Meg Shields

Meg has been writing professionally about all things film-related since 2016. She is a Senior Contributor at Film School Rejects as well as a Curator for One Perfect Shot. She has attended international film festivals such as TIFF, Hot Docs, and the Nitrate Picture Show as a member of the press. In her day job as an archivist and records manager, she regularly works with physical media and is committed to ensuring ongoing physical media accessibility in the digital age. You can find more of Meg's work at Cinema Scope, Dead Central, and Nonfics. She has also appeared on a number of film-related podcasts, including All the President's Minutes, Zodiac: Chronicle, Cannes I Kick It?, and Junk Filter. Her work has been shared on NPR's Pop Culture Happy Hour, Business Insider, and CherryPicks. Meg has a B.A. from the University of King's College and a Master of Information degree from the University of Toronto.
Showgirls Double Take

Double Take: ‘Showgirls’ at 25 and the Unlikely Legacy of Nomi Malone 

By Meg Shields, and Anna Swanson 

One of the worst films of all time? We think not! For the film’s 25th anniversary, here’s our re-appraisal of ‘Showgirls.’

Blade Runner Eye and camera aperture

The Beginner’s Guide to Camera Aperture

By Meg Shields 

Here’s a look at how filmmakers weaponize camera apertures and what makes them such an essential storytelling tool.

The Dark Knight Christopher Nolan Crosscut

How Christopher Nolan Uses Crosscutting to Build Momentum

By Meg Shields 

One of Christopher Nolan’s trademark techniques is the crosscut. Here’s a look at why, via ‘The Dark Knight,’ ‘Inception,’ and ‘Interstellar.’

James Bond Opening Titles Collage

Every James Bond Opening Title Sequence, Ranked

By Anna Swanson, and Meg Shields 

Maurice Binder said it best: “Girls, guns, smoke, and steam.”

The Bay

‘The Bay’ and the Horror of Inaction During a Public Health Crisis

By Meg Shields 

Anyone else feel itchy?

Original Gunnery Sergeant Full Metal Jacket Tim Colceri

The Brutal Story Behind the Re-Casting of Gunnery Sergeant Hartman

By Meg Shields 

Tim Colceri losing the role of the foul-mouthed Gunnery Sergeant classifies him as one of the most tortured Kubrick actors of all time.

North By Northwest Editing

Lessons in Editing: When Not to Cut

By Meg Shields 

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaand…wait for it….cut!

Get Out Evil Rose

What ‘Get Out’ Can Teach Us About the Banality of Evil

By Meg Shields 

Hannah Arendt tells us evil comes from a failure to think. So here’s a video essay on how the philosophical theory manifests in ‘Get Out,’ to get you thinking.

Psycho Rear Projection Shot

How Does Rear Projection Work?

By Meg Shields 

Roll plate!