Proven Ways to Start Understanding Cinema

Movies entertain, educate, and inspire us, but what sets a great film apart from a bad one? What do directors do to captivate us so deeply? Here are some simple yet effective ways to start understanding cinema.

Watch Critically

Critical viewing means analyzing a film and enhancing your experience through it. It involves understanding the complex “language” of cinema, its conventions, codes, and symbols. Simply watching a movie for an hour and a half isn’t enough; you need to grasp the context, how it was filmed, and the techniques used by the director. Anyone can study the methods and structure of cinema, whether it’s an old film or a new one shot in VR 360.

Choose Wisely

Select films for your evening viewing that are truly worth your time. Don’t chase after hyped-up new releases with strong marketing campaigns; often, the advertising budget doesn’t reflect the film’s actual quality. Pay attention to the production company: is it a small independent studio or a large conglomerate? Find out if the film is a sequel, remake, or another version of an existing script. Check what awards the film has won or been nominated for.

During the viewing, think about how you would briefly summarize the main characters’ stories and describe the setting and time period. Focus on what the director emphasizes, the music, the camera angles, and the connections between dialogues. If you’re unsure about what to watch, Telegram channels can help. For example, @micmacs regularly posts witty notes and reviews on films of various genres and compiles guides to new releases.

Dig Deeper

YouTube is an excellent tool for learning to distinguish good cinema from bad. One of the most famous channels for movie lovers is Every Frame a Painting. Although it hasn’t been updated for a while, its archives are still available and worth watching. The channel analyzes films from the perspective of composition, lighting, editing, color palette, and musical score, which together make scenes captivating. Many videos have Russian subtitles available.

Films often contain hidden details and “Easter eggs” that you might miss on the first viewing. In such cases, complement your movie experience with videos from the Now You See It channel. The author explores film series on specific themes, looks for tropes and patterns, discusses the “golden ratio” rule in cinema, and even explains the significance of chess appearances in scenes.

Follow Criticism

All cinematic criticism is highly subjective, and there is no single, definitive list of the “100 best films.” While it’s difficult to quantify the quality of a film, critics, reviewers, and fans regularly create numerous lists. There are ratings on a 5-point scale, percentages, the number of “rotten tomatoes,” and classic likes and dislikes that people use to indicate how good a film is. It’s easy to get confused, but fortunately, popular services like Kinopoisk now aggregate information from different services and display ratings in different countries and months.

Don’t Fear Spoilers

Some people claim that spoilers ruin the viewing experience, but in reality, the more you worry about the main character suddenly dying, the less enjoyment you get. Knowing the ending in advance doesn’t guarantee that you’ll solve the mystery easily and quickly. So don’t be afraid to read other people’s reviews, especially since most reviewers have learned to indicate when their text contains information about key plot twists.

Pick Up a Camera

Of course, you’ll fully understand the intricacies of filmmaking only when you start shooting yourself. Start your own vlog! Begin with simple three-minute scripts, plan your shots, and draw storyboards. You don’t need an expensive camera; a smartphone will do. Modern software allows for simple editing even without special skills. By working with light, applying filters, and adding music, you’ll quickly begin to understand the nuances of creating a compelling image that captivates thousands of viewers.