story arc can help you organize your thoughts and provide a map for your story.Understanding the different types of thrillers can help you choose the right approach for your story.Once you have your plot and characters, start writing your story.
8/16/2024
How to Edit TikTok Videos
According to LaterBlog, the TikTok algorithm in 2023 works based heavily on completion time and rewatching.How to Edit a TikTok with Adobe Premiere ProOn the “Create New Project” menu, select “Add Media” to choose which type of content you want to add to your project.
8/16/2024
'DÌDI (弟弟)’ Filmmakers on the Challenges of Quick Turnarounds With Younger Talent
Dìdi, which is said to embrace “the cringier side of adolescence,” premiered at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival where it won the Audience Award for the best U.S. Dramatic film.In our latest podcast with Director Sean Wang & Editor Arielle Zakowski we talk about the challenges of working with kids portraying angst on the big screen as well as the gnarly nature of working under the stress of a quick turnaround.In today’s episode, No Film School’s GG Hawkins speaks with Sean Wang and Arielle Zakowski to discuss:The invaluable experience gained working in advertising Why the advertising world is a great start for new filmmakersFeeling emotion through the computer screens in the filmAOL Instant Messenger user names from the early 2000sEmpowering the young actors and giving them the space to playHow to help actors stop overthinking when they are stuck in their headsGetting the director’s cut finished in time to submit to SundanceBeing pregnant during post-production The power of making small, very personal filmsSubscribe to the No Film School Podcast on:Apple PodcastsSpotifyGoogleGet your question answered on the podcast by emailing [email protected].
8/16/2024
How To Shoot a Horror Rock Dramedy With a Crew of 17 in a French Castle
In the case of Gaelan Draper and Charlie Saxton's spooky rock dramedy Art of the Hit?The production of Art of the Hit is an indie filmmaker's dreamscape of serendipity and friendship—an inspiration to indie filmmakers everywhere, if I don't so say myself.NFS Interviews Gaelen Draper and Charlie Saxton
8/16/2024
‘War Game’ Directors Jesse Moss & Tony Gerber on Fearless Collaboration, Plus Comic-Con & Experimental Films
Approach projects not with a notion of what kind of product you want to create in the market, but rather, what do you want to learn.”This advice, which comes from the directors of the documentary War Game, embodies the theme of today’s episode. - It’s okay to create unconventional films about unconventional topics.Listen to more episodes of the No Film School podcast right here:This episode of The No Film School Podcast was produced by GG Hawkins.
8/15/2024
How To Get An Agent in Hollywood
We’ll go over how to find an agent, all the major agencies, and what the differences between agents and managers are.Ask about their strategies for your work.Now that you know how to get an agent, We hope the checklist helps you suss out who’s worthy of representing your talents.
8/15/2024
Record Yourself in 8K with These Next-Gen Selfie Drones From HoverAir
As a follow-up to the original, pocket-sized HoverAir X1 model (which we covered when first launched), these new versions will be an 8K X1 Pro and an X1 Pro Max, with the latter being able to offer 8K video recording.The New HoverAir X1 Pro and X1 Pro MaxThe new X1 Pro Max should be even more powerful with capabilities of recording 8K video at up to 30 fps, 4K at up to 120 fps, and 4K HDR at up to 60 fps in 10-bit HLG.
8/15/2024
How to Become a Screenwriter
In 2013, I put my script, Shovel Buddies, on the Black List website.Here's a ton of ways to meet people who can read your or rep you: Screenwriting Workshops and Classes: Enroll in screenwriting workshops, classes, or seminars.Online Portfolio: Create an online portfolio or website showcasing your best work.
8/15/2024
Write the Movie You Want to See
You need to write the movie you want to see on the big screen. Here's a few other things writing the move you want to see will get you: Originality: By focusing on your own unique interests and perspective, you're more likely to create original stories that stand out from the crowd.When you're working on a story that you truly want to see on screen, it's easier to stay motivated and persevere through the inevitable setbacks.
8/15/2024
Cut for the Laugh With Double Emmy-Nominated Editor Kelly Lyon
And, as we learned from Emmy-nominated editor Kelly Lyon, ACE, it's maybe even more important for comedy.Lyon is a total bad ass veteran in the comedy community, with 11 years of SNL under her belt and a myriad of specials, including perhaps most notably John Mulaney's Comeback Kid, Kid Gorgeous, and Baby J.Below, you'll find Lyon's Adobe workflow breakdown of both of her Emmy-nominated projects, some crazy cool insight behind the scenes of SNL, and all kinds of invaluable insight into getting hired and working as an editor.
8/15/2024
How to Become a Movie Critic
Maybe a career in film criticism is right for your future.So where do you learn movie critic skills?You should write lots of reviews, and if you are serious about becoming a critic, maybe start your own website or try to submit to magazines or newspapers that take them.
8/15/2024
How to Write Good Character Names in Your Screenplay
Today we’re going to talk about good character names, first names for characters, Disney character names, character name generators, and all things fictional character names.The first letter of your character’s name is different than every one of your other characters in the rest of the screenplay (or pilot).Behind The Name is a website that helps you find names within the ethnicity you're writing.
8/14/2024
Can You Use Third-Party Batteries in the Canon R5 Mark II?
That seems to be the case now as there’s some dispute by users online as to whether or not the new Canon EOS R5 Mark II can work with third-party batteries.Can you use third-party batteries in Canon cameras?However, according to initial reports from Canon Rumors, it sounds like enough reviews have come in for users to conclude that Canon has nixed third-party batteries from the R5 II.
8/14/2024
How to Write a Blockbuster Script
That's precisely what Markus and McFeely faced when they entered the Marvel Universe.When you're going for a humungous film, think about what genres you can mash-up to keep it fresh.Consider your villain as a protagonist
8/14/2024
Inside the Mind of a Film Festival Programmer
For those without distribution infrastructure in place, one of the best ways to get eyes on your work is through submitting to film festivals.At the end of the day running a film festival is a business operation.The best way to increase your chances is to research previous editions of the festival you want to attend, see the films they’ve been selecting and see if they align with what you’ve made.
8/14/2024
Tips for Making a Feel-Good Horror Film
This was Shihan Van Clief’s idea for his debut feature, My First Horror Film, for which Epic Pictures’ horror label, DREAD, recently distributed. Shihan Van Clief: It was definitely a long journey.Van Clief: I would definitely say I was inspired by Halloween, Friday the 13th, Nightmare on Elm Street, and The Blair Witch Project.
8/14/2024
Why is Clooney 'Irritated' With Tarantino?
But today, a great interview in GQ came out with Brad Pitt and George Clooney, where they dropped some incredible anecdotes about their time in Hollywood, their mortality, and what it's like working with some notoriously annoying directors. When prompted about Tarantino, Clooney has a very fun excerpt where he explains why he is irritated with the director. Let me know what you think in the comments.
8/13/2024
Control Up to Eight Lighting Universes With the Aputure Sidus Four Wireless Transmitter
Just announced by Aputure, the new Sidus Four is an all-in-one wireless transmitter that offers support of up to four CRMX universes and four wired DMX universes, giving it the power to transmit up to eight DMX universes at the same time.This new Sidus Four offers networking protocol options that are vast and feature support for CRMX, DMX, Art-Net, and sACN over EtherCon, and Sidus Bluetooth, with Aputure dubbing it as “the most robust and capable CRMX/DMX lighting control system on the market.”The Sidus Four is available for pre-order now with units expected to start shipping soon.
8/13/2024
Listen to What David Foster Wallace Learned from 'Blue Velvet'
In this video essay, author David Foster Wallace discusses his experience in graduate school where he felt his professors rejected his avant-garde writing.If you didn't know, Wallace was a celebrated American novelist, essayist, and short story writer known for his innovative and experimental style.David Foster Wallace: On Being Entirely Yourself
8/13/2024
'Deadpool & Wolverine' Picture Editor Teaches Us How to Support a Director
Reid was the picture editor on the new Marvel blockbuster, Deadpool & Wolverine.No Film School: How does your background in music videos help in editing feature films?Dean Zimmerman is a master of this!
8/13/2024
'Deadpool & Wolverine' Picture Editor Teaches Us How to Support a Director
Reid was the picture editor on the new Marvel blockbuster, Deadpool & Wolverine.No Film School: How does your background in music videos help in editing feature films?Dean Zimmerman is a master of this!
8/13/2024
Don’t Sacrifice Creative: ‘A House is Not A Disco’ DP & Editor Share Tools on Staying Lean, Nimble
You just need an open mind and a passion for the story you are telling, as we’ll learn from this week’s episode from the DP and editor of A House Is Not a Disco.Don’t Sacrifice Creative: ‘A House is Not A Disco’ DP & Editor Share Tools on Staying Lean, NimbleHow Eric and Blake landed on this filmWhy the sound designer had to create sound effectsHaving everything outlined and organized in a Google DocWhat gave the film a kaleidoscopic structureAsking for consent to film party scenesKeeping the operating team small during productionMatchframing - what it is and why it’s so helpful in the editChallenges during the shoot and the editThe beauty of not having a production company fund the filmMaking the space to do projects you’re interested in
8/12/2024
The Kickstarted 7Artisans Photoelectric Sprite Super35 Cine Zoom Lens Is Here
The 7Artisans Photoelectric Sprite 24-96mm T2.9 Cine Zoom LensFrom their Kickstarter, 7Artisans promises that the Sprite 24-96mm T2.9 Cine Zoom Lens “makes a gateway to unlocking the true artistry of filmmaking.” This new lens, just as advertised on Kickstarter, will feature an 86mm front filter thread and plenty of other pro-minded features like a de-clicked aperture ring, cine-style focus, iris, and zoom gear rings, and some helpful focus markers which you can measure out in either meters or feet.
8/12/2024
The Kickstarted 7Artisans Photoelectric Sprite Super35 Cine Zoom Lens Is Here
The 7Artisans Photoelectric Sprite 24-96mm T2.9 Cine Zoom LensFrom their Kickstarter, 7Artisans promises that the Sprite 24-96mm T2.9 Cine Zoom Lens “makes a gateway to unlocking the true artistry of filmmaking.” This new lens, just as advertised on Kickstarter, will feature an 86mm front filter thread and plenty of other pro-minded features like a de-clicked aperture ring, cine-style focus, iris, and zoom gear rings, and some helpful focus markers which you can measure out in either meters or feet.
8/12/2024
Calculating Minutes Per Page of a Script?
We're not answering all those questions today, but we're going to help you master writing for runtime, so you can safely anticipate where you are in the story based on how many pages you've written.He explains in a blog that when you get to a professional level, the Script Supervisor is the person who estimates how long each page actually will be in screen time."How accurate is the script timing?
8/12/2024
Calculating Minutes Per Page of a Script?
We're not answering all those questions today, but we're going to help you master writing for runtime, so you can safely anticipate where you are in the story based on how many pages you've written.He explains in a blog that when you get to a professional level, the Script Supervisor is the person who estimates how long each page actually will be in screen time."How accurate is the script timing?
8/12/2024
When to Go Full Time as a Creative
I sold a script in 2015, quit my day job, and lived off my creativity for a few years.Don't Quit Your Day JobIf you want a basic rule of thumb, I would say you should not quit your day job until you have two full years of money in the bank.If you want to get out of your day job, I would suggest you find at least a side hustle while you wait for the checks.
8/12/2024
When to Go Full Time as a Creative
I sold a script in 2015, quit my day job, and lived off my creativity for a few years.Don't Quit Your Day JobIf you want a basic rule of thumb, I would say you should not quit your day job until you have two full years of money in the bank.If you want to get out of your day job, I would suggest you find at least a side hustle while you wait for the checks.
8/12/2024
How to Write a Slasher Movie
So today I wanted to walk you through a beat sheet where you get the ins and outs of some general slasher film beats.So make your opening image stand out and try to link it to the theme of the story.How can you sum up the intention of your movie in the final frame?
8/12/2024
How to Write a Slasher Movie
So today I wanted to walk you through a beat sheet where you get the ins and outs of some general slasher film beats.So make your opening image stand out and try to link it to the theme of the story.How can you sum up the intention of your movie in the final frame?
8/12/2024
A List of Screenwriting Rules and How to Break Them
The truth is that the only "rule" in all of screenwriting is to tell a good story.Today, I wanted to show you some common "rules" you'll come across and then dispel them by showing you how great writers have broken them in the past. Use dialogue sparingly and let actions and visuals carry the story.
8/12/2024
A List of Screenwriting Rules and How to Break Them
The truth is that the only "rule" in all of screenwriting is to tell a good story.Today, I wanted to show you some common "rules" you'll come across and then dispel them by showing you how great writers have broken them in the past. Use dialogue sparingly and let actions and visuals carry the story.
8/12/2024
The Secret Storytelling in the Production Design of 'Trap'
Maybe give him Josh Harnett's face.We're talking about M. Night Shyamalan's new movie, Trap, by the way, a delightful cat-and-mouse story of Cooper (Hartnett), the serial killer who unwittingly puts himself in the middle of a dragnet operation at a concert.Debbie De Villa helped craft the design on the film in the traditional sense but also had to design Lady Raven's concert sets in a way that mirrored character journeys.
8/12/2024
The Secret Storytelling in the Production Design of 'Trap'
Maybe give him Josh Harnett's face.We're talking about M. Night Shyamalan's new movie, Trap, by the way, a delightful cat-and-mouse story of Cooper (Hartnett), the serial killer who unwittingly puts himself in the middle of a dragnet operation at a concert.Debbie De Villa helped craft the design on the film in the traditional sense but also had to design Lady Raven's concert sets in a way that mirrored character journeys.
8/12/2024
How to Write Your Script's Climax
Today, we'll learn how to write a climax in your script and talk about the basic tenents that can push your climax over the edge.The beats of the climaxWhile these beats don't have to happen in the climax, I thought it would be good to look at some examples as you structure your climaxes.
8/9/2024
How to Write Your Script's Climax
Today, we'll learn how to write a climax in your script and talk about the basic tenents that can push your climax over the edge.The beats of the climaxWhile these beats don't have to happen in the climax, I thought it would be good to look at some examples as you structure your climaxes.
8/9/2024
SanDisk Unveils World’s First 4TB microSD and 8TB SD Cards
This is why we’re not too surprised to learn, but still impressed to see that Western Digital has announced that they have two new SanDisk cards which will reportedly be the world’s first for some insane storage capabilities.The World’s First 4TB microSD and 8TB SD CardsAnd they’ve also announced that they’ve similarly unlocked the ability to fit 8TBs into an SD card.
8/9/2024
SanDisk Unveils World’s First 4TB microSD and 8TB SD Cards
This is why we’re not too surprised to learn, but still impressed to see that Western Digital has announced that they have two new SanDisk cards which will reportedly be the world’s first for some insane storage capabilities.The World’s First 4TB microSD and 8TB SD CardsAnd they’ve also announced that they’ve similarly unlocked the ability to fit 8TBs into an SD card.
8/9/2024
Which Screenwriting Competitions Are Worth Entering?
In this article, we will explore some of the most reputable and prestigious screenwriting contests, as well as the benefits and drawbacks of entering these competitions.So, let's get into some screenwriting competitions that are worth entering and that I think are safe.The Final Draft Big Break Screenwriting Contest is open to both aspiring and professional screenwriters, and it awards over $80,000 in cash and prizes each year.
8/9/2024
Which Screenwriting Competitions Are Worth Entering?
In this article, we will explore some of the most reputable and prestigious screenwriting contests, as well as the benefits and drawbacks of entering these competitions.So, let's get into some screenwriting competitions that are worth entering and that I think are safe.The Final Draft Big Break Screenwriting Contest is open to both aspiring and professional screenwriters, and it awards over $80,000 in cash and prizes each year.
8/9/2024
SSFF & ASIA Open Submissions for Kodansha Cinema Creators' Lab 2025
Asia’s largest international short film festival, Short Shorts Film Festival & Asia, is teaming up with Kodansha to celebrate talented new filmmakers and visual creators.Kodansha Cinema Creators’ Lab, the Kodansha project, was launched at the SSFF & ASIA 2022 and began accepting pitch submissions.Together for the first time, SSFF & ASIA and Kodansha Cinema Creators’ Lab want to award the best three pitches ¥10,000,000 (about $72,745) to fund the complete cost of the short film’s production.
8/9/2024
SSFF & ASIA Open Submissions for Kodansha Cinema Creators' Lab 2025
Asia’s largest international short film festival, Short Shorts Film Festival & Asia, is teaming up with Kodansha to celebrate talented new filmmakers and visual creators.Kodansha Cinema Creators’ Lab, the Kodansha project, was launched at the SSFF & ASIA 2022 and began accepting pitch submissions.Together for the first time, SSFF & ASIA and Kodansha Cinema Creators’ Lab want to award the best three pitches ¥10,000,000 (about $72,745) to fund the complete cost of the short film’s production.
8/9/2024
Let's Dig Into Steven Spielberg's Aperture Choices
Why Steven Spielberg Avoids a Wide Open Aperture In Some Films It digs into Spielberg's aperture choices in some of his films, and why he doesn't go with an open aperture.There are several reasons why Spielberg avoids using wide open apertures.
8/9/2024
Let's Dig Into Steven Spielberg's Aperture Choices
Why Steven Spielberg Avoids a Wide Open Aperture In Some Films It digs into Spielberg's aperture choices in some of his films, and why he doesn't go with an open aperture.There are several reasons why Spielberg avoids using wide open apertures.
8/9/2024
How 'Cuckoo' Achieved Its Unique Shots and In-Camera Effects
Enter Cuckoo, the new, wonderfully weird horror thriller from Luz director Tilman Singer.It's only his second feature and boasts a wonderful cast including Hunter Schafer, Márton Csókás, and Dan Stevens, who has cemented himself as one of my favorite horror film baddies after this and Abigail.Cuckoo is in theatres now.
8/9/2024
How 'Cuckoo' Achieved Its Unique Shots and In-Camera Effects
Enter Cuckoo, the new, wonderfully weird horror thriller from Luz director Tilman Singer.It's only his second feature and boasts a wonderful cast including Hunter Schafer, Márton Csókás, and Dan Stevens, who has cemented himself as one of my favorite horror film baddies after this and Abigail.Cuckoo is in theatres now.
8/9/2024
Fix it in Pre When You Shoot on Super 8
Nonetheless, there is a detail often overlooked in the age of modern filmmaking which I feel most of us have taken for granted:Being able to shoot take, after take, after take.There are approximately three minutes and 20 seconds in one roll of super 8mm film.When it comes to Straight 8, the digital run is the final film.
8/8/2024
Fix it in Pre When You Shoot on Super 8
Nonetheless, there is a detail often overlooked in the age of modern filmmaking which I feel most of us have taken for granted:Being able to shoot take, after take, after take.There are approximately three minutes and 20 seconds in one roll of super 8mm film.When it comes to Straight 8, the digital run is the final film.
8/8/2024
Zoom Drops the Mic with Latest H1 XLR Portable Audio Recorder
Introducing the Zoom H1 XLR Portable Audio RecorderFeaturing two XLR-1/4" TRS combo mic/line inputs, a 3.5mm stereo jack for aux and lav input, and 32-bit float recording for a huge dynamic range, H1 XLR supports a wide range of applications.The new Zoom H1 XLR Portable Audio Recorder is available for order now with units expected to start shipping here soon.
8/8/2024
Zoom Drops the Mic with Latest H1 XLR Portable Audio Recorder
Introducing the Zoom H1 XLR Portable Audio RecorderFeaturing two XLR-1/4" TRS combo mic/line inputs, a 3.5mm stereo jack for aux and lav input, and 32-bit float recording for a huge dynamic range, H1 XLR supports a wide range of applications.The new Zoom H1 XLR Portable Audio Recorder is available for order now with units expected to start shipping here soon.
8/8/2024
How Do You Craft a Docuseries With 30 Plus Years of Footage?
The series, exquisitely edited by Emmy-award-winning ACE Michael Harte (Three Identical Strangers, Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie), certainly feels crafted by creatives that didn't take any shortcuts in the cut.It's currently nominated for five Emmy awards, including best editing for Harte.Michael Harte: From PA to ACE
8/8/2024
How Do You Craft a Docuseries With 30 Plus Years of Footage?
The series, exquisitely edited by Emmy-award-winning ACE Michael Harte (Three Identical Strangers, Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie), certainly feels crafted by creatives that didn't take any shortcuts in the cut.It's currently nominated for five Emmy awards, including best editing for Harte.Michael Harte: From PA to ACE
8/8/2024
Building the World for ‘Borderlands’ With EP Emmy Yu
That's why for Borderlands executive producer Emmy Yu, she has an exceptional grasp on every aspect of production—from worldbuilding, to development, and why the VFX team should be on board as soon as possible.The role of a producer is not only to keep everyone on the same page but also to remove barriers so the cast and crew can focus on the creative elements needed to create a fantastic film. In today’s episode, No Film School’s GG Hawkins speaks with Executive Producer Emmy Yu, Vice President of Development for Arad Productions, to discuss:The top two most popular No Film School articles this weekThe reasons why having a pitch deck is importantActing in movies as a child and falling in love with filmAdapting the video game, Borderlands, to the big screenWorking with actors like Cate Blanchett, Kevin Hart, and Jack BlackThe challenge of adapting video game charactersFacilitating communication and openness with different departmentsWhy you need to bring VFX into the process as early as possiblePost-production and building the tone of the film in the editThe importance of having mentors in your lifeSubscribe to the No Film School Podcast on:Apple PodcastsSpotifyGoogleGet your question answered on the podcast by emailing [email protected].
8/8/2024
Building the World for ‘Borderlands’ With EP Emmy Yu
That's why for Borderlands executive producer Emmy Yu, she has an exceptional grasp on every aspect of production—from worldbuilding, to development, and why the VFX team should be on board as soon as possible.The role of a producer is not only to keep everyone on the same page but also to remove barriers so the cast and crew can focus on the creative elements needed to create a fantastic film. In today’s episode, No Film School’s GG Hawkins speaks with Executive Producer Emmy Yu, Vice President of Development for Arad Productions, to discuss:The top two most popular No Film School articles this weekThe reasons why having a pitch deck is importantActing in movies as a child and falling in love with filmAdapting the video game, Borderlands, to the big screenWorking with actors like Cate Blanchett, Kevin Hart, and Jack BlackThe challenge of adapting video game charactersFacilitating communication and openness with different departmentsWhy you need to bring VFX into the process as early as possiblePost-production and building the tone of the film in the editThe importance of having mentors in your lifeSubscribe to the No Film School Podcast on:Apple PodcastsSpotifyGoogleGet your question answered on the podcast by emailing [email protected].
8/8/2024
Watch Timothée Chalamet in a New Commercial Directed by Martin Scorsese
It's in a commercial.Pivoting from troubled prince/candy man, Chalamet is taking on the role as a tormented artist in Martin Scorsese's latest Chanel ad promoting the Bleu fragrance. Timothée Chalamet in a Commercial Directed by Martin Scorsese
8/8/2024
Watch Timothée Chalamet in a New Commercial Directed by Martin Scorsese
It's in a commercial.Pivoting from troubled prince/candy man, Chalamet is taking on the role as a tormented artist in Martin Scorsese's latest Chanel ad promoting the Bleu fragrance. Timothée Chalamet in a Commercial Directed by Martin Scorsese
8/8/2024
How to Write Text Messages in a Screenplay
Today we'll go over all the tips and tricks and the ways you can format text messages in your screenplay.How to Format Text Messages in a ScreenplayHopefully, this helped you understand all the instances and uses for text messages in movies and TV and cleared up how they should look on the page.
8/7/2024
How to Write Text Messages in a Screenplay
Today we'll go over all the tips and tricks and the ways you can format text messages in your screenplay.How to Format Text Messages in a ScreenplayHopefully, this helped you understand all the instances and uses for text messages in movies and TV and cleared up how they should look on the page.