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Why Should New Directors Make Horror Films?
Why Should New Directors Make Horror Films? Written by Johnny Papan Horror isn’t a genre often associated with prestige. In fact, only 6 freaky films have ever been nominated for Best Picture at the Oscars, the most recent…

Martha: A Picture Story – Interview with Documentary Filmmaker Selina Miles
Written by Clarence Sponagle
Martha; A Picture Story is a documentary reminding us that one passion can lead to others, one person's drive can be addictive and that some of the best storytelling is through art.
Martha Cooper…



Heavy Hitting HorrorFest Brings Carnage to Whistler’s Festival Circuit
AN EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH HEAVY HITTING HORRORFEST'S FUNNY AND UNPREDICTABLE FESTIVAL DIRECTOR: FEET BANKS Written by Johnny Papan Whistler's Heavy Hitting HorrorFest describes itself as a "one night, balls to the wall orgy…



These 3 Tips Will Brighten Up Your Lighting Game
Lighting is a crucial part of the filmmaking experience. It gives films a special look and style that can be unique to the piece in question. It affects the tone, mood, and can subconsciously control the audience's emotion as well. Understanding…



5 Films You Didn’t Know Gave Vancouver Film Students Jobs
Is there a better place to shoot a movie than Vancouver? With its versatile cityscape, beautiful forestry and mountain surrounds, and temperate climate, the city provides the perfect backdrop for almost any story you want to tell. Filmmakers…



Five Films That Used Visual Effects In Super Subtle Ways
By Victor van der Merwe The world of visual effects is becoming an ever more crucial part of the film industry. CGI and 3D modelling is not just for monster movies and aliens anymore and as movies evolve, it is amazing to see what the…



Five Tips for Scouting the Perfect Location
By Ryan Uytdewilligen What’s the motivation for your movie’s location? If you are going make your on-screen dream a reality, you’ll need actors, props, a screenplay, and a crew. But you can’t forget the most important…



3 Essential Skills Famous Directors Learned in Film School
Acclaimed director and film school graduate Ang Lee said: "If there's one thing I've learned, it's that you can never learn enough." That is especially true when it comes to film. The benefits of a formal filmmaking education cannot be…



Film School: Is It Right For Me?
Written by Ryan Uytdewilligen To film school or not to film school, that is the question! The budding filmmakers of tomorrow are faced with this weighty choice – rush out into the world and make movies on their own or take…



Five Ways to Fund Your Film Project!
Written by Victor van der Merwe The one thing all filmmakers have in common is the problem of finding money for a project. Steven Spielberg has that problem, David Lynch has that problem and yes, first time filmmakers have…



How to Adapt A Short Story Into a Feature Film
Written by Felicity Flesher Adaptations have become a forefront in cinema. Feature films today are based on all kinds of intellectual property including video games, comic books and literature. Writing an adaptation is a great…


The Art of Production Design: Who, Why, & How
Written by Johnny Papan The art department is in charge of the decorative, tangible visual aesthetic of cinema. It’s responsible for how a character dresses, why they dress that way, what their house looks like, what their…



BRING YOUR 3D CHARACTER TO LIFE IN FIVE SIMPLE STEPS
By Johnny Papan https://youtu.be/YLsAP8jMIr0 The word animation derives from the Latin word aminare which means “to give life to.” This is exactly what animation is about, giving life to something that once did not have life.…



INFOCUS TOP FILMS OF 2018
By Kryshan Randel 2018 was a year of out-of-nowhere surprises. For every film from an established master (Schrader, Lanthimos, Noe), there were films helmed by directors like Bo Burnham, Ari Aster, Ali Abbasi…


TOP 10 FILMS TO CATCH AT VIFF 2018
by Johnny Papan The Vancouver International Film Festival has been showing the latest and greatest of homegrown and international cinema since 1982. This year’s festival runs from September 27 through to October…



How to Work with Animals in Film
Who doesn't love animals in film? Whether to delight or to scare, animals have played some of the most iconic roles. Where would we be without Lassie or Airbud? Or the nameless horde in Birds? So let’s say your script…


The Top 5 Must-Know Women Filmmakers
by Petar Petrov When people think of successful women in the film industry, the first image that comes to mind is probably something along the lines of a talented actress which is like a robust tool in the hands of a master…
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