Finn Morse

Cinematography is film’s most individual strength. The term “motion picture” promises a moving image, and that image can be anything. For the medium to fulfill that promise, the line cannot be drawn: it must keep moving. To leave an undeniable mark, the needle must always be pushed forward. In other words, don’t stop dancing. The mainstreaming of Technicolor in the late 1930s was the hottest new trick since the coming of sound in 1927.

The feature films of Japanese Golden Age director Akira Kurosawa have been studied for the better part of a century. During his legendary directorial career, his scripts and his unique style laid the foundation for filmmakers everywhere. Known for samurai epics and sentimentality, Kurosawa used his talents to celebrate human life and tell great stories. Commanding the camera 30 separate times, Kurosawa worked with familiar faces to create some of the very best movies ever.

The Theatre School at DePaul rounds out the month of May with its annual playwriting festival, Wrights of Spring. The two-week celebration includes free performances that showcase 16 original scripts from DePaul playwrights which will run through Sunday, May 31. “It is a scary thing to get into a writing cohort,” said playwriting major Olayinka Bart-Williams, who is participating in the festival for the second time. “You’re going to feel naked for a really long time. And it’s OK to fail.