I think all screenwriters are familiar with the three-act structure, because it has been an integral part of storytelling ever since the ancient Greece. It is a tried-and-true method of organizing a story. Also, it is just as useful to beginning writers as to masters. Its effectiveness and popularity have a major drawback, however. It can lead to works that are predictable to readers and viewers – being exposed to three-act stories since childhood, we become adept at anticipating story points and twists. Continue reading Story structure – from the three acts to the Dan Harmon Story Circle
Sony a6300 camera review
Thanks to B&H Photo Video, I finally got my hands on the highly anticipated Sony a6300. This DSLM camera offers great specs despite being priced as a budget model – just under $1000 for the body. Continue reading Sony a6300 camera review
Sony FS7 Review After Real World Use
Last December B&H Photo Video let me borrow a couple of their cameras to test them out. I had a chance to use the Sony FS7 on a film I shot in Toronto with Clint D’Souza (who wrote and directed it). If you want a quick opinion on the camera, then I can simply say that I loved it! Continue reading Sony FS7 Review After Real World Use
Sailing into the unknown – the making of “Maidentrip” documentary
“Maidentrip” is a well-received documentary about a fourteen year-old girl, Laura Dekker, who attempted to become the youngest person to sail alone around the world. The film was directed by Jillian Schlesinger. It premiered at the 2013 SXSW festival where it won the Audience Award. It is a remarkable film about the remarkable Laura Dekker, but “Maidentrip” is also note-worthy because of the figure of Jillian Schlesinger, who – as a first-time director – had to overcome many challenges in order to make this documentary. Continue reading Sailing into the unknown – the making of “Maidentrip” documentary
When Time-Lapses Become Short Films
Recently, I watched a series of very good time-lapse videos and was struck at how entertaining they were. Some of the makers of these videos called their work short films and I don’t think they are wrong to do so. Although they do not have a traditional narrative, they can be totally absorbing. Continue reading When Time-Lapses Become Short Films
The Equal Odds Rule vs Perfectionism – how to succeed in art
Recently, I read an interesting article at nofilmschool about the equal odds rule. Developed by Dean Keith Simonton and based on his study of scientific papers, the rule implies that the best way to achieve success is to produce as much as possible, since there is an equal chance that anything one produces will be deemed successful. Another way to explain this rule is to say that there is no formula for success, no way to predict which of our works, projects will succeed – otherwise we could put all of our efforts and resources into the projects with the winning formula. Rather, the only way to increase our odds of success is to produce more. Continue reading The Equal Odds Rule vs Perfectionism – how to succeed in art
Indie Filmmaker Spotlight: Bradford Young – Cinematographer
One of the hottest names right now when it comes to cinematographers is Bradford Young. The film that most people probably associate him with is the Oscar-nominated “Selma” (2014). Young has been garnering a lot of media coverage, including from the Variety magazine, which chose him in 2015 for their prestigious “10 Cinematographers to Watch” list. Young’s services are in high demand and since “Selma”, he has shot the feature films “Story of Your Life” (dir. by Denis Villeneuve) and “Beat-up Little Seagull” (starring Michelle Pfeiffer and Kiefer Sutherland), among other projects. Continue reading Indie Filmmaker Spotlight: Bradford Young – Cinematographer
Darn it! Sony comes out with a high-spec, great-value DSLM: Alpha a6300
Recently, Sony created a lot of excitement with the announcement of the Sony Alpha a6300 mirrorless (i.e. DSLM) camera. The new model offers high specifications, including 4K recording, yet it is much cheaper than comparable models – it’s just under $1000 for the body. Continue reading Darn it! Sony comes out with a high-spec, great-value DSLM: Alpha a6300
The right computer for 4K editing and post-production
Although you might not be rendering your final videos in 4K yet, the chances are that you are already mostly working with 4K footage. This has become the norm for video producers. Now, working in 4K can be frustrating if you have not upgraded your video editing system together with the camera. Fortunately, it does not have to be very expensive to get a machine that will make doing the post in 4K as easy as it was in HD. I recently got a new editing system and here is some advice for anyone looking to do the same. Continue reading The right computer for 4K editing and post-production
Camera Revolution: organic photoconductive film CMOS sensor
Every year there is something to get excited about, as camera makers release their new and improved models. However, Panasonic’s recent announcement of the development of an organic photoconductive film (OPF) CMOS sensor takes excitement to a new level, as it promises to revolutionize the camera technology. Continue reading Camera Revolution: organic photoconductive film CMOS sensor