Movies & TV Facts for Kids
Behind-the-scenes facts from film and TV
Make-up artists can use prosthetics — pieces of silicone or foam latex applied to the face and body — to transform actors beyond recognition. Gary Oldman spent several hours each day having prosthetics applied to play Winston Churchill in Darkest Hour (2017).
Tom Hanks voices Woody in all four Toy Story films. Pixar reportedly chose him because his voice conveys warmth and trustworthiness, making audiences immediately like the character.
Harrison Ford appeared in Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (2023) at age 80 — making the gap between the first and fifth Indiana Jones films 42 years. It is one of the longest sequel gaps in cinema history.
Colour grading is the process of adjusting the colours in a film during post-production to create a particular mood. Thrillers often use cold blue tones, while nostalgic scenes are often given a warm golden tint.
Steven Spielberg chose to film Schindler's List (1993) almost entirely in black and white to reflect the grim historical reality of the Holocaust. A single red coat worn by a child character appears in colour, making it even more powerful.
A modern digital cinema projector uses an extremely bright laser or xenon lamp to project the image onto the screen. Some projectors produce a light beam bright enough to illuminate a football pitch.
As of 2024, only three women have ever won the Academy Award for Best Director: Kathryn Bigelow for The Hurt Locker (2009), Chloé Zhao for Nomadland (2020), and Jane Campion for The Power of the Dog (2021).
Disney's Moana (2016) was created with extensive research into Polynesian cultures, languages, and navigation traditions. A special cultural advisory board called the Oceanic Story Trust reviewed the film to ensure respectful representation.
Streaming services such as Netflix and Disney+ have transformed how people watch films, allowing viewers to watch new releases at home. Netflix alone has over 300 million subscribers worldwide and produces hundreds of original films each year.
4DX cinemas use moving seats, water sprays, wind, and even scents to make films feel immersive. There are over 700 4DX screens in more than 60 countries worldwide.