Film style refers to recognizable cinematic techniques used by filmmakers to create specific value in their work.
During the silent film era, filmmakers were not able to use synchronized dialogue until sound became possible in the late 1920s.
One of the most noticeable ways to affect film style is through mise-en-scène, or what appears on the screen.
Lighting, costumes, props, camera movements, and backgrounds are all part of mise-en-scène.
There are countless ways to create a film based on the same script simply through changing the mise-en-scène.
Viewers expect to interact with and be a part of the film, rather than simply being shown a group of images.
Classical Hollywood narrative film styles and the conventions of other genres help to guide the audience in what to expect.
For example, Independence Day and Cloverfield are both sci-fi, action films about the possible end of the world.