1.  Writing about the Movies   2. Beginning to Think, Preparing to Watch, and Starting to Write   3. Film Terms and Topics for Film Analysis and Writing  4. Six Approaches to Writing about Film   5. Style and Structure in Writing   6. Researching the Movies   7. Manuscript Form   Appendix: Symbols Commonly Used In Marking Papers   Glossary of Film Terms   Works Cited  Credits   Index  

Concise explorations of the most important approaches to film analysis and writing about film, including auteurs, genres, ideology, kinds of formalism, and national cinemas, give students a quick course in the fundamentals for film theory. A range of film terms and topics, including mise-en-scéne, point-of-view, composition, realism, and so on, are introduced, so students understand and use correct terminology. Each chapter concludes with short writing exercises that help students view, evaluate, and write about film more critically. Guidance on working with electronic sources helps students understand the limitations and pitfalls of electronic research. A comprehensive Glossary allows students to accurately describe their observations of the details of film practice. A wealth of images features captions with pedagogical directions.

Each chapter now opens with a list of learning objectives  which alert students to the key topics they should master by the time they complete the chapter. New exercises found within each chapter  ask students to apply a key concept they just learned. These exercises can be assigned as brief writing assignments or the basis for class discussion. Nearly 25 percent of the images are new with very contemporary films included. New content on digital media has been added. Exercises have been freshened and updated throughout.