Editing
The Reaction Shot: How a Cut Makes Us Read a Face
Learn how a reaction shot changes a conversation’s meaning by tracing who looks, when the edit cuts, and what a…
The viewing room
All pieces
Read United Cinema Review by craft: story, performance, image, sound and editing. Each piece starts with a film choice you can look for on screen.
Image
Close-Up or Wide Shot? Choosing What a Scene Should Reveal
Close-up or wide shot choices shape what viewers can read. Match the framing to the scene’s central question so each…
Performance
How Silent and Sound Films Use Performance Differently
Compare silent and sound film performance by tracking how gesture, voice, and timing shape a character’s choices in a…
Sound
How Film Music Guides Your Attention Without Dictating Emotion
Learn how film music guides attention by separating the score, sounds characters hear, and silence, then describe what…
Story
A Character’s Want Is Not the Same as Their Need
Separate a character’s want from their need with a practical story-reading exercise that tests both ideas against…
Our point of view
Every frame has a point of view
We believe close attention makes films richer, not smaller. Start with what is on screen, then ask what each choice lets you notice.