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)