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Writing Rules from Harvard, Tarantino’s Western Homage, Cinematography Terms You Should Know

Author

Ryan Koo
July 07, 2025

Writing Rules from Harvard, Tarantino’s Western Homage, Cinematography Terms You Should Know

Hey Filmmakers,

Welcome back! Let’s jump right in and check out our top craft stories of the week!

🖌️ Screenwriting

'Good Will Hunting' Credit: Miramax

In an age saturated with information, the ability to communicate clearly and effectively has never been more crucial. Writing matters — and when it comes to fiction and screenwriting, you have to be so engaging on the page that no one wants to look away to any of the countless distractions at their fingertips.

Doing that is easier said than done.

In a recent interview, Harvard professor Steven Pinker dug into just what makes great writing and how you can command attention in the modern era.

🗞️ Quick Reads for Screenwriting

• 5 Writing Tips from Kurt Vonnegut That Still Hold Up - Advice from the writer who’s celebrated for his dark humor and cynicism.

• The Eric Roth Method: A Unique Writing Process - What method has enabled Eric Roth to work for several decades?

• 11 Writing Practices That Aaron Sorkin Swears By - The ultimate writing guide from the screenwriter of The Social Network.

🎬 Directing

'Inglourious Basterds' Credit: Universal

Quentin Tarantino is the master of the pastiche. He's able to find his unique voice and point of view through watching other people's work and then recreating it through his specific lens.

One of the best examples of this is the opening scene of Inglorious Basterds, which introduces us to Tarantino's world and villain by way of The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly.

Let's find out how he pulls it off.

🗞️ Quick Reads for Directing

• 'Jurassic' Director Gareth Edwards On How to Keep Dinosaurs Fresh - The magic of the first film is long gone, so how do you keep these monsters interesting?

🎥 Cinematography

Credit: KASHILEMBO WABU

If you want to be a cinematographer in Hollywood, there are a lot of terms you have to know. You want to be able to communicate your vision, have the right tools for the job, and be able to understand the ideas and questions people ask you.

We put together a glossary that identifies and defines the terms all cinematographers should know.

Let's dive in.

🗞️ Quick Reads for Cinematography

• 6 Cinematography Tips from Mark Patten's Work on 'Andor' - The DP behind some of Season 2's most stunning visuals shares his approach to complex sequences.

• How 'Jurassic World: Rebirth' Celebrates Shooting on Film - Kodak and Panavision helped pull out of the stops for this one.

• Meet the Custom-Built In-Car Camera Fueling the Intense Race Action in 'F1' - One of the most exciting movies of the year so far, F1 is a testament to innovative high-speed cinematography.

🎙️ Podcast

'Atlanta' Credit: FX

This week on the No Film School Podcast, GG Hawkins sits down with Emmy and ACE Eddie-nominated editor Isaac Hagy, whose emotionally charged and visually inventive work includes Waves, Atlanta, Mr. and Mrs. Smith, and The Friend.

🗞️ More Podcasts

• Lights, Camera, Disruption: Breaking Taboos By Challenging Status Quo - “Is there any more common experience that has not been hit to death, right?”

📚 Recommended Reads:

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See you next time with more filmmaking goodness! 🎬