Movies are made up of individual shots stitched together to convey something. In stories they convey what happens and in what order. In film things do not just happen, there is also the way these things are seen. The camera can be put in any number of positions and pointed in countless ways. This has become a language of its own, film grammar, but its nature is not like that of spoken words but like the way we speak without words.

Silent, Visual Cues

Like the way you walk or the way you stand, film language is just as utilitarian. The camera has to be pointed at the subject, we need to pan to see everything. It is so run of the mill that it is often overlooked, and the meaning might never occur to anyone. A man with hands in his pockets might be shy or he might have really cold hands. The meaning is there but it is hard to pinpoint precisely.

Unconsciously Felt, Easily Misinterpreted

The way a camera captures the action on screen is most effective when it does not call attention to itself. Just as body language can be easily misunderstood, so too can film grammar. The accepted wisdom is that the camera pointed up at a person speaking shows them to be powerful, but that same shot could also be used to show someone looking over a cliff (not such a powerful position).

Meaning By Grouping, Ordering

A man with his hands in his pockets who then pulls them out, rubs them together and blows hot breath on them is clearly a man with cold hands. Just as a man speaking to a lady from a top a ladder seen in an up angle is not necessarily more powerful than she once we see shots of how high up he is and how rickety the ladder is. The meaning of individual shots become more clear as the rest of the shots are seen.

Different Things To Different People

There is no black and white when it comes to film grammar just as in body language. It means something, but it is not up to you as the filmmaker to say what that is. It is all up to interpretation, you can only do so much to say anything specific with the camera and how it sees action.

Conscious Thought Can Shape It

Someone who slouches can be taught to stand up straight and soon will be able to do it without thinking about it. Film grammar can be thus mastered. As you make more films and watch them, you will become aware of what works and what did not. As you progress you will be able to choose most shots without much conscious thought, following intuition that has been carefully trained for years by conscious thought and reflection.

Your choice of angles, lenses, film stock, and the like can make a difference in the quality of your film. The problem is the best way to achieve that quality is by letting it happen without effort. With an accurate idea of how film grammar works and some experience you can feel confident that you will have a good handle on it without relying too much on analysis and thinking.