What is the Package Unit System in Film?
Throughout the history of filmmaking there have been a variety of different elements which have evolved to make the industry more efficient and effective. Think of the studio system as an early form of mass production of films. Which was actively engaged prior to 1950. But eventually the Package Unit System would be employed to […]
What is the Offscreen Space in Film?
In a film, there is an entire narrative world which represents all that is taking place or which has taken place within the story that is created by the filmmaker. The idea of offscreen space in film represents that which is not physically present within the frame, but which is part of the scene in […]
What does Pre-Lap Mean in a Script?
Screenwriting is full of a variety of nuances and formatting rules that must be followed for the ease of reading for your audience. As well as to ensure that case and crew know the expectations. Different transitions, cuts, shots and scenes are formatted in different ways. And using various terminology to describe what’s happening on […]
What is a Dialogue Continuity List?
The dialogue list, frequently referred to as the dialogue continuity list or the spotting list, represents a post-production script that is provided to a network or production company for the purpose of creating subtitles and timecodes that can be used for translating and capturing accurate dialogue for foreign films or when translating the film into […]
How is Segment Shooting and the Theory of Dialectical Montage Similar?
Some of the earliest instances of cinematic experience represent the juxtaposition of images into a montage of sorts to elicit a particular desired emotional connection or outcome. Segment shooting, similarly, represents the juxtaposition of multiple shots or camera movements and scenes together. To create a string of images in which a desired emotional connection or […]
How to Continue Dialogue in a Script
If you’ve got characters in a scene that are talking with one another for a continuous period of time, you might need to know how to continue dialogue in a script as you transition either to another scene, or as the dialogue extends into another aspect of the story. Learning how to continue dialogue in […]
What is Saturation Booking in Film?
Almost certainly anyone that is a fan of the film industry and of seeing new movies hit the box office has encountered what appears to be saturation booking, all be it without realizing that’s what they’re seeing. Saturation booking, or the saturation release, occurs frequently in Hollywood and can be incredibly valuable for the film distributor. But […]
What is Thaumatrope Animation?
The thaumatrope, a two-sided disc with images on each side that is attached to two strings. Which are then quickly twirled to produce the illusion of both pictures becoming one, became a popular toy in the 19th century. The same scientific methods that are used to form the thaumatrope are used by artists to produce thaumatrope […]
What is a Zoopraxinoscope & How Was it Used in Filmmaking?
The zoopraxinoscope is an early animation device that was created by English photographer Eadweard James Muybridge for the purpose of capturing the movement of animals. The term, “Zoo” + “Praxiscope” directly references the zoo, a common place for humans to visit and learn about animals of varied shapes, sizes, and genres. Zoopraxinoscope is a term […]
What is Primitive Cinema and How Does it Compare to Classical Cinema?
You might hear the term “primitive cinema” floating around in discussions about early period films from the early 1900s and even a bit prior. Early cinema, particularly the period of international film history from the 1890s to about 1915, represents the mere emergence of motion picture films and the establishment of institutionalization of narrative feature […]