Now You See It

Why do all trailers feel the same? How do great trailers stand out? Let's look at the structure of trailers over time and see how they've grown, and why some are practically identical.

What's the difference between moving left to right or right to left? The difference is everything. Let's talk about movement, and why it means more than you'd think. Cited: Egizii, Matthew L., James Denny, M.A., Kimberly A. Neuendorf, Ph.D., and Paul D. Skalski, Ph.D. "Which Way Did He Go? Directionality of Film Character and Camera Movement and Subsequent Spectator Interpretation." (n.d.): n. pag. May 2012. Web. 16 Feb. 2016. Movies in Order of Appearance: Napoleon Dynamite (2005) A Clockwork Orange (1971) Citizen Kane (1941) The Lego Movie (2014) Monsters Inc (2001) Full Metal Jacket (1987) Mad Max: Fury Road (2015) Lord of the Rings: Return of the King (2001) Platoon (1986) Saving Private Ryan (1998) Strangers on a Train (1951) The Emperor’s New Groove (2000) North by Northwest (1959)

We all know how amazing long takes are, but what are their limitations? Let's explore elements of the long take to see how they work and maybe see what makes them not work. Movies in order of appearance: The Player (1992) Touch of Evil (1958) Goodfellas (1990) Gravity (2013) Birdman (2014) Rope (1948) The Birth of a Nation (1915) 12 Angry Men (1957) The Revenant (2015) There Will Be Blood (2007) The Godfather (1972) Children of Men (2006)

SPOILER ALERTS: 12 Angry Men, The Silence of the Lambs, and Psycho. The other movie clips only show the last shot and don't spoil anything. See the full list of movies referenced below. Movies in order of appearance: Psycho (1998) Psycho (1960) The Green Berets (1968) Little Miss Sunshine (2009) 12 Angry Men (1957) The Silence of the Lambs (1991) Goodfellas (1990) Scott Pilgrim vs. The World (2010) The Godfather (1972) The Searchers (1956) Raging Bull (1980) The Godfather: Part II (1974) Gone Girl (2014) The Social Network (2010) Forrest Gump (1994) Fargo (1996) The Simpsons S18 E01 "The Mook, the Chef, the Wife and Her Homer"

What's the greatest movie of all time? What makes a movie great? These are some big questions. Let's break down the elements of a "great" movie.

What makes dialogue work? Let's explore the power of dialogue in film and take a look at the offensively named "Dead Parent Test."

Let's take a film perspective on political campaign ads and see how they brainwash you.

Is there a big difference in comedic style across the Atlantic? Let's see. This video was flagged as containing copyright content (I made my case it was fair use, but BBC doesn't like that explanation), so I can't show any ads on the video. Videos in Order of Appearance: Monty Python - World's Funniest Joke Spongebob - "Frankendoodle" S03E14 Big Think - Ricky Gervais Stephen Fry Clips

Hollywood history is full of stealing, failure, and deceit. Let's take a look at the conditions filmmakers had to suffer through to get their movies made.

Horror films are fascinating. Probably my favorite genre to learn about. Let's see just how much goes into making a scene scary.

Are jump scares cheap? Should we get rid of them? Short answer: No. They suck, but they have more potential than you may think.

A supercut of touch in film.

Why do characters swear? You may think it's just for laughs or to show anger, but it actually goes a lot deeper than you may think.

Shapes have meaning. That may sound crazy, but hear me out. Let's explore how cinematographers and directors create shapes inside the frame to add visual storytelling to their films. Movies (in Order of Appearance): Ghostbusters (1984) Up (2009) Spirited Away (2001) Wreck It Ralph (2012) Sleeping Beauty (1959) The Jungle Book (1967) The Dictator (2012) The Emperor's New Groove (200) Futurama "The Devil's Hands Are Idle Playthings" (2003) Ratatouille (2007) Star Wars (1977) Spaceballs (1987) Maleficent (2014) Up (2009) Inside Out (2015) Fargo (1996) Psycho (1960) The Incredibles (2004) The Departed (2005) The Truman Show (1998) 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) Catch Me If You Can (2002) American Beauty (1999) Bonnie and Clyde (1967) Goodfellas (1990) The Graduate (1967) Metropolis (1927) Scott Pilgrim vs. The World (2010) The Shining (1980)

Israel Kamakawiwo'ole - Somewhere Over The Rainbow (Thomas Jack Remix) The Wizard of Oz (1939) The Truman Show (1998) Office Space (1999) The Incredibles (2004) Hercules (1997) Spirited Away (2001) Room (2015) Elf (2003) Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (2001) The Matrix (1999) The Hunger Games (2012) Spider-man (2002) Mulan (1998) Django Unchained (2012) The Terminator 2: Judgement Day (1991) Pee Wee's Big Adventure (1985) The Sandlot (1993) The Lion King (1994) The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001) Interstellar (2014) Wall-E (2008) How to Train Your Dragon (2010) Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971) The Shawshank Redemption (1994) Alice in Wonderland (1951) Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back (1980) Good Will Hunting (1997) The Silence of the Lambs (1991) Mary Poppins (1964) The Karate Kid (1984) Whiplash (2014) Evan Almighty (2007) X-Men (2000) The Godfather (1972) 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975) Inglourious Basterds (2009) No Country for Old Men (2007) The Princess Bride (1973) Die Hard (1988) Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937) Jaws (1975) Alien 3 (1992) The Dark Knight Rises (2012) Cast Away (2000) Toy Story 3 (2010) Saving Private Ryan (1998) The Pursuit of Happyness (2006) Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) Rocky (1976) The Breakfast Club (1985) Forrest Gump (1994) E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982) Fargo (1996)

Horror movies are a window into the fears of the society that they were made in. Let's see how.

Let's explore the American Gangster genre and see how the gangster appeals to universal human desires. Contains footage from: Little Caesar (1931) The Musketeers of Pig Alley (1912) The Public Enemy (1931) Pulp Fiction (1994) The Godfather (1972) Goodfellas (1990) White Heat (1949) Scarface (1983) Scarface (1932) Martin Scorsese: A Personal Journey Through American Movies (1995) The Godfather: Part III (1990)

"We have lingered long enough on the shores of the cosmic ocean. We are ready at last to set sail for the stars." — Carl Sagan. Cosmos, 1980. One Giant Leap