Mobile Movie of the Week

Minimalist Movie Delivers a Big Message

Italian actor/moviemaker Matteo Tibiletti made “Yes, No” to address a major societal problem. At the same time, his prize-winning movie demonstrates the power of the minimalist movie. With a cast of only two performers and no locations and no props, Tibiletti creates a haunting drama. In an interview (below), the director takes us behind the scenes…

read more →

First-Person Movie Explores Vision Loss

Many Hollywood movies are presented from the protagonist’s point of view—with the lead narrating the action. A couple of famous examples are “Sunset Blvd.” and “Bladerunner” (the studio’s version). But the first-person movie where we see only what the protagonist sees is a rarity. An example is “Dark Passage,” which maintains the protagonist’s perspective for…

read more →

Using a Logline to Create a Coherent Video

At the heart of every successful movie is a message, which can usually be expressed in a few words, known as a logline.  Take “Jurassic Park”: “Don’t mess with genetics.” Or “Casablanca”: “Duty comes before love.” Or “The Incredible Shrinking Man”: “There’s a heroic challenge for every single person.” Stating the theme this way enables the filmmaker to produce…

read more →

Experimental Vertical Video Explores the World of Water

In the debate between vertical and horizontal filming, the most persuasive arguments are the movies. Frederic van Strydonck, a 28-year-old Belgian filmmaker currently based in London, adds to the discussion with “Spltch,” an experimental vertical video that won an honorable mention award in the 2018 FiLMiC Pro One World Film Contest. In the interview (below),…

read more →

Making a Prize-winning Guerrilla Music Video

Guerrilla filmmaking suggests low-budget projects shot on real locations, which are used without obtaining permits.  The casts will be small with each crew member handling a variety of jobs. Typically, the films will fit into a dramatic genre such as romance, horror, or thriller. But as Los Angeles-based choreographer and dance teacher Lilian Manansala shows us, the approach can work beautifully…

read more →

Using a Foil Character to Make a Memorable Movie

What makes movies memorable? The key element is almost always memorable characters, such as Dirty Harry, Dorothy, E.T., and Goldfinger. Even the most plot-driven action films—like RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK and THE GODFATHER—almost always include characters that we can’t forget. In feature films directors have plenty of time for character development. But if you have only 60…

read more →