A Short Guide to Writing about Film | 
 enlarge | Author: Timothy Corrigan
Publisher: Longman
Category: Book
List Price: $41.60
Buy Used: $4.00
You Save: $37.60 (90%)
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Rating:  7 reviews
Sales Rank: 18716
Media: Paperback
Edition: 5th
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 189
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.5
Dimensions (in): 8.2 x 5.6 x 0.4
ISBN: 0321096657
Dewey Decimal Number: 808.066791
EAN: 9780321096654
ASIN: 0321096657
Publication Date: May 29, 2003
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
This best-selling text is a succinct guide to thinking critically and writing precisely about film. With numerous student and professional examples along the way, this engaging and practical guide progresses from taking notes and writing first drafts to creating polished essays and comprehensive research projects. Moving from movie reviews to theoretical and critical essays, the text demonstrates how an analysis of a film becomes more subtle and rigorous as part of a compositional process. Both an introduction to film study and a practical writing guide, this brief text introduces students to film terms and the major film theories to enable them to write more critically. For individuals who want to think and write critically about film.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 2 more reviews...
 Fast, Good, Easy, Helpful August 4, 2008
I received the book I had ordered in less than a week. It was in great condition. I was very pleased. It was an easy read and was very helpful to me for the film class I was taking on American Westerns, in which I had to write three research papers.
An Excellent Intro to Film Study September 9, 2007
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
Timothy Corrigan, in the preface to "A Short Guide to Writing About Films, sixth edition," says, "Writing essays about films is, in short, one of the most sophisticated ways to respond to them." In this concise book, he lucidly explains how to write screen reports, movie reviews, as well as theoretical and critical essays on films.
Here's a sample of his lucid writing. Defining terms often used in film study: mise-en-scene -- "the arrangement of the so-called theatrical elements before they are actually filmed; these include sets, lighting, costumes, and props"; shot/reverse shot -- "an editing pattern that cuts between individuals according to the logic of their conversation"; jump cut -- "a cut within the continuous action of a shot, creating a spatial or temporal jump or discontinuity within the action."
Moreover, this updated edition explains the supplementary features often included in DVDs such as story boards, behind-the-scene documentaries, and interviews with the cast and crews.
Even if you don't intend to write about films, reading this blessedly brief book will enhance your enjoyment of watching films. Five shining stars.
-- C J Singh
 TWO THUMBS DOWN January 28, 2001
24 out of 94 found this review helpful
I am currently a film major who is being forced to read this book. Let me say that so far I am only to chapter three and have suffered through every page of it. It is filled with basic, common sense, (i.e., the best way to write about film is to take notes during the screening. and if you can, it's good to see the movie more than once), which is explained in several pages. Give me a break. Not only does he present basic knowlnedge but he repeats himself in so many words. The truth is, the only way to successfully analize film is to develop an eye for symbolism. No book, I don't care who writes it, can teach you that. It is something that must be personally developed. Why someone would waste their time writing a book trying to teach people how to do that blows my mind. I give it one star, cause after all, everyone deserves a little comething for at least trying.
fine, blessedly concise guide January 7, 2001
9 out of 11 found this review helpful
I'm writing to second mitry's opinion of the book and to add to mitry's comment about kenosha's complaint of textual errors. I have the second edition of the book, and Corrigan speaks of Captain Willard and refers to Marlowe as "the other Captain Willard" (p. 43). It's clear from the context that he is comparing the film character with Conrad's protagonist. I doubt Corrigan would have revised the 2nd edition text here to make an error in the 3rd edition. Don't get turned off by an erroneous review!
Intelligence and accessibility August 1, 2000
18 out of 21 found this review helpful
This a marvelous book, packed with information and much more accessible than far more expensive books. It's the perfect companion for almost any film course since it not only introduces students to the language and methods of film analysis (including how to take notes) but does so while guiding students through the work of writing a good essay (with great suggestions for doing research). The writing is clear and accurate (with none of the errors referred to by the Kenosha reviewer). I recommend it without hesitation to all students of film.
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