Roger Ebert: How to read a movie

In this piece by Roger Ebert, he discusses how he goes through a film in his shot by shot workshops, offering tips on how to study a film, using a technique called Cinema Interruptus.

…I’ve mentioned from time to time the “shot at a time” sessions I do at film festivals and universities, sifting through a film with the help of the audience. The e-mails I receive indicate this is perceived as some kind of esoteric exercise. Actually, it’s something anyone can do, including you, and you don’t need to be an expert, because the audience, and the film itself, are your most helpful collaborators. Of course it would be wise to research a film you hope to dismantle in public, and be familiar with its director and context, but I believe the process in its pure form could be applied to a film you’ve never even heard of. I want to tell you how.

— Roger Ebert | Read The Full Article