David Lynch could be one of the most successful, unconventional directors. Although, it's difficult to measure one's success when speaking of unconventional filmmaking techniques. Take a look at how this story is pieced together. It may change your perspective in what can make good storytelling.

This film is not an award winning film by any means. However, it has some of the best special effect transitions. They're done so well that you hardly notice they are there. If you like creative transitions, you'll find them in abundance on this film.

This is an incredible-looking black and white film. But, what you want to keep an eye out for is some of the unusual camera angles at the end of the film. Also think about how the music affects the editing decisions.

This film features some of the most unique art direction and it plays out in the film in interesting ways. Think about how a scene or props can interact with the story of the film. Also, there are some unusual shot sequences that replace an opening wide shot with opening close-ups. It's a rather unconventional technique to open as scene. See if you can find them.

This film is another great "low budget" example that has a big creative idea. The editing and overall direction has moments of being overly expressive. It happens to be a theme throughout the film. Ask yourself why that is and try to make any connections with the characters of this film.

It takes a while to develop, not only your skills, but your tastes and style of filmmaking. For beginners, it's a good idea to sample what's out there and see if you can find something that inspires you. More important than that, however, is to stop watching and start doing. At some point, you must turn off the DVD commentary and make it happen. Make a commentary yourself and contribute your take on the types of stories you'd like to tell.

Contributing Editor Mark Montgomery is an independent video producer and editor.

When buying or renting DVDs, look for those that have Behind the Scenes or Director's Commentary on the bonus material. You'll learn a lot about why the director staged a particular shot, made a technique work, or had to work-around a difficult, (or expensive) procedure. Yes, even Hollywood blockbusters have to consider budgets.