Cinematic Storytelling: The 100 Most Powerful Film Conventions Every Filmmaker Must Know

Dialogue is one of the best known, and obvious, elements in a film. But the language of cinema is more subtle and sophisticated than dialogue alone.

From Metropolis to Kill Bill, this remarkable reference guide reveals 100 of the most potent storytelling tools of the medium, compelling cinematic devices beyond dialog for screenwriters and directors to pump up action, develop characters and energize a motion picture’s plot.

Here’s what you’ll learn:

• 17 basic building blocks of cinematic language
• 100 examples of cinematic techniques that create layering and more powerful scenes
• 100 definitions of cinematic tools
• How to use sound, picture and camera motion as storytelling devices
• How to show character change without using dialog
• How filmmakers marry story and technique
• All this and more illustrated by over 500 frame grabs and 76 script excerpts from the most memorable moments in film history

The mastery of cinematic storytelling unites all successful film artists who share a fluency in the sight, sound and motion of movies. If you want to take your screenplay or your film appreciation to a higher level, this book will get you there.