CINEMA DESERVES TO BE UNDERSTOOD AS DEEPLY AS IT IS CHERISHED.
The Comprehensive Dictionary of Cinema is built for cinephiles, filmmakers, and serious students of the medium. With 5,424 entries across eleven curated sections, it captures the full language of cinema—from industry slang to academic theory, from technical language to international filmmaking movements. Each entry is rigorously defined and carefully structured for clarity, precision, and ease of use.
1ST EDITION, 1ST PRINTING
Description
Final copies from the first printing remain available. These are overprints from the Kickstarter and are limited by nature. A second printing presale is coming soon, with delivery timing based on sales volume.
A 1,312-page definitive reference mapping the language of cinema across 5,424 entries—from academic theory to on-set practice, from industry language to fan and cultural discourse.
- 1,312 pages
- 5,424 entries
- 11 curated sections
- Supported by 2,300+ distinct references
Spanning academia, genre, movements, aesthetics, screenwriting, directing and performance, cinematography and editorial, business and industry language, production terminology and equipment, post-production and sound, visual effects and animation, exhibition and home media, preservation, festivals and awards, trade press, digital media, and fan culture.
Truly comprehensive. Carefully constructed. Rigorously defined.
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Final First Printing Copies Available — Second Printing Presale Coming Soon.
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FOR THOSE WHO TAKE CINEMA SERIOUSLY
For those who return to film with intention—through their work, their studies, or the ritual of watching—not casually, but continually. The foundational reference for understanding, speaking, and thinking in the language of cinema.
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DESIGNED TO BE KEPT
Designed as both reference and artifact, with premium materials and careful attention to form. Made to be kept, used, and returned to—an object with presence, a totem of respect for cinema.
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BUILT BY THE INDUSTRY
Developed with 35+ contributors with backgrounds across film and media, combining real-world experience with painstaking research in every entry.
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A ROLE IN PRESERVING CINEMA
Cinema’s language is shaped and sustained by those who engage with it. It is through language that a medium is defined and preserved—without it, it fades.
CONTRIBUTOR CAREER AFFILIATIONS
WHAT READERS SAY
Readers have called it comprehensive, rigorous, and long overdue.
MADE BY PEOPLE WHO LIVE THISMost film books feel pretty disconnected from what actually happens on a film set. I’ve known Kory and Chrissy for years through the industry, and I’m so proud of what they’ve accomplished with this project. When you flip through it, you can really feel the thousands of collective hours that went into it. It works for me not only as someone who works in the industry, but also as someone who genuinely just loves movies. Bravo! Well done, team!
Jesse W.
Cinematographer
Most film books feel pretty disconnected from what actually happens on a film set. I’ve known Kory and Chrissy for years through the industry, and I’m so proud of what they’ve accomplished with this project. When you flip through it, you can really feel the thousands of collective hours that went into it. It works for me not only as someone who works in the industry, but also as someone who genuinely just loves movies. Bravo! Well done, team!
Jesse W.
Cinematographer
MADE FOR PEOPLE WHO LOVE THISThe Comprehensive Dictionary of Cinema pulls back the curtain and reveals the fantastical, mysterious, wildly imaginative, and endlessly inspired universe of cinema that invites every person who has ever fallen in love with a film, a front row seat as a reader, to discover a whole new language that transforms our understanding of the most beloved forms of art.
Ashley K.
Lifelong Cinephile
The Comprehensive Dictionary of Cinema pulls back the curtain and reveals the fantastical, mysterious, wildly imaginative, and endlessly inspired universe of cinema that invites every person who has ever fallen in love with a film, a front row seat as a reader, to discover a whole new language that transforms our understanding of the most beloved forms of art.
Ashley K.
Lifelong Cinephile
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FAQS
Everything else you might want to know about The Comprehensive Dictionary of Cinema.
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WHAT EXACTLY IS THIS BOOK?
A 1,300+ page reference work with 5,400+ entries spanning film theory, craft, industry language, and global cinema. Built with 35+ contributors and over 2,300 sources, it maps how cinema functions—and how it is understood.
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Who is this for, Really?
For the lifelong film fan, the first-year film student, the C-suite studio executive, the indie director making their first feature, the lamp operator #17 on the call sheet, the post-production supervisor, nd the PA, who is about to step onto set for the very first time.
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HOW IS THIS DIFFERENT FROM OTHER FILM BOOKS?
Most film books approach cinema through a single lens—treated as an academic subject, a technical pursuit, an artistic endeavour, a commercial product, or a fan-driven obsession. This dictionary brings these perspectives together, allowing readers to understand cinema from the big picture to the smallest details.
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DO YOU OFFER INSTITUTIONAL AND WHOLE SALE PRICING ON BULK ORDERS?
Yes — we offer institutional and wholesale pricing for bulk orders. If you’re ordering on behalf of a library, school, retailer, or organization, please reach out to discuss availability, pricing, and timelines. Lead times and quantities may vary depending on demand.Yes — we offer institutional and wholesale pricing for bulk orders. If you’re ordering on behalf of a library, school, retailer, or organization, please reach out to discuss availability, pricing, and timelines. Lead times and quantities may vary depending on demand.
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WHEN WILL I RECEIVE MY COPY?
Final copies from the first printing remain available. These are limited Kickstarter overprints, making them uniquely exclusive. Orders ship same week of purchase, with delivery times varying by location—as an independent publisher, we don’t have the infrastructure of a multinational megacorporation to guarantee overnight delivery, but we do our best. A second printing presale is coming soon, with delivery timing determined by demand.
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What is Your refund policy?
We offer a 100% satisfaction guarantee within 30 days of receipt. Any concerns, reach out, and we’ll make it right.
WAIT. WHAT IS CINEMATICALISM?
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WHO ARE WE
Cinematicalism is a film culture brand building projects that explore cinema across craft, culture, and industry—beginning with The Comprehensive Dictionary of Cinema.
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WHO IT'S FOR
Cinephiles, professionals, and academics—and all those in between—who take cinema seriously and remain steadfast in its vitality.
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WHY IT MATTERS
Because cinema—as craft, culture, and industry—deserves thoughtful attention and active stewardship.
AN EMERGING FORCE IN FILM CULTURE
