Enjoy our first installment of exclusive behind the scenes interviews with key members of The Storyteller production. Learn more about how the film was made and see footage of the making of!

This video features the brilliant Dan Clarke, Cinematographer for The Storyteller.

Academy Originals is a treasure trove of film knowledge presented documentary-style through interviews with directors, cinematographers, producers, master craftsmen, set designers, consultants, actors – anyone playing a part in creating movie magic. The videos are grouped into categories like ‘Moments That Changed Movies’ or ‘Credited As’ – each exploring the movie-making process from a different perspective.

This is truly a rabbit hole to get lost in, if you have any interest in getting behind the scenes of some of the most groundbreaking films in modern history.

Here are some of my personal favorites.

When I watched Nerdwriter‘s video essay on the subject of intertextuality and how it’s become Hollywood’s new currency, it was with a bit of d’uh attitude; I had been thinking about this for years and I always let out a slight tsk whenever a new film throws in callback after callback to (mostly better) works that’s come before it. But what Nerdwriter does an excellent job of pointing out is that it’s not all bad. From a financial stand-point, the franchises and shared universes flooding the cinemas right now are fairly safe bets. Which is understandably important when the bet is on a 2-300 million dollars production budget. But more importantly, when it’s done right, the use of intertextuality can add humor, drama and a connection with a viewer – you feel like you’re in on an inside joke.

So after watching the video, my wheels kept spinning. Take away the big-budget financial speculation, the setting-up-for-sequals, the cheap thrills of recognizing a character or image – and what you have left is a filmmaking tool for creating familiarity and instantly eliciting certain emotions. I will, for one, be more aware of the impact of this ‘weaponized intertextuality’ in my writing and not simply brush it off as a dirty trick used by Hollywood blockbusters. Because moments of familiarity is good, especially when the material is fresh and foreign.

Watch the video essay below and be sure to subscribe to Nerdwriter’s YouTube channel.

The take-away from all this? “It’s not about what we’re being told. It’s about what’s being withheld.”

If you haven’t already, be sure to subscribe to Every Frame A Painting on YouTube – and check out our list of other channels to follow.

#1 Every Frame A Painting

My personal favorite. Every Frame A Painting is like the class you wish you had in film school. It’s a triumphantly unpredictable  bastard of a film analysis class and the rantings of your favorite, passionate teacher. By analyzing certain scenes, director trademarks, genre-specific filmmaking tools or something else you would have never thought to analyze, host Tony Zhou and his expertly edited videos will leave you not only smarter, but inspired and amazed.

#2 Film Riot

Fast-talking host, independent filmmaker and DIY handy-man Ryan Connolly and his rag-tag team of film aficionados deliver tutorials, DIY builds, real-life examples and How-To’s on just about everything you could ever think of related to filmmaking. The beauty of this channel is not so much the hyper-active presentation (though that’ll certainly keep you focused), as it is the way in which these guys manage to take the mystery out of Hollywood filmmaking, while preserving all the magic. Specifically targeting independent, DIY or super low-budget filmmakers, the channel abounds with videos on how to make your film look and sound like a million $ without breaking the bank.

#3 Filmmaker IQ

With a somewhat more technical and perhaps film school-like approach, Filmmaker IQ is an immensely valuable resource. Think of it as a ‘How Stuff Works’ for filmmakers; some topics are highly technical, borderline scientific, while other topics are pure entertainment. Wanna know how a camera sensor works? No problem. Wanna brush up on the origins of auteur theory? Why not. Wanna learn how to light a film noir? You should. And all of that can be done in the same place. Filmmaker IQ.

#4 Indy Mogul

With roughly 1250 videos on their channel, Indy Mogul is almost like a Discovery Channel of the Internet. Before Discovery Channel became all about reality TV, of course. Indy Mogul is an impressive library of engaging video tutorials, hands-on reviews of cameras and equipment, Q&A’s with filmmakers and a whole lot of tips and tricks to up your indy filmmaking game. Now, Indy Mogul hasn’t been active in years, so don’t expect new videos about the latest in gear or software. But do expect to get lost in a massive library of goodies that are equally helpful today as they were 6 years ago.

#5 Now You See It

Similar in style to Every Frame A Painting, Now You See It is sort of a hybrid between film analysis and geeky musings on what makes movies great. Though not always entirely on point, mostly the videos from Now You See It will give you lots of a ha! moments and insightful takes on movies, scenes or techniques you already thought you knew everything about.

Welcome to the future.

More videos with Jimmie will be shared over the coming months, so be sure to subscribe to our newsletter and our YouTube channel. You might learn something.

The main point Devin is trying to get across, is that you always want to start with a solid strategy. Nobody wants to pay for it (true), but everybody needs it (also true). Why would you spend your – probably pretty tight – marketing budget blindly? You wouldn’t and you shouldn’t. Your target audience may not be used to making their decisions where you think they are (on Facebook, twitter, at the grocery store), so make sure you do your research before you begin (what you think is) targeting.