Creatives need to be big movie geeks. Not only are commercials mini movies, but being able to understand the art and craft of storytelling helps you make better radio, print and digital, too.
Check out this amazing 6 minute video that covers 99 movies
from Cloud Atlas to X-Men to Fast & Furious.
from Cloud Atlas to X-Men to Fast & Furious.
As a creative, you have to look closer, deeper and more critically. (Which sometimes makes things less enjoyable because you're so busy thinking about how this shot would've been so much better if they did it from another angle or how shitty the dialogue is.)
Things to Do When Watching Movies:
1. Look at cinematography, use of color, background, lighting, camera angles and visual techniques.
2. Study the way stories unfold and come together. Learn what makes good storytelling. (And bad storytelling.)
3. Pay attention to character development and dialogue. Pick out the things that make the actors feel real and engaging.
4. Look out for cliches and plagiarism in your own work. Keep up with current movies and the classics because people tend to do the same things over and over (and over). Sometimes the things you see slip into the back of your mind then reappear as a stroke of genius. Make sure your ideas aren't ideas that have been overused in movies - like women falling when being chased - or ripping off someone else's work.
