Day: December 25, 2024

Movie (also film, filmic, picture, and motion picture) means a work of cinema. It’s a term that’s changing in ways that reflect changes in the medium itself, sometimes by design and others, well, not so much.

Whether it’s a drama about a couple falling in love, a fantasy about magical things that can’t happen, or a detective story about crime and violence, movies are usually about a protagonist struggling to overcome something. Filmmakers have to decide what kind of world they’re creating for their audiences – which genre they’ll be in – and then craft an arc that leads their audience through the experience of those characters.

A hunched saint of film, Frances McDormand nailed the role of a snobbish newscaster with this brilliant performance that won her an Oscar. Bill Murray, too, is at the height of his lovable-schmuck powers as the titular character of this time-loop dramedy, while Harold Ramis spins gold from this retread trope and gives us a reason to watch movies on the biggest screen possible.

It takes guts to take on a topic as charged and complex as World War II, especially while that war is still raging. But that’s exactly what director Milos Forman did with this iconic movie about the uprising of the crew of a Russian battleship against their brutal, tyrannical captain. The movie is a powerful and timeless piece of propaganda, but it also contains some of the best acting performances in history by Humphrey Bogart and Louise Fletcher.

A song is a piece of music that tells a story. Whether it is about love, loss, or heartache, songs have the power to touch us in ways that can’t be explained. The art of songwriting isn’t easy, and it requires a certain level of patience and trust in the process. But the reward of writing a song that stands out and connects with listeners is one of the most fulfilling experiences you can have as an artist.

Once you have a concept, title, lyrics, melody, and chords for your song, you can begin to think about how the parts of the song fit together to create a whole. This is often referred to as song structure or song form. The most common structures include an introduction, verse, chorus, and bridge. However, many songwriters choose to use other elements of a song like a pre-chorus or outro to give their songs a unique and creative twist.

Another important consideration when writing a song is making sure that the melodies for the verse and chorus contrast with each other to give them more depth and energy. This can be done by using different registers in your voice, or by changing the key of your melody. There are lots of resources out there about how to write melodies, so take some time to explore them if you want to learn more.

After you have the basic components of your song laid out, it is helpful to play it back and evaluate it with someone who has not been involved in the creation of the song. They will be able to provide an objective critique and help you see how your song can be improved.