Film / Video / TV 🎬
Secrets to a Successful TV Pilot
Crafting a successful TV pilot begins with an unforgettable opening scene. It's your one chance to grab attention, akin to a magician's first trick that sets the stage for the awe to follow.
Exploring the Last of Us: A Post-Apocalyptic Masterpiece
The Last of Us is an HBO series based on the acclaimed video game of the same name. It's set in a post-apocalyptic world ravaged by a fungal infection that turns people into zombie-like creatures.
Top 10 Spy Movies of All Time
1. James Bond Franchise (1962 - present): The James Bond films have been a staple of the spy genre for over half a century, with 25 films and counting. The character is so beloved that there will always be a James Bond film in production.
Next on Netflix : The Hatchet Wielding Hitchhiker
If there is one thing the internet is good for, it's making an overnight sensation out of an unusual guy. This meteoric rise was never more obvious than in the case of Kai, AKA The Hatchet Wielding Hitchhiker, after a TV station captured his candid reaction to an accident.
What is Mise-en-Scène?
One term that anyone pursuing film must know is “Mise-en-Scene”. It is a French term that simply translates to “placing on stage” & describes what we see within the frame of a film. It can also be described as "the look and feel" of a movie.
15 Best Screenwriting Books to Help You Break into Hollywood
When Hollywood first started there were no road maps on how to do a lot of things in the industry. Most of the time people learned through apprenticeships that threw them into the cogs of film production. These days there are so many resources at our finger tips.
Next on Netflix : Eat the Rich : The GameStop Saga
Back in 2021, the electronics retailer GameStop featured in the news. Swallowed in part by the ongoing pandemic & the presidential switchover, the story passed a lot of people by. Never fear, where there is scandal, money and intrigue, there is Netflix!
Next on Netflix : Trust No One – The Hunt for the Crypto King
Another day, another Netflix docudrama filled with mystery and intrigue. Trust No One is a contemporary tale of a man, a scam and a wallet stuffed full of someone else’s bitcoin. Throw in a sudden death, 115,000 victims and a missing $200 million and it’s a truly wild ride.
What's a Look Book and Why Filmmakers Need One
It might seem like a pretty straightforward process to take an idea or script for a film (or television show) & bring it to any of the legacy movie studios (or streaming studios) & have them "greenlight" it because it's such an amazing idea that needs to be made.
Reappraising Cruising: A Shockingly Misunderstood Cult Classic
Cruising, the 1980 psychological thriller directed by William Friedkin, is a captivating exploration of the dark corners of New York City's underground gay leather scene, a world rarely depicted in film at the time.
"Killers of the Flower Moon" - Short Summary of David Grann's Osage Thriller
In "Killers of the Flower Moon" (2017), journalist David Grann delves into the harrowing true story of the Osage Reign of Terror, a period of ruthless violence and injustice that unfolded in the 1920s on the Osage Reservation in Oklahoma.
The real reason why men love Fight Club so much
FIGHT CLUB is a story of men rejecting the "normal life" no matter the loss of blood, reputation, and sanity. It shows how the grimy floor of a parking lot can be more satisfying and honest than an air conditioned cubicle. The arc of civilization bends towards men snapping
Next on Netflix : Madoff : The Monster of Wall Street
Move over, Wolf of Wall Street; there’s a new monster in town. The name Bernie Madoff is synonymous with Ponzi schemes, financial fraud, & deceit. Netflix’s latest release lends insight into the man behind the 64 billion dollar scam, the most significant fiscal heist in history.
The Hollywood Director Who Doesn't Exist
For over three decades a notoriously bad filmmaker was allowed to have a prolific career in Hollywood until he was eventually revealed to be a made up personality in 1997. You may have come across the name of Alan Smithee and he doesn't actually exist.
The Terrifying True Story Behind Netflix's The Watcher
Just in time for spooky season, & with just enough sinister spine-chilling malevolence to scare you sideways, Netflix’s new release The Watcher is the next binge-worthy thing. So plausible it lingers long after the credits roll, maybe because it’s based on a true story.
What is the Hays Code?
"G", "PG", "PG-13", & "R" has been the rating system that informs audiences of the content in film or television shows for decades. It wasn't always that way because back in 1927, very strict rules, known as the Hays Code, were put in place until its demise in the late 1960's.
Next on Netflix : The Girlfriend Who Didn't Exist
If you are craving a salacious look into a messy relationship, a college line-backers ruined career and a classic case of catfishing with predictably devastating results, look no further than Netflix’s new docuseries Untold : The Girlfriend Who Didn’t Exist.
The Back to the Future Paradox: Why Consistent Timelines Aren't Always What They Seem
Imagine a world where Doc Brown's DeLorean time machine is real. In 'Back to the Future,' time travel seems simple—change the past, fix the future. But hang on, time paradoxes lurk!
What is Dogme 95?
In response to the film industry of the 1990's, Danish filmmakers Lars von Trier, Kristian Levring, Soren Kragh-Jacobsen, & Thomas Vinterberg created Dogme 95, a radical film movement that intended to strip cinema of the technical effects that it was becoming reliant on.
How DANGAL became India's Most Profitable Film Ever (Hint: Thank China)
Introduction. More than 2,000 films are made in India every year. Indian Cinema has a century long history. On top of this massive heap of films sits one king: Dangal (2016). A sports biopic that's the most profitable Indian film in history. Let's understand Dangal's success👇
Next on Netflix : Pepsi, Where's My Jet?
Netflix knows the formula by now; arguably, they invented it. Take one barely believable tale of middle America, add a host of zany characters, throw in some famous faces, exotic places, add a final emotional redemption journey and you’ve got a guaranteed hit on your hands.
20 Film Terms You Need to Know to Survive On-Set
Being on a movie set is like stepping into another world. And just like stepping into another world it comes with a language and culture all its own. With that can come some regional terminology from different departments that have been developed over a century.
The Science of Subtitles : Why Millennials Prefer to Watch & Read
Hitting the subtitle button used to be reserved for the hearing impaired or saved specifically for foreign language programming, but just as they reject commercial TV in favour of streaming, millennials are turning the tide on transcripts & switching on the subtitles.
Next on Netflix : Get Smart with Money
Netflix is catching the mood of the nation with its latest feature length documentary Get Smart with Money. Following 4 individuals and their families over a year, it exposes us to regrettable financial decisions, lavish lifestyles and the plight of living paycheck to paycheck.
10 Filmmaking Tips from Edgar Wright
The name Edgar Wright might ring a bell. He's best known for co-writing & directing the Cornetto Trilogy which consists of Shaun of the Dead (2004), Hot Fuzz (2007), & The World's End (2013), as well as other films like Scott Pilgrim vs. the world (2010) & Baby Driver (2017)