Happy Hour Studios

09/15/2025

✨ Breaking barriers, making history. Today’s is inspired by Kathryn Bigelow who became the first woman to ever win the Academy Award for Best Director with The Hurt Locker, and has continued to shape cinema with bold, uncompromising stories like Zero Dark Thirty and Point Break. 🎬🔥

09/09/2025

From Donnie Darko’s dreamlike frames to decades of shaping cinematic stories, Steven Poster, ASC has done it all. For today’s , Steve Gainer, ASC ASK sat down with him to talk craft, career, and creativity.

🎥 Full interview now live on YouTube, and you don’t want to miss it! Click below to watch now!

Join Everything Cinematography as we have a wonderful sit down interview with Steven Poster, ASC. Known for films like Donnie Darko and Stuart Little 2, his ...

09/09/2025

Our recent Weirdo FREAKFEST short film festival was one for the books!

Thank you to everyone who came by and thank you to our team of interns for hosting an unforgettable night! 🎥

08/26/2025

Steve Gainer is back with another episode of and takes us through the fascinating history of the the Bell & Howell 2709 camera, including a macabre fact 👀🎥

Watch below!

Episode 2 features the Bell & Howell 2709B camera, the most steady film camera ever made!

08/25/2025

The Italian maestro behind La Strada, La Dolce Vita, 8½, and so many other dreamscapes, today’s  celebrates Federico Fellini whose films remind us that life is as strange, beautiful, and poetic as we dare to imagine. 🌙🎥

08/18/2025

The Weirdo FREAKFEST Short Film Festival is THIS Saturday, August 23!

Swing by for a night of quirky, bizarre, and out-of-this-world short films at Happy Hour Studios.

Whether you’re a fan of surrealism, dark comedy, or just plain weirdness, don’t miss out on this one-of-a-kind event that celebrates the oddball, the offbeat, and the downright strange in the world of cinema.

Doors at 6pm. Tickets at the link in bio 🎥

08/14/2025

Welcome to the Weirdo FREAKFEST Short Film Festival!

Join us Saturday, August 23 for a night of quirky, bizarre, and out-of-this-world short films at Happy Hour Studios.

Whether you're a fan of surrealism, dark comedy, or just plain weirdness, don't miss out on this one-of-a-kind event that celebrates the oddball, the offbeat, and the downright strange in the world of cinema. Doors at 6pm. Tickets below 🎥

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/weirdo-freakfest-short-film-festival-tickets-1573932196569

08/12/2025

In our mission to preserve the legacy of classic cinema, we're proud to launch : a behind-the-scenes look at the tools that shaped filmmaking history and the innovations shaping its future.

Kicking off the series is a special feature with one of Happy Hour Studios' most dedicated champions, Steve Gainer (ASC) — DP, director, and all-around powerhouse.

Watch below!

Episode 1 of Everything cinematography takes a close look at the Mitchell Standard. Join Steve as he takes a deep dive into the inner workings of this legend...

06/18/2025

Thank you to everyone who joined us for our inaugural Silver Screen Sips Film Festival!

We loved seeing so many of you come together to celebrate youth-driven storytelling, community, and cinema at Happy Hour Studios.

Stay tuned for what’s next—this is only the beginning. 🎬🍸

06/16/2025

Today’s is from the one and only Pedro Almodóvar — a trailblazer in q***r cinema whose films have redefined storytelling with heart, humor, and bold visual flair. 

From “All About My Mother” to “Talk to Her”, “Bad Education”, and “Pain and Glory”, his work gives voice to LGBTQ+ lives with radical empathy and unforgettable style. Almodóvar’s films don’t just tell stories — they embrace identity in all its messy, beautiful complexity. 🌈🎬

05/12/2025

: Widely regarded as a pioneer of American independent cinema, director John Cassavetes constantly refuted Hollywood norms, and often financed and directed his own deeply human stories—centered on improvisation, emotional truth, and character over plot.

Cassavetes frequently collaborated with his wife, the iconic Gena Rowlands, who starred in many of his films—including 1974’s A Woman Under the Influence. The film remains one of his most acclaimed works and is a powerful portrait of mental health, domestic life, and love on the edge.

04/28/2025

Today’s is from the one and only Ryan Coogler, whose film Sinners is more than a box office hit—it’s a cultural moment. In a heartfelt letter he recently shared, Coogler expressed gratitude to audiences, emphasizing how their response “re-invigorated” him.

The film’s $48M opening weekend and historic “A” CinemaScore for a horror film underscore its impact. Starring Michael B. Jordan in dual roles, Sinners blends genres and delivers a powerful cinematic experience.

Thank you, Ryan, for reminding us why we love the movies. 🎥