Shot Zero
@shotzero.bsky.social
We talk shot design - because shot design isn’t just how it looks and feels, it’s how it works. www.shot-zero.com
Produced by Stu Willis & Mel Killingsworth
Produced by Stu Willis & Mel Killingsworth
Pinned
Shot Zero
@shotzero.bsky.social
· Sep 10
#Andor FrameWithoutFrame 2/5
Through S1, Vel and Cinta had similar ideals, but polar opposite ideas of how they could work together within the Rebellion, and this frame reminds us of this visually.
I’m also interested in how we get *into* this frame, though:
Through S1, Vel and Cinta had similar ideals, but polar opposite ideas of how they could work together within the Rebellion, and this frame reminds us of this visually.
I’m also interested in how we get *into* this frame, though:
Today for #Noirvember, we look at the absolutely astonishing opening 'oner' (including a few stitches and models) to 1948's The Big Clock
November 10, 2025 at 12:01 AM
Today for #Noirvember, we look at the absolutely astonishing opening 'oner' (including a few stitches and models) to 1948's The Big Clock
Another #Noirvember day, another lit cigarette!
99 River Street (1953) is absolutely smouldering.
Note the power dynamic shifts with the blocking (more on our substack shotzero.substack.com/i/138989527/...)
beat it, indeed.
99 River Street (1953) is absolutely smouldering.
Note the power dynamic shifts with the blocking (more on our substack shotzero.substack.com/i/138989527/...)
beat it, indeed.
November 9, 2025 at 10:26 PM
Another #Noirvember day, another lit cigarette!
99 River Street (1953) is absolutely smouldering.
Note the power dynamic shifts with the blocking (more on our substack shotzero.substack.com/i/138989527/...)
beat it, indeed.
99 River Street (1953) is absolutely smouldering.
Note the power dynamic shifts with the blocking (more on our substack shotzero.substack.com/i/138989527/...)
beat it, indeed.
This scene from classic noir Intimidation (1960) is all smooth camera movements from behind the thief . . . until an alarm sounds.
From the alarm the scene 'devolves', ratcheting up anxiety with smash cuts, closeups, and noise, guiding us through . . .
1/3
From the alarm the scene 'devolves', ratcheting up anxiety with smash cuts, closeups, and noise, guiding us through . . .
1/3
November 8, 2025 at 11:02 PM
This scene from classic noir Intimidation (1960) is all smooth camera movements from behind the thief . . . until an alarm sounds.
From the alarm the scene 'devolves', ratcheting up anxiety with smash cuts, closeups, and noise, guiding us through . . .
1/3
From the alarm the scene 'devolves', ratcheting up anxiety with smash cuts, closeups, and noise, guiding us through . . .
1/3
#Noirvember holds many flavors!
Western noir Blanche Fury has quite a fancy-brutal use of POV during this ambush scene.
We break it down further at shotzero.substack.com/p/blanche-fu..., but the effect is simply unmissable.
Western noir Blanche Fury has quite a fancy-brutal use of POV during this ambush scene.
We break it down further at shotzero.substack.com/p/blanche-fu..., but the effect is simply unmissable.
BLANCHE FURY's Shock Effect Through Editing
To kick off #Noirvember 2023, let's talk effective murder! Specifically this sequence from technicolour noir Blanche Fury (1948), which never show the bullet’s impact nor a drop of blood, but use a fe...
shotzero.substack.com
November 8, 2025 at 9:57 PM
#Noirvember holds many flavors!
Western noir Blanche Fury has quite a fancy-brutal use of POV during this ambush scene.
We break it down further at shotzero.substack.com/p/blanche-fu..., but the effect is simply unmissable.
Western noir Blanche Fury has quite a fancy-brutal use of POV during this ambush scene.
We break it down further at shotzero.substack.com/p/blanche-fu..., but the effect is simply unmissable.
Gothic noir "Ladies in Retirement" ends with Ellen (#IdaLupino) walking into endless fog . . . actually into a stage + painted backdrop, which they sell by building a circuitous path between prop trees for Ellen to walk, and holding out til the last second for THE END
November 8, 2025 at 10:02 AM
Gothic noir "Ladies in Retirement" ends with Ellen (#IdaLupino) walking into endless fog . . . actually into a stage + painted backdrop, which they sell by building a circuitous path between prop trees for Ellen to walk, and holding out til the last second for THE END
When Ellen (#IdaLupino) talks to her sisters about their destructive behaviour, gothic noir Ladies in Retirement frames the sisters like gargoyles on either side of her, and lights Ellen much brighter with the ‘gargoyles’ in shadow.
November 7, 2025 at 11:01 PM
When Ellen (#IdaLupino) talks to her sisters about their destructive behaviour, gothic noir Ladies in Retirement frames the sisters like gargoyles on either side of her, and lights Ellen much brighter with the ‘gargoyles’ in shadow.
From the angle to the camera shake, love this title card from 1949’s OBSESSION
(known in the US as THE HIDDEN ROOM . . . but that would not look as cool in this font!)
(known in the US as THE HIDDEN ROOM . . . but that would not look as cool in this font!)
November 7, 2025 at 6:00 AM
From the angle to the camera shake, love this title card from 1949’s OBSESSION
(known in the US as THE HIDDEN ROOM . . . but that would not look as cool in this font!)
(known in the US as THE HIDDEN ROOM . . . but that would not look as cool in this font!)
Reposted by Shot Zero
#NoirvemberChallenge #FilmNoir
Day 7. Favorite Film Noir dream sequence
Stranger on the Third Floor (Boris Ingster,1940)
Day 7. Favorite Film Noir dream sequence
Stranger on the Third Floor (Boris Ingster,1940)
November 7, 2025 at 3:01 AM
#NoirvemberChallenge #FilmNoir
Day 7. Favorite Film Noir dream sequence
Stranger on the Third Floor (Boris Ingster,1940)
Day 7. Favorite Film Noir dream sequence
Stranger on the Third Floor (Boris Ingster,1940)
Noir takes many shapes and mediums and time periods and secondary genres . . .
such as this gorgeous futuristic animated tech-noir MARS EXPRESS
open.substack.com/pub/shotzero...
such as this gorgeous futuristic animated tech-noir MARS EXPRESS
open.substack.com/pub/shotzero...
November 6, 2025 at 11:01 PM
Noir takes many shapes and mediums and time periods and secondary genres . . .
such as this gorgeous futuristic animated tech-noir MARS EXPRESS
open.substack.com/pub/shotzero...
such as this gorgeous futuristic animated tech-noir MARS EXPRESS
open.substack.com/pub/shotzero...
These four shots from The Last Stop in Yuma County serve three distinct purposes: plot, pretty, and character.
PLOT showing us whether Charlotte (Jocelin Donahue) will successfully dose the coffee
1/3
PLOT showing us whether Charlotte (Jocelin Donahue) will successfully dose the coffee
1/3
November 5, 2025 at 11:01 PM
These four shots from The Last Stop in Yuma County serve three distinct purposes: plot, pretty, and character.
PLOT showing us whether Charlotte (Jocelin Donahue) will successfully dose the coffee
1/3
PLOT showing us whether Charlotte (Jocelin Donahue) will successfully dose the coffee
1/3
Noir loves itself a stairway — for example we’ve looked at how Brighton Rock uses stairs for both mundanity and murder, and Double Indemnity uses them to stage Phyllis’s iconic introduction.
#GiriHaji also uses stairs for many purposes . . . 1/2
#GiriHaji also uses stairs for many purposes . . . 1/2
November 4, 2025 at 11:01 PM
Noir loves itself a stairway — for example we’ve looked at how Brighton Rock uses stairs for both mundanity and murder, and Double Indemnity uses them to stage Phyllis’s iconic introduction.
#GiriHaji also uses stairs for many purposes . . . 1/2
#GiriHaji also uses stairs for many purposes . . . 1/2
Happy Valley 1.06 uses frames within frames within a wide shot to show how disconnected Catherine Cawood (Sarah Lancashire) feels. Her family is further back in the house and partly obscured by busy window dressing, while she’s set apart in the open doorframe; vulnerable, literally out in the cold.
November 3, 2025 at 11:00 PM
Happy Valley 1.06 uses frames within frames within a wide shot to show how disconnected Catherine Cawood (Sarah Lancashire) feels. Her family is further back in the house and partly obscured by busy window dressing, while she’s set apart in the open doorframe; vulnerable, literally out in the cold.
Favourite #FilmNoir character introduction . . .
Lots of dames get introduced via their stems, but the first thing we see of this mobster are his hands . . .
shotzero.substack.com/p/character-...
Lots of dames get introduced via their stems, but the first thing we see of this mobster are his hands . . .
shotzero.substack.com/p/character-...
November 3, 2025 at 4:52 AM
Favourite #FilmNoir character introduction . . .
Lots of dames get introduced via their stems, but the first thing we see of this mobster are his hands . . .
shotzero.substack.com/p/character-...
Lots of dames get introduced via their stems, but the first thing we see of this mobster are his hands . . .
shotzero.substack.com/p/character-...
Reposted by Shot Zero
RIP Adam Greenberg
He was the superb cinematographer who shot Near Dark (watch it!), Terminator 2: Judgment Day and, of course, The Terminator, which means he’s responsible for one of my favourite shots in cinema that also coined a new genre for its film:
He was the superb cinematographer who shot Near Dark (watch it!), Terminator 2: Judgment Day and, of course, The Terminator, which means he’s responsible for one of my favourite shots in cinema that also coined a new genre for its film:
November 2, 2025 at 9:08 PM
RIP Adam Greenberg
He was the superb cinematographer who shot Near Dark (watch it!), Terminator 2: Judgment Day and, of course, The Terminator, which means he’s responsible for one of my favourite shots in cinema that also coined a new genre for its film:
He was the superb cinematographer who shot Near Dark (watch it!), Terminator 2: Judgment Day and, of course, The Terminator, which means he’s responsible for one of my favourite shots in cinema that also coined a new genre for its film:
Reposted by Shot Zero
Doing some deep dives on the 'how and why' of classic and neo-noir shots for #Noirvember over on @shotzero.bsky.social, kicking off with this window trick from Fritz Lang's M
shotzero.substack.com/p/practical-...
shotzero.substack.com/p/practical-...
Practical Tricks: M
how Fritz Lang made what is now a special effects shot, practically.
shotzero.substack.com
November 2, 2025 at 9:45 PM
Doing some deep dives on the 'how and why' of classic and neo-noir shots for #Noirvember over on @shotzero.bsky.social, kicking off with this window trick from Fritz Lang's M
shotzero.substack.com/p/practical-...
shotzero.substack.com/p/practical-...
To kick off #Noirvember we're looking at a practical movement in one of the most influential thrillers of all time: Fritz Lang's M
November 2, 2025 at 11:02 PM
To kick off #Noirvember we're looking at a practical movement in one of the most influential thrillers of all time: Fritz Lang's M
Relationships are summed up and arcs are foreshadowed in this 30 seconds near the start of Aussie Christmas noir Heatwave.
A moving shot brings Stephen (Richard Moir) onto the patio; then blocking immediately divides him from his girlfriend and coworker with a support beam.
1/3
A moving shot brings Stephen (Richard Moir) onto the patio; then blocking immediately divides him from his girlfriend and coworker with a support beam.
1/3
November 1, 2025 at 11:01 PM
Relationships are summed up and arcs are foreshadowed in this 30 seconds near the start of Aussie Christmas noir Heatwave.
A moving shot brings Stephen (Richard Moir) onto the patio; then blocking immediately divides him from his girlfriend and coworker with a support beam.
1/3
A moving shot brings Stephen (Richard Moir) onto the patio; then blocking immediately divides him from his girlfriend and coworker with a support beam.
1/3
#Scream 3 bridges Spooky Season and #Noirvember
Sidney Prescott stands with a photo of her mother and poster for Kiss Me Deadly - both Scream 3 and Kiss Me Deadly open on a highway drive, and involve stabbings, an imposter, and a big explosion.
To say more would give away too much about both . . .
Sidney Prescott stands with a photo of her mother and poster for Kiss Me Deadly - both Scream 3 and Kiss Me Deadly open on a highway drive, and involve stabbings, an imposter, and a big explosion.
To say more would give away too much about both . . .
October 31, 2025 at 11:51 PM
#Scream 3 bridges Spooky Season and #Noirvember
Sidney Prescott stands with a photo of her mother and poster for Kiss Me Deadly - both Scream 3 and Kiss Me Deadly open on a highway drive, and involve stabbings, an imposter, and a big explosion.
To say more would give away too much about both . . .
Sidney Prescott stands with a photo of her mother and poster for Kiss Me Deadly - both Scream 3 and Kiss Me Deadly open on a highway drive, and involve stabbings, an imposter, and a big explosion.
To say more would give away too much about both . . .
#XFiles “Squeeze” makes us a voyeur, before switching to shots which identify us with — and terrify us alongside — Scully.
The first camera move glides from behind a wall to see Scully about to bathe, intimating someone/thing is watching her, and implicating us in that gaze.
1/2
The first camera move glides from behind a wall to see Scully about to bathe, intimating someone/thing is watching her, and implicating us in that gaze.
1/2
October 31, 2025 at 11:02 PM
#XFiles “Squeeze” makes us a voyeur, before switching to shots which identify us with — and terrify us alongside — Scully.
The first camera move glides from behind a wall to see Scully about to bathe, intimating someone/thing is watching her, and implicating us in that gaze.
1/2
The first camera move glides from behind a wall to see Scully about to bathe, intimating someone/thing is watching her, and implicating us in that gaze.
1/2
Happy Halloween!
We celebrate with a longread (well, medium read) looking at several beautiful and spooky shots from #Monsterland Episode 3, “New Orleans, LA."
shotzero.substack.com/p/five-shots...
We celebrate with a longread (well, medium read) looking at several beautiful and spooky shots from #Monsterland Episode 3, “New Orleans, LA."
shotzero.substack.com/p/five-shots...
October 30, 2025 at 11:01 PM
Happy Halloween!
We celebrate with a longread (well, medium read) looking at several beautiful and spooky shots from #Monsterland Episode 3, “New Orleans, LA."
shotzero.substack.com/p/five-shots...
We celebrate with a longread (well, medium read) looking at several beautiful and spooky shots from #Monsterland Episode 3, “New Orleans, LA."
shotzero.substack.com/p/five-shots...
How many ways does Spike Lee make the sign of the cross in his vampire flick #DaSweetBloodofJesus?
Several, including the markings on a pastor’s robe (pic 1) and the body shape of a vampire’s victim as they die (no pics for spoiler reasons; also possibly general content reasons).
1/2
Several, including the markings on a pastor’s robe (pic 1) and the body shape of a vampire’s victim as they die (no pics for spoiler reasons; also possibly general content reasons).
1/2
October 29, 2025 at 11:01 PM
How many ways does Spike Lee make the sign of the cross in his vampire flick #DaSweetBloodofJesus?
Several, including the markings on a pastor’s robe (pic 1) and the body shape of a vampire’s victim as they die (no pics for spoiler reasons; also possibly general content reasons).
1/2
Several, including the markings on a pastor’s robe (pic 1) and the body shape of a vampire’s victim as they die (no pics for spoiler reasons; also possibly general content reasons).
1/2
Yesterday we looked at this #PortraitofaLadyonFire scene transition, but the images in both scenes are also distinctly opposite.
1/2
1/2
October 28, 2025 at 11:01 PM
Yesterday we looked at this #PortraitofaLadyonFire scene transition, but the images in both scenes are also distinctly opposite.
1/2
1/2
Yesterday Stu examined how #PortraitofaLadyonFire is a ghost story, but the film’s thoughtful use of visuals don’t stop at metaphor and mythology. This transition from the cold open cleverly show we’ve entered a flashback.
When the scene cuts, it’s from Marianne to Marianne . . .
1/4
When the scene cuts, it’s from Marianne to Marianne . . .
1/4
October 27, 2025 at 11:02 PM
Yesterday Stu examined how #PortraitofaLadyonFire is a ghost story, but the film’s thoughtful use of visuals don’t stop at metaphor and mythology. This transition from the cold open cleverly show we’ve entered a flashback.
When the scene cuts, it’s from Marianne to Marianne . . .
1/4
When the scene cuts, it’s from Marianne to Marianne . . .
1/4
"You said it was a ghost story. It isn't. It's a love story."
“Same thing, really."
#PortraitofaLadyonFire is a ghost story:
shotzero.substack.com/p/portrait-o...
“Same thing, really."
#PortraitofaLadyonFire is a ghost story:
shotzero.substack.com/p/portrait-o...
October 26, 2025 at 11:01 PM
"You said it was a ghost story. It isn't. It's a love story."
“Same thing, really."
#PortraitofaLadyonFire is a ghost story:
shotzero.substack.com/p/portrait-o...
“Same thing, really."
#PortraitofaLadyonFire is a ghost story:
shotzero.substack.com/p/portrait-o...
Reposted by Shot Zero
and now, for something quite different!
I did an actual play podcast with some friends and talented writers; party in the front, analysis in the back!
stay tuned for further episodes as we examine the disappearance of a high-powered galactic official . . .
1dzero.substack.com/p/1dz-01?tri...
I did an actual play podcast with some friends and talented writers; party in the front, analysis in the back!
stay tuned for further episodes as we examine the disappearance of a high-powered galactic official . . .
1dzero.substack.com/p/1dz-01?tri...
1DZ-01: Arkyvrs - A Mansion Most Vile - Ep1
An actual play podcast. In a gritty sci-fi future, a crew of ragtag filmmakers investigate the mysterious disappearance of a Corporate President. if it bleeds it ledes.
1dzero.substack.com
October 26, 2025 at 4:10 AM
and now, for something quite different!
I did an actual play podcast with some friends and talented writers; party in the front, analysis in the back!
stay tuned for further episodes as we examine the disappearance of a high-powered galactic official . . .
1dzero.substack.com/p/1dz-01?tri...
I did an actual play podcast with some friends and talented writers; party in the front, analysis in the back!
stay tuned for further episodes as we examine the disappearance of a high-powered galactic official . . .
1dzero.substack.com/p/1dz-01?tri...