Planning & Directing

Stuff You Need to Know

Freytag’s pyramid, dramatic structure and story arc

A first-class story is compelling from beginning to end. Freytag's Pyramid is a formula that describes the structure of most dramas.

Visual Screenplay Writing: Stay in Your Lane, Bring the Flavor

Before you sit down to write your next award-winning screenplay, make sure you’re writing for both the eye and the ear.
Your characters, their stories and the ways they intersect will be the elements that elevate your script and make it original.

How to Take Your Script Idea from Concept to First Draft

If I ever balk at a huge upcoming project, my husband will say “How do you eat an elephant?  One bite at a time.”...
How to Craft Strong Characters

How to Develop Strong Characters that Draw in Your Audience

An outline for your screenplay is a great way to start, but developing strong characters will engage viewers in the story you’re telling. Would...
Top 5 Scouting Tips Every Location Scout Should Know

Top 5 Scouting Tips Every Location Scout Should Know

Although you won't need to go to a special school or take any college courses to become a location scout, you will need a...
7 Tips for Producing Awesome Video on a Deadline

7 Tips for Producing Awesome Video on a Deadline

Everyone has felt the stress of a fast-approaching deadline. Maybe you’re a habitual procrastinator or maybe you took on more work than you could...
Film Crew on set.

Creative Collaboration: Building Team Dynamics for Your Production

When you start building a team for production, you are creating your most valuable asset.
How to Apply the Three Act Structure to Nonfiction Video - CNN’s “Parts Unknown with Anthony Bourdain”

How to Apply the Three Act Structure to Nonfiction Video

We all know how important three act structure is in narrative filmmaking;  it’s been used in storytelling of all sorts for eons, and if...
Woman working on a laptop

How to Evaluate a Screenplay

As an up-and-coming director, you jump at the opportunity to direct your first feature film. When you get your hands on a script being...

How to direct actors to get the best possible performance

It's essential for a director to know how to direct actors and form a successful working relationship to deliver the best performance.

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AI pre-production made easy with ChatGPT: Get screen direction written in minutes

Are you struggling with pre-production for your video projects? Well, say hello to ChatGPT, the AI pre-production tool that generates everything you need from screen direction, shot lists, storyboards, and production schedules in just minutes. Watch this video to learn how to make pre-production...

How to direct actors to get the best possible performance

It's essential for a director to know how to direct actors and form a successful working relationship to deliver the best performance.
AI writing for scripts

How AI can help improve your scriptwriting

Scriptwriting can be time-consuming, but using AI writing tools can help speed up the process and let you be more creative in the process.
Fostering a collaborative and trusting relationship with your actors and encouraging them to come up with new character ideas will help bring your characters to life on screen.

Collaborating with actors to create strong characters

To bring your characters to life, you need to collaborate with your actors, blending your ideas to achieve the best performance possible.
Laugh track featured image

The history of the laugh track

The laugh track has been around for decades, but do you know where it came from? Let's dive into the history of the laugh track.

Screenwriting: A clear guide to the basics

In a nutshell Screenwriting requires adherence to rules and procedures despite being a creative medium. Screenplays for film and television share the same formatting but follow different story structures. The majority of screenplays follow a three-act structure that consists of the Setup, the Confrontation and the Resolution. Let’s...
The Wes Anderson style

What can we learn from the Wes Anderson style?

The cinematic style of Wes Anderson has made a massive impact on cinema and there's a lot videographers can learn from his genius.
What is the definition of comic relief featued image

Comic relief: Its definition and why it’s necessary

Comic relief is a powerful storytelling plot device. Let's discuss the definition of comic relief and why it's so important in cinema.
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A look into corporate video production

There are many aspects to running a successful corporate video production company. Here's what you need to know to do it.
Scene from a folk horror film

Everything there is to know about the folk horror genre

Folk horror is one of the oldest and most popular horror subgenres, but defining it and capturing its aesthetic can be difficult.
Gore horror explained

A look into the gore horror genre

When we think of horror films, we often think of gore, but that wasn't always the case. Let's take a look into the gore horror genre.
Music video production on set

The basics of music video production

Music videos are fun to watch, but take a lot of work to make. Let's discuss the ins and outs of music video production.
Analog horror

Everything there is to know about the analog horror genre

Analog horror is an newer subgenre of horror taking the online world by storm. Here are some things to know before diving into it.
"Mommie Dearest" overacting

What is overacting and why you should avoid it (and when...

We're all told that overacting in film is something that you should always avoid. However, there are times when overacting should be used.
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