Presenting a manner of thinking “on both sides of the screen,” this review offers screen enthusiasts the analytical and theoretical vocabulary required to articulate responses to film and television. It provides guidelines for developing the skills to understand and analyze how and why a screen text was shot, scored, and edited in a particular way, as well as for considering what impact those production choices might have on the audience. Production techniques and approaches to screen analysis are presented in a historical context. Other topics discussed include recent technological developments; the implications of increasing convergence of film and television technologies; and the aesthetics, narrative, realism, genre, celebrity, and cult media of global screen culture. Featuring extensive international examples, this is an ideal introduction to critical engagement with film and television.
