Patrick Bateman, a wealthy investment banker, hides his psychopathic ego from his friends. Later, his illogical fantasies escalate and he submits to an uncontrollable bloodlust.
Interrogation scenes are some of the most utilized scenes in all of screenwriting – but how does one write an interrogation scene? Fret not, we’re going to show you how to write an interrogation scene by looking at examples from Prisoners, Shrek, and more. We’re also going to show you how to format your interrogation… Continue reading How to Write an Interrogation Scene — Guide for Screenwriters
When you think of some of the most iconic films in cinema history, quite a few also have an iconic prop. The Godfather and the horse head, The Wizard of Oz and Dorothy’s shoes, and of course Star Wars and the lightsaber. All of these props differ greatly from each other in how they look and… Continue reading What is a Movie Prop — Types of Film Props & Why They Matter
If you’ve worked in an office, you know… the business card means everything. In a world dominated by cell phones, tech, and social media, the business card closes the deal. No one knows this more than Patrick Bateman. Of all the business cards in history, one card reigns supreme — Paul Allen’s card from the… Continue reading American Psycho Business Card Scene — Complete Breakdown
In psychology, there’s something called the serial position effect. It means people tend to remember what comes first and last, not what occurs in the middle. Filmmakers know this phenomenon all too well. Combine that with today’s stream-ability and countless options… and the opening to a film is as important as ever. Today, we study the best… Continue reading 25 Best Opening Scenes in Movies & What Makes Them Great
For the most part, filmmakers strive to make audiences forget that they are in fact an audience watching a film. They work to make the film completely immersive. But sometimes filmmakers intentionally draw attention to the medium being used by breaking the fourth wall. While not all stories benefit from such interruptions, here are the… Continue reading 15 Movies That Break the Fourth Wall (Besides Deadpool)
Have you ever watched a movie that seemed more focused on the inner life of its central character than following a traditional plot? Plenty of movies have great characters, but how many of those same movies would have the same plot if you removed that character? This is part of what makes character studies special,… Continue reading What is a Character Study — Character vs. Plot-Driven Narratives
What are the best Christmas movies of all time? This question lies at the heart of a debate that has pervaded family dinners and critic circles alike for decades. To suggest one Christmas movie is better than any other is certainly subjective, but we’re going to try to keep it as objective as we can… Continue reading 30 Best Christmas Movies of All Time — A Yuletide Playlist
The best dark comedy movies and TV shows go for the jugular. It’s not enough to just be edgy, or even malicious. You need to tap into deep, disturbing levels of discomfort… and build a summer home. We made the ultimate list of dark comedy movies and TV shows, plus a video essay that takes a… Continue reading 70 Hilarious Dark Comedy Movies & TV Shows | Dark Humor in 2022
Satire is one of the most useful tools writers can use to comment on the follies of humanity and the evils that exist in the world. We’re going to look at some satire examples in literature and movies to gain a better understanding of the term. By seeing how satire is used in a variety… Continue reading Satire Examples in Literature and Movies Explained
Using non-diegetic sound is a great way for filmmakers to support the worlds that they build. You may have heard this fancy term before but what is non-diegetic sound? The answer is much less complicated than you think. In this article, we’re going to define what non-diegetic sound is. Then, we’ll look at examples from… Continue reading What is Non-Diegetic Sound? Definition and Examples
Types of Camera AnglesOpen menu Insert Image Low Angle Shot Insert Image Eye Level Shot Insert Image High Angle Shots Insert Image Dutch Angle Shot Insert Image Overhead Shot Insert Image Aerial Shot Camera Angle Guide Explore More ShotsOpen menu Insert Image All Camera Shots Insert Image Camera Shot Ultimate Guide Create Free Shot List… Continue reading The Overhead Shot: Creative Examples of Camera Angles
What is a protagonist? Many refer to a protagonist as the leading character in a story. But is the protagonist something more? Or something less? To understand the definition fully, we need to look at how different types of protagonists are used in screenwriting. This will help us decide which type of protagonist works best… Continue reading What is a Protagonist? Definition and Examples for Screenwriters
Introducing StudioBinder’s screenplay library — your one-stop-shop for reading, downloading, and analyzing the best movie scripts online. Our collection contains all the feature-length screenplays in our database as well as scripts that we have broken down by plot, character, ending, quotes, and more. Our hope is that screenwriters everywhere can have access to these iconic… Continue reading Explore and Read the Best Free Movie Scripts Online (with PDF Downloads)
E very time there is an open directing assignment, a list of possible directors is put together. You might have to do this as an assistant, or as a producer or writer yourself trying to attach the RIGHT director to your project. That’s why we’re going to go over an extensive list of the best female directors. There… Continue reading The Best 67 Female Film Directors Working Today
What is an unreliable narrator? We expect the narrator of a film to guide us through the journey and tell us the truth. But what happens when the narrator’s credibility is thrown into question? When we can’t even trust the narrator, it changes our perception of the film. When done well, an untrustworthy narrator can create… Continue reading What is an Unreliable Narrator? Definition and Examples for Filmmakers
Browse Terms A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z Whether you’re working on your first or 100th film, there is always something new to learn. When you need to update your film terminology, this resource will be… Continue reading Ultimate Guide to Film Terms: The Definitive Glossary of Film Terminology
From 2001: A Space Odyssey to pretty much every Edgar Wright film, some of the best films of all time have effectively used needle drops to take their films to the next level. This list runs through the best movie songs of all time, and as you go through the scenes, you will find they… Continue reading 60 Best Movie Songs Of All Time — Top Needle Drops, Ranked
The 2000s were a weird time for cinema — kind of sandwiched in between the indie 90’s scene and the blockbuster 2010’s scene. But there are so many great movies that came out between 2000 and 2009, that we thought it would be interesting to look back at what made them so great. So without… Continue reading Best Movies of the 2000s — The Entire Decade Ranked
⌂ Types OF IronyVerbal IronySituational IronyDramatic Irony Situational irony is a broad term with near-endless applications. At a fundamental level, every story has some aspect of situational irony – which means that it’s a key component of storytelling. But what is situational irony? We’re going to define situational irony by looking at situational irony examples… Continue reading What is Situational Irony? Definition and Examples
