Emma Stone and Director of Photography Linus Sandgren on the set of BATTLE OF THE SEXES. Photo by Melinda Sue Gordon. © 2017 Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation All Rights Reserved

September’s ended so it is time to wake up.

We’ve gathered those must-save guides and more September highlights—including an in-depth interview with Battle of the Sexes directing team Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris on how prepping before a shoot can stretch a budget, along with an article espousing the importance of an inclusive crew. All that and more—for your browsing pleasure. Dive in!


Why Over-Prep? It’s the Key to Not Taking Shots In the Dark, Says the Director of A Violent Man (By Matthew Berkowitz)

Why work out the kinks before you get on set? You’ll have more time to focus on advancing your story, narrative clarity, interesting characters and entertainment value, says this moviemaker.

Haunted By Waters: A River Runs Through It 25 Years Later (By Brian D’Ambrosio)

Before he could make the Oscar-winning 1992 drama which made a star of Brad Pitt, Robert Redford had to earn the trust of writer Norman Mclean to tell the story of his family.

How They Did It: This Cinematographer Shot and Survived Explosive Wildfires For The Netflix Doc Series Fire Chasers (By Steven Holleran)

“Our vehicle burned to the ground in a matter of minutes, containing expensive equipment and personal gear. We were lucky.”

Watch and Learn: Walkie-Talkie Lingo Everyone On Set Should Know (Video) By Hannah Deitch

New to set? StudioBinder breaks down the walkie-talkie lingo.

Abundant Acreage AvailableWhy I Shot My Feature in North Carolina Despite the Less Competitive Tax Incentives (By Angus MacLachlan)

Would you pass up a hefty tax incentive to get that perfect look for your film? This moviemaker’s answer is yes.

Wu-Tang Forever: What an Inclusive Crew Means, and Why Hiring One Will Change Your Life (By DeMane Davis)

After a historically diverse Emmy Awards, Queen Sugar director DeMane Davis on why “including new people will only make whatever you’re making better.”

Battle of the Sexes: The Big-Screen Take on the Iconic Match Balances Truth and Entertainment (By John Ralske)

“It wasn’t lost on us that some of the circus-like atmospheres of the election was mirrored in the silliness of the match,” says co-director Jonathan Dayton.

Cinema Law: Can I Fictionalize A Reality TV Idea Without Infringing Its Copyright? (By Gregory R. Kanaan) 

Have you ever wondered why you see so many different stories with the same concept? And why aren’t the producers all suing each other over it?

Eye Piece: Mirrors, Neon Signs and Other Lighting Tricks Create Disorientation in DP Peter Flinckenberg’s Woodshock (by Peter Flinckenberg

Striving for a more visceral aesthetic? Do all of your VFX in camera.

How They Did It: Why Storyboarding was Crucial to Creating the Gothic Big House of The Lodgers (By Brian O’Malley)

“I always storyboard anything I’m directing. This was true of both Let Us Prey and The Lodgers, for which I produced close to 3,000 individual drawings.” MM

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