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Screen Language: From Film Writing to Film-making
By the former Head of Script at the National Film & Television School, this is a key text for anyone interested in film.
In this invaluable and fascinating insight into the way the elements of a film - image, sound and story - are put together, Cherry Potter has used her extensive experience as a writer and film-school teacher to provide a combination of analysis and inspiration which will engage the thinking cinema-goer as well as aspiring screenwriters and film-makers.
Using sequences from films as diverse as Wild Strawberries, The Lacemaker, For a Few Dollars More, Midnight Cowboy, The Cook, the Thief, His Wife and Her Lover and American Beauty, Potter examines the nature of film language, structure and storytelling, as well as departures from the classic form. A final section, which will be of particular interest to anyone who wishes to write, produce or direct films, looks at the imaginative process of generating film ideas and invites readers to explore their creativity by providing essential guidance and practical exercises.
"An excellently researched and perceptive book. I have not read a more intelligent and detailed appreciation of one of my own films" - John Schlesinger (director)
In this invaluable and fascinating insight into the way the elements of a film - image, sound and story - are put together, Cherry Potter has used her extensive experience as a writer and film-school teacher to provide a combination of analysis and inspiration which will engage the thinking cinema-goer as well as aspiring screenwriters and film-makers.
Using sequences from films as diverse as Wild Strawberries, The Lacemaker, For a Few Dollars More, Midnight Cowboy, The Cook, the Thief, His Wife and Her Lover and American Beauty, Potter examines the nature of film language, structure and storytelling, as well as departures from the classic form. A final section, which will be of particular interest to anyone who wishes to write, produce or direct films, looks at the imaginative process of generating film ideas and invites readers to explore their creativity by providing essential guidance and practical exercises.
"An excellently researched and perceptive book. I have not read a more intelligent and detailed appreciation of one of my own films" - John Schlesinger (director)
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First published January 25, 2001
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September 19, 2014
As I move beyond conventional screenwriting texts, it's helpful to discover more thoughtful and mature approaches like "Screen Language." In fact I wish I had discovered this book long before I was inculcated with much of the simplistic dross in conventional screenwriting texts. The book examines film in micro- and macrocosm through extended prose analysis. It often reads more like film criticism, which I was ambivalent about at first but grew to appreciate more and more as I progressed. The thorough description and analysis of cited films give the reader a rare, in-depth perspective on the creative filmmaking process. Also the brief primer on screenwriting at the end is some of the most practical and lucid advice I have ever come across. For film lovers and filmmakers, "Screen Language" offers great insight.
Displaying 1 of 1 review