What does it mean to "set the tone" of a film or TV show? And how do you do it? takes a swing at answering these questions. Plus, it features one of my favorite Coen brothers’ films, A Serious Man, ...

When I brainstorm new ideas for movies, one of the things I work on right away is the tone of the story. To me, it informs so much more than even the genre. The tone sets the stage for the narrative I ...