Chris Heckmann is a Professor of Media & Communication at Roger Williams University and graduate of UCLA’s Cinema & Media Studies Master of Arts program. When he’s not writing or teaching, he’s probably playing video games (or thinking about the next great Boston sports trade).
What is agitprop? It’s a term you may have heard before, but couldn’t be blamed for forgetting. But fear not, we’re going to define agitprop by breaking down an “agitprop definition” with examples, from theater, print, and digital news. By the end, you’ll know what agitprop is, and why it’s accrued renewed popularity in the… Continue reading What is Agitprop — Definition, History, and Examples
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)
What are the best Christmas movies of all time? This question lies at the heart of a debate that has pervaded family dinners and critic circles alike for decades. To suggest one Christmas movie is better than any other is certainly subjective, but we’re going to try to keep it as objective as we can… Continue reading 30 Best Christmas Movies of All Time — A Yuletide Playlist
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 National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation Script: Quotes & Characters
Parallelism, or parallel structure, is a grammar style that ensures linguistic clarity. We’re going to explore parallelism examples from writing with the goal of better understanding parallel structure. By the end, you’ll know how parallelism works, and how to implement it in your writing. Tip: that last sentence was an example of parallelism in action!Continue… Continue reading Parallelism Examples — Writing, Speeches, Shakespeare & More
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 Video Bitrate — Everything You Should Know
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 an Inciting Incident — Definition & Script Examples
Anaphora is an important rhetorical device for emphasizing concepts and ideas. But what is anaphora? Fear not, we’re going to explain anaphora by exploring a variety of anaphora examples. By the end, you’ll know how to recognize and utilize anaphora in writing.Continue reading Anaphora Examples — Literature, Film, Music, Poetry & More
What is Point of View First Person Point of View Second Person Point of View Third Person Point of ViewOpen menu Insert Image Third Person Point of View Insert Image Third Person Omniscient Point of View Insert Image Third Person Limited Point of View What is third person limited point of view? Third person limited… Continue reading What is Third Person Limited Point of View
ConnotationOpen menu Insert Image Connotation Insert Image Negative Connotation Insert Image Positive Connotation Denotation Connotation vs Denotation Connotation vs denotation: one is subjective, the other is objective. Can you guess which is which? Fear not, no guessing required; we’re going to explain everything there is to know about connotation vs denotation by breaking down examples… Continue reading Connotation vs Denotation — Examples & Differences Explained
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
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 Taxi Driver Script PDF Download — Plot, Quotes, & Ending
Abraham Lincoln famously said that “no government of the people, by the people, and for the people, shall perish from this Earth.” But did you know that “the people” is a famous example of an epistrophe? So, what is an epistrophe? We’re going to break down epistrophes by looking at epistrophe examples in writing. By… Continue reading What is an Epistrophe — Definition, Examples for Writers
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
What is Deductive Reasoning What is Abductive Reasoning What is Inductive Reasoning Inductive vs Deductive Reasoning What are Context Clues Inductive reasoning and deductive reasoning represent two polar approaches to critical reasoning. But what is the difference between inductive and deductive reasoning? We’re going to break down inductive vs deductive reasoning by looking at examples… Continue reading Inductive vs Deductive Reasoning — Differences & Usages
Intertextuality is an incredibly important concept for writers to understand – but what is intertextuality? We’re going to break down everything there is to know about intertextuality by looking at examples from film, television, literature, and games. By the end, you’ll know how to recognize intertextuality, and institute it in your own works.Continue reading What… Continue reading What is Intertextuality — Definition and Examples
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 a Foil Character — Definition, Examples in Lit. & Film
Storyboard EssentialsOpen menu What is a Storyboard Best Storyboard Software What is a Storyboard Artist Websites to Find a Storyboard Artist Storyboard Classes Online What is a Digital Storyboard Introducing Storyboard Builder Ultimate Guide to Storyboard Rules Storyboard Dimensions What is an Animatic What is an Animation Storyboard Storyboard Montage Ultimate Guide to Storyboard Composition… Continue reading Storyboard Classes Online — Lessons, Reviews and Fees
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
No genre has influenced the public’s perception of criminals more than Gangster Movies. For more than 80 years, the best gangster movies have fascinated and allured the minds of millions; from Prohibition-era pre-code crime to 21st Century gang life. Our list of the 30 best gangster movies of all time includes films that span the… Continue reading Top 30 Best Gangster Movies of All Time, Ranked (2023)
