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In this week's Academy Originals we asked several filmmakers to tell us what is inspiring them in art, music, and/or film.David O. Russell, Steve McQueen, Hans Zimmer, and Matthew McConaughey, among others, gave us answers like Kanye West, black-and-white still photography and "The Book of Mormon on Broadway".Let us know in the comments below what's inspiring you right now.If you'd like to see more of our series where we ask moviemakers Questions, be sure to check out what the responses were when we asked them  their advice to aspiring filmmakers. And don't miss the video where we asked…

Screenwriter Phil Robinson ("Field of Dreams", "All of Me", "Sneakers") took part in our ongoing Academy Q&A series. Here are some highlights from his hour-long interview.Q: As I writer myself I find it hard to stay committed to finishing a script. Do you have any tips for beating writer's block and maintaining a passion for the story?A: My first advice is to not call it "writer's block". Once we give a syndrome a name, it's almost an excuse not to write. What I believe happens when we think we're "blocked" is that we simply don't know what comes next. So when that happens to me, I just…

In this week's episode of Academy Originals we ask a variety of actors, writers and directors who supported them on their path to moviemaking success. Who deserves their thanks?While many noted their family, mentors, and friends,  Jennifer Garner picked a refreshing member of her support group, her ballet teacher."She just expected a lot, so we gave a lot. And I think that's really important to do," Garner explained.Now a question for you: have you seen all of our Questions series? We've asked some of your silver screen faves for their advice to aspiring filmmakers. We have also them "What…

Charles Guggenheim (1924-2002) devoted his life to documentary filmmaking. An acclaimed director with a career that spanned five decades and films that garnered 12 Academy Award nominations and four wins, Guggenheim pursued his craft with an intensity and depth that few have matched.Evident in his work is a compassionate concern for the American experience, a subject Guggenheim explored time and again in films that are critical, celebratory, and oftentimes both. He is the rarest of documentarians: a man who not only captured the events of his time, but helped shape them. Seen above is a photo…

In this week's Academy Originals we sat down with successful actors, screenwriters, cinematographers and composers and asked them to share some insights for the benefit of would-be moviemakers.Spanning from screenwriter John Ridley to actors Daniel Brühl and Melissa Leo to composer Hans Zimmer, most of the advice was rooted in the age-old prescription to believe in oneself."Dig deep inside yourself and face all of your inner demons," actor Terrence Howard suggests, "and make friends with them."Make sure to check out an earlier edition of Questions, when we asked filmakers "What Was The First…

Veteran film editor  ("One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest," "Ali," "A River Runs Through It") Lynzee Klingman answered Ask Me Anything questions on reddit this week as part of our ongoing Academy Q&A series.  Check out the highlights from her hour and a half long interview below. Q:  What sort of things can AE's do to really stand out? A: The assistants I've worked with have become part of my family.  So I need them to be pleasant, have a sense of humor and be very good at their jobs. I worked on film for so long, and I was lucky enough when learning digital that when I asked questions about…

As any movie fan can tell you, correct casting is vital to a movie’s success. This is especially true when a film is being adapted from an existing property, such as Rodgers and Hammerstein’s beloved stage musical Oklahoma! Actually, the rigorous matching of the correct person to each job began with picking the director who would steer the film version. The choice of Fred Zinnemann was unconventional because he had no prior experience directing a musical, and instead was known for dramatic fare such as High Noon (1952) and From Here to Eternity (1953). Zinnemann did want to be a musician…

Keye Luke (1904-1991), the Chinese-American actor whose Hollywood career spanned seven decades, made his screen debut in an uncredited supporting role in The Painted Veil (1934), but his big break came when he was cast as Lee Chan, detective Charlie Chan’s “Number One Son,” at Fox (soon to become Twentieth Century-Fox). The Chan series, starring Warner Oland, had begun several years earlier, but really hit its stride when Luke stepped in as a sleuthing sidekick and youthful comic foil for Oland. Both are seen below in Charlie Chan on Broadway (1937). Image…

Casting Director and Academy Governor David Rubin (Gravity, Men in Black, Hairspray, The English Patient) took over the Academy's Facebook page today and answered questions from film students, actors, and aspiring casting directors. Check out highlights from his thread. Q: What is the number 1 thing that you look for when casting?A:   I look for compelling and, ideally, unexpected ways of portraying each character. Our choice of each actor must help tell the film's story in a particular way and hopefully gives it a depth and a dynamic that might even go beyond what the screenwriter and the…