Paul Thomas Anderson is an American filmmaker. Born in Los Angeles, Anderson developed an interest in filmmaking from a young age. An alumnus of the Sundance Institute, Anderson made his feature film debut with Hard Eight in 1996.
Y ou’ve unwrapped your gifts, gorged yourself on a massive breakfast, and curled up next to a roaring fire. It’s Christmas, and it’s time to throw on the perfect movie. Sometimes, however, the obvious Christmas classics feel a little too obvious. We’re here to help with a list of Christmas movies that aren’t really Christmas movies.… Continue reading 12 Best Christmas Movies That Aren’t Christmas Movies
In narrative filmmaking, the relationship between the director and the actors is arguably the most important relationship on set. And yet, for many directors beginning their careers, the process of working with an actor can seem mystifying. No one director collaborates with actors the same way, and yet many of the most celebrated actors’ directors… Continue reading Directing Actors — How to Get the Best Performances
Basic CharactersOpen menu Insert Image Types of Characters in a Story Insert Image Protagonist Insert Image Deuteragonist Insert Image Antagonist Insert Image Hero Insert Image Anti Hero Insert Image Tragic Hero Insert Image Tritagonist Insert Image Superhero Insert Image Anti-Villain Insert Image Villain Insert Image Foil Character Character TropesOpen menu Insert Image Common Character Types… Continue reading What Are the Types of Characters in a Story
A detective movie can be a lot of things: a moody noir, a screwball comedy, a sci-fi thriller. Any of these genres can follow one protagonist trying to answer a question. Detective movies follow searchers– people are not satisfied until they get to the bottom of it all. Often, the answer isn’t as simple as they’d… Continue reading Best Detective Movies of All Time — Film’s Greatest Gumshoes
EssentialsOpen menu What is Sound Design What Does a Sound Designer Do Sound Editing vs Sound Mixing What is Voice Over What is a Foley Artist What is Diegetic Sound What is Non-Diegetic Sound What is a Film Score What is Asynchronous Sound What is Music Licensing What is a Film Composer What is a… Continue reading What is a Sound Bridge in Film — Scene Transition Techniques
Great performances, direction, cinematography, and even production design are all essential for creating an engaging dialogue scene. But one of the most important aspects of a great dialogue scene is effective editing. Editing can make or break a dialogue scene even if all of the other filmmaking elements fall into place. So how do you edit… Continue reading How to Edit a Dialogue Scene — Tips and Techniques for Editors
What is Production Design What Does a Production Designer Do? Amazon’s The Boys Production Design Production Design Tips Academy Award for Best Production Design When we watch a movie, the visuals that we see on the screen can either transport us to a different world or make us feel like we are simply watching a… Continue reading What is Production Design in Film — How to Tell Stories Visually
What is a tracking shot? They are really fun to watch, but difficult to film. We’ve put together a list of the best tracking shots of all time. Then we break down everything you’ll need to consider when blocking and planning a tracking shot in your own projects.Continue reading What is a Tracking Shot —… Continue reading What is a Tracking Shot — 25 Best Tracking Shot Examples
What is a vignette? The term has the potential to be confusing because it means slightly different depending on which story-telling medium is the topic of discussion. Even within filmmaking, the term can also be used to describe two completely different things. We will sort through this confusion and break down each meaning of ‘vignette.’… Continue reading What is a Vignette in Writing — Definition & Examples Explained
At just 23 years old, Paul Thomas Anderson broke into the filmmaking scene with his short film “Cigarettes and Coffee.” Four years later, Anderson released his acclaimed sophomore feature, Boogie Nights, which nabbed him his first Academy Award nomination for Best Original Screenplay. In the years since, Anderson has made widely revered films with some… Continue reading Best Paul Thomas Anderson Movies Ranked For Filmmakers
Paul Thomas Anderson movies have evolved over the last two decades. His early films are chaotic and dramatic, built with extreme techniques and extreme performances. His later films have similar intensity, but it is often internal, more intellectual than physical. And his directing style has also become more mature and restrained. So far, P.T. Anderson only… Continue reading Paul Thomas Anderson Movies and Directing Style
When it comes to art, human beings are drawn to both harmonious and antagonistic compositions. While harmony in art can evoke pleasing emotions that viewers are drawn to, art with conflict can create greater intrigue and story. One of the most valuable techniques for creating the latter in art is contrast. What is contrast and… Continue reading What is Contrast in Art — Examples in Film, Photography & Art
Basics of CompositionOpen menu What is Composition Rules of Shot Composition Rules of Composition SizeOpen menu Scale Proportion BalanceOpen menu Asymmetrical Balance Symmetrical Balance Radial Balance Golden Ratio Foreground Elements Texture Rhythm SpaceOpen menu Positive Space Negative Space Positive & Negative Space Fill the Frame Simplicity LinesOpen menu Leading Lines Rule of Thirds Frame Within… Continue reading What is a Frame Within a Frame — Composition Techniques
Swiss psychoanalyst Carl Jung changed the conversation on psychology forever when he proposed his theory on archetypes and the collective unconscious. But Carl Jung’s proposed archetypes, otherwise known as Jungian archetypes, aren’t just pertinent for psychologists – they’re applicable for storytellers too. So, what are the Jungian archetypes? We’re going to look at these to… Continue reading What are the Jungian Archetypes — Writer’s Guide to Archetypes
Tired of scrolling through Netflix? Feeling lonely? Searching for ‘the one’? No matter what prompted you to Google “best romantic comedies,” by the time you leave, two things are certain: you’ll be inspired to make your own list of favorites and you’ll open up that ice cream tub and turn on the TV. So, without… Continue reading Best Romantic Comedies of All Time, Ranked for Romantics
Basics of CompositionOpen menu What is Composition Rules of Shot Composition Rules of Composition SizeOpen menu Scale Proportion BalanceOpen menu Asymmetrical Balance Symmetrical Balance Radial Balance Golden Ratio Foreground Elements Texture Rhythm SpaceOpen menu Positive Space Negative Space Positive & Negative Space Fill the Frame Simplicity LinesOpen menu Leading Lines Rule of Thirds Frame Within… Continue reading What is Negative Space — Definition, Examples in Art & Film
By GenreOpen menu Insert Image Comedy Insert Image Sci-Fi Insert Image Action Insert Image Romantic Insert Image Animation Insert Image Thriller Insert Image Drama Insert Image Crime Insert Image TV Scripts Insert Image Horror Insert Image Fantasy Insert Image Western Insert Image Musical Insert Image War ResourcesOpen menu Insert Image Best Screenplays to Read Insert… Continue reading There Will Be Blood Script PDF Download & Analysis
How to Format a ScreenplayOpen menu Insert Image Formatting a Screenplay Insert Image Screenplay Font Insert Image Margins Insert Image Scene Headings Insert Image Sluglines Insert Image Action / Description Insert Image Action Breaks Insert Image Character Cues Insert Image Dialogue Insert Image Transitions Insert Image Chyrons Insert Image Flashbacks Insert Image TV Script Format… Continue reading How to Write Transitions in a Script — Tips & Formatting
There is much debate around the use of shot descriptions within a screenplay. Despite many people discouraging the use of writing shots into a screenplay, there are a plethora of examples of shots being used in scripts of major feature films. Knowing how to write shots into a screenplay is important for any screenwriter, whether you… Continue reading How to Write Shots in a Script — Screenplay Formatting Tips
Editing EssentialsOpen menu Insert Image What is Film Editing Insert Image What Does a Film Editor Do Insert Image How Does an Editor Control the Rhythm of a Film Insert Image How to Become a Film Editor Insert Image What is In Camera Editing Insert Image What is Screen Direction in Film Insert Image What… Continue reading What is an L Cut in Film — Editing Transitions Explained
