Film Formally
Claim This Podcastby Willa Harlow Ross & Devan Scott
Podcast Overview
<p>Film Formally gets granular about how movies work by studying a technique or trait through its best examples. Independent filmmakers and friends Devan Scott and Willa Harlow Ross leverage years of experience watching and making movies to bring you spirited and approachable conversations, offering brick-by-brick analysis and discussions about how films work.</p>
Language
🇺🇲
Publishing Since
4/16/2020
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Recent Episodes
June 9, 2026
Large Format Myths (Film Formally is back!)
Film Formally returns! What's changed? 1. We're a video podcast now! 2. We're a monthly podcast now! Otherwise, you know the drill: Devan Scott and Willa Harlow Ross - and sometimes a guest - dive deep into the formal building blocks of cinema. Or sometimes preservation. Or sometimes even more niche academic topics! All the stars are here. This week: Devan went and made a video essay debunking myths about shooting format size, and it stirred up some controversy! We're here to sift through the pieces and and answer some questions about exactly we talk about when we talk about format size. We'll discuss the finer points of image formation, perspective distortion, rectilinearity, and why industry icons inadvertently perpetuate misconceptions. Welcome back! Chapters:00:00 – The Return of Film Formally!07:31 – Format Size Discussion13:26 – Breaking Down the Physics: What is Format Size?24:50 – Depth of Field and Image Blur Circles37:58 – Editing Influences: Errol Morris and the "Vlogging" Aesthetic46:21 – Resolution Talk Shownotes and Resources: https://www.filmformally.com WORKS CITED: Devan's video essay: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7nqa-OBV5ikSteve Yedlin's display prep demo: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=suZtYPIADHMCine Lens Manual: https://store.ascmag.com/products/the-cine-lens-manual
April 19, 2022
Commentary 6 - STILL PROCESSING with Sophy Romvari
<p>FILM FORMALLY is back! This month, friend of the podcast <a href='https://sophy.me/'>Sophy Romvari</a>’s films are premiering on the <a href='https://www.criterionchannel.com/short-films-by-sophy-romvari'>CRITERION CHANNEL</a> and to mark the occasion we’ve recorded a set of commentaries for six of these films - NINE BEHIND, IT’S HIM, PUMPKIN MOVIE, NORMAN NORMAN, IN DOG YEARS, and STILL PROCESSING.</p> To listen along, have the film ready to go and hit “play” when prompted within the episode after the introductions. <p>Please note that, due to sync necessities, there are a few gaps in the episode’s discussion: we’ve filled with with snippets of Will’s original score for the film.</p> STILL PROCESSING (2020) <p>A box of stunning family photos unseen for decades awakens lost memories as they are viewed for the first time on camera.</p> <p>In this episode, we discuss:</p> <ul><li> <p>Hybrid documentary and fictional elements.</p> </li> <li> <p>Still Processing’s long production and post-production schedule.</p> </li> <li> <p>Photographic storyboards.</p> </li> <li> <p>Audience expectations and documentaries about grief.</p> </li> <li> <p>Composing the score.</p> </li> <li> <p>What did we learn?</p> </li> </ul> <p>Sophy’s films can be seen on the <a href='https://www.criterionchannel.com/short-films-by-sophy-romvari'>CRITERION CHANNEL</a> - feel free to sign up for a free trial if you aren’t a member.</p>
April 12, 2022
Commentary 5 - IN DOG YEARS with Sophy Romvari
<p>FILM FORMALLY is back! This month, friend of the podcast <a href='https://sophy.me/'>Sophy Romvari</a>’s films are premiering on the <a href='https://www.criterionchannel.com/short-films-by-sophy-romvari'>CRITERION CHANNEL</a> and to mark the occasion we’ve recorded a set of commentaries for six of these films - NINE BEHIND, IT’S HIM, PUMPKIN MOVIE, NORMAN NORMAN, IN DOG YEARS, and STILL PROCESSING. We’ll be releasing one per week for the next six weeks. </p> To listen along, have the film ready to go and hit “play” when prompted within the episode after the introductions. IN DOG YEARS (2019) <p>Old dogs are celebrated in ten short stories about love, loss, and letting go.</p> <p>In this episode, we discuss:</p> <ul><li> <p>Why the CBC hired Sophy to make a dog documentary.</p> </li> <li> <p>Cinemascope as a canine-friendly aspect ratio.</p> </li> <li> <p>A talking head documentary without talking heads.</p> </li> <li> <p>Documentary structure.</p> </li> <li> <p>Will and Sophy’s correspondence editing style.</p> </li> </ul> <p>Sophy’s films can be seen on the <a href='https://www.criterionchannel.com/short-films-by-sophy-romvari'>CRITERION CHANNEL</a> - feel free to sign up for a free trial if you aren’t a member.</p>
52 total episodes available
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Frequently asked questions
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- What is Film Formally?
<p>Film Formally gets granular about how movies work by studying a technique or trait through its best examples. Independent filmmakers and friends Devan Scott and Willa Harlow Ross leverage years of experience watching and making movies to bring you spirited and approachable conversations, offering brick-by-brick analysis and discussions about how films work.</p> - How often does this podcast release new episodes?
This podcast updates inactive.
- Where can I listen to this podcast?
This podcast is available on 2 platforms including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and more. You can also use the RSS feed directly.
- Does this podcast accept guests?
Yes, this podcast regularly features guests.
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