This practical guide addresses how to write effective and perceptive essays about film - a fundamental requirement of any course involving film history or criticism. It first explains why writing about cinema can be such an interesting activity, and then discusses the various stages in the writing process specific to film studies - taking notes on a movie, making an outline, finding and researching a topic, integrating technical details into an analysis and revising for sharper style. A full chapter on writing a film essay discusses how and when to do research, and lists bibliographical indexes and major film journals. Revised with an updated list of sources, this edition also features references to more recent films.