5 Cinematography Tricks to Add Depth to Your Shots

Director/Cinematographer Matthew Rosen explains 5 tricks to add more depth to your shots.Read More



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The Sound of Helicopters in Apocalypse Now

A film’s first shot, its first image, is one that’s obsessed over by many directors. But how many put as much care into its first sound? Francis Ford Coppola did, along with sound designer Walter Murch, when constructing the opening of Apocalypse Now. The famous helicopter sounds actually enter over black — they are the first input of any kind an audience member receives. And, of course, those weren’t just any helicopter sounds. In the video above, sound department members Richard Beggs and Randy Thom illustrate the ambitious use of the helicopter effects within the film’s 5.1 mix. Check out […]

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Five Questions for Writer/Director Scott Blake about his Kickstarter Project, Victory

25 New Face filmmaker Scott Blake is currently raising funds on Kickstarter for an ambitious “urban insurgency” short film, Victory. Below, he discusses inspiration ranging from Michael Mann to Joseph Conrad, why he cast Kentucker Audley and why he’s making another short. Please visit his Kickstarter page to learn more. Filmmaker: First, let’s start with Surveyor and the 25 New Faces. You were one of our real discoveries, as your film hadn’t played many festivals and you hadn’t received much notice for it. What has happened after being selected for the 25, and how did that path lead to this […]

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Filmmakers Launch #BlackoutBlack Friday Day of Activism, Events and Retail Boycott

In the wake of the decision not to prosecute Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson for the killing of Michael Brown, Fruitvale Station director Ryan Coogler has joined with Selma director and AFFRM founder Ava DuVernay to launch Blackout for Human Rights, “a network committed to ending human rights violations at the hands of public servants.” The group, which includes a number of directors, actors and others, builds on this week’s nationwide protests with events and actions, including today’s #BlackoutBlackFriday. From the group’s Tumblr: About #BlackoutBlackFriday: We ask those who stand with Ferguson, victims of police brutality and us to refrain […]

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Happy Thanksgiving from Filmmaker IQ

We have a lot of international readers who may be unfamiliar with the American holiday of Thanksgiving. We would like to share a bit of our traditions with you by listing some of the things that we are grateful for this Thanksgiving. I am grateful for a medium that is motion picture that can bring Read MoreRead More



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Godzilla – VFX Breakdown

Go behind the scenes of Godzilla for a breakdown of VFX thanks to MPC.Read More



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TFI Sandbox Relaunches

A year and a half ago the Tribeca Film Institute launched the TFI Sandbox, an online resource for documentary transmedia projects with connections to the New Media Fund and other real-world resources. Since then the Sandbox has helped produce some amazing work, such as Elaine McMillion Sheldon’s Hollow, and last week the site received an upgrade, which you can check out here. The new Sandbox, essentially a more robust version of the previous iteration, features everything from introductory information for those just testing the waters of interactive nonfiction to specific funding, technology, and festival/distribution resources for those at work on […]

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Pixel Pioneers: A Brief History of Graphics in Video Games

Ahoy.com introduces a 5 part series on the evolution of video game graphics.Read More



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Attention, Filmmakers: Here’s 12 Tips for Directing Your First Feature Film

Thinking of making your first feature film? You must read this advice from Justin Schwarz, writer-director of “The Discoverers” starring Griffin Dunne, out on VOD, DVD and iTunes today. Making my first feature was one of the most difficult and rewarding experiences of my life. It was honor and privilege to work with an all-star Read MoreRead More



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How Metaphors Make Us Love Some Designs and Not Others

Michael Hendrix explores what how a literary connection can achieve an emotional connection in design.Read More



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Short Film Woes and Worries

Entertainment lawyer Christopher Schiller takes a legal look at the trials and pitfalls of making short films. Short films are easy, right? I mean, they’re just like the real thing only shorter, cheaper. Nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, short films can be seen as a concentrated concoction of every problem and Read MoreRead More



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The 30th Independent Spirit Awards Nominations

The nominations are out for the annual Independent Spirit Awards bestowed by Film Independent. As the logo above suggests, the Independent Spirit Awards will be celebrating their 30th anniversary with this edition. Leading the nominations count is Birdman with six nominations, followed by five apiece for Selma, Boyhood and Nightcrawler. Note the special awards for Inherent Vice and Foxcatcher, both of whose budgets exceed the $20 million cap for regular award eligibility. The awards are announced February 21, and their official site can be found here. BEST FEATURE (Award given to the producer. Executive producers are not awarded.) Birdman (or […]

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The Meanings of 62 Surnames

John Green looks at the meaning behind 62 last names.Read More



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Francesca Coppola on Her Kickstarter Project, Jonny Come Lately

Writer/director Francesca Coppola has just launched a Kickstarter campaign for her second short film, Jonny Come Lately. Below, she writes about the short’s themes and issues, her decision to shoot on film and the power of community. Please visit her Kickstarter page and, if you are able to, consider donating. I’m only a few hours away from hitting the launch button on my first Kickstarter campaign to complete the funding for my second film, Jonny Come Lately. There is a whirlwind of feelings at play here and a maelstrom going through my head right now; I’m nervous, exhausted, confused, but […]

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How Mister Rogers Saved the VCR

In 1984, a landmark case laid down a controversial law regarding technology and copyright infringement. Here’s a look back at the “Betamax Case,” including the role Mister Rogers played in the Supreme Court’s decision. For many years in the pre-DVD, pre-streaming era, the Betamax, Sony’s prototype videotape player-recorder, was a punch line. A piece of Read MoreRead More



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Watch the Original Trailer for Star Wars (1977)

Here’s a first cut trailer of the blockbuster film that redefined the genre – notice the auspicious lack of John Williams’ iconic score…Read More



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An Interview with Wes Anderson’s DR: Robert Yeoman

He has been Wes Anderson’s cameraman from the start… Bottle Rocket. And this year, they made their 7th feature together. Yeoman talks to David Poland about how he got started, the journey with Wes, and the film of the moment.Read More



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Hope for Film Author Ted Hope on Life, Independent Film and System Reboots

Ted Hope — producer, Good Machine co-founder, and now CEO of Fandor — is no tongue-tied wallflower in the independent film community. Indeed, his passionate commentary, counsel and editorializing on topics ranging from net neutrality to making better films to a “systems reboot” of the independent film economy seem to be everywhere these days. But while his website, Twitter account and frequent speeches at industry events may make it seem that his opinions have been enabled — or at least turbo-charged — by this current social media age, he has, in fact, been lobbing list-driven rhetorical broadsides for years. (Don’t […]

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The Economy of Web Series and Five Questions for This Is Not a Conspiracy Theory Director Kirby Ferguson

Kirby Ferguson’s four-part web series, Everything is a Remix, was a brilliant blend of form, content and delivery system. A discussion of not just the legal issues surrounding fair use and appropriated content but also the nature of creativity itself, Ferguson’s work scored hundreds of thousands of views, launched a TED talk and established this savvy director at the forefront of the DIY web content creation business. With his new recently launched series, This is Not a Conspiracy Theory, he is aiming to make that web content creation business more of a, well, business by switching from free to a […]

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Ten Lessons on Filmmaking from David Lynch

After 25 years, the wait is over for Twin Peaks fans. David Lynch and Mark Frost have announced a return to the mythical town coming in 2016 to Showtime. The show is often credited for having paved the way for the golden age of television today, when many TV programs rival cinema for compelling stories. Through the episodic medium of television, Lynch was able to create a multi-layered world full of rich stories, diving deep into the lives of its characters. The season will pick up in the present day and bring back many of the show’s iconic roles. Shortly […]

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Tiny Satellites That Photograph the Entire Planet, Every Day – TEDTalks

Satellite imaging has revolutionized our knowledge of the Earth, with detailed images of nearly every street corner readily available online. But Planet Labs’ Will Marshall says we can do better and go faster — by getting smaller. He introduces his tiny satellites — no bigger than 10 by 10 by 30 centimeters — that, when Read MoreRead More



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David Lynch and Patti Smith Talk Blue Velvet, Twin Peaks and More on the BBC

David Lynch can be a tough interview — check out my attempt back in 2001. Patti Smith does a bit better in this joint interview on the BBC2 Newnight’s Encounters series. They both discuss their memories first hearing the song “Blue Velvet,” and Smith’s reflexive lyricism brings out something allied in Lynch. Check it out.

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