A film reel is a great way to get yourself noticed in the film industry.  In essence it’s a sort of visual resume that can show off to potential employers or clients what all you’re capable of when it comes to filmmaking.  To that end, we here at TMP have some handy dandy tips to help you when you’re creating your own film reel.

An empty wallet should never hinder a dream.

It can often be seen as an insurmountable obstacle in the slow and steady course of filmmaking. No matter the form, function or intended future of your film, your budget can seemingly make or break your dream of a completed film.  Be it above or below the line cost, a budget can spiral out of control in a heartbeat, leaving you palms up with a half finished set and a camera with no film, wondering what just happened.  The budget giveth and the budget taketh away.

With the untimely death of Quentin Tarantino’s  long-time collaborating film editor Sally Menke earlier this year it raises the question; just how important is a film editor to director’s vision? Sidney Lumet says in his book, Making Movies, the two main elements of editing are, “juxtapositioning of images and creating tempo.”  So it would follow that in order for a director with a strong style (like Tarantino) to maintain that style throughout his career, finding a good film editor is essential.

Being a collective of filmmakers, we at TheMoviePool draw our own inspirations from a multitude of sources, the most notable being, those intrepid pioneers that came before us.  While their inherent genius may not have been apparent during their lives and careers, it is unquestionable now.  It is also nice to know that many of these talents came from as humble beginnings as many of us do.

If a film is going to show great dancers doing what they do best, it must show them dancing - in full view, with as little editing as possible in order to emphasize the "real time" effect.

Up is the archetypal story of boy-meets-girl/boy-gets-girl/boy-loses-girl/boy-gets-girl-back but with a final act twist that accompanies the already non-formulaic retelling. Instead of a feature length also-ran romantic comedy, the film gives us the first three parts of the archetype in a short montage at the beginning of the film, illuminating the deep, real-world love shared between Ellie and Carl that can only stem from the ups and downs (both incidentally and intrinsically metaphorical) of a marriage nurtured for many anniversaries.

The past few summers have come down with a strong case of sequel-itis.  Don’t get me wrong, I’ve come out of many movies saying to myself, “Gosh I can’t wait for the next one,” or “there better be a sequel!”  I love trilogies and franchises, but there comes a time when it needs to go away.  Studios can’t seem to figure out exactly when this is, as it takes them one or two too many horrible sequels before they shut it down.