The Art of Silence - Martin Scorsese

Even though Martin Scorsese is famous for his use of music, one of his best traits is his deliberate and powerful use of silence. Take a glimpse at fifty years of this simple technique from one of cinema's masters. “The Art of Silence” also examines the depreciation of quietude in Hollywood blockbusters, from 1978′s Superman to 2013′s Man of Steel, alongside Spielberg’s inventive deployment in Saving Private Ryan.


First posted: 3 July 2014

How Does an Editor Think and Feel?

Tony Zhou says:

For the past ten years, I’ve been editing professionally. Yet one question always stumps me: “How do you know when to cut?” And I can only answer that it’s very instinctual. On some level, I’m just thinking and feeling my way through the edit. So today, I’d like to describe that process: how does an editor think and feel?

Akira Kurosawa - Composing Movement

Tony Zhou asks:

Can movement tell a story? Sure, if you’re as gifted as Akira Kurosawa, possibly the greatest composer of motion in film history. More than any other filmmaker, he had an innate understanding of movement and how to capture it on screen.

The Lateral Tracking Shot

Tony Zhou takes us on a survey of the uses of the lateral tracking shot.

Chuck Jones - The Evolution of an Artist

Another Tony Zhou contribution, well worth watching.

Vancouver Never Plays Itself

Here's another fascinating video from Tony Zhou, in which he voices his concerns about about how his home town is treated in movies. Now if only we could put one of these together about Adelaide...

Shot // Reverse Shot

Tony Zhou has another one out...

How do you film a conversation? Most likely, you’re going to block the actors, set up the camera, and do shot/reverse shot. But where do you put the camera? What lens do you use? And how do you cut back and forth? Today, I consider the Coen brothers — Joel & Ethan — and see how these choices lend a particular feel to their version of shot/reverse shot.

The Geometry of a Scene

Tony Zhou gives us a quick glimpse into the staging techniques of Akira Kurosawa.

How to Structure a Video Essay

Another offering from Tony Zhou, this time a layered explanation of how to structure a video esay, with help from Orson Welles and others.

Jackie Chan - How to Do Action Comedy

Tony Zhou continues to pump them out. This one is simply brilliant.

Some filmmakers can do action. Others can do comedy. But for 40 years, the master of combining them has been Jackie Chan. Let’s see how he does it.

The 9 Principles of Action Comedy
   1. Start with a DISADVANTAGE
   2. Use the ENVIRONMENT
   3. Be CLEAR in your shots
   4. Action & Reaction in the SAME frame
   5. Do as many TAKES as necessary
   6. Let the audience feel the RHYTHM
   7. In editing, TWO good hits = ONE great hit
   8. PAIN is humanizing
   9. Earn your FINISH

Twitter | Vimeo | Website

How do you show character choice?

Tony Zhou is back, with a simple demonstration of one way to show a character making a decision.

Twitter | Vimeo | Website

Who Wins the Scene?

Tony Zhou is back with an examination of eyelines and relative power within scenes.

In drama, two characters walk into a room. Each wants something from the other. The question of the scene is: who gets what they want?

Twitter | Website

David Fincher - And the Other Way is Wrong

“There’s a million ways to do a David Fincher video." 

Tony Zhou says, "No. Just two. And the other way is wrong."

For sheer directorial craft, there are few people working today who can match David Fincher. And yet he describes his own process as “not what I do, but what I don’t do.” Join me today in answering the question: What does David Fincher not do?

Twitter | Website

Robin Williams - In Motion

Tony Zhou says, 

Robin Williams was a genius, but he was also a dedicated craftsman who explored how an actor could express character through movement. Join me in honoring this tiny facet of his work.

Twitter | Website

Texting and the Internet in Film

Here's another detailed look at one simple facet of filmmaking from Tony Zhou.

IMDb    Vimeo    YouTube    Website

Mayhem by Michael Bay

This is post #1,000. 

Tony Zhou says that, even if you dislike Michael Bay, he has something valuable to teach us about visual perception. This is an exploration of "Bayhem" — his style of camera movement, composition and editing that creates something overblown, dynamic and distinct.

IMDb    Vimeo    YouTube    Website

The Art of Silence - Martin Scorsese

Even though Martin Scorsese is famous for his use of music, one of his best traits is his deliberate and powerful use of silence. Take a glimpse at fifty years of this simple technique from one of cinema's masters. “The Art of Silence” also examines the depreciation of quietude in Hollywood blockbusters, from 1978′s Superman to 2013′s Man of Steel, alongside Spielberg’s inventive deployment in Saving Private Ryan.

Edgar Wright - How to Do Visual Comedy

If you love visual comedy, you gotta love Edgar Wright, one of the few filmmakers who is consistently finding humor through framing, camera movement, editing, goofy sound effects and music. This is an analysis and an appreciation of a director by Tony Zhou.

IMDb    Vimeo    YouTube    Website