 |
|
Student Filmmaking Virtual Classes
|
Written by David K. Irving
The classroom itself has become a series of faces-in-squares. Framing, lighting, wardrobe, and eye contact are all important elements of the virtual classroom. After all, the newest word in the English language is Netiquette. It is your call as to how you want to present yourself. Some like casual dress, other prefer a more formal look. The camera is at the top and center of your computer...
|
|
| |
 |
|
Location, Location, Location
|
Written by Dean Goldberg
“Location, Location, Location.” This timeless real-estate phrase was coined in 1944 by Harold Samuels, the man who founded Land Securities, one of the United Kingdom's largest property companies. It’s also been my mantra for as long as I’ve been in film production.
Another phrase that may be familiar to new film studies students is Mise-en-scène.
Putting aside those on this side of the pond who feel the need to rip off fancy French phrases (Film Noir is another), Webster’s Dictionary defines Mise-en-scène like this:
1. The arrangement of scenery and stage properties in a play.
2. The setting or surroundings of an event or action.
|
|
| |
Write Your Film Now. Here's Some Inspiration. | |
 |
|
What is a Query Letter? Why Are You Writing One? |
|
A query letter is a very simple introduction, and a pitch, from you to a potential buyer, collaborator, or champion of your project, and/or you as a writer. So, writing query letters is all about access. The goal of writing a query letter is to create a bridge between you/your project, and someone/or a company that you are interested in selling to or collaborating with. You are not writing a query letter with the goal of gaining something. That is your end- goal for sending out a lot of these,… |
|
|
 |
|
What I've Learned |
|
The patron saint of all screenwriters should be Wile E. Coyote. Persistence is the most important element in forging a career. “No” is the most common word used in this business, and it takes grit to survive the rejection until you finally get a “Yes.” An actor friend helped me frame the challenge when I first came to Hollywood. He told me that his goal wasn’t to get a part, but to get fifty auditions. Maybe then, he would get a part. I applied his approach to screenwriting. My goal at the outset… |
|
|
|
 |
|
Building and Revealing Character |
|
I get Dr. Format questions flung at me every day it seems, and many of the questions have nothing to do with formatting. For example, here’s one I get all the time: “Dave, how do I build my character?” My one-word response? “Pressure.” Character is revealed and developed by and through adversity. Actually, there’s more to it than that. Is this real life or am I in a movie? Both. Drama imitates real life. And in real life, we grow and develop by confronting opposition... |
|
|
 |
|
Casting for Writing |
|
My first real crack at professional screenwriting was assisting the writer, the director, and the producer of the HBO film, TYSON, a fight biopic based on the book, FIRE AND FEAR, by Jose Torres. HBO in the nineties was the go-to port for smart nonfiction and biographical adaptations in the $10 million budget range. We had a good script in hand, and further developed it during the ten weeks of preproduction... |
|
|
|
 |
|
Is Your Script Ready for Its Close-Up? |
|
Writing is—and has always been—a solitary craft. As such, it’s hard sometimes to know if your latest script is a hit or a miss until someone else gets their eyes on it. Ideally that someone should be a professional who (1) is well-versed in the craft and (2) understands what makes a commercially viable film or TV show. As a script consultant, I receive no shortage of emails... |
|
|
 |
|
Don’t Get It Right, Get It Written |
|
If you want to be a scriptwriter, you need to write a lot of rubbish scripts, and all scriptwriters starting out will write a LOT of rubbish scripts. It’s the only way to learn. You can sit the classes, you can read as many books on scriptwriting as you can find, you can study published screenplays by great scriptwriters, you can watch and analyse your favourite films from a writing point of view... |
|
|
|
| |
Top 3 Winners of the 2021 Winter Photo Contest | |
First Place Winner: "Dance Like No One Is Watching"
Photographer: Liz Guarracino
Location: Central Park, New York City
|
| |
Second Place Winner: Lady In Red
Photographer: Jennifer Bauckman
Location: Grand Lake, Colorado |
| |
Third Place Winner: Windy Queens, New York
Photographer: Mitchell Hartman
Location: Queens, New York |
| |
 
A Staple in Hollywood for Generations –
Tiffen Diffusion Filters
Tiffen’s diffusion filters have been helping cinematographers create their look for generations. These filters can be used for lifting contrast and creating halation or glowing effects to specular light sources in a scene. They can also be used for reducing blemishes and wrinkles on talent by reducing the resolution of the image. These filters have been a staple in Hollywood for generations and continue to help cinematographers create the look they want, in camera.
Interested in learning which filter is best for you? Learn more about our diffusion line. |
| |
|
