Their method–the one that Godard himself undertook, at age nineteen–was criticism. It was a singular method, which served two purposes, revolutionary and didactic. Godard and his young film-lover friends were learning how to make films by watching films; they were giving themselves a conservatory education at the Cinémathèque and the CCQL. By writing about the films they saw, they did two things: they elaborated and refined their ideas about the cinema, in anticipation of the day when they could make films; and they created for themselves a public identity that would get them the chance to make films.

– Richard Brody

When iphones, or hell, even Super 8 cameras weren’t available, Godard and his cinema pals found other methods for training the film skills. Writing was the avenue. They could observe, develop their taste, critique all in one go.

Reminds me of 11 year old Scorsese’s storyboards. No camera. No problem.

Brody, Richard. Everything Is Cinema: The Working Life of Jean-Luc Godard. New York: Metropolitan Books, 2008. pg23