presentation of film meaning

How To Pitch A Movie Idea: Everything You Need To Know

So you have an idea for a new film — that’s great! But it’s important to know how to pitch your movie idea . Do your research, develop a compelling creative pitch, and know the essential “dos” and “don’ts” of selling your idea. Here are some tips from top Hollywood producers in the industry on creating, pitching, and selling a movie idea.

1. Create a Pitch

A pitch is a concise presentation of a film idea, typically made by a screenwriter or director to a producer , executive, or financial sponsor. T he elevator pitch is a short description of your film, usually encapsulated in 90 seconds to two minutes. The 20-minute pitch , also known as the “story” pitch, an in-depth description of the film. Here are six tips for creating a fantastically compelling pitch for your movie idea:

• Find a void in the marketplace:  Take advantage of proven concepts in the market, and then put a different spin on it, such as adding a different cultural view. By doing this, you’re catering to a “void” in the market but not forcing decision-makers to take a leap of faith on a concept that has never been done before. For inspiration, read about the successful Bravo show “ Jersey Belle .”
• Appeal to the biggest demographic:  The bigger the target audience, the better. Remember — buyers want a payout. The more appealing to all consumers, the better.
• Partner with someone with experience: Try to partner with someone in the industry who not only has a proven track record, but also shares your vision, process, and goals. The film “ Girls Trip  ” had a monumental opening weekend, making $30.4 million — and this was the result of a remarkable partnership.
• The Logline : This  sums up the whole film  in one sentence. 
• Treatment :  120 pages of script is totally reliant on one single page outlining the film. 
• Script: Have a polished draft that excites readers.
• Know your buyer’s genre and style:  Research the producers or companies you want to sell to, and know what genres and styles they have historically made deals for. You wouldn’t pitch a rom-com to a film company known for gritty action films.
• Extend your successful idea into a franchise:  Think of a few examples of the potential longevity of your brand. For example, the film concept for “Jersey Belle” was turned into a book, “ The Southern Education of a Jersey Girl .” Now, that book is being turned into a series! If you’re  pitching a pilot for a TV show , you have other factors to consider, too.

Here are even more ways to cater your idea and pitch to your dream company.

2. Prepare to Sell Your Pitch — and Yourself

It’s important to not only prepare your concept but also your professional reputation. To make a good first impression and protect your work, make sure you consider the following: 

• Make a list of producers you want to pitch to :  Investigate what genres of films they’ve produced in the past. 
• A short synopsis of the script
• A direct overview of your qualifications and experience as a writer
• Your phone number
• Your address
• Your email address
• Protect yoursel f:  Register your concept through Writer’s Guild of America (WGA) or get it copyrighted.
• Contact everyone on your list: Consider mailing hard copies that include a self-addressed stamped envelope so producers can easily respond to you.

3. Pitch Your Idea

Now that you’ve learned the basics, let’s break down each step of the pitch process to ensure you are prepared to give a professional, compelling pitch . For example, the home-invasion drama “ Breaking In ” that was released in 2018 is has a noteworthy pitch that lead to inimitable success .

• Watch professional pitches:  Watching pitches of existing films is a great way to get a feel of the process. Here’s David Russo with his pitch, “The Immaculate Conception of Little Dizzle.”

Here’s another great pitch from Mat Whitecross for “Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll,” which really gets the point across in a concise yet engaging way. 

In Jac Schaweffer’s pitch for her film “TiMER,” you can see the importance of an immediate hook in the first sentence of your pitch.

• Waiting to be seen/drinking water (1-5 minutes)
• Hellos and small talk (1-5 minutes)
• The screenplay pitch (1-20 minutes)
• Q&As (5-20 minutes)
• Wrap up (1-2 minutes)
• Be inviting and establish rapport.
• Start the pitch by establishing the genre of your film idea.
• Pitch as quickly and energetically as possible to allows your passion to shine through.
• Be sure to include a hook , the audience, the most important beats of the film, and the budget (optional).
• Ask if they have any questions.
• Being under the influence of alcohol or drugs
• Any mention of politics or religion (unrelated to the plot of the film)
• Overrunning your time
• Trying to “oversell” or argue with the buyer’s perspective
• Being defensive
• Not answering questions
• Taking rejection personally 
• Comparing your screenplay to existing movies
• Mentioning specific actors
• Follow up politely:  Don’t be afraid to follow up in a week or so after a meeting. Be sure to thank them for taking their time.

4. Sell Your Idea

So you’ve made your film pitch, and now it’s time to talk numbers. Here are some things to keep in mind when  selling a script in Hollywood . 

• Know the scope of your budget:  Not only does the film need to be original and sellable, but it needs to have a realistic budget for its genre and the company you’re selling to.
• Get the rights to anything based on a real event or person:  You don’t want to lose a deal because you didn’t clear the rights of any part of your concept. If it’s going to be mentioned in the pitch, the rights should be obtained  prior to the pitch.
• Try a pitching service:   Sending your idea through a pitching service is a great way to workshop a pitch pre-sale and put you on a trajectory to talk numbers immediately.
• Hire an agent or manager:  You’re assumed to be much more marketable if you’re represented. Hiring an agent or manager gives you the right connections and a leg up on the selling front.
• Become a salesperson:  Once you’re talking numbers, it’s no longer about your story and how great it is. Put on your negotiation hat and be prepared to ask for what you’re worth.
• Hire an entertainment lawyer:  A legal representative can review any and all contracts before signing a deal. This way, you’re protected if something happens and the other side falls through.
• Keep your day job: The production of a film takes years, with setbacks and road bumps. Often, you won’t see a payout for three years or more after you sell a film idea. Here is some more information on how much you could make selling your script or idea .

There are  many other steps  you can take to make sure you are informed, prepared, and able to navigate the selling process.

5. Follow Up With Producers 

Too many sales can fall through without a simple follow-up. This reminds the producers that you’re not only still interested in working with them, but you’re also professionally invested in their work. You can follow up with producers by:

• Sending an email 
• Calling their professional phone
• Dropping a postcard in the mail

 Some things to keep in mind when following up include: 

• Time-frame:  You’ll want to follow up approximately four weeks after your initial inquiry. 
• Be professional:  You want to be kind and friendly but not pushy. Keep in mind your tone in your follow-up message. 
• Be prepared to receive no response at all:  Many producers don’t have time to respond to every query. Don’t lose hope just because you don’t get a response right away.

6. Continue to Learn, Grow, and Educate Yourself

Here are some resources to help you further your research:

• The Hollywood Pitching Bible by Ken Aguado and Douglas Eboch
• Selling Your Story in 60 Seconds by Michael Hague
• Videos:  Watch author, writer, and producer Marc Zicree speak about one of the rules from, “The Art of the Pitch.”

Get honest insight from Jack Perez here on an executive’s point of view during the pitching process. 

In this video, CEO of Stage 32 Richard “RB” Botto breaks down the importance of having a solid script to back you up during the pitch and establishing a good repertoire.

Film and TV careers  come with their unique challenges, especially when trying to make the leap from page to screen. While a film pitch may seem like a daunting task, there are many things you can do to ensure you’re adequately prepared. If you’re interested in learning more about pitching, apply to Nashville Film Institute to gain professional qualifications as a filmmaker .

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How to Write a Pitch for a Film: A Symphony of Ideas

Creating a compelling pitch is akin to crafting a masterpiece, harmoniously intertwining various elements to create a resonating composition.

In the world of the film industry, this composition is your film idea, and the stage is the pitch room.

I. The Prelude: Understanding the Film Idea

Before you delve into how to write a pitch for a film , it is crucial to have a refined movie idea. Reflect on your concept, whether it’s a horror film, a true story, or entirely fiction, and consider the key elements that make it unique.

Know your main characters, plot , tone, and the core elements that define the essence of your film project.

II. The Ensemble: Gathering Your Elements

First Draft & Screenplay: Start by grounding your idea with a first draft, honing the script to reflect the essence of your movie.

Short Synopsis: Craft a succinct, engaging summary of your story.

Visual Aids: Create visual supplements to your pitch, harmonizing with your idea and enhancing the overall presentation.

III. The Concerto: Structuring the Pitch

Creating pitch decks is a critical step in the pitching process. A pitch deck serves as a visual concerto, narrating your movie ideas through a structured sequence.

Title & Genre: The title should resonate with the essence of the film. Mention the film genre to give a clearer picture of the movie's ambiance.

Plot & Characters: Illustrate the storyline and introduce the main characters, drawing attention to unique elements in your plot.

Tone & Example: Define the tone and give examples to provide a sensory experience of the movie ambiance.

IV. The Performance: Delivering the Pitch

In the pitch meeting, leverage the art of small talk to set a harmonious tone before you venture into your movie pitch . This meeting is not just a presentation; it’s a performance.

Employ your elevator pitches effectively, answering questions with poise, illustrating your passion and vision, and most importantly, keeping the audience – the decision makers, usually studio executives – engaged.

V. The Encore: Other Films & Unique Elements

Referencing other films that align with your concept, such as "this meets that," can offer a familiar point of reference, subtly guiding your audience through the unknown terrains of your new movie idea .

However, it’s important to distinguish your own work, spotlighting the unique elements that set your movie apart in the entertainment industry.

VI. Post-Performance: After the Pitch Meeting

After leaving the pitch room, send a thank you note or a cover letter along with a self addressed stamped envelope to keep the conversation ongoing, reflecting personal preferences and courtesy.

Key Considerations:

Audience: Understand your audience's preferences and tweak your pitch to appeal to them.

Standard Pitch & Personal Preferences: Adhere to the standard pitch format but infuse it with your personal touch, aligning it with your audience’s preferences.

Writer’s Guild & Writing Competitions: Aligning with the Writer's Guild and participating in writing competitions can provide a platform to gain access to the film industry and network with producers.

Striking a Chord with Studio Executives

Successful pitching is akin to playing a beautiful symphony; it’s about striking the right chord with studio executives and other decision makers.

Tailor your pitch to resonate with them, reflecting an understanding of their personal preferences and what they seek in a successful pitch.

Avoid unsolicited pitches; instead, seek avenues through pitch fests, film festivals, and networking to pitch a movie idea effectively.

Final Thoughts: A Symphony of Ideas

Crafting a great pitch is an artistic endeavor, requiring a harmonious blend of various elements. From the initial movie idea , the development of the story and characters, to delivering a compelling performance in the pitch meeting, every step is crucial in composing a masterpiece in the world of film.

Remember, your pitch is the gateway to the world you have created; it’s the first draft of your dream, a snapshot of your creativity, the essence of your movie. It is the key to unlock the gates of the film industry, to bring your unique vision to the world of entertainment.

So write, rewrite, refine, and practice until your pitch is a symphony of ideas, ready to resonate with the world.

I help filmmakers sell their ideas, get more clients, and make more money.

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Film Pitch Deck Examples & Templates That Stand Out

Learn how to create a pitch deck for movies or TV series. See examples and get templates that sell your screenplay to publishers, investors, and producers.

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Short answer

What is a film pitch deck?

A film pitch deck is a concise, visually engaging presentation used by filmmakers to showcase their movie concept. It highlights key elements like storyline, characters, and visual style, aiming to persuade investors or studios to back the project.

Without a solid film pitch deck, your project will never come to life

In the high-stakes world of film, a weak pitch deck is like a leak in a ship – it can sink your project before it even sets sail.

Imagine your groundbreaking movie idea getting lost in a sea of pitches because it lacked that compelling presentation. This isn't just disappointing; it's a missed opportunity in an industry where first impressions are everything.

But crafting a movie pitch deck that resonates deeply with producers, publishers, and investors is a fine art.

This post will equipping you with the tools to win. I’m here to help you craft a compelling screenwriting pitch deck that no producer could say no to.

Let’s get started!

What makes a successful film pitch deck?

A successful film pitch deck captivates with a clear storyline, compelling visuals, and a unique selling point. It should weave the film's vision, target audience, and potential market appeal, to persuade investors and producers of its commercial potential.

What does a film pitch deck include?

Crafting a movie pitch deck is an art form, blending storytelling with marketing to captivate potential backers. It's not just about listing elements; it's about weaving a narrative that showcases your film's potential.

10 critical film pitch deck slides:

Title slide: This is your first impression. Feature your film's name and logo prominently, setting the stage for what follows.

Synopsis: Your story's heart. Offer a concise, compelling summary of your film's plot, capturing its essence in a few gripping sentences.

Moodboard: Visual storytelling at its finest. Use images or collages to convey the film's tone and aesthetic, giving a taste of the visual experience.

Main characters: The soul of your film. Provide detailed descriptions and visuals of key characters, making them memorable and relatable.

Setting/Location: More than a backdrop. Showcase visuals and descriptions of main settings, highlighting how they contribute to the story's mood and narrative.

Key scenes: Your script's highlights. Present pivotal moments or sequences that are crucial to the story, demonstrating the emotional or dramatic peaks.

Target audience: Know your viewers. Clearly define who the film is for and its appeal, backing it up with market analysis to show its potential reach and impact.

Budget breakdown: Transparency builds trust. Offer a clear overview of estimated costs, showing you've thoughtfully considered the financial aspect of bringing your vision to life.

Market analysis: Show your business acumen. Include data on potential audience size, competitors, and distribution opportunities, proving your film's market viability.

Team overview: The driving force. Introduce key members behind the film, highlighting their roles, experience, and contributions to the project's credibility and potential success.

Each element of your pitch deck should tell a part of your film's story, from the creative vision to the practicalities of production and marketing.

Remember, a successful pitch deck for movies is more than a collection of slides; it's a compelling narrative that brings your film to life for potential investors and collaborators. To have an easier time, perhaps consider a screenwriting software to write a screenplay before working on your film pitch deck.

Film pitch deck examples that stand out

Let's explore some standout movie pitch deck examples. Whether you're a budding filmmaker or a seasoned director, these examples will provide invaluable insights into what makes a screenplay pitch deck effective.

Similarly to a startup pitch deck , a film pitch deck rises above the noise through a strong story. But unlike a startup deck, a film deck relies heavily on visualizing the story to claw its way to the top of the pile.

You can also use each of these examples as a template to create your own movie pitch deck.

Film production proposal

This example offers a comprehensive layout for presenting film production projects, with sections for character descriptions, location details, and a comprehensive marketing and distribution plan, making it ideal for presenting a well-rounded film proposal.

What makes this film pitch deck great:

The template features segmented content in tabs for easy navigation and organization of film project details.

An expandable 'Read more' section allows for detailed storytelling without overwhelming the initial presentation.

The timeline slide visually tracks character evolution and project milestones, enhancing narrative clarity.

Film investment proposal

Designed for pitching film investments, this example includes an executive summary, financial projections, and a marketing strategy section, making it perfect for presenting a compelling case to potential investors.

A narrated slide for the moodboard creates an immersive storytelling experience, setting the tone of the film.

Multiple image placeholders enable personalized visual storytelling tailored to the film's theme.

A video on the cover slide immediately engages viewers with a cinematic preview of the film concept.

Documentary proposal

Tailored for documentary pitches, this example features a strong narrative structure, character exploration sections, and conservation themes, ideal for presenting impactful and emotionally resonant documentary concepts.

The cover includes the average reading time , setting expectations and respecting the viewer's time.

The ability to embed videos directly into the deck allows for a rich, multimedia presentation of the documentary concept.

A smart CTA at the end effectively prompts viewers to take action, enhancing engagement and response.

Film pitch deck

A versatile pitch deck example for films, offering a narrative-focused layout with character breakdowns, thematic explorations, and directorial vision, suitable for a wide range of film genres.

The layout is clean with ample white space , ensuring a focus on content without visual clutter.

Character and plot elements are presented in a visually engaging manner, enhancing the narrative appeal.

The design incorporates a balance of text and visuals , making the pitch both informative and visually appealing.

Movie pitch deck

This example is designed for movie pitches, featuring detailed sections for plot development, character arcs, and a comprehensive marketing and distribution plan, perfect for presenting a complete movie concept.

A scroll-based design offers an interactive and modern way to explore the movie concept.

The built-in analytics panel provides insights into viewer engagement and interactions with the deck.

The design facilitates a smooth narrative flow , keeping viewers engaged from start to finish.

TV series pitch deck

Ideal for pitching TV series concepts, this example includes sections for episode breakdowns, character development, and thematic elements, along with a marketing strategy, tailored for both comedy and drama genres.

Dynamic variables can be added to personalize the deck for each reader, creating a unique experience.

The design is mobile-responsive , ensuring accessibility and a seamless experience across devices.

The template includes interactive elements that enhance viewer engagement and understanding of the TV series concept.

TV series pitch deck for Wednesday

A specialized example for TV series pitches, focusing on character development, setting, and mood, with additional sections for marketing and audience engagement, appealing to fans of gothic and dark humor.

Branded elements throughout the deck ensure a consistent and professional presentation of the TV series.

Grayed-out content for competitors focuses attention on the main content while providing context.

Easy to use, intuitive editor makes it easy to replace the image and text placeholders with your own content.

How to create a film pitch deck?

Embarking on the journey of creating a film pitch deck is much like directing a movie itself. It requires a blend of creativity, strategic storytelling, and a keen understanding of your audience.

This guide is designed to walk you through the process step by step, helping you craft a movie pitch deck that not only showcases your unique vision but also resonates deeply with those who have the power to turn your cinematic dreams into reality.

Here's how to create your deck:

1) Dive deep into your project

Before anything else, immerse yourself completely in your project. Understand every nuance of your story, from the overarching themes to the minute details of your characters and settings.

This depth of knowledge will lend authenticity and richness to your pitch, making it more compelling.

2) Conduct thorough research

Begin with extensive research. Look into similar films or shows, market trends, and audience preferences. This step is crucial not just for understanding your competition but also for identifying gaps your project can fill, and trends it can capitalize on.

3) Craft a compelling logline

Your logline is the heart of your pitch. It should be a concise and catchy sentence that sums up the essence of your story. Think of it as the hook that will grab your audience's attention.

For example, for a thriller, your logline might be, "A retired detective is drawn back into the game when a serial killer he once chased resurfaces, leaving clues only he can decipher."

4) Create a narrative flow

Your pitch deck should narratively unfold like your film would. Start by setting the scene, introduce the main characters, outline the conflict, and give a sense of the journey and resolution.

This flow helps your audience visualize the film and connect with its story.

A useful strategy is to draw inspiration from existing movies. For example, if your film is a blend of genres or styles, you might describe it as "The whimsical charm of 'Amélie' meets the gripping suspense of 'Inception'."

This kind of comparison can quickly give investors a clear idea of the unique visual and thematic blend you're aiming for.

Here's our recommended pitch deck storyline:

5) Choose visuals that tell a story

When selecting visuals for your pitch deck, think of them as an extension of your storytelling. They should not only be aesthetically pleasing but also convey the mood, style, and essence of your film.

"The key thing is to be creative and offer an engaging visual presentation for industry insiders to consider.

If you have too much information (too much text), you're going to lose them. Focus on the broad strokes. Paint a picture of the story you want to tell, and showcase how you intend on telling it."

—Ken Miyamoto, Screenwriter and former Sony Studios liaison

6) Demonstrate commercial viability

A market analysis is vital to show you understand your audience and the market. Discuss audience demographics, compare with similar successful projects, and outline potential distribution channels and marketing strategies.

Here's a great example of a marketing and distribution plan slide:

7) Be transparent about the budget

A detailed budget breakdown shows you're realistic and prepared. Include production costs, media and entertainment software , distribution, and any other significant expenses. This transparency is key to building investor confidence.

8) Showcase your team

Highlight the strengths of your team. Detail their previous successes and relevant experiences to build credibility. Your team's track record can be a significant factor in securing investment.

Here's an example of a team slide:

9) Address potential risks

Acknowledge and address potential risks in your project. This could include budget overruns, production delays, or market changes. Show that you have thought about these risks and have plans to mitigate them. This level of foresight can significantly enhance investor confidence.

10) Tailor your pitch to different audiences

When it comes to pitching your film, one size does not fit all. Different investors and producers have varied interests and priorities, and understanding these nuances can make or break your pitch.

Here’s how to tailor your pitch:

Studio executives: Focus on marketability, potential for return on investment, and audience appeal. Highlight aspects like genre trends, potential for sequels, or merchandising.

Independent investors: Emphasize the creative aspects, unique storytelling elements, and artistic vision. Discuss how your project stands out creatively in the current market.

Equity investors: Concentrate on the financial returns. Provide detailed market analysis, expected revenue streams, and a clear exit strategy.

Producers: Align your pitch with their past projects and interests. Show how your project fits into their portfolio and meets their artistic and commercial goals.

11) Conclude with a call to action

A compelling conclusion is as crucial as the opening of your pitch deck. It's the final act that leaves a lasting impression and prompts action from your audience.

Whether it's setting up a meeting, reviewing a script, or considering investment, your CTA should be direct and easy to follow. Use decisive language and make it clear what the next steps are and how they can be taken.

Consider embedding your calendar directly into your pitch deck. This innovative approach allows potential investors or collaborators to see your availability and schedule a meeting with you instantly.

Here's an example of a CTA slide:

How to design a film pitch deck?

Designing a pitch deck for a movie is like setting the stage for your film's narrative, where each slide is a crucial scene in its own right.

This section will guide you through the essential elements of designing a movie pitch deck that not only showcases your vision but also connects with your audience on a personal and professional level.

Here’s how to do it:

1) Embrace scrollytelling

Scrollytelling , a method of storytelling that combines scrolling with multimedia elements, can be a game-changer for your screenplay pitch deck. This approach allows you to create a narrative journey, guiding the viewer through your story in a dynamic and interactive way.

Use this technique to unfold your story as the viewer scrolls, integrating images, text, and other elements that bring your film to life.

Here's an example of scrollytelling:

2) Create personalized slides

Address specific investors, producers, or studio executives by name and customize content to reflect their interests or past projects. This level of personalization shows that you've done your homework and are serious about your proposal.

3) Maintain visual consistency

Maintain a consistent visual theme throughout your deck. This includes using a uniform color scheme, typography, and layout style. Consistency in design not only looks professional but also helps in creating a cohesive visual story.

You can also use custom designs that echo the tone, style, and color palette of your film. For instance, if your film is a noir thriller, use a dark, moody color scheme and imagery that reflects the genre's aesthetic.

4) Add engaging visuals

Your visuals should do more than just look good; they should speak. Use high-quality images, concept art, or stills that give a glimpse into your film’s world. These visuals should be powerful enough to convey the mood and tone of your film without needing much explanation.

Here's a great example of a visually engaging deck:

5) Include interactive elements

Consider incorporating interactive elements like clickable links or embedded videos. These features can provide a deeper insight into your film, such as showing a teaser trailer, director’s statement, or behind-the-scenes content.

6) Tell a story through data

If your pitch includes market analysis or budget breakdowns, present this data in a storytelling format. Use infographics, charts, and graphs that are easy to understand and visually appealing. This approach makes complex information digestible and engaging.

Interactive film pitch deck templates

Staring at a blank slide can be daunting, even for the most creative minds. So let our interactive film pitch deck templates lead the way.

These templates provide a solid foundation and were optimized based on real-world performance. They're completely customizable, allowing you to infuse your unique vision while maintaining an effective structure.

Hi, I'm Dominika, Content Specialist at Storydoc. As a creative professional with experience in fashion, I'm here to show you how to amplify your brand message through the power of storytelling and eye-catching visuals.

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How to Create a Film Pitch Presentation to Impress

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You’ve got a great idea for a short film, but how do you approach potential funders or backers? We’ll look at how to create a film pitch presentation, designed to impress.

Using a Template

Using a pre-made template can help when creating a pitch. It takes some of the hassle out of designing, meaning you don't have to start from scratch. 

It's important that you use a template that you can adapt and modify to suit. The  Clean PowerPoint Template  by SteelSlides, on  Graphic River , is a great example of something that is incredibly flexible. It comes with a number of themes and different slide types, so it's easy to include, say, your financial projections, all whilst maintaining the same visual style.

The Content

What is the Pitch For?

Asking what the pitch is for may seem like a silly question, but you won’t always be pitching for funds. You could be trying to recruit staff or crew, or you may be trying to convince a venue to host a screening … . There are many possibilities.

You’ll need to tailor your pitch to your end goal, but it can help to have one template that you just adjust each time, rather than starting over.

Who is the Pitch For?

You might think asking who the pitch is for is the same as asking what the pitch is for, but the questions provide different information. Considering who you will be approaching takes into account your use of language. If you’re asking for money from business owners, then they’re most likely going to want to see facts and figures with your pitch. They’ll want to know why it’s worth their while to invest in your project. This sort of pitch would need you to put aside your personal excitement about the idea and look at it dispassionately. Ask yourself tough questions and have comprehensive answers, backed up with solid research; you can bet you’ll be asked for the details when you want people to part with their cash.

If you are pitching for cast or crew rather than money, you’d probably want to get your contributors to emotionally buy into your film and get excited about it. In this instance, think about the characters in your film. Even a documentary will have a "character"—if not a person, then a town or a way of life, for example. A problem I’ve often encountered is that we expect everyone to be as taken with our ideas as we are, but remember, your audience is coming to the project cold. You need to kick-start that enthusiasm, light a fire under them, and get your audience as stoked up about your story as you are.

How Will You Pitch?

If you can, it’s always better to pitch in person. There’s really no substitute for being there to answer questions and put your personality across in the pitch. 

Presenting in person is not always possible though, so structure your pitch for someone who is coming to your presentation without you there to explain each piece. Think about whether your presentation says everything you need it to. Does it give all the information required in a succinct way?

You might want to include a short summary slide at the end to reaffirm the points you’ve made through your presentation.

Who Are You?

It seems obvious, but it’s easy to get caught up in pitching your idea only to forget to include information about you. Opinions vary about where to put your information; many film makers suggest it’s your first slide. I don’t think there’s a right or wrong place, as long as you include all the relevant information.

Based on my personal experience, I like to include a small "about us" section at the end. Hit them with the (hopefully great) idea, explain how you’ll achieve it, and then show why you are the one qualified to do it. It’s wise to include your business name and logo, and some contact information, on each slide just in case a slide ends up separated from the whole.

Who is Your Intended Audience?

Considering your audience has overlap with some of the previous points but at this stage, think about the audience for your final, finished project. You’ll have worked this out while you were planning the project, but it needs to be clear in your pitch that you know who your audience is—who this will appeal to.

Know your demographic: Does it have national appeal or local? Is it suitable for kids? Is there a gap in the market for your project or is your market oversaturated? Even if the market is busy, your project is not necessarily a bad idea. But you'll need to be able to justify why not if asked.

We're talking about the financial kind of breakdown, not emotional. Have costs (even estimated costs) for everything. Saying you need a particular amount just isn’t enough. You’ll be expected to justify every cost and to have done your research when it comes to getting quotes. Some organisations (like local councils) require three different quotes for work.

Remember to include a timeline, and again, be realistic. Do you have a particular date you’re aiming for, and is there a reason for that? Your film release might be tying in to a local event or specific date. Tagging your film onto an existing event can have added value because there may already be a crowd of people, and therefore a potential audience.

Promises, Promises

Don’t make promises you can’t keep. Keep expectations realistic or they'll come back to bite you in the end. There will always be things that you wish you could do, or that you try your very best to do, but they just don’t fit into your schedule or budget for whatever reason. This is to be anticipated, but certainly shouldn’t be happening frequently.

The Presentation

If you’re creating a film pitch, I think it’s safe to assume you’re a creative, media-savvy person. Treat the creation of the visual elements of your pitch as seriously as you would the content.

You’re a master of the moving image, so add some video to show what you can do. Keep the clips short and relevant.

Keep your bullet points direct and talk around them. Later, the bullet points should serve as reminders of what your pitch contained, rather than reading like minutes of a meeting. Include images where appropriate to break up any text, and inject humour into your pitch if it’s appropriate to do so. People do business with people; if you’re likeable and easy to work with, you’ll be a more pleasing prospect to a potential backer.

Be Prepared

The importance of being prepared cannot be overstated: do not rely on someone else’s technology or system. I recently did a talk where I needed to use a PowerPoint presentation and was told to bring it on a memory stick. I try to be prepared for any eventuality, so I also took along my laptop and an HDMI cable. When I got to the venue, I discovered that their version of PowerPoint didn’t support my newer presentation. A quick switch to my laptop for output and all was well. Without the backup, I’d have really struggled.

It’s nerve-wracking enough doing a presentation; worrying about the set-up is an added layer of complication you could do without. Bring a backup method of presenting (where possible) and you’ll cover all your bases.

Tell a Story

Telling a story is good advice for shaping the content, but I think it’s important to also tell that story visually. The story is not just about your plot or documentary subject; your whole presentation should have a narrative. Think about how you’ll get into your pitch: Will you introduce yourself or will you wow them with your film skills in the guise of a clip? How will you end? Tailing off and waiting for your audience to realise it’s over is a little awkward, so think in advance how you’ll get out of your pitch. Is there a call to action? Do you take your potential backers through the emotional wringer and leave them bereft at the end?

Give Every Page Equal Importance

No page or part of your presentation should be filler. Give each section due care and attention. If the information is redundant, scrap it or replace it with something else. Even your "about you" section should leap out and grab your listeners' attention. 

Keep things simple but effective. It’s easy to go a bit crazy with effects, whizzes, and bangs; the whole thing can become a mess and fall flat. Use your talents subtly, enough to impress but not so much that you look as if you’re trying too hard!

Consistency

Using a template is great for consistency. You can still inject some variety into each slide, but the running theme and elements will be complementary. Stick to the same fonts and styles throughout. Try and edit your footage or photographs consistently too; if you can stick to a similar colour and tone for everything, it’ll help pull your whole pitch together into a sustainable and interesting whole.

Good Luck, and Remember …

Don’t give up if you don’t get backing; it isn’t a failure. If you’re not successful, ask for feedback and use that to improve and hone your pitch for next time. Sometimes, it’s just not the right time and learning to take that on the chin is part of the whole process.

If you’re successful (congratulations!), follow up on your pitch and get that deal in writing with contracts as soon as possible. Keep in touch with key people to make sure their interest doesn’t wane, but balance your contact so as not to be a pest. 

5 Tips to Using a Visual Presentation to Promote Your Film

A cofounder of the Slamdance Film Festival , Dan Mirvish is also an award-winning indie film director .

On top of that, he also recently wrote a book called The Cheerful Subversive’s Guide to Independent Film (Focal Press/Routledge).

In this article, Dan takes us on a journey into the idea of visual presentation and what it can do to help the promotion of your film.

The book is a comprehensive guide to how to the craft and lifestyle of indie filmmaking, taking the reader from script through production, and on into the festival and distribution world.

In this exclusive excerpt, Dan follows up a chapter on how to put together a business plan with an emphasis that in this day and age, indie filmmakers can and should also start their projects with some sort of visual presentation.

Regardless of whether you’re Kickstarting your little 10-minute short, or pitching yourself to direct a $100 million studio film.  

Remember: It’s a Visual Medium 

Beyond the traditional text-heavy business plan , increasingly people are expecting you to make some kind of visual presentation.

This can vary wildly, but might include storyboards, pre-vis animation, a lookbook, a mood board, a mood reel, a short film, trailer, a Kickstarter-style fundraising video or some combination of all of them. 

On most of my films, I usually do a handful of storyboards early in the process.

Now, I’m not talking about the simple stick-figure storyboards a director might do to prepare for a particular scene or effects sequence. Rather, I mean full-color, full-page boards prepared by a real artist that are more illustrative of the tone, mood or style of various scenes in the movie.

Luckily, my old college roommate, Matt Fuller , is a professional commercial storyboard artist in LA,  and for the price of a good meal I can usually get him to help me out on these.

I know my French director pal Frédéric Forestier has his childhood friend do the same.

One variation I’ve seen is at Pixar where they’ll do maybe a 20-panel grid just showing the color palette of the film as it progresses through different moods and tones. It’s a simple, but elegant technique that anyone can do with a 64-crayon box of Crayolas.

Either way, these are good visual elements to include in your business plan, website or other presentation material. 

If you aren’t artistically minded at all, or if you simply have no friends, then what can you do?

Find other films that have the kind of style or technique you want to go for in your film. Get screen grabs of your favorite scenes, preferably wide shots that don’t really show any recognizable faces.

What you don’t want is a big close up of Harrison Ford in Blade Runner as a visual reference for your micro-budget sci-film. All your investors will wonder why you’ve cast your cousin Larry, and why you don’t have Harrison Ford in your movie.

If you’re good with Photoshop , blur out faces, or crop around them. It’s fine if these are recognizable films (you are telling people, after all, that it’s Blade Runner meets Kindergarten Cop   — you may as well show stills from those).

Likewise, use any photography you can get your hands on — from perfume ads to car commercials.

Better yet, head out to some possible locations, set your DSLR in “still” mode and shoot some actual photographs. Strung together, laid out nicely, these can turn a boring text-heavy business plan into a sleek and sexy “lookbook!”

Even if you’re not actually doing a crowdfunding campaign, per se, I think most investors these days expect to see some kind of video presentation.

This could be a short film upon which the feature will be based (I did this with my film Open House ). It could be the scrawny director with bad posture leaning into the camera and begging for money. It could be a splashy mood reel with quick clips from other films, or it could be some combination.

Hey, if it’s good enough for Spike Lee and Zach Braff, it should be good enough for you!

Whatever you do, please don’t call it a “sizzle reel.” Unless you’re pitching a TV show. Then call it a sizzle reel to your heart’s delight, because that’s what they’re called in TV. But film? Not so much.

Keep in mind that for crowdfunding videos, you really don’t have to worry as much about copyright or music issues like you would with your movie itself, or even a trailer.

After all, you’re not commercially exploiting your pitch video itself. In fact, you may not even show it publicly at all (if, for example, it lives entirely on your Kickstarter page, or as a password protected Vimeo).

So that gives you much freer rein to snag clips from other movies, YouTube clips, stock footage or Grammy-winning songs for which you’d normally pay through the nose or avoid completely.

But don’t fall in love with these videos — if you don’t have all those rights, you won’t be able to put them on your DVD extras if and when you finish your film.

Meanwhile, if any of those rights holders do complain or get upset while you’re in mid-campaign, it’s easy enough to recut your video without the offending material or with the appropriate credit.

What does .vtt stand for? I have no idea. But basically it’s a TextEdit file with the suffix .vtt instead of .txt. There’s a bunch of websites that will show you examples.  Essentially you put it together the same way indie filmmakers have been doing subtitles for years for festival, foreign distribution and DVD purposes.  

My pal, director Matthew Harrison , figured out the nuts and bolts: You write down your subtitles in Text, then import into an Excel spreadsheet.

Then duplicate your Final Cut Pro (FCP) video sequence, add marks every time you want a new subtitle to start, and then export the subclips as a Text file (you can probably do something similar in Premiere or Avid, too).

Presto! You have a handy dandy list of start and stop points that you then copy/paste into Excel next to each subtitle line.

Export the whole thing to Word, clean up the paragraph or tab marks, and export back to TextEdit.

To do a .vtt file specifically, there’s one more trick where you have to convert frame numbers to milliseconds (hint: multiply by 33!), but otherwise, Matt’s technique is useable for almost any subtitle software. 

I hope you’ve found this article instructive. Have any questions? Thoughts? Ideas? Let us know in the comments section below and we’ll be sure to answer you. And feel free to share this article with your friends and colleagues using the share buttons below the article!

Bio on Dan Mirvish : For more information on the book The Cheerful Subversive’s Guide to Independent Filmmaking go to this page . Or order directly through Amazon right here .

Dan is currently in post-production on his latest feature film , Bernard and Huey , starring David Koechner and Oscar-winner Jim Rash.

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What is a Feature Film — Definition & Qualifications Explained

Y ou may have heard the term “feature film” or even simply “feature” whenever the topic of movies comes up. But what is a feature film and how does it differ from other types of film? Features make up the larger library of motion pictures that movie-goers are familiar with. While they may differ in genre, stories, and even format, features share similar characteristics.

What is a Feature Film 

First, let’s define feature film.

To better understand the feature film meaning, let’s take a look at the feature film definition. This is important to differentiate features from other types of motion pictures. 

FEATURE FILM DEFINITION

What is a feature film.

A feature film is a film that typically has a run time between 80 minutes and 180 minutes long. This distinction, however, can depend on who you ask. The Screen Actors Guild defines a feature as a minimum of 80 minutes whereas The Academy defines a feature as a minimum of 40 minutes. The distinctions are primarily used to separate films into the category of a short film or a feature film. Films screened in commercial movie theatres are typically features that run over 80 minutes. 

What were the first major features?

• The Crusaders (1911)
• The Loves of Queen Elizabeth (1912)
• Quo Vadis (1913)

First Feature Film in History

The history of features.

What are feature films and what is their place in the history of cinema? The history of motion pictures and evolution of features is dense and complex. Motion pictures evolved into storytelling features largely due to their ability to make money. 

The demand for stories told through motion pictures grew and soon studios formed to create as many motion pictures as possible to generate revenue. 

These motion pictures screened in theaters started off with shorter lengths. However they eventually evolved into what we now know as feature films. A few longer motion pictures convinced studios that there was a demand for longer, feature length films and thus more features were created.

For a more detailed rundown of the history of feature films, check out this video by Crash Course. 

What are feature films  •  Crash Course Film History

To recap, one of the pioneers and biggest influences on the narrative elements of features is D.W. Griffith. While deeply racist and a proponent of hate, his film Birth of a Nation created a scope and scale that paved the way for a larger demand for features. 

As demand for features grew, so did technology. New technology impacted not only the creation of films, but the distribution as well. Studios grew and more features were being created year after year. 

When sound was introduced to cinema in The Jazz Singer (1927) and later color, demand for features grew exponentially. The multibillion dollar film industry we have today is a result of the evolution and demand for features. 

Related Posts

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• When Were Movies Invented? A History of Motion Pictures →

What are Feature Films

Feature films vs. short films.

Not every film that filmmakers make is considered to be a feature. Films that fall under 80 minutes (or under 40 minutes to The Academy) or categorized as short films. What is a feature film versus a short film? There are a few key distinctions between features and shorts.

The first and most obvious difference is run time. How long is a feature film run time? As we’ve clarified earlier, features typically have a run time of at least 80 minutes. Short films, however, can be as short as only a few minutes and as long as 40 minutes. The difference in run time further creates numerous differences between shorts and features such as structure.

2. Structure

Most features follow a traditional three act structure that unfolds over the course of at least 80 minutes. What are feature films structures defined by? 

 What is a Feature Film Structure?

Because short films have less time to tell a story, they typically utilize a different structure that focuses more on rising action and climax rather than exposition and denouement . 

3. Characters

The length of features allow filmmakers to introduce more characters. They also allow characters to have full character arcs and allow the audience to connect more deeply to them.

Shorts typically only allow an audience to see a snippet of a character and their life. Shorts lack exposition that tell us who this character is. Shorts also must focus on less characters to be more effective. 

While it is an obvious difference it is worth noting that a major reason why filmmakers even shoot short films is because they cost a lot less. For this reason, short films are often used as a proof of concept that generates interest and hopefully further investment for a full feature. 

This was the case for Damien Chazelle’s  breakout feature,  Whiplash .

Check out this interview from Chazelle talking about how Whiplash was developed as short from a feature film script to convince financiers. 

Whiplash  •  Feature film examples

While not every short film will end up becoming the next Whiplash , they are a great way to gain experience for a director or producer before taking on your first feature. 

Whether you are interested in directing a feature or writing the screenplay for a one, understanding the key characteristics of features is important in crafting longer stories fit for a feature. Watching great short films and features will give you a better idea of what project you should tackle next.

• A Brief History of Film Noir in Cinema →
• What is Technicolor? And How It Changed Cinema→
• How Damien Chazelle Turned the Whiplash Short into a Feature →

A Brief History of Motion Pictures

If you’re interested in learning about what motion pictures were like before features, check out our next article. We take a dive into the history of motion pictures as far back as the 1800s. Who invented the motion picture? Who invented the motion picture camera? We’ll answer both of these questions and more up next. 

Up Next: History of Motion Pictures →

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How film projection got so complicated — and how it can make or break your movie experience

From 35mm to 3D IMAX, the history of movies is a history of film technology.

by Peter Suderman

When you walk into a movie theater, you probably don’t think much about what’s going on in the projection booth.

You picked the theater because it was conveniently located, or because it was showing the movie you wanted to see at the time you wanted to see it, or perhaps because it had oversize comfortable seating. You went because you wanted to see a movie — a story told in sound and pictures — not a demonstration of projector technology.

But a movie shown in a theater isn’t just a movie. It’s a presentation.

Just as the arrangement of food on a plate is an important part of a restaurant experience, and the framing and placement of paintings is integral to a museum visit, the way a movie is projected can have a meaningful impact on your theatrical experience. Great projection can make a movie sharper, more colorful, more vivid and engaging — while poor projection can be a movie-ruining distraction.

Understanding the nuances of movie projection, and the different projection options available to moviegoers, can help you make the most of the cinematic experience you pay good money for. But understanding those nuances means understanding how projection has changed over the years, and how technological advances have affected not only what we see on the screen but how it gets on that screen.

The history of movies is a history of film technology

Today, most movies and even television are widescreen extravaganzas, designed to fill up the space on modern screens and high-definition televisions. But in the earliest days of motion pictures, movies were typically projected on 35mm film, meaning that the film reel itself was 35mm wide. The 35mm reel was adopted as an international standard in 1909.

These early films were shown in a boxy 1.33:1 aspect ratio — not quite a square, but without the scope that is the standard today. (Since this will come up frequently, a film’s “aspect ratio” is its shape, expressed as width:height. So a 1.33:1 ratio is 1.33 feet wide for every foot high it is, and is also sometimes written as 4:3. Read much more about this here .)

That ratio changed slightly with the advent of sound on film, because filmmakers had to make room on the film reel for the soundtrack. (In the analog world, information always takes up physical space.) That pushed the ratio to something more like 1.37:1.

A few filmmakers also experimented with wider formats during this time: French filmmaker Abel Gance, for example, worked in a format dubbed Polyvision , which could show panoramic images as wide as 4:1. But for the most part, the ratio stayed right around 1.37:1 until after World War II, when competition from television spurred innovation from filmmakers and theater owners.

As Chris Robinson, a film professor at the University of Arkansas Little Rock who studies the history of film projection and production technology, tells me, “Studios were interested in trying to give people something that they won’t see at home — something a little more spectacular, a little bigger.”

Suddenly the screen started to expand. The postwar period saw experiments with technologies like Cinerama , which used three projectors running simultaneously to fill out a massive, wraparound screen, as well as with widescreen formats like CinemaScope, which used anamorphic lenses that allowed filmmakers to capture a picture across a complete 35mm frame and then stretch it out during the projection process. That let directors craft images that were as wide as 2.66:1.

Other filmmakers began to experiment with shooting and projecting films in 70mm — double the width of traditional film reels. Films like Ben Hur, 2001: A Space Odyssey , and Lawrence of Arabia used Panavision technology , which not only allowed for a widescreen presentation but also captured images of much greater resolution, offering an immense sense of scale and detail. This gave the epics of the 1950s and ’60s their truly epic quality.

But after this period of experimentation, Hollywood settled into a relatively stable equilibrium, in which most movies were shot and projected on 35mm film and shown either in “scope” at 2.35:1 (or sometimes 2.39:1) or in the more conventional ratio of 1.85:1. All were wider than the old 1.37:1 standard, but not as wide as the experimental formats of the ’50s and ’60s.

But the evolution of projection isn’t just limited to the size of the film being shot on. During the 1970s, theater owners switched from showing movies on reels, which required projectionists to cue up segments of movies on two separate projectors and switch between them throughout the film, to platters, which allowed projectionists to connect all the reels of a film together on a massive spool that could play through a single projector. But otherwise, the system stayed relatively stable.

However, the move to platters exacerbated one of the drawbacks to analog film: As a physical medium, it could degrade or be damaged. The new process was easier on projectionists, who no longer had to feed two cameras and time the switches between them, but platters were rougher on the film prints themselves, making them more likely to be scratched or dirtied. In the days of analog projection, one of the biggest reasons to see a movie on opening weekend was that the print was more likely to be pristine.

Enter the digital evolution

For those, like me, who grew up watching movies during the 1980s and ’90s, the 35mm standard, in one of two aspect ratios, accounted for nearly every movie you saw. It was the standard, and it defined theatrical presentation during the first decades of the blockbuster era.

But that standard began to erode at the end of the 20th century as filmmakers began to integrate digital technology, in the form of computer-generated special effects and editing, into their workflow.

More precisely, the standard began to erode in June of 1999, when George Lucas conducted the first all-digital screenings of a major motion picture: Star Wars: Episode 1 — The Phantom Menace. Lucas wasn’t quite the first filmmaker to embrace digital projection — The Last Broadcast , a dirt-cheap found-footage horror film, had been projected digitally in October 1998 — but he was the most prominent.

Digital projection didn’t catch on immediately, and throughout the 2000s, Lucas expressed frustration with the slow pace of the transition. But the die was cast. As film historian David Bordwell recounts in his book Pandora’s Box: Films, Files, and the Future of Movies, in the year 2000 there were just 30 movie theaters set up with digital screens in the world. A decade later, there were more than 36,000.

The transformation of the multiplex was the result of a confluence of efforts from different branches of the film industry. Technology-focused filmmakers such as Lucas and James Cameron, whose 2009 film Avatar became a major inflection point in the rise of digital projection, were vocal proponents of the evolution to digital. A group of major movie studios — Disney, Fox, Paramount, Sony Pictures Entertainment, Universal, and Warner Bros. — set up a consortium called the Digital Cinema Initiative to develop industry standards for digital projection technology in the mid-’00s.

Theater owners themselves, who initially balked at the expense of digital projection, finally came around when it became clear that digital projection could add to their bottom lines, reducing labor costs by cutting out pricey skilled projectionists and allowing theaters to charge more for digital 3D movies like Avatar.

• Film vs. digital: the most contentious debate in the film world, explained

The transformation of the multiplex coincided with the transformation of the way films were shot. For years, cinematographers — the camera specialists who oversee a movie’s photography — had expressed skepticism about the ability of digital cameras to compete with film. Compared with 35mm, early digital cameras weren’t light- or color-sensitive enough, and didn’t provide the same level of resolution.

But as Bordwell notes in his book, by the beginning of the 2010s, even legendary cinematographers like Roger Deakins could be found praising digital as comparable to or even better than film. It looked like digital had won the format war, and analog filmmaking and projection was dead.

For the love of film

But just as it looked like analog was done for, film started making a comeback — thanks, again, to the determination of a small group of filmmakers.

Christopher Nolan, in particular, led the charge, eschewing digital effects where possible and continuing to shoot on film — not only 35mm but 70mm IMAX as well. For The Dark Knight Rises and Interstellar , Nolan staged screenings using 70mm prints, and employed multiple aspect ratios within the film, switching between them depending on the scene. His next film, the forthcoming Dunkirk , was shot entirely on 70mm.

Nolan isn’t the only contemporary director embracing 70mm. Quentin Tarantino shot his 2015 film The Hateful Eight on 70mm, and set up limited “roadshow” screenings across the country using ancient projectors , many of which had to be cobbled together from spare parts, to present the film in a rare, ultra-wide aspect ratio of 2.76:1 . The Hateful Eight roadshow was a throwback to the days of analog spectacle — a unique film-only experience designed to lure viewers out of their homes and away from their televisions.

The renewed interest in throwback formats can also be seen in some of 2016’s more high-profile releases: La La Land was shot in CinemaScope and projected in a slightly wider 2.55:1 aspect ratio as a reference to the movie musicals of the 1950s, and Jackie was shot on Super 16mm (a little under half the size of 35mm), in order to achieve a look that resembled archive footage . Even Deakins returned to film for the Coen brothers’ Hail, Caesar — with reservations — and says the Coens are considering continuing with using film over digital in their next film.

Indeed, Robinson, the Arkansas film professor, argues that we are now in a “return to that era,” in which studios, filmmakers, and theater owners have once again started to experiment with projection technology in response to competition from home theaters and streaming sites such as Netflix.

Today’s 4K televisions, which enable the display of images at four times the resolution of typical HD screens, have the potential to provide images that are higher resolution than the 2K projectors that are found in many theaters. So just as in the heyday of Cinemascope and Cinerama, when theaters employed newer, bigger formats in order to draw viewers away from their TVs, theaters are now looking for ways to create experiences that can’t be had at home. In addition to analog experimentation, theaters are experimenting with digital variants such as IMAX, 3D, and laser projectors , which provide a far brighter and more vividly colorful picture than ordinary digital projection.

How to make the most of the modern moviegoing experience

The result of this renewed experimentation is that there’s more variety in the ways movies are shot and projected than ever before, and more choices for both filmmakers and moviegoers. And that can lead to confusion.

Take a movie like Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice . In addition to seeing it in conventional digital projection, either 2D or 3D, you also had the choice to see it in several “premium formats.” Some theaters showed it in IMAX 70mm , using 70mm prints projected onto large-format IMAX screens. You could also see it in laser-projected IMAX 3D, or in laser-projected IMAX 2D.

The profusion of formats has created challenges for theaters and moviegoers alike — some theaters have reportedly struggled to manage the transition between 3D and 2D projection, making 2D films dull and dark in the process .

Figuring out exactly how to see a movie these days can take a bit of work, but Robinson offered a few tips.

If you want to watch a movie in 3D, look for a theater that uses two projectors working together. The 3D effect is created by overlaying two images, which creates a “stereo” effect that gives it depth; it’s the visual equivalent of two speakers working in tandem. But 3D projection is notoriously dim, and dual projection means there are two projector bulbs providing light. You can tell by looking behind you to see if there are two separate streams of light from the projection booth.

“Your primary advantage is that it is a brighter and better-lit picture,” Robinson says.

For digital screenings, look for laser projection, which dramatically improves the presentation of color. Figuring out which theaters are using which technology can require a bit of effort, but both IMAX and the AMC theater chains maintain lists of currently operating laser projectors.

You should also look for theaters that continue to offer correct “masking” — which is the practice of changing the aspect ratio of the screen by using moving curtains to frame the image. Proper masking ensures the picture fills up the entire visible screen area, making for a more fully encompassing experience, but in recent years, some theaters have dropped the practice entirely, resulting in projection that leaves unused screen white space visible to the audience.

If you can find a theater with a 4K projector, that’s usually a good sign too, Robinson says, although determining which theaters are using 4K technology can be difficult, as it’s not always advertised.

And consider seeking out theaters that are showing movies on actual film — at least when you’re seeing a movie by a director who places a priority on the analog experience. There are sometimes benefits to doing so beyond the projection itself: Tarantino’s Hateful Eight 70mm roadshow played a slightly different cut than the one that played in standard theaters. Nolan’s Dunkirk will screen several days early in theaters projecting it in 35mm and 70mm.

Finally, whenever you can, seek out specialty theaters, like the AFI in Los Angeles or Silver Spring , Maryland, that cater to film lovers. These theaters employ trained projectionists and are focused on providing a high-quality projection experience, whatever the format.

In an era when mobile phones and laptops and streaming services make it possible to watch movies just about anywhere, the theatrical experience itself is arguably as big a reason to go out to the movies as the specific movie you’re paying to see. If it’s worth making the effort to go out and see a movie, it’s worth understanding what you’re seeing — and getting the experience right.

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1 What is Film?

Introduction: what is film.

Since the early 1900s, filmmakers and theorists have argued over the question of what differentiates film from the other arts of literature, painting, theater and photography.  Film , also known as  cinema , or  movies , refers not just to moving images and the telling of stories, but also to the celluloid or film stock upon which these moving images were printed.  For well over a century, film has profoundly impacted our world and the ways in which we perceive ourselves and others.   However, we have also had an impact upon the medium.  Surrounded as we are in society by a constant barrage of images from television, cell phone and compu­ter screens to digital ad screens in subways, department stores and airports, moving images have become so ubiquitous that we fail to recognize how trained we already are in reading images.  We often neglect to give these images the careful, critical consideration they require to develop an appreciation for their construction, and the different kinds of audiovisual expe­riences in which they invite us to participate.

Film  celluloid  is composed of  frames , still images that together make up the entirety of a film. The practice of framing a subject or a shot within the ‘frame’ of the camera’s rectan­gular shaped viewfinder delimits and directs our vision. For instance, a camera can move to follow a young girl home from work late at night. This young girl can be positioned in diffe­rent ways within the camera’s rectangular viewpoint to be ‘read’ in a framing of the shot.  A s we follow film history, we see the development of our cinematic sight from an  objective  stance where we are held at a distance from the screen, to a  subjective  one where we begin to perceive the emotions or aura of things .  Today, cinema constantly moves between these two states of objective and subjective positioning of the spectator.  But it also interacts with a third state—the invisible.  Invisible processes, such as the story world off-screen or outside the camera frame, and the cultural, political, economic, technological and industrial events constantly occurring in the real world off-camera, influence both the content and the appea­rance of the films we watch and the ways in which we consume them.   In this way, there is always an inside and outside the frame, what we can visibly see and hear, and what works outside of our vision on the image.

Imagine, for example, the aforementioned young girl who is walking home alone at night. She seems tired, but unworried as she hurries home. The camera keeps her clearly visible and to the front of the frame, but over her shoulder, in the background, an indistinct figure follows.  Why are we concerned?  What is behind her? A harmless passerby, a serial killer, a supernatural monster? The director deliberately prevents us from knowing for certain, which makes the figure looming behind the young girl more threatening.   Positioning the girl in the foreground brings her closer to us, so that we try to understand what she is feeling, and begin to align ourselves with her perspective. While her face is in focus, naturally attracting our gaze, the blurred figure in the background takes on a more ominous cast, removed as it is from the familiar and the human.

Through the choices the director makes, we begin to shift from a purely objective view (the visible) where we watch a woman walk home, to a more subjective viewership where we begin to feel uneasy as we are emotionally influenced by subject positions and the structural elements that make up the film.   Film physically moves us. When the hairs on our arms raise or we leap from our seats in fear, when our faces contort with anguish for a character, and our chests heave with a sudden intake of breath in shared shock over the death of a belo­ved character, we are emotionally moved by the communal experience of cinema.  B ut,  we also move cinema in turn by suspending our disbelief, and immersing ourselves fully into the wonderland of film sound and image.   E ven as clearly and carefully constructed as a film may be in its effort to critically direct its meaning and influence us emotionally, the film audience ultimately makes the leaps and connections in cinema driving the film forward.   We bring our own experiences and understandings to the film, making cinema not just a communal expe­rience but also an intensely personal one. What moves us may not move another.

For French philosopher Roland Barthes,  one of the chief ways in which cinema separates itself from an art like photography,  is in its ability to fully immerse audiences into the screen so that they forget they are watching a film (also called “ suturing ”) , and to have the audience see themselves projected onto the screen, an ability that cinema depends upon.  This cine­matic world, one imagined by a director or character, can seem very familiar to us, entwi­ned as we are within the screen and with the character.  Cinema can embody us within the screen, where we adopt the vision and point of view of characters. Simultaneously, it can hold us at a distance allowing us to examine the social norms in which we participate and take for granted.

Roland Barthes speaks to the double nature of cinema, one that produces an ‘enthralled spectator’ and forms the basis for the promise of a shared community, a community where we all touch and are touched by images. This enthrallment by the moving image points to a darker aspect of cinema— its insidious ability to manipulate and encourage mass audien­ces to consume harmful images and ideologies.   For example,  The Birth of a Nation  (Griffith, 1915) and  Triumph of the Will  (Riefenstahl, 1935), both instant successes on their release, used the emotionally persuasive craft of cinema to bolster white nationalistic pride through heroic Christ-like representations of the Ku Klux Klan and Hitler respectively.  Mainstream cinema, films geared towards wide release in theaters and marketed to wide audiences with the aim of attaining the greatest revenue, tends to adhere to a dominant system of belief that largely neglects stories told from marginalized perspectives and outside the Hollywood narrative system.  In this way, even ‘light’ fare, like  romantic comedies, Marvel superhero movies and Disney animations, can participate in producing narratives that privilege hetero­sexuality, monogamy and marriage as well as certain races, religions, ethnic groups, genders and their way of life over others.  Think here, for instance, of how many films you have seen that feature a queer character at its center? Or a practicing Muslim character as its hero? What do they wear? In what language do they speak? What is typically represented as social reality in the mainstream cinema of your country?

We can think of film as constantly moving between dream and disruption.  The dream machine of cinema allows the spectator to imagine that the intoxicating images on screen are true representations of reality. The destabilizing cinema, on the other hand, shakes the audience out of its stupor through violence and fear, stark documentations of reality or a self­-aware camera that demands audience participation in its production of meaning. In  Funny Games  (Haneke, 1997) for instance, characters on screen constantly interrupt the action (breaking the  fourth wall ), and taunt the cinema audience, making the spectator complicit not just in the torture of the family on screen, but so too in the mass production of these grisly images. The audience is made to feel uncomfortable in their casual pleasure taking in such violent images. The cinema spectator thus always walks a tightrope between pleasura­ble absorption in the image and distrust of the image.  By learning to appreciate film, we not only gain new insight, but also a new ability to perceive and challenge representations of the world. Peering through the frame of the camera, we see our own selves through the eyes of others across the globe.

Features of the Textbook

Online video links will be embedded in chapters.

Sherlock, Jr.  (Keaton, 1924)

Bolded terms in chapters are summarized in boxes at the section’s end and in the glossary at the back.

Terminology

Celluloid : A malleable thermoplastic. Used in cinema as photographic film stock. Frames: Still images that make up celluloid film.

Objective filmmaking : Distances the audience from the story’s action and the characters’s experience.

Subjective filmmaking : Involves the audience in the story action and character experience.

Suturing : A film theory term that describes the process of immersion, whereby the audience is “stitched” into the film by becoming emotionally invested.

Fourth wall : The screen through which the audience watches film. “Breaking the fourth wall” makes it appear as though characters are addressing the audience directly.

Film Appreciation Copyright © by piercecollege. All Rights Reserved.

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The Importance of Representation in Film and Media

Imagine the first time when young children see a superhero or an astronaut on screen whose image looks like them. It is 2018, and for some kids, the historic moment of seeing Black Panther was their first time seeing a superhero of color on screen. Better yet, this groundbreaking film which has netted over $900 million dollars, could have been the first time seeing a predominantly black cast with a black director, black costume designers, black hairstylists, and more, actively producing representation in a positive light. Sandra Bullock’s astronaut character, Dr. Ryan Stone, in the 2013 film, Gravity , may have been the first occasion when young girls witnessed both a female astronaut and scientist on screen. The content our society views on screen is supposed to reflect its people, but all too often the entertainment and media industries tend to marginalize people of color, and women, just to name a few. Stories affect all areas of life in terms of how people view themselves, how they live their lives, and how they see others. Some of the content that these industries distribute to the public remains the only form of representation some individuals see, and these portrayals may be accurate or inaccurate. Media depicts stereotypical representations for people of color and women, whether through Hollywood or on the news, as violent criminals, the help, terrorists, submissive characters, highly sexualized beings, unintelligent people, and more. Similarly, there are concerns for Lesbian, Gay, Bi-sexual, Transgender, and Queer (LGBTQ) populations and depictions of disabled persons. Seeing oneself on screen is crucial because society is not monolithic, but multifaceted. The continued cycle of excluding diversity, inclusion, and ignoring misrepresentation in the entertainment and media industry showcase the importance of having diverse storytellers, actors, directors, and producers involved both on-screen and behind the scenes.

Historically, film and media industries have had a poor track record in accurately representing diversity. Hollywood is the biggest exporter of culture, yet has long ignored the importance of diversity since its creation (Burgin 2018). The roots of the industry involve systemic, institutionalized racist practices, “whether its appearing in disparaging roles or not appearing at all, minorities are the victim of an industry that relies on old ideas to appeal to the “majority” at the expense of the insignificant minority” (Horton, Price, and Brown 1999). Early 18th century practices presented African Americans in inhumane frameworks, as ignorant, clownish, and animalistic. Specifically, African Americans were not even afforded the opportunity to play themselves, as whites dressed in blackface to reinforce white supremacy, creating a cycle of negative effects with society’s perceptions (Horton, Price, and Brown). Following this period, there were voices of protest railing against stereotypical and demeaning representation; yet the industry still remained guilty of perpetuating false narratives and provided limited opportunities for minorities. Perhaps one of the most egregious and despicable films that served as a catalyst for African Americans to produce their own films was The Birth of a Nation in 1915 which glorified the Ku Klux Klan and reiterated blacks as inferior beings. Thereafter, a wave of films showcasing blacks in authentic, fully dimensional roles developed by African American filmmakers from independent black studios like at the Lincoln Motion Pictures Company and the Micheaux Film Corporation who challenged the notion of single narrative, stereotypical roles. (Horton, Price, and Brown). In contrast, although white executives deserve blame for lack of inclusion and inaccurate portrayals, there have been minorities over the years who further perpetuated horrible stereotypes as well. For instance, the first film to feature an all black cast, Hearts in Dixi e, starred the black actor, Stephin Fetchit, who horrifically reinforced the “ stereotype of the lazy, stupid, good-for-nothing Negro who knows his place,” in not only that film but throughout his career (Horton, Price, and Brown). Fetchit became the standard for black roles until only in 1952 when Hollywood discontinued casting such characters, but even with the “statement,” negative stereotypes continue to plague minorities in films with degrading roles (Horton, Price, and Brown). In the early 20th century through the present, many diverse groups are scrutinizing all facets of the film and media industries’ transgressions (Gaydos and Gray 2016). Similarly, throughout history as the media industries of print and television evolved, their influence continued to shape public opinion about minorities.

The media industries’ evolution from mostly print to television increased the emphasis of the power of the mass media with heavier influence in portraying minorities inaccurately. With the rise of television, information became easily available to millions and “often gives people insights into worlds that are unfamiliar and vastly different from their own,” as it may be their only encounter with that part of society (Horton, Price, and Brown). Therefore, the influence that media has is a tremendously weighty responsibility and unfortunately, many of these studios have created harmful false narratives. As individuals continually see flashes of false information and a skewed depiction, it becomes mentally damaging because “when images and ideas presented at a young age take hold, and are reinforced over years of viewing, these images become reality and once these stereotypes and misconceptions become ingrained in the psyche of American children, they become self-perpetuating” (Horton, Price, and Brown). For far too long, the media executives reflected their versions of society which more often than not was exclusionary, damaging, and not objective. Although progress has been made, major television news outlets have traditionally not featured journalists of color and perpetuated one-sided narratives. “Oftentimes in newsrooms across the country, you don’t have a substantial representation of people of color in newsrooms who are making decisions to what’s going to be portrayed in the media.” (May 2018). Reportedly, men deliver 65% of political segments, 63% of science and technological stories, 67% of crime, and 64% of global issues; alternatively, females receive minimal on-air time allotted 32% screen time, and the stories they cover are limited to education and lifestyle stories (Alter 2015). Unfortunately, media biases are prominent in featuring portrayals of minorities primarily as criminals, terrorists, uneducated, highly sexualized people, and more. These depictions penetrate the minds of viewers and create unconscious biases which negatively affects the way individuals interact with each other. Ghandnoosh pointed out in 2015 that implicit biases have led to unnecessary discrimination and police shootings of black males. By extension, the media’s excessive and impartial coverages of “alleged black criminals” creates a domino effect in also impacting the justice system. Jury members, lawyers, as well as judges involved are consequently more inclined to deliver tougher punishments for blacks (Donaldson 2015). For these reasons and more, the necessity of having diverse journalists, executives, and producers on screen and behind the cameras is crucial. Society is multidimensional not monolithic, so the beautiful mosaic of all people should be represented. Cheriss May, photojournalist, and correspondent for the White House shared in 2018:

Representation matters so that the full story can be told, and so you don’t have a one-sided story that isn’t a fair representation of a diverse population. The media needs to represent the society that it serves because if people don’t see themselves, then it’s almost like a lack of care that’s communicated to people. There has to be some diverse voices that represent everyone in the society that can speak from the voice of those people because there are different issues and different things that are of importance to us. On Capitol Hill, for example, the photographers that shoot there and the newscasters that are shown are disproportionately white males. I think that there needs to be more of an effort to seek out diverse voices and diverse representation with a conscious effort (2018).

Overall, there needs to be an increased amount of heightened pressure to ensure that networks and producers do not leave marginalized groups out, or showcase them in harmful, inferior, or undesirable ways.

Moreover, filmmakers and media depictions have been negligent in including people of color, women, LGBTQ individuals, and those with disabilities on-screen and off-screen. In this current day and age, Hollywood continues to exclude people of color from television and film. Within the industry, there is this dynamic of white America being the majority owners and majority movers and shakers of creative ideas in Hollywood (Burgin 2018). Prominent African American filmmaker, Spike Lee, has long been a voice championing the importance of showcasing the positive realities of the black experience. Although the Oscars have recently spotlighted the void in recognizing diverse works, Lee recognizes the problem is larger than the award show. He noted: “As I see it, the Academy Awards is not where the ‘real’ battle is. It’s in the executive office of the Hollywood studios and TV and cable networks. This is where the gatekeepers decide what gets made and what gets jettisoned…This is what’s important. Those with ‘the green light’ vote” (Rainey and Gray 2016). Comparatively, those who are Muslims face similar exclusion and stereotypical misrepresentations. The horrific terrorism of 9/11 perpetuated negative connotations that continue to plague many Muslims who had no part in that tragedy. Xavier Burgin, filmmaker, and screenwriter, noted in 2018 that the entertainment industry is guilty of unfairly maligning and characterizing Muslims as brutal, cruel, inhumane terrorists:

For the most part when it comes to the entertainment industry, usually what people view and see as a Muslim individual, they’ll see a terrorist, which is absolutely ridiculous because it is a small, tiny segment of the population who are terrorists in the first place. But unfortunately, Hollywood tends to only suggest and put up those kind of portrayals when it deals with Muslim people.

Activist and actor, Riz Ahmed, in a 2017 speech further corroborated the victimization of Muslims. He explained the dangers that arise when there is a failure to represent Muslim civilians as everyday people. What arises instead is that people will gravitate towards negative tropes depicting Muslims as criminals, terrorists, or members of ISIS. Ahmed stated:

After the Brexit vote, hate crimes went up 41%, & against Muslims it went up 326%. Now if we fail to represent, I think we’re in danger of losing our in three ways, the three E’s. One, is we’re going to lose people to extremism; second, we’re going to lost out on an expansive idea of who we are as individuals and as a community; and thirdly, we’ll lose out on the economic benefits that proper representation can bring to our economy.

Sadly, realities surrounding inclusion and fair representations of women, African Americans, Hispanics, Asians, LGBTQs, and disabled individuals are also bleak. “In total, 29.2% of all characters were from underrepresented racial/ethnic groups, which is well below U.S. Census (38.7%) as well as the movie-going audience in this country” (Smith et al. 2017). A nine-year study by USC’s Annenberg School of Communication uncovered startling findings from 900 movies. With regard to the aforementioned groups, they found these groups have been consistently ignored by the entertainment industry (Smith et al. 2017). Within the industries, women have been limited in their opportunities and portrayals. In the event that females are miraculously cast, then, unfortunately, they “are much more likely than males to be shown in sexually revealing attire (F=25.9% vs. M=5.7%) and partially or fully naked (F=25.6% vs. M=9.2%)” (Smith et al. 2017). Throughout time, women have been limited in their representations with highly sexualized, helpless, or less intelligent identifications. “Movies perpetuate the sexualization of women from ‘other’ racial/ethnic groups, even as these female characters are least likely to be shown as parental figures” (Smith et al. 2017). Undeniably, when it comes to the powerful, behind the scenes jobs on a movie set, men dominate the playing field disproportionately for example, “ Focusing on directors, 120 helmers were attached to the sample of films with 4.2% (n=5) female and 95.8% (n=115) male. This is a gender ratio of 23 male directors to every 1 female director” (Smith et al. 2017). Furthermore, African Americans, Hispanics, and Asians do not fare much better. There is such paucity in available roles for the aforementioned groups. If by chance, these ethnic groups are lucky enough to receive screen time, their speaking roles and influence are drastically limited. The same is true for behind the scenes work by directors, screenwriters, or producers, as the employment of minorities in these areas has not evolved:

Across 900 movies, only 5.6% (n=56) of all directors were Black. Perhaps most disturbingly, only 3 Black women (<1%) have helmed a top‐ grossing motion picture across the sample. Across 900 movies, only 3% of directors were Asian. Almost all of these directors were male except two. Perhaps the group that is most affected behind the camera are women of color, as only 3 Black and 2 Asian women worked across the sample time frame. Though not measured, only one Latina female director worked across the 900 movies (Smith et al. 2017).

People of color, LGBTQs, and those with disabilities need to be given positions in power on all levels because “The more perspectives that have a seat at the table to tell stories means more sources and different types of ideas, cultures, worlds and characters that can expand the possibilities for how stories are told” (Thomas 2018). Since 2007, the invisibility of ethnic minorities has severely lagged in comparison with the changing nature of white actors and actresses (see table 1).

Likewise, filmmakers and news outlets often ignore the voices of LGBTQ individuals and people with disabilities. As supporting roles have increased for LBGTQs, the findings are still troubling as the small percentage of roles do not reflect the larger population. Transgender representation is almost entirely invisible and there are very few roles for diverse ethnicities. Quite simply put, the typical narratives in existence today tend not to reflect the everyday lives of LGBTQs (Smith et al. 2017). Like most people in society, LGBTQs are individuals who fall in love, enjoy shopping, traveling, gardening, raising children, jogging in local parks, and they also experience the general rollercoaster malaise of life in general, as all humans do. Comparatively, those with both physical and mental disabilities accounted for about two percent in the top 100 films of 2016 (Smith et al. 2017). Similarly to the intersectional discrimination among LBGTQ representation, with characters of disability, there are more predominantly white, older males as opposed to ethnic minorities, LGBTQs, and younger representation (Smith et al. 2017). Through the extensive research presented from USC’s study, it is quite evident that inadequate representation and exclusion is a normalized practice ingrained in Hollywood with few fully dimensional roles for ethnic minorities. “If you look at white media and white people within American media and the entertainment industry, they wouldn’t change anything. They would keep it as is because it benefits them first and foremost” (Burgin 2018). Misrepresentations are not troubling to those in power as long as they benefit from profitable gains, while it is certainly damaging and harmful for cultural groups.

Unfortunately, although some roles exist for traditionally marginalized groups, tragically far too often, the portrayals are misrepresentations. For people of color, the entertainment and media industries often project stereotypical narratives. “The biggest problem is when you have negative stereotypes such as the thug, the pimp, the drug dealer, and that’s all you see and then all those types of roles are played by people of color” (Burgin 2018). Hollywood tends to repeat patterns of having white actors portray every race/ethnicity and culture. “One of the reasons for this might be that when there are roles for non-white actors, they still get played by white people” (Vox 2016). Industries tend to push prominent white actors at the forefront by whitewashing roles, for example, with Angelina Jolie playing an Afro-Chinese-Cuban in A Mighty Heart , Emma Stone in Aloha as a part Hawaiian and Chinese character, or Tom Cruise in Edge of Tomorrow playing what was supposed to be a Japanese character (Sharf 2017). Misrepresentations cause an accumulation of negative effects. If there’s a failure to represent, there’s a danger of inaccurately portraying society. As African American filmmaker and screenwriter, Aaron Rahsaan Thomas, shared in a 2018 interview:

The term, misrepresentation, tends to be subjectively defined, depending on how the source views representation, its intention and how things should be presented. However, the lack of inclusion from diverse voices in storytelling tends to limit the possibilities of what stories might be told. The craft itself is therefore limited from reaching its potential and tends to encourage a narrower worldview as stories are shared across cultures. Finally, the lack of inclusion sends a hostile message, whether intended or not, that other voices are not valued or welcome to join the conversation.

Undeniably, filmmakers and news outlets do ignore the voices of marginalized groups; thus, these decisions result in damaging psychological effects. Across these groups, many of these people inevitably start to internalize the misrepresentations and start to believe the false realities. Disabled groups, for example, are tired of the continuous storylines that showcase them as sad and suffering characters to be pitied (Clark 2016). That cliche storyline dangerously glorifies and champions the allure of suicide for a higher purpose (Clark 2016). As a further illustration, the LGBTQ communities also suffer from single, stale, stereotypical narratives that can jeopardize healthy self-image. Unfortunately, “Too often, the few LGBT characters that make it to the big screen are the target of a punchline or token characters. It usually categorizes all of the LGBT people into just lesbian and gay” (Anderson 2016). Not seeing oneself is mentally and physically damaging, especially for young children. Young people are yearning to figure out their identities and Hollywood and media industries play a high role in affirming their views. As Burgin reminds, “What we see on screen dictates much of what we believe in real life. If you want the youth to have a positive view of themselves, then they should see themselves on screen being presented in a positive light, it makes a difference” (2018). Without accurate representation, there is the tragic erasure of the beautiful multifaceted society that exists in our world.

Positive results happen when diverse storytellers, actors, directors, and producers are involved both on-screen and behind the scenes. If there are not more diverse individuals who are included in the structures of power that disseminate the ideals through television and movies to the world, then nothing can change. It is statistically proven that more diverse films and stories through the media tend to perform better economically. “While minorities account for more than half of frequent US moviegoers, minority representation in films has dipped since 2013” (Guardian 2016). There is a long, pre-existing myth that inclusivity in Hollywood and the media will diminish box office sales or ratings. However, the rise of popular streaming services like Netflix, Amazon, and Hulu are recognizing the demographics of audiences they can reach by incorporating diverse casts and creators. With more content creators behind the scenes working in the entertainment and media industries, accurate representation will increase and reflect society. For instance, the groundbreaking film Black Panther has defied all expectations and is proof that the public will support films featuring diverse people on and off-screen as it surpassed Titanic to become the third most successful film of all time in American history. Moreover, the film proved the power of how stories shape and dispel narratives, specifically across the globe, as Black Panther is the first film to be released in the highly restrictive culture of Saudi Arabia, in over 30 years (Jovanovic 2018). Furthermore, not only are there social effects of positive representation, there are substantial economic benefits too. Namely, “ Black Panther generated $83.9 Million to Georgia’s economy and contributed over $26.5 million in wages to more than 3,100 workers across Georgia” (Deadline 2018). Marketing products like apparel, toys, and bedding accessories, just to name a few, are vastly being produced due to the film’s success. Larger benefits like the production of multiple sequel films and amusement theme parks are likely to attract billions of customers and generate billions of dollars. As more studios and executives hire diverse professionals such as journalists, anchors, actors, and directors, doors and opportunities for inclusion will finally open for the next generation of storytellers. When this ideal reaches fruition, individuals will be able to relish seeing an authentic mirroring of society.

The media has been historically, grossly irresponsible in their portrayals of people of color, women, LGBTQs and disabled persons. The depictions range from showing these groups in stereotypical lights to being virtually nonexistent. People feel validated and a sense of worth by seeing themselves reflected on screen. The integration of diverse filmmakers, directors, actors, and executives into the entertainment and media industries must increase. In order to eradicate the pattern of excluding diversity, inclusion, and misrepresentation, marginalized groups must gain access and have a voice in shaping culture.

Works Cited

Alter, Charlotte. “8 Sad Truths About Women in Media.” Time, 5 Jun. 2015

Anderson, Tre’Vell. “Here is why Hollywood also has an LGBT diversity issue.” LA Times, LA Times, 2 May. 2016.

Boboltz, Sara, and Kimberly Yam. “Why On-Screen Representation Actually Matters.” The Huffington Post , TheHuffingtonPost.com, 24 Feb. 2017.

Burgin, Xavier. Personal Interview. 24 Feb. 2018.

Carey, Jenna. “The Misrepresentation Of Women In The Media.” The Odyssey Online , 18 Apr. 2016.

Clark, Erin. “What Me Before You Gets Wrong About Disability.” Refinery29, 10 June 2016.

Claudia Tambasco. “Riz Ahmed — Channel4 Diversity Speech 2017 @ House of Commons [subtitled/legendado].” Youtube, 18 April. 2017.

Donaldson, Lee. “When the media misrepresents black men, the effects are felt in the real world.” The Guardian , 12 Aug. 2015.

Framke, Caroline. “John Oliver explains the long, frustrating history of white actors playing nonwhite roles.” Vox , Vox, 22 Feb. 2016.

Ghandnoosh, Nazgol. “Race and Punishment: Racial Perceptions of Crime and Support for Punitive Policies.” Sentencing Project, 3 Sept. 2014.

Gray, Steven Gaydos, and Tim Gray. “A Telling Look Back at the Century-Old Quest for Diversity in Entertainment.” Variety , 23 Feb. 2016.

Helmore, Edward. “Lack of diversity in film industry costs Hollywood big money, report finds.” Guardian. 18 Feb. 2016.

Horton, Price, et al. “Portrayal of Minorities in the Film, Media and Entertainment Industries.” Stanford , 1 June 1999.

Jovanovic, Dragana. “‘Black Panther’ to break Saudi Arabia’s 35-year cinema ban with men and women seated together.” ABC News , 9 April 2018.

May, Cheriss. Personal Interview. 5 Feb. 2018.

Rainey, James, and Tim Gray. “Diversity in Hollywood: Failure of Inclusion Plagues the Entire Industry.” Variety , 26 Jan. 2016.

Ramos, Dino-Ray. “‘Black Panther’ Generates $89.3 Million For Georgia Economy.” Deadline, 7 Feb. 2018.

Shark, Zack. “25 Worst Cases of Hollywood Whitewashing Since 2000.” IndieWire , 29 August 2017.

Smith, Tracy L, et al. “Inequality in 900 Popular Films: Examining Portrayals of Gender, Race/Ethnicity, LGBT, and Disability from 2007–2016.” USC Annenberg , USC, July 2017.

Taylor-Lind, Anastasia. “How a Lack of Representation Is Hurting Photojournalism.” Time, 4 May 2016.

Thomas, Aaron. Personal Interview. 4 Apr. 2018.

USC Annenberg Staff. “Hollywood sticks to the script: Diversity, on-screen and behind the camera, remains elusive.” USC News , 31 July 2017.

Wihbey, John. “Racial bias and news media reporting: New research trends.” Journalists Resource, Harvard Kennedy School, 20 May. 2015.

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Definition of film noun from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

moving pictures

• Let's stay in and watch a film .
• We're going out to see a film .
• There's a good film on tonight (= showing at the cinema or on TV) .
• a horror/documentary/feature film
• an action/animated film
• a silent film (= one recorded without sound)
• a film about something As a student he made a short film about his home town.
• to shoot/direct/produce a film
• The film was shot on location in France.
• The film has been downloaded some 21 million times since its release.
• a film crew/critic/director/producer
• an international film festival
• a film version/adaptation of a novel by Henry James
• His film credits (= the films he has made) as director include ‘Mood Music’ and ‘Lies’.
• He's a great composer of film music.
• go to/​take somebody to (see) a film
• go to/​sit in (British English) the cinema/ (North American English) the (movie) theater
• rent a film/​DVD
• download/​stream a film
• burn/​copy/​rip a DVD
• see/​watch a film/​DVD/​preview/​trailer
• show/​screen a film
• promote/​distribute/​review a film
• (British English) be on at the cinema
• be released on/​come out on/​be out on DVD
• captivate/​delight/​grip/​thrill the audience
• do well/​badly at the box office
• get a lot of/​live up to the hype
• write/​co-write a film/​script/​screenplay
• direct/​produce/​make/​shoot/​edit a film/​sequel
• make a romantic comedy/​a thriller/​an action movie
• do/​work on a sequel/​remake
• film/​shoot the opening scene/​an action sequence/​footage (of something)
• compose/​create/​do/​write the soundtrack
• cut/​edit (out) a scene/​sequence
• have/​get/​do an audition
• get/​have/​play a leading/​starring/​supporting role
• play a character/​James Bond/​the bad guy
• act in/​appear in/​star in a film/​remake
• do/​perform/​attempt a stunt
• work in/​make it big in Hollywood
• forge/​carve/​make/​pursue a career in Hollywood
• the camera pulls back/​pans over something/​zooms in (on something)
• the camera focuses on something/​lingers on something
• shoot somebody/​show somebody in extreme close-up
• use odd/​unusual camera angles
• be filmed/​shot on location/​in a studio
• be set/​take place in London/​in the ’60s
• have a happy ending/​plot twist
• sound effect
• She makes children's films.
• He was an ad director before starting to make feature films.
• Your typical Hollywood film has a happy ending.
• Her dream was to star in a Hollywood film.
• What's your favourite film?
• Do you like James Bond films?
• The latest film by Kathryn Bigelow is out soon.
• The film came out last week.
• Now you can stream films on your mobile device.
• It's an independent cinema screening mainly art films.
• Her music is used throughout the film.
• She thought the film far too violent to show to children.
• The film contains explicit scenes of violence.
• The film depicts immense courage amid the horrors of war.
• The film manages to capture the mood of the times.
• The film opens with a bird's-eye shot of London.
• The film stars Nicole Kidman as a nightclub singer.
• The film was finally released after weeks of protest by religious groups.
• The film was heavily edited for screening on television.
• There is a great car chase in the film.
• There's an interesting film on at the local cinema.
• There's a season of classic films on TV.
• one of the earliest colour films
• They've just started shooting a film of the novel.
• a film adaptation of a well-known fairy tale
• a film version of Jane Austen's famous novel
• This film tells the remarkable story of a disabled actor.
• We went to an awful film last night.
• a film about Nelson Mandela
• a film based on the novel by Charles Potter
• a film dealing with old age
• a film entitled ‘Bitter Moon’
• a film from Spanish director Luis Eduardo Aute
• a film recording the first powered flight
• a film with an all-star cast
• He was killed when a film stunt went wrong.
• We stayed for the film credits to see who the music was by.
• The scramble for the film rights to her next novel has already begun.
• They built a massive film set of an airport.
• the ‘Star Wars’ film series
• the film classic ‘Fantasia’
• feature-length
• in a/​the film
• the beginning of the film
• the end of the film
• be in films

Definitions on the go

Look up any word in the dictionary offline, anytime, anywhere with the Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary app.

What You Need to Know About Representation in Film

The release of films like Get Out and Wonder Woman have sparked conversations and questions about representation in the film industry. So here is everything you need to know about media representation.

What does diverse and accurate representation in film mean? Ultimately, it is the portrayals of people of all genders, races, sexual orientations, levels of ability and more being presented in the media in a manner that reflects the population being depicted. A phrase often used to describe representation is, “If you can see it, you can be it.” Ultimately, it is about having visible role models to look up to.

Unfortunately, a lot of people cannot “see it.” Many people of various races, genders, disabilities and sexual orientations are not cast in roles that show these minorities in positive and successful situations, if they are even cast at all. This is the issue of diverse and accurate representation in media.

A study conducted in 2014 by the University of Southern California calls this representation, or lack thereof, an “epidemic of invisibility.” The study found that the entire film and television industry to be “whitewashed,” from cast to crew, and that the norms of the Hollywood film industry are not aligned with the demographics of the population these films claim to represent.

For example, while half of the world is female, only a third of speaking roles in the films and television shows in the study were female, only 28.3% of speaking roles were racial minorities, and a meager 2% of speaking characters were identified as members of the LGBTQ community. However, the study names more than just casting as an issue. Only 3.4% of directors in the 109 films studied were female, and only two were directed by black women. The films that were chosen for the study were the top-grossing films of the year the study was conducted. There’s clearly lots of room for improvement, but there are also examples of representation done right.

Image source: Pixabay

The recent success of the new Wonder Woman movie is one of these examples. The film features a woman of colour and former Israeli soldier, Gal Gadot, as the main character. Many characters are racial minorities, including a character suffering from mental health issues and a female scientist villain. Wonder Woman was also directed by a woman, Patty Jenkins. While the presence of female characters in Wonder Woman is important, it is equally as important that they are often seen as being strong and independent. The Disney hit Moana is another good example of representation done right, with a cast of Pacific Islanders and a strong female lead chasing her dream instead of a love interest.

However, the importance of diverse and accurate representation is clearest in the films where it is lacking the most. A prime example is the film Ghost in the Shell , where Scarlett Johansson was cast as the lead in a film adaptation of a manga series that was meant to have an all-Japanese cast.

Having visible role models is vital to inspiring people, especially young people, to have goals and to follow them, and it is something that many of us take for granted. Seeing other people that look or act the same way that you do and seeing them succeed in the roles you aspire to is incredibly powerful. However, when genders, races, sexual orientations and more are shown in stereotypical roles, replaced because of “whitewashing” or even not shown at all, it can be extremely damaging and only serves to reinforce that people who are different cannot live accomplished and happy lives.

When women are depicted as demure background characters and sexual objects, when racial minorities are shown as criminal and lazy, when the disabled are portrayed as helpless and stupid, when white actors are cast in roles that are meant to be characters of colour, these harmful stereotypes are reinforced in societal norms and in the minds of those who see these representations. Whether we notice or not, erasing populations of people or only showing them in a certain light is a problem that cannot go unaddressed.

Featured Image Source: Pixabay

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Definition of film

 (Entry 1 of 2)

Definition of film  (Entry 2 of 2)

transitive verb

intransitive verb

• motion picture
• moving picture

Examples of film in a Sentence

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'film.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Middle English filme , from Old English filmen ; akin to Greek pelma sole of the foot, Old English fell skin — more at fell

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

1604, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Phrases Containing film

• portmanteau film

Articles Related to film

'Whole Milk', 'British English', and 16...

'Whole Milk', 'British English', and 16 More Retronyms

New(er) words for old things

Language Inspired by Filmmakers

'Hitchcockian,' 'Felliniesque,' and other styles inspired by film legends

Dictionary Entries Near film

Cite this entry.

“Film.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary , Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/film. Accessed 9 Sep. 2024.

Kids Definition

Kids definition of film.

Kids Definition of film  (Entry 2 of 2)

Medical Definition

Medical definition of film, more from merriam-webster on film.

Nglish: Translation of film for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of film for Arabic Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about film

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All eyes turn to PS5 Pro as Sony surprise announces an imminent "PlayStation 5 Technical Presentation"

PS5 Pro confirmed?

Sony has announced a PlayStation 5 Technical Presentation for September 10, and everyone's already certain this will be the final confirmation of the long-rumored PS5 Pro .

"Join us for a streamed presentation hosted by Mark Cerny, Lead Architect of the PS5 console," Sony says in its announcement . "The 9-minute Technical Presentation will focus on PS5 and innovations in gaming technology."

The broadcast will begin on PlayStation's YouTube channel at 8am PT / 11am ET / 4pm BST.

Mark Cerny has been a leader in PlayStation's hardware development division since the design of the PS4, and you may remember him from the hour-long, extremely technical presentation on the PS5 leading up to the console's launch in 2020. With the upcoming presentation being just nine minutes in length, it's likely this one will be a bit more accessible to the layman.

PS5 Pro rumors have been circulating for ages, but Sony itself added fuel to the fire last week by including an image of an unfamiliar PS5 model in the PlayStation brand's 30th anniversary celebrations . That image just so happened to match alleged leaks of the PS5 Pro design. With all that happening in the past few days and Cerny confirmed as host, it seems inevitable that this upcoming presentation will mark the official reveal of the PS5 Pro.

It's worth noting that PS4 Pro launched in 2016, three years after the original PS4. If PS5 Pro launches this year, it'll be four years - somehow - from the current-gen platform's original launch. Whether it offers a genuinely meaningful upgrade over the original PS5 remains to be seen.

Forget PS5 Pro, PlayStation's console design team is now making wooden blocks with an absurd $80 price tag.

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Dustin Bailey joined the GamesRadar team as a Staff Writer in May 2022, and is currently based in Missouri. He's been covering games (with occasional dalliances in the worlds of anime and pro wrestling) since 2015, first as a freelancer, then as a news writer at PCGamesN for nearly five years. His love for games was sparked somewhere between Metal Gear Solid 2 and Knights of the Old Republic, and these days you can usually find him splitting his entertainment time between retro gaming, the latest big action-adventure title, or a long haul in American Truck Simulator.

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Beetlejuice Beetlejuice ending explained: What does Lydia's dream mean?

Tim Burton's long-awaited sequel has been a major hit at the box office – here's what happens in the hectic final act.

• Patrick Cremona
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**WARNING: Contains spoilers for Beetlejuice Beetlejuice)**

It took 36 years, but a sequel to Tim Burton's classic Beetlejuice has now arrived in cinemas – and it's got off to a tremendous, near record-breaking start at the box office.

Indeed, the film has enjoyed the third biggest opening of the year – behind only Deadpool & Wolverine and Inside Out 2 – and perhaps even more impressively, took in more than almost any other film ever released in September, with only It (2017) having enjoyed a better debut weekend.

The film sees eccentric filmmaker Burton return to the director's chair, and he brings back original stars Michael Keaton, Winona Ryder and Catherine O'Hara for the follow-up, which we called "a rambunctious sequel with some delicious moments" in our 3-star Beetlejuice Beetlejuice review .

Meanwhile, among the big names joining the starry cast is young Wednesday star Jenna Ortega, who producer Tommy Harper told RadioTimes.com was like a " little assistant director " on set.

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The plot this time is a little more convoluted than last time out, with various storyline strands – including one concerning Beetlejuice's undead ex-wife (Monica Bellucci) and another that sees Ortega's character fall for a dangerous love interest – competing for attention until they come together in a somewhat hectic final act.

If you've seen the film and need those closing stages cleared up, read on to have the Beetlejuice Beetlejuice ending explained.

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Beetlejuice Beetlejuice ending explained

Throughout the film, we are introduced to a number of different plot elements. First there is the fact that the Deetz family (including Lydia's daughter Astrid, who is on bad terms with her mother partly for reasons connected to her dead father) head back to Winter River for the funeral of patriarch Charles, who has died in an unfortunate accident involving a shark.

Tagging along with them is Rory, the producer of Lydia's supernatural-themed chat show and also her boyfriend, who somewhat inappropriately decides that the funeral will be a good time to ask for Lydia's hand in marriage.

Lydia has also recently been seeing visions of Beetlejuice, who in a somewhat superfluous afterlife-set plot strand now has his vengeful, soul-sucking ex-wife Delores (Monica Bellucci) on his tail, who in turn is being tracked by Willem Dafoe's B-movie actor-turned-undead investigator Wolf Jackson.

Anyway things begin to take a turn when Astrid crashes her bike and subsequently comes across a seemingly charming young man named Jeremy (Arthur Conti), with whom she immediately strikes up a rather flirtatious connection.

Only it soon transpires that the charm is a front: he is actually a ghost (meaning that Astrid shares her mother's skill for seeing the dead) who was responsible for murdering his parents many years before, and is using Astrid to bring him back to life.

He is successful in getting her to mutter an incantation that takes them both to the afterlife – but not before Lydia finds out about Jeremy's true nature from a neighbour.

And so, she decides there is nothing for it but to summon her old adversary Beetlejuice to come to the rescue, even promising to marry him to secure the deal – thus allowing him to stay in the real world and avoid Delores.

In the afterlife, Astrid is set to board the Soul Train – which would be very bad news for her as it would mean she had no chance of returning to the land of the living – but thankfully, Lydia and Beetlejuice arrive in time. What's more, it turns out that one of the workers in the station is Astrid's father Richard, which finally allows her a moment of closure over his death.

Richard also aids the gang in returning to Winter River, while Beetlejuice takes responsibility for seeing off Jeremy – easily having him despatched to hell.

But things are far from over. Back in Winter River, it's time for the wedding ceremony between Rory and Lydia, but Beetlejuice soon arrives on the scene – reminding Lydia of the promise she made when he agreed to help her.

He also injects Rory with true serum, and we learn – not entirely unsurprisingly, it must be said – that he had been interested in Lydia only for her money and fame, and had only been attending the grief camp at which they met to exploit vulnerable women. He hadn't even believed in ghosts!

A fight ensues, and things get even more chaotic when Delores shows up at the church to complete her revenge mission against Beetlejuice. This time, Astrid comes to the rescue by unleashing a sandworm from the afterlife, which happily gobbles up both Delores and Rory.

She then reveals a vital piece of information to save her mother from a lifetime married to Beetlejuice: he had violated the rules of the Handbook for the Recently Deceased by bringing Lydia into the afterlife and therefore his wedding vows aren't valid.

She then banishes him back to the afterlife and embraces her mother – with the pair seeming to be back on good terms with each other following their shared ordeal and promising to spend more time together.

Meanwhile, Delia Deetz, who had come across her now-headless late husband in her brief trip to the afterlife, decides to go back and reunite with him.

What does Lydia's dream mean?

Although largely a happy ending, at the very end of the film, there's scene which shows Lydia experiencing a succession of terrifying nightmares – one of which involves Astrid giving birth to a horrific Beetlejuice baby, which had previously appeared earlier in the film.

It seems to suggest that although she has been saved from marrying him, she's not going to be able to avoid his hauntings that easily – and he'll be continuing to plague her dreams for some time yet.

Perhaps it even leaves the door open for a third film, which will most likely be called Beetlejuice Beetlejuice Beetlejui... WAIT, on second thoughts, maybe it's best not to say the full title...

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice was released in UK cinemas on Friday 6th September.

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