Quentin Jerome Tarantino is an American filmmaker and actor. His films are characterized by nonlinear storylines, an aestheticization of violence, extended scenes of dialogue, ensemble casts, references to popular culture and a wide variety of other films, soundtracks primarily containing songs and score pieces from the 1960s to the 1980s, alternate history, and features of neo-noir film.
Martin Scorsese is the true king of cinema. While most filmmakers are lucky to have just one film that stands the test of time, Scorsese has had hit after hit across five decades. Saying “the best Martin Scorsese films” is like saying “the best chili cheese fries” because even when they’re not the greatest, they’re… Continue reading Best Martin Scorsese Films — His Entire Filmography Ranked
What is film theory? Is it just the theory of film? Or is it something more? Fear not, we’re going to answer the question “what is film theory?” with a film theory definition. We’re also going to examine a variety of different aspects of film theory, both technically and theoretically. By the end, you’ll know… Continue reading What is Film Theory — How to Study Film (And Why)
Every screenwriter wants to write quippy, smart dialogue that makes the page sparkle and keeps the actors inspired. But how do you do it? There are dozens, if not hundreds, of lists and guides that provide useful tips for how to write dialogue in a story. In this post, we’ll look at dialogue writing examples,… Continue reading How to Write Dialogue — Examples, Tips & Techniques
H ave you ever found yourself captivated by a film that strays from the predictable plot lines of mainstream cinema, instead immersing you in a world of unique storytelling and artistic vision? Welcome to the realm of Arthouse Cinema. But what is an ‘arthouse film’ exactly, and how did this fascinating genre originate? Dive with us… Continue reading What is an Arthouse Film — Definition & Examples
Metaphor Mixed Metaphor Visual Metaphor Extended Metaphor Implied Metaphor Dead Metaphor Metaphors are an important part of any writer’s lexicon. At their best, metaphors can crystalize an image or meaning in just a few words. Sometimes, however, they’re not operating at their best. Some of the most maligned metaphors are called dead metaphors, and most… Continue reading What is a Dead Metaphor — Examples & How to Avoid Them
Dialogue, or a conversation between two or more people, is something that dominates just about every work of fiction. So, why is dialogue so hard to write? We’re going to explore the nature of dialogue by breaking down a series of dialogue examples, from literature to games. Hopefully, by the end, you’ll know how a… Continue reading Dialogue Examples — Film, TV, Theatre, Fiction & Video Games
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 Non-Diegetic Sound — Definition and Examples
There are many responsibilities that fall onto the shoulders of a director. One of the most important responsibilities they have is to direct the actors of a film. How do great directors bring out great performances from an actor? What is the relationship between director and actor? How should a director communicate with an actor?… Continue reading How to Direct Actors for Film — 12 Tips & Techniques Explained
Types of Camera GearOpen menu Insert Image Tripod Insert Image Handheld Insert Image Gimbal Insert Image Jib / Boom Insert Image Drone Insert Image Dolly Insert Image Steadicam Insert Image Crane Shot TypesOpen menu Insert Image All Shots & Angles Insert Image Camera Shot Ultimate Guide Insert Image Camera Movement Master Class Create Free Shot… Continue reading What is a Boom Shot — Camera Shot Definition and Examples
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
While cinema is known for being a primarily visual medium, there is no doubt how much of an impact music can have on a film. Some of the most iconic scenes in history are remembered with a song attached. Sometimes the music choices are left to a director far after the screenplay is written. However,… Continue reading How to Write Music into a Screenplay — Examples & Tips
EssentialsOpen menu Insert Image What is The Three Act Structure Insert Image What is Story Structure Insert Image What is a Story Beat Insert Image What is a Story Mountain Insert Image What Is a Plot Insert Image Plot vs Story Insert Image What is a Non-Linear Plot Insert Image What is a Plot Device… Continue reading What is Story Structure — Definition, Examples & Types
Trope EssentialsOpen menu Insert Image What is a Trope Insert Image What is a Cliche Insert Image Tropes & Cliches to Avoid Character TropesOpen menu Insert Image Character Tropes Insert Image Stock Character Insert Image Mary Sue Insert Image Manic Pixie Dream Girl Insert Image Mad Scientist Insert Image Femme Fatale Insert Image Damsel in… Continue reading What is a Trope — Definition and Examples in Movies
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 is Characterization — A Guide to Character Building
Best Tarantino MoviesQT’s Directing StyleQT Directing Tips QT DialogueOnce Upon a Time AnalysisBasterds Breakdown How do you learn filmmaking techniques from a director like Quentin Tarantino? You can watch his films, and learn his filmmaking process with quotes from Quentin Tarantino interviews. We also built a video with directing tips and examples from Quentin Tarantino… Continue reading Quentin Tarantino Interviews, Directing Tips & Quotes on Film
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 60 Best Movie Songs Of All Time — Top Needle Drops, Ranked
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 is an Antagonist in a Story — Definition & Examples
Close UpsOpen menu Insert Image Extreme Close-Up (ECU) Insert Image Medium Close-Up (MCU) Medium ShotsOpen menu Insert Image Medium Shot (MS) Insert Image Cowboy Shot (CS) Insert Image Medium Full Shot (MFS) Wide ShotsOpen menu Insert Image Full Shot (FS) Insert Image Wide Shot (WS) Insert Image Extreme Wide Shot (EWS) More ShotsOpen menu Insert… Continue reading What is a Medium Long Shot — Types of Shots in Film Explained
What’s the most difficult aspect of writing dialogue? Ask any ten writers and you’re bound to get a range of answers. But “getting started” is no doubt one of the most popular. So, we’re going to break down some dialogue prompts to kickstart your writing process! By the end, you’ll have options to choose where… Continue reading Dialogue Prompts for Writers — Lines To Get You Writing Now
