While ‘free will is not free’ sounds like an exhortation from Patrick McGoohan’s ‘Number Six’ character in The Prisoner TV series, it actually serves as the tagline for season 3 of HBO’s Westworld. Continuing to defy expectations and eschew easy answers, showrunners Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy have taken the characters – human and otherwise – out of the wish-fulfillment theme parks of Delos Inc. and into the (apparently) real world of Earth 2058.
In filmmaking, it’s really easy for a project not to make it off the ground. At the beginning of pre-production, there’s a laundry list of things that can make you stumble out of the gate, which makes the production of Park Stories’ 8 part docu-series Prodigy even more astonishing.
As filmmakers, we’re standing on the shoulders of giants. No matter how original or visionary you think you are, you’re borrowing an idea from a filmmaker who borrowed that same idea a half-century ago.
It’s hard to know what ‘appreciate’ or ‘support’ should mean to you, specifically, as a filmmaker or a fan of films. When Women’s History Month rolls around, it’s what we’re asked to do, but how do we put that into action? Is it just a matter of acknowledgment or credit to the women who’ve pioneered filmmaking in the past?
Filmmaker and YouTuber Will Darbyshire shares his key to success and why following trends is the wrong way to get there.
While the wedding film industry may seem insulated from other film industries, it’s still one-hundred-percent filmmaking. There are stories, editing timelines, demanding clients, and hard drives full of footage. Yet, a career in wedding filmmaking is also different than any other film career. There’s a steep learning curve to learning how to work with clients, manage, schedules, and stay sane during the infamous “edit season.”
In the spirit of reflection, why not start 2020 on a high note with some of the best filmmaking advice we received in 2019?
Looking to up your efficiency game? Learn about 10 different tools for filmmakers that will make your creative life easier.
There is a very distinct “X” factor that distinguishes an ordinary composer from a great composer. We are downright positive that Ryan Taubert has cracked the intangible code. Ryan was drawn in to making music initially through visuals. After teaching himself to compose by reproducing scores from movies as a kid, he is now a highly sought after Composer making some of the most captivating pieces of music for film…ever, we’d say.
If you we were to list all the reasons why you should listen to Lenore DeKoven’s advice about becoming a better director, it would take a long, long time. So we’ll just list a few: Lenore has worked as a director and producer in theater, film, and television. She has taught at UCLA, NYU, and Columbia, and has been a member of Columbia University’s Graduate Film division for more than 20 years. And on top of all that, she wrote a book, Changing Direction, that has been recommended by everyone from Ang Lee to our good friend Salomon Ligthelm.
