What is the Definition of CINEMATIC, in Screenwriting Terms?

We’ve all heard the term “cinematic”. Film reviews, job offerings, script feedback, award acceptance speeches. Many people in the industry use this term, some of them quite lightly. But what is the real definition of “cinematic”?

In the dictionary, cinematic means “relating to cinema”. Plain and simple. But not so fast. If this were true, then ANYTHING that is related to cinema would be cinematic. But in the media landscape, not everything quite qualifies as such.

Cinematic: “Possessing the quality that comes from effectively using the tools of cinema to tell a story (…) in a way that would not be possible in another medium.”

Patrick Willems, filmmaker.

Patrick’s definition gets us closer to what cinematic really means in terms of filmmaking and screenwriting. So let’s break it down.

• First off, he says “Effectively using the tools of cinema”. So it’s not just about the angles, shots or color palette. They need to have a purpose.
• Then he says “to tell a story”. This means that cinematic is not just a look, but a way to tell the story itself.
• And finally, “in a way that would not be possible in another medium”. So cinematic should not just be related to film, but rather make us feel that this couldn’t exist anywhere else.

Putting all these elements together, we can conclude that in screenwriting, “cinematic” is the potential of something feeling like the movies. But let’s look at how this definition of cinematic can actually manifest within screenwriting as well as filmmaking.

The Elements of CINEMATIC