Blog

3 Awesome Docs with Hollywood Level Storytelling

Every once in a while a student will contact me with an interest in enrolling in the Film School Solution coaching course, but with the caveat that they are interested in documentary filmmaking. And while I know most people and myself are more focused on narratives, I want anyone considering documentaries to realize that even if you are working with ...

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Tech Talk: $600 Vs. $30,000 Camera Image?

Which camera do I buy?!? Time and again I hear these questions and time and again I tell students the same thing: the camera doesn’t matter. I would rather watch a dog food commercial shot by Quentin Tarantino on an iphone than the average student film shot on a 35mm Panavision rig. And here is a great example. Recently I ...

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Plot Vs. Pixels: How Good Does It Really Need to Look?

There’s no question the explosion of digital technology in the last 10 years has changed the industry. But one thing hasn’t changed: the essence of a good movie. Movies are still about great storytelling. But it seems like new filmmakers are still convinced that the perfect, most cutting edge equipment will somehow make their movie stand out. I frequently get emails from ...

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Speilberg/Lucas: What Film Industry “Implosion” Means to You

Two guys, one named Steven Spielberg and one named George Lucas, were quoted last week as saying the film industry as we know it would soon “implode”. This is extremely important to you as an aspiring filmmaker, especially if you are considering investing $100,000 in a traditional film school and trying to go the “conventional” route towards a directing career. ...

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Behind the Scenes: FSS Student Adam Ward

One of my first students, the multi talented Adam William Ward, is directing a new  project here in LA. I was fortunate enough to stop by the set and grab some killer behind the scenes footage of what looks to be a very funny comedy called “Parole Officers”. Believe it or not he even named the main character “Seth” after ...

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FSS Student Fabian Santos’ First Feature

I’m mega proud of my student Fabian Santos. He’s done something most film school students never do: he directed his first feature. The movie was shot on location in his native Brazil and is titled “Na Frieza Do Seu Olhar”. It’s in Portugese, and English subtitles are forthcoming. Here is the trailer: And here is the movie poster: What Doors ...

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“Boardwalk Empire” is a Must Watch for Filmmakers

Television was a bad joke in the early 90s. Predictable sitcoms… procedurals… bad used car commercials. But today, it’s mind blowing how different television has become as an artistic medium. AMC and HBO have led the way with original programming that is more like watching a 50 hour movie than television. I was just re-watching “Boardwalk Empire” with a friend ...

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