The constituent elements of a film or films, fictional and non‐fictional, and the perceivable relationship between them. Form is a critical term referencing an established pattern of literary devices or, more broadly, signals the structure of design in a particular work.
The key elements of film form: cinematography, mise-en-scène, editing, sound and performance Area 2.
So, content would be things like characters, dialogue, themes, symbols, etc. Form would be how those things are presented - camera movement, pacing, editing, plot structure, etc. A good movie will be made so that both form and content complement each other or intentionally clash in order to achieve meaning.
Film Form can be described as the elements within a film and their relationship with one another. This includes the production and story elements such as camera, characters, and mies-en-scene, and the way these elements are used to create meaning.
The principle of form over content significantly influences how viewers interpret a film by drawing attention to its stylistic choices rather than just its storyline. When a film emphasizes visual aesthetics or innovative editing techniques, it encourages viewers to engage with the material on a more sensory level.
FILM FORM = the total system a viewer perceives in a film. Narrative subsystem (plot) + Stylistic subsystem (camera, color, music etc.)