Virtual reality is quickly becoming the place that filmmakers are boldly going with their work, but offering audiences an immersive cinematic experience isn't anything new. Even as far back as the 1920s, point-of-view shots were used to put audiences directly in the shoes of a given character, offering them a unique first-person experience of the events unfolding up on the big screen. Over the years, filmmakers have found creative ways to remix and employ POV shots in their work, and in this video essay by ScreenPrism, we get to take a look at four different techniques used in 51 films. Chec ..read more

While you certainly don't have to limit yourself to only ever using cameras and gear from primarily one manufacturer for your entire career in filmmaking and videography, it does often happen that many shooters gravitate back to their first choice. Maybe its a bit of nostalgia, or just familiarity which helps speed things up, but for better or worse this does happen. So, for our "Deals of the Week," we're highlighting three of the best Nikon Z series mirrorless camera options to let you consider if you want to make shooting Nikon your bag. And, with these deals and the quality of these camer ..read more

When I was a senior in college, I finally was able to access all the fancy tools from my film school (so what if we went to film school!). The most coveted was the jib, a piece of equipment so popular you literally had to wait four years to use. Once you had that jib, it felt like the sky was the limit when it came to camera angles. In the world of filmmaking, camera shots aren't just a point-and-shoot affair. Cinematographers utilize a wide range of techniques to tell stories visually, and one of the most dynamic tools in their arsenal is the jib shot. So, what exactly is it? Today. we'll g ..read more

Spring is officially in the air and, for many film and video professionals, that does mean that it’s time to look at new cameras and gear. This might partly be because NAB traditionally brings major new camera announcements, like the new Blackmagic URSA Cine 12K this year, so many are clamoring to grab the latest and greatest from their favorite brands. However, it also might just be simply time to acknowledge that your current favorite camera is one year older now and it might just be time to look at a newer upgrade. Luckily, for those looking for deals, B&H knows what springtime means ..read more

Shorts Shorts Festival and ASIA (SSFF & ASIA) is breaking barriers again this year with a docket of films you don't want to miss. While the in-person fest is happening in Tokyo starting June 4th, you can catch their carefully curated lineup online starting now through June 30th with their "Illuminate your life " initiative. These carefully selected, Academy-qualifying shorts are very much worth your time for some thoughtful engagement. Check them out below, along with some details for any and all unfamiliar with what they have to offer (for now!). "This year, a total of 4,936 films from ..read more

We've all been there. Finished a great script and excited to take it out to show everyone what we've done. It's got plot twists, turns, and you know it's going to sell. Maybe you spent the last few weeks working in our Free Screenwriting Seminar and are extremely proud of your work. But you also have to be protective. If ideas are bought and sold in Hollywood, then you need to make sure you get credit for your great ideas and hard work. That means before you send your script out to production companies, prospective agents, and contests, you should copyright your screenplay. What Is A Copyrig ..read more

You might be aware that we're roughly halfway to Halloween. That is basically a holiday in my books, and I'm ready as ever to get back into the scary movie spirit. So when we had the chance to jump on a Zoom call with director Jeff Wadlow, I was excited to dive right into how his most recent movie Imaginary was made, his use of practical effects, and more. The film is about a blended family returning to Jessica's (DeWanda Wise) childhood home, where she has repressed memories surface about a malevolent imaginary friend that is now seemingly going after her stepdaughter, Alice (Pyper Braun ..read more

Long-time friends and colleagues, Christopher Ross and Sam McCurdy, are two of the cinematographers of FX’s mini-series, Shōgun. Filming this series was an incredible experience full of lessons in Japanese culture, lenses, and shooting with cranes. In today’s episode, No Film School’s GG Hawkins and special guest, cinematographer Ryan Thomas, speak with DPs Christopher Ross and Sam McCurdy to discuss: How Chris and Sam met The type of friendships you hold onto in the industry What it was like working with an international cast and crew on Shōgun The singular perspectives that ran througho ..read more

Making a short film can be your ticket into creating a name for yourself in Hollywood. It feels like all content these days are getting shorter and shorter. When you look at streamers like Quibi, they're creating content that's fifteen minutes long, maximum. But this is not a new idea, even Stanley Kubrick saw the future of entertainment as short films. And even Netflix released Love, Death, and Robots as a series built on short interpretations of the future. We've covered how to write a short film, so today I want to highlight 50+ of the best short films on YouTube. Watching them can inspir ..read more

One of the most important aspects of getting your screenplay into the right hands is to have a title page that doesn't completely bump them from the start. That means a title page that's formatted correctly, with the information displayed where it should be. It sounds easy, because it is easy. Stop trying to complicate it. I want to keep this article short. Today I want to go over the proper title page format for your script and make sure you've got it right. Let's dive in. Screenplay Title Page Format Your screenwriting software should make it easy for you to format the title page. Most ti ..read more