Cinematic Storytelling

The 100 Most Powerful Film Conventions Every Filmmaker Must Know
By Jennifer van Sijll

Book Review
By Ann Baldwin


Jennifer van Sijll has an MFA from USC’s Department of Cinema-Television, teaches screenwriting at San Francisco State and UC Berkeley, and worked as a script analyst for Universal Pictures. She consults on film and television projects in Los Angeles and San Francisco. In her book, Cinematic Storytelling: The 100 Most Powerful Film Conventions Every Filmmaker Must Know (Michael Wiese Productions 2005), she opens new doors and windows of opportunity for more creativity in our screenwriting, by revealing the abundant resources available to us through film techniques.

You can add subtle layers of meaning to your scripts through film techniques such as sound effects, props, scene transitions, lighting, camera motion, and editing; Jennifer shows you how to incorporate them into your screenwriting and uses examples and illustrations from over 100 films including Out Of Africa, The Conversation, Klute, ET, Citizen Kane, and The Sixth Sense.

She will teach you how to think and write more visually and gives you the ultimate supply of tools for conquering the “Show, Don’t Tell” rule of screenwriting. You’ll gain a better understanding of how to convey your message to your audience without relying on dialog.

Jennifer’s unique approach connects a bridge between screenwriting and film production, allowing for a more united and successful collaboration of film artists. Cinematic Storytelling is highly recommended for all writers who want to master the art of screenwriting and be more in-demand.

To learn more about Jennifer van Sijll you can visit her at http://www.cinematicstorytelling.com and purchase a copy of Cinematic Storytelling at Michael Wiese Productions, Amazon, The Writers Store, and Barnes & Noble.