Top Filmmaking Articles of the Week - April 27, 2025
To be a filmmaker, you have to lead. You have to be psychotic in your desire to do something. People always like the easy route. You have to push very hard to get something unusual, something different.
-Danny Boyle
Top Filmmaking Articles of the Week - April 27, 2025
Here are some filmmaking articles that we found interesting the past week. We hope you enjoy!
IndieWire – Sarah Shachat
The Legend of Ochi is a 2025 fantasy adventure film directed by Isaiah Saxon. The story follows Yuri, a young girl from a secluded village on the island of Carpathia, who befriends an injured baby Ochi—a mythical creature feared by her community. Determined to return the creature to its family, Yuri embarks on a journey that challenges her understanding of the world and her place within it.
The film is noted for its handcrafted visuals, utilizing puppetry, animatronics, and practical effects to bring the Ochi to life, with filming locations in Romania’s Transylvania region.
Indie Wire – Marcus Jones
Francis Ford Coppola was honored with the 50th AFI Life Achievement Award at a gala held on April 26, 2025, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. The event celebrated his six-decade career and profound impact on American cinema, featuring tributes from industry luminaries such as Steven Spielberg, George Lucas, Al Pacino, Robert De Niro, Harrison Ford, and Morgan Freeman.
NoFilmSchool
Misdirection in writing is the technique of intentionally leading the audience to form false assumptions, creating suspense and surprise. It is not about lying, but about carefully controlling how and when information is revealed. Writers use strategies like unreliable narrators, selective information sharing, and audience biases to enhance engagement. Effective misdirection makes stories more dynamic and emotionally impactful, with examples like Gone Girl and The Sixth Senseshowcasing how it can redefine a narrative.
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NoFilmSchool – Pietro Schito
Pietro Schito shares his transition from live-action to animation, highlighting the medium’s collaborative and creative advantages. He emphasizes that animation offers a more inclusive storytelling environment, where writers work closely with story artists, animators, and directors throughout the production process, leading to richer narratives and more dynamic visuals. Unlike live-action, where a polished script is paramount, animation values visual development and team synergy, often prioritizing pitch decks and animatics over finalized scripts. Schito also notes the potential for greater creative control and long-term benefits in animation, such as ownership opportunities and extended involvement in projects. Ultimately, he advocates for animation as a medium that fosters imagination, collaboration, and enduring storytelling.
Film Independent – John Squire
This article celebrates innovative stunt work in independent films, coinciding with the Academy’s announcement of a new Stunt Design Oscar category for 2028. It highlights how indie filmmakers, despite limited budgets, have delivered memorable action sequences through creativity and resourcefulness. Examples include El Mariachi (1993), where Robert Rodriguez utilized unconventional methods like wheelchairs for dolly shots and condoms as squibs; Everything Everywhere All at Once (2022), featuring practical effects like office chair stunts and raccoon puppets; Drive (2011), which employed in-car POV shots to enhance chase scenes; Nightcrawler (2014), where Hot Wheels models aided in planning a complex car chase; and Upgrade (2018), which used an iPhone’s gyroscope to synchronize camera movements with the actor’s actions.These films exemplify how indie cinema can achieve compelling stunt work through ingenuity and determination.
If you’ve found anything interesting this week let us know and we can spread the word next time!