Awesome Filmmaking

With Barbie and Oppenheimer hitting theaters on the same release day, the unlikely duo has become the meme power couple of summer 2023. Artist Steven Richter went one step further and imagined the two movies as one in his hilariously warped, very short film. The best part is watching how he made it.

Before the 2000s, models, and miniatures were commonplace in moviemaking. But with the advent of CGI, it’s become something of a lost art. Vox sat down with expert prop and modelmaker Simon Weisse to learn about the renaissance brewing with filmmakers like Christopher Nolan, John Favreau, and master of miniatures Wes Anderson.

As of today, it’s been 37 years since Back to the Future premiered. Movie fan and world traveler Matthias Schwarzer headed to Los Angeles, California, on a mission to find some of the movie’s original filming locations and see how they have changed over the years. We love how the McFly’s house looks pretty much the same.

These days, many visual effects are produced using computer animation. Artist and filmmaker Markus Rothkranz looks back at some low-budget practical effects he created in the 1980s and 1990s. The tricks include miniatures, multiplane backgrounds, mirrors, and set pieces made from everyday objects.

Today, movie studios have powerful computers dedicated to creating visual effects. But in the early days of motion pictures, special effects had to be created practically, in-camera, or via editing. Film Riot looks back at classics like Metropolis and The Wizard of Oz to see how they pulled off their memorable illusions.

(PG-13: Language) Creative writing requires persistence and a willingness to accept failure far more than success. J. Marcelo Borromeo of 101 Things I Learned About Fiction from Film created this video essay on the challenges and rewards of writing, told using footage from the films of Wes Anderson. (Thanks, Rob!)

We used to watch TV shows and movies at home and understand the voices perfectly. But lately, we’ve had to turn the subtitles on much more often. At first, we thought maybe our hearing was just going, but Vox explains how changes in audio tech, acting styles, and filmmaking have made dialogue less intelligible.

There are many ways you can shoot an action sequence, from doing stunts on location to working in front of a green screen in a studio. SoKrispyMedia shows us how they shot a convincing action sequence using CGI backgrounds and the same kind of virtual production technology they use to make The Mandalorian.

Steven Spielberg’s latest is basically his own autobiography, as told through the eyes of a boy growing up in the 1950s who falls in love with the cinema and starts making his own home movies. The star-studded cast includes Michelle Williams, Paul Dano, Seth Rogen, and Judd Hirsch. In theaters 11.24.22.

Foley artists create sound effects for TV shows, movies, and video games. Sanaa Kelley and Monique Reymond are two of the industry’s best and brightest. This video from Insider shows us how they produce sounds for SpongeBob SquarePants, Kung Fu Panda, Avatar: The Last Airbender, and more.

The late Ray Harryhausen is beloved for his groundbreaking visual effects work in movies like Jason and the Argonauts. The Royal Ocean Film Society delves into Harryhausen’s mastery of stop-motion animation and how he combined it with live-action film footage to bring humans and creatures together on screen.

When Hollywood needs to record a blood-curdling scream for a movie or TV show, they turn to voice professionals like Ashley Peldon. In this episode of 60 Second Docs, Ashley talks about the various kinds of screams she can produce, and what it takes to be a Scream Artist.

This excerpt from the documentary short The Special Effects of Karel Zeman showcases some of the late Czech filmmaker’s wildly inventive methods for creating movie magic with miniatures, fluids, smoke, forced perspective, and other camera tricks. You can watch the full documentary on YouTube.

(PG-13) With films like A Clockwork Orange, 2001: A Space Odyssey, Dr. Strangelove, and The Shining to his credit, Stanley Kubrick was one of the greatest film directors to ever walk the earth. TheGaroStudios celebrates Kubrick’s mastery of visual and auditory storytelling through a montage of iconic scenes and monologues.

For years, 35mm film was the dominant format for big-screen moviemaking. The first movies had a boxy shape but eventually expanded to wider formats. Team 2 Films looks at the history of film shapes, how various aspect ratios have come in and out of favor, and how they affect movie composition.

(Gore) So much of what we see in today’s action, science fiction, horror, and fantasy films is done with computer graphics. But WhatCulture points out 10 recent movie illusions that were created in-camera with practical effects and stunt work. We can’t believe they launched real appliances at the cars in F9.

Opening title sequences are still common on TV dramas but have fallen out of favor in the cinema. Filmmaker Patrick (H) Willems looks back fondly at the craft of masters like Saul Bass and Maurice Binder and argues that they need to make a comeback on the big screen.

With the launch of cameras like the GoPro HERO10 Black, it’s now easier than ever to shoot footage at high frame rates. While there’s a time and a place for the tech – like slow-mo or sports – filmmaker Mark Bone explains why our eyes gravitate to the more cinematic look of lower frame rates like 23.98 or 29.97 fps.

Some everyday items can make unwanted noises while filming movies and TV shows. Editors can fix some things in post-production, but it’s preferable to capture clean audio on set. Insider explains how prop artists create versions of objects like ice cubes, pool balls, and paper bags to reduce amount of noise they make.

Joe Dante is the moviemaker behind 1980s classics like Innerspace, Gremlins, and The Howling. As Dante delved deeper into the Hollywood system, the battle for creative control escalated. The Royal Ocean Film Society explores the filmmaker’s tumultuous relationship with the studios. Also, go watch Gremlins 2 right now.

There are lots of movie scenes that incorporate mirrors or other reflective surfaces, yet we can’t see the camera or the crew in them. Just how does this movie magic work? Film essayist Paul E.T. digs into some of the tricks that filmmakers use to keep equipment and people hidden from shots.

(PG-13: Gore) From greenscreen to miniatures to CGI, there are lots of different ways to produce visual effects. Filmmaker and essayist David F. Sandberg reminds us how simple edits can be one of the most effective ways to create illusions on screen and to integrate disparate elements to create a cohesive effect.

It may seem like a subtle artistic choice at first, but some of the best movie scenes take advantage of a principle known as the “Three Color Rule.” Film essayist wolfcrow explains how this simple color theory can help to set a mood and create focus, and how you can apply it in your cinematic projects.