Brent Dunham earned his B.A. from USC and an M.A. from Chapman University in Film Studies. He has taught various film courses to students from 7th grade to undergraduates.
⌂ Types OF IronyVerbal IronySituational IronyDramatic Irony Socratic irony is one of the more manipulative types of irony. It’s a tricky way to get information out of someone that can be used against them later. This type of irony is perfect for courtroom scenes but can applied in any sort of verbal confrontation. Let’s define… Continue reading What is Socratic Irony? Definition and Examples for Screenwriters
How often do you find yourself scrolling through Netflix for an hour trying to find something to watch? The next time that happens, put down the remote for a second and bring up this list. We’ll be updating this guide to the best movies on Netflix monthly, so all of you aspiring filmmakers out there… Continue reading Best Movies on Netflix March 2020 — A Playlist for Filmmakers
How often do you find yourself scrolling through Netflix for an hour trying to find something to watch? The next time that happens, put down the remote for a second and bring up this list. We’ll be updating this guide to the best movies on Netflix monthly, so all of you aspiring filmmakers out there… Continue reading Best Movies on Netflix February 2020 — A Playlist for Filmmakers
A great screenplay is worth millions (sometimes billions!) of dollars, so protect them through watermark PDFs! Are there simple steps to help increase the security of your script? YES! And they are readily available in StudioBinder. We’re going to show you how to create a watermark PDF of your script that also includes headers and footers.… Continue reading Watermark PDF: How to Protect Your Screenplays
What is the rule of thirds? Even if you’re a newbie photographer or filmmaker, you’re probably at least vaguely familiar with one rule of thirds definition or another. The rule of thirds is an effective way to frame the elements in your scene so that the resulting image is much more visually captivating. Like most… Continue reading What is the Rule of Thirds? Definition and Examples in Film
Amazon Storywriter, Amazon Storyteller & Amazon Storybuilder were screenwriting tools for storytellers who wanted a cloud-based script writing option. Unfortunately, they’re no longer available. But don’t fret, they weren’t the only game in town — there is actually a more intuitive and powerful solution out there: StudioBinder. We’re going to walk you through what makes StudioBinder’s… Continue reading Amazon Storywriter Alternative: Screenwriting from Script to Screen
⌂ Types OF IronyVerbal IronySituational IronyDramatic Irony Dramatic irony gives the audience more information than the character. It is a powerful type of irony built for suspense, but, in many cases things turn out OK in the end. That’s not the case with tragic irony — as the name suggests, things don’t turn out OK… Continue reading What is Tragic Irony? Definition and Examples for Screenwriters
If you’re familiar with David Fincher movies, you know they focus on serial killers, robbers, brawlers, and murderers alike. You might also know that he has a reputation for being an exacting, obsessively technical director. However, dark subjects and visual meticulousness belie Fincher’s overlooked secret weapon: his ability to connect with actors on a human level… Continue reading The Directing Style of David Fincher
⌂ Types OF IronyVerbal IronySituational IronyDramatic Irony Structural irony is born when the characters are completely unaware of the situation they are in. Often, this is due to their lack of intelligence or ignorance. Either way, this subtype of situational irony is a foolproof recipe for comedy but it also works in drama as well.… Continue reading What is Structural Irony? Definition and Examples for Screenwriters
⌂ Types OF IronyVerbal IronySituational IronyDramatic Irony Karma can be a very satisfying element in storytelling and that’s exactly what poetic justice (aka poetic irony) can provide. There is a risk that the attempt at poetic irony might come across as trite or unrealistic but when it works, it works. What is poetic justice? Let’s… Continue reading What is Poetic Justice? Definition and Examples for Screenwriters
⌂ Types OF IronyVerbal IronySituational IronyDramatic Irony Verbal irony is the most common type of irony because it’s tied directly to language – which we use every day. But what is verbal irony exactly and what are its different subtypes? We’re going to answer those questions by exploring how verbal irony can add depth and… Continue reading What is Verbal Irony? Definition and Examples for Screenwriters
⌂ Types OF IronyVerbal IronySituational IronyDramatic Irony What is sarcasm? As it turns out, it isn’t exactly what most people think it is. In some cases, what we think is sarcasm is really just your garden variety of verbal irony. For writers, it is crucial to have a precise and firm grasp on language, so… Continue reading What is Sarcasm? Definition and Examples in Film & TV
When you want feedback on your script or when you’re heading into production, communication is essential. This usually involves a series of emails, phone calls, or handwritten notes–all from different sources. These become difficult to organize and easy to lose. When you’re working with a project in StudioBinder, there’s no need for external apps, Word documents,… Continue reading How to Collaborate with Comments in StudioBinder
A masked killer with a signature weapon. A group of victims anchored by a Final Girl. And a structure that evenly disperses the death and mayhem. Even people who don’t watch slasher movies know the game. The look and feel of these movies have become baked into pop culture. This has happened to such a… Continue reading The Best Slasher Movies (That Aren’t Slasher Movies)
Best Shyamalan MoviesShyamalan’s Style ExplainedThe Return of M. Night Shyamalan When you think of the most iconic film directors, you can often discount their first couple of films — few filmmakers are geniuses out of the gate. Other directors start strong but end their careers with a painful series of flops. But almost no other… Continue reading Best M. Night Shyamalan Movies, Ranked for Filmmakers
The best scary movies stay with you. They follow you home from the movie theater. They are right behind you as you walk alone at night. They are with you no matter how deep under the covers you go. Like the videotape in The Ring, once you’ve seen it, you can’t unsee it. The best scary… Continue reading 10 Best Scary Movies That You Need to Watch Right Now
Werewolves predate almost every other fictional monster. So, why aren’t werewolf films very popular? Perhaps it comes down to a practical issue. The make-up is labor intensive. The transformation sequence might take longer to shoot than the rest of the film. The most important criteria for judging werewolf movies is the creature effects. The werewolf… Continue reading 20 Best Werewolf Movies to Watch Right Now
⌂ Types OF IronyVerbal IronySituational IronyDramatic Irony There are many types of irony out there. Within the main branch of situational irony lies a version with a supernatural twist⏤cosmic irony. The main thrust of this series is getting writers to embrace irony as a tool that will add a level of depth and nuance to… Continue reading What is Cosmic Irony? Definition and Examples For Screenwriters
⌂ Types OF IronyVerbal IronySituational IronyDramatic Irony Sometimes you just can’t find the words to express how you feel. To match the depth or intensity of what you’re trying to communicate, you need something like overstatement. As one of the subtypes of verbal irony, overstatement allows the speaker to communicate in hyperbole to get their… Continue reading What is Overstatement? Definition and Examples for Screenwriters
Best Shyamalan MoviesShyamalan’s Style ExplainedThe Return of M. Night Shyamalan I’ve been a fan of M. Night Shyamalan for years, and that includes the 9-year gap between Lady in the Water and The Visit when it was challenging for everyone involved. I don’t love every Shyamalan movie, but I don’t despise his misfires either —… Continue reading Welcome to the Shyamalan-aissance — What a Twist!
