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.
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 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
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
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...
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
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...
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.
Video Courses
Special Effects Basic Training
Making movie-like special effects doesn't have to be difficult. Our experts at Videomaker show you how easy it is to make your own using...
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What's New
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.
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.
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.
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...
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.