# directing (blogs) — RSS Amplifier Recent posts from the 4 feeds in the RSS Amplifier directory that cover directing. Page: Feed: --- ## [Why Over-Researching Can Ruin a Great Scene—and How to Fix It](https://nofilmschool.com/over-researching-can-ruin-scene) _2026-08-20 · Jason Hellerman · No Film School_ Let me know if this has happened to you: you have a great idea for a scene, but the more you try to add details from your research or incorporate facts, the more you end up kind of ruining it. That's because storytelling is not real life, and at the core of every scene should not be a bunch of facts; it should be a palpable soul. Writers, actors, and directors all have the same issue when it comes… ## [Film Quote of the Day: The 'Tombstone' Quote That Perfectly Captures Doc Holliday's Wicked Sense of Humor](https://nofilmschool.com/tombstone-doc-holliday-hypocrisy) _2026-08-20 · Jo Light · No Film School_ There’s a reason Doc Holliday is one of Val Kilmer’s most quoted roles . Everything he says is sad and funny at the same time, delivered in that Southern drawl. He always seems to get at something true and incisive in a voice that could only be his, which is what great dialogue or poetry or lyrics can do too. Val Kilmer died on April 1, 2025, at the age of 65 in Los Angeles. The 1993 film… ## [From Web Serial to Phenomenon: How 'Dungeon Crawler Carl' Sold 10+ Million Copies](https://nofilmschool.com/how-dungeon-crawler-carl-sold-10-million-copies) _2026-08-19 · Jason Hellerman · No Film School_ The talk of both Hollywood and the publishing world is Matt Dinniman's Dungeon Crawler Carl . I was talking to an exec last night who told me they got 900 submissions for the writers' room. And the new chapter of the latest book is blowing up, as well. So, how did we get another global publishing phenomenon turned into a TV show that's sure to be a hit before they even film the first frame? Well,… ## [Screenwriting Advice: Feed the Audience Every 5 Minutes](https://nofilmschool.com/screenwriting-pacing-five-minute-rule) _2026-08-19 · Jo Light · No Film School_ By now, you’ve probably heard the supposed mandate from streamers, specifically Netflix, that filmmakers and writers need to continually keep the audience engaged by repeating plot points and reexplaining the story frequently. At least according to Matt Damon and Ben Affleck . (For what it’s worth, Netflix execs later refuted those claims and said there was “no such principle” in play during their… ## [The 12-Minute Rule for Writing with a Partner](https://nofilmschool.com/hacks-showrunners-cowriting) _2026-08-17 · Jo Light · No Film School_ Have you been thinking about the Hacks series finale since it aired a few months ago, or are you mentally stable? I'm not! So I've been watching all those emotional TikTok edits of the characters and thinking through the mastery of that last season since the end of May. Show creators and writers Paul W. Downs and Lucia Aniello appeared on the recent episode of Scriptnotes with John August to talk… ## [Not One of The Lads](https://holdingforparrots.substack.com/p/not-one-of-the-lads) _2026-08-14 · Holding For Parrots · Holding for Parrots_ How a Swedish death cleaning exercise helped me process my directing past ## [3 Words That Should Be on the First Page of Your Script](https://nofilmschool.com/three-words-that-should-be-on-the-first-page-of-your-script) _2026-08-13 · Jason Hellerman · No Film School_ I wanted to write about something ridiculous today. So I legit was like, what are three words that I think would stand out on the opening page of a script and get me to lean in? What started as a new exercise for me quickly became this post. Before you write an email to me in anger, I want to tell you that this is not prescriptive. Do whatever you need to do, write whatever you want. But this was… ## [The Best Opening Scenes in War Movie History](https://nofilmschool.com/best-opening-scenes-war-movies) _2026-08-13 · Jason Hellerman · No Film School_ We all know that opening scenes are all about setting the tone for the movie, but if you're strapping in for a war film , how can you set the genre while also delivering something more surprising than just a battle? We already know that when we're watching one of these kinds of films, the stakes are inherently life-and-death. Today, I want to talk about how the best opening scenes in war movie… ## [Film Quote of the Day: The 1996 'Trainspotting' Line That Still Challenges How We Live](https://nofilmschool.com/trainspotting-choose-life-quote) _2026-08-12 · Jo Light · No Film School_ The most quoted thing in Trainspotting started life as an advertisement for staying clean. Kinda ironic, right? "Choose life" was a wholesome anti-drug slogan before the iconic character of Mark Renton got hold of it, essentially turning a public-health message into a battle cry for anyone who ever wanted to opt out of what he feels is a normal, boring lifestyle. Here we are, 30 years later, and… ## [Film Quote of the Day: The 'Good, the Bad and the Ugly' Line That Proved Fate Can Change in an Instant](https://nofilmschool.com/good-bad-ugly-fate) _2026-08-11 · Jo Light · No Film School_ Sometimes the simplest lines in a movie can hit the hardest, and today's example is one such line. It's from The Good, the Bad and the Ugly and is spoken by the man with probably the least use for it. Near the beginning of the movie, as a crowd gathers to watch an outlaw hang, a woman on a passing stagecoach says she's glad they finally caught him. The bounty killer beside her hardly reacts.… ## [Find what they just said (Sponsored)](https://crawlproof.com/a/3yT3NbocmD8R) _2026-08-11 · **Sponsored**_ Surface recent public signals so you can send policy-aware, relevant outreach ## [Read 'The Odyssey' Screenplay](https://nofilmschool.com/the-odyssey-screenplay) _2026-08-10 · Jason Hellerman · No Film School_ The biggest hit of the year, so far, is The Odyssey , which rocketed past a billion dollars worldwide today and will probably top off somewhere around $1.5 billion, making it Nolan's top-grossing film ever and solidifying it as one of the top-grossing movies this year. As with any movie, it starts with a screenplay. This one is an adaptation of Homer's epic, where Nolan read a few translations of… ## [Film Quote of the Day: The Line from Clint Eastwood’s 1993 Classic That Still Feels True Today](https://nofilmschool.com/a-perfect-world-quotes) _2026-08-10 · Jason Hellerman · No Film School_ I fI could pick one actor to deliver something I wrote, it'd be hard to pick against prime Clint Eastwood. The guy has spoken some all-time lines, from Dirty Harry ’s "Do you feel lucky, punk?" to Unforgiven ’s "Deserves got nothing to do with it." His characters and their voices stand the pantheon of time. And here's another sneaky thing: he makes sure that in the movies he directs, even the… ## [How to Write a Romance Built on Character, Not Beats](https://nofilmschool.com/heart-framework-writing-romance) _2026-08-07 · Jo Light · No Film School_ There are no real shortcuts to writing something good, especially since there are so many ways to attack story. The closest you can probably get if you're writing in a specific genre is to look at that genre's story tropes and just copy the steps. I'm thinking in this case specifically of Lifetime and Hallmark movies, and how they always hit the same beats. Romance actually is a great example of a… ## [Invisible Threads: How I Find the Vision for a New Series](https://holdingforparrots.substack.com/p/invisible-threads-how-i-find-the) _2026-08-06 · Holding For Parrots · Holding for Parrots_ Alexi asked me recently how I frame my thoughts when I’m about to start directing a new pilot or a series. ## [Low-Budget Filmmaking Tip #190](https://www.hellbendermedia.com/2026/07/25/low-budget-filmmaking-tip-190/) _2026-07-26 · scrappy · Hellbender Media_ It’s not a toy! If you’re filming a miniature, flood the bastard with as much light as you can without starting fires or flipping breakers. Iris down to darken. Don’t go the other way ’round or it’ll look like a miniature. If you’re unsure of this, watch the opening sequence of Logan’s Run or the \[…\] ## [Low-Budget Filmmaking Tip #189](https://www.hellbendermedia.com/2026/07/25/low-budget-filmmaking-tip-189/) _2026-07-26 · scrappy · Hellbender Media_ This is what “doin’ the wave” sounds like. Recording live sound at a beach is problematic at best. Beaches are great places for action scenes, fight scenes, and dialogue-free contemplative scenes. Anything that requires sound is going to sound like crap. If you must do dialogue at a beach, plan for ADR. If you have \[…\] ## [Low-Budget Filmmaking Tip #188](https://www.hellbendermedia.com/2026/07/25/low-budget-filmmaking-tip-188/) _2026-07-26 · scrappy · Hellbender Media_ Might as well be the Vashta Nerada Filming an outdoor scene in bright sunlight’s not all it’s cracked up to be — shadows are harsh and sharp, and everybody bakes. If you film in hazy overcast, shadows are softer, sometimes gone, and everybody’s cooler. You can always color-correct the footage, but you can’t fix shadows. \[…\] ## [Low-Budget Filmmaking Tip #187](https://www.hellbendermedia.com/2026/07/25/low-budget-filmmaking-tip-187/) _2026-07-26 · scrappy · Hellbender Media_ Or it might keep those brats in line. If you’re shooting after dark, find out who can see your set. A neighbor who doesn’t care about a day shoot might object strongly to a 1k light shining in the kids’ bedroom window. ## [Low-Budget Filmmaking Tip #186](https://www.hellbendermedia.com/2026/07/25/low-budget-filmmaking-tip-186/) _2026-07-26 · scrappy · Hellbender Media_ Silent, Meaningful Glances If you read through your entire script out loud, chances are excellent that every single place you stumbled on the dialogue can be cut without hurting the story. Unless you’ll be breathing-for-effect, don’t write dialogue bigger than a single breath can handle. A lot of people make the mistake of solving things \[…\] ## [Low-Budget Filmmaking Tip #185](https://www.hellbendermedia.com/2026/07/25/low-budget-filmmaking-tip-185/) _2026-07-26 · scrappy · Hellbender Media_ Hot Stuff The lights are hot enough to melt parts of the camera body, as well as melt or ignite other materials nearby. Watch those close shots and if you smell something burning, pay attention to it right then. Don’t do this: ## [Daily plans, scheduled by AI (Sponsored)](https://crawlproof.com/a/AtSislgAbCXG) _2026-07-26 · **Sponsored**_ AI-made daily plans that schedule tasks and protect focus time. ## [Low-Budget Filmmaking Tip #184](https://www.hellbendermedia.com/2026/07/25/low-budget-filmmaking-tip-184/) _2026-07-26 · scrappy · Hellbender Media_ Safety Fourth There’s only two reasons to do another take: because you want a safety, or because you want something done differently. If you want a safety-take, say so. If you want something changed, say so and explain it. Doing multiple takes without knowing why can be very frustrating to the cast and crew. It’s \[…\] ## [Low-Budget Filmmaking Tip #183](https://www.hellbendermedia.com/2026/07/25/low-budget-filmmaking-tip-183/) _2026-07-26 · scrappy · Hellbender Media_ Why not — bullets all feel the same, right? When doing sound design, try to not use the same sound more than once — unless there’s a very specific reason to. Every monster roar is different — even if it’s the same monster. However, for an automatic weapon, it’s okay if every discharge sounds the \[…\] ## [Low-Budget Filmmaking Tip #182](https://www.hellbendermedia.com/2026/07/25/low-budget-filmmaking-tip-182/) _2026-07-26 · scrappy · Hellbender Media_ They were medieval wristwatches, apparently. Period pieces require costumes. Make sure you account for that. Including shoes! I can count three times, for example, that I’ve missed wristwatches! ## [Low-Budget Filmmaking Tip #181](https://www.hellbendermedia.com/2026/07/25/low-budget-filmmaking-tip-181/) _2026-07-26 · scrappy · Hellbender Media_ Speedy McSwordster Quick way to build a sword: If it doesn’t have to be a hero prop, just make it out of thin plywood wood and paint it. With a jigsaw and a file and a sander, you can have a smooth and ready-to-paint sword in less than an hour. With five buddies all working \[…\] ## [A Bike With Gears](https://holdingforparrots.substack.com/p/a-bike-with-gears) _2026-07-24 · Holding For Parrots · Holding for Parrots_ How did I end up living in Hollywood for 20 years? It's a tangle of memories, circumstances and following my gut. ## [5 Ways to Make Your Self-Tape Stand Out](https://holdingforparrots.substack.com/p/5-ways-to-make-your-self-tape-stand) _2026-07-17 · Holding For Parrots · Holding for Parrots_ Director Julie Anne Robinson shares a few tips on getting noticed in your audition ## [5 Things We Learned from Joy Gorman Wettels](https://holdingforparrots.substack.com/p/5-things-we-learned-from-joy-gorman) _2026-07-10 · Holding For Parrots · Holding for Parrots_ Some people make television. ## [Escaping the Cage of Control](https://holdingforparrots.substack.com/p/escaping-the-cage-of-control) _2026-06-26 · Holding For Parrots · Holding for Parrots_ How making space for creativity leads to soaring results ## [Thank You Jimmy Burrows!](https://holdingforparrots.substack.com/p/thank-you-jimmy-burrows) _2026-06-22 · Holding For Parrots · Holding for Parrots_ How the legendary director gave me an opportunity of a lifetime ## [5 Things We Learned From Intimacy Coordinator Lizzy Talbot](https://holdingforparrots.substack.com/p/5-things-we-learned-from-intimacy) _2026-06-18 · Holding For Parrots · Holding for Parrots_ When Saturday Night Live’s Kate McKinnon and Bridgerton actor Regè Jean Page spoofed director Julie Anne Robinson prepping for a sexy scene with the help of an intimacy coordinator, it was more than just a humorous skit. ## [Save with community-voted codes (Sponsored)](https://crawlproof.com/a/c6pqzcGMOzbI) _2026-06-18 · **Sponsored**_ Search thousands of community-verified coupon codes — 100% free, no account needed. ## [My Top 8 Tips for Better Zoom Auditions](https://holdingforparrots.substack.com/p/my-top-8-tips-for-better-zoom-auditions) _2026-06-11 · Holding For Parrots · Holding for Parrots_ Director Julie Anne Robinson shares her advice on virtual casting ## [How to Glow with 50 Needles in Your Face](https://holdingforparrots.substack.com/p/how-to-glow-with-50-needles-in-your) _2026-06-04 · Holding For Parrots · Holding for Parrots_ Brave(ish) Adventure Part 2 ## [How to Install a Web App](https://bpev.me/notes/how-to-install-a-webapp) _2025-09-28 · bpev.me_