Direction & Production Books - Page 4

Motion Picture and Video Lighting, Second Edition

Blain Brown

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Total reviews: 5 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

Motion Picture and Video Lighting, Second Edition, is the indispensable guide to film and video lighting. Written by the author of the industry bible Cinematography, this book explores technical, aesthetic, and practical aspects of lighting for film and video. It will show you not only how to light, but why. Written by an experienced professional, this comprehensive book explores light and color theory; equipment, and techniques to make every scene look its best.

Now in full color, Motion Picture and Video Lighting is heavily illustrated with photos and diagrams throughout.

This new edition also includes the ultimate 'behind the scenes' DVD that takes you directly on a professional shoot and demonstrates technical procedures and equipment. In addition, 20 video clips include lighting demonstrations, technical tests, fundamentals of lighting demos, and short scenes illustrating different styles of lighting.

* The definitive book on film and video lighting
* Now in full color, with hundreds of illustrations and diagrams
* NEW ultimate DVD including "behind-the-scenes" video, lighting demonstrations, technical tests, fundamentals of lighting demos and so much more

The Art and Science of Digital Compositing, Second Edition: Techniques for Visual Effects, Animation and Motion Graphics (The Morgan Kaufmann Series in ... Morgan Kaufmann Series in Computer Graphics)

Ron Brinkmann

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 2 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

Computer graphics special effects are widely used in film, television, and computer games. Compositing is a key part of the special effects pipeline—it is the final, crucial step where all the component parts of a rendering are joined together into a single, integrated image. These components may include 3D and 2D images that have been created with the wide variety of modeling, animation, and rendering tools available today.
Ron Brinkmann's The Art and Science of Digital Compositing provides a complete guide to the technical and artistic elements of this process and is the leading book in the field. Now revised in a second edition, Brinkmann uses his extensive experience in the visual effects industry to discuss the latest techniques used to create beautiful and believable images. The book takes a conceptual approach, fostering a deep understanding of compositing technique rather than focusing on specific tools—knowing where the buttons are located isn't nearly as important as knowing why to press those buttons.

* Ron Brinkmann brings extensive experience with feature film production to this complete reference on compositing
* Profusely illustrated in 4 color throughout with examples from contemporary films
* The bestselling book on compositing used by professionals and students alike

Making Movies

Sidney Lumet

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 28 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

No greater insite into the mind of a great director... 5 out of 5 stars.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.

Sidney Lumet is a tremendous director who has worked with some of Hollywood's finest. In this book, Making Movies, Mr. Lumet allows the reader into his mind and method answering any question one might ever think to ask. He is candid, honest, and inspiring -never once leaving the ground to fabricate or falsify the reality and responsibility of making a movie. It is as though he were passing his knowledge on to a family member. If you are thinking about becoming a director, actor, writer, or producer I recommend this book to you; read into the traditions of Mr. Sidney Lumet.

Fun, and Still Informative 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

I got this book as a gift for my younger sister, a film major. It goes through the process of making a movie from rehearsal to release, with a lot of anecdotes and examples for flavor. It's a fun read; more of a memoir than a how-to manual.

Editorial Review:

The award-winning director journeys inside the world of film to illuminate the arduous process of creating movies, discussing the art and craft of directing, writers and actors, the camera, art direction, editing, sound tracks, distribution and marketing, and the studio role. Reprint. 35,000 first printing. NYT.

Adventures in the Screen Trade

William Goldman

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Total reviews: 33 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

A "Must Read" for Every Screenwriter 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

Once Upon a Time in Hollywood: From the Secret Files of Harry Pennypacker
Shadow Watcher
Nobody Drowns in Mineral Lake

This is perhaps the best book about screenwriting and the film business ever written.

Oscar winner William Goldman, who wrote such classic films as HARPER, BUTCH CASSIDY AND THE SUNDANCE KID, MARATHON MAN and ALL THE PRESIDENT'S MEN shares his unique, often difficult, experiences working with top directors, producers and stars like Paul Newman, Robert Redford, Dustin Hoffman and Laurence Olivier.

If survival in the Hollywood film industry is possible, then there is no better "survival guide" than this book, because Goldman tells it like it is. He pulls no punches.

According to Goldman, the single most important fact in the movie industry is that "Nobody Knows Anything".

Most of the book's second-half is a primer on how to write a successful screenplay.

What does Goldman feel is the most important lesson to be learned about writing for films?

1. "Screenplays Are Structure"
2. You protect the "spine" of that structure "to the death".

If you want to work (and succeed) in Hollywood, then this is a book that you must carry around with you...like a Bible.


© Michael B. Druxman, author of ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD

Editorial Review:

As befits more than twenty years in Hollywood, Oscar-winning screenwriter William Goldman's sparkling memoir is as entertaining as many of the films he has helped to create. From the writer of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, All the President's Men and Marathon Man, Adventures in the Screen Trade is an intimate view of movie-making, of acting greats such as Redford, Olivier, Newman and Hoffman, and of the trials and rewards of working inside the most exciting business in the world.

The Sound Effects Bible: How to Create and Record Hollywood Style Sound Effects

Ric Viers

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 8 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Very Informative and Entertaining 5 out of 5 stars.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.

I'm in film school so I have to read a lot of books on the video and audio industry, but most of the time I skim through them searching for the most important parts. That was not the case with the Sound Effect Bible. I actually enjoyed reading this book and found it more informative than most of the other books assigned to me in school. My favorite thing about the Sound Effects Bible is the advice that the author, Ric Viers, has to offer about real life situations that might arise while recording and producing sound effects. I know that after reading this book I will be miles ahead of the rest of my classmates in my upcoming audio production classes.

Great book for newbies 5 out of 5 stars.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.

I know almost nothing about actually creating or recording sound effects... but after reading The Sound Effect Bible, I felt like I could grab a mic and do it. (Which is total self-delusion, but still-- I FELT like I did.) This is a terrific book for anyone about to produce their own film or go to work in a post department... a comprehensive, easy-to-read, accessible reference guide.

Editorial Review:

The Sound Effects Bible is a complete guide to recording and editing sound effects. The book covers topics such as microphone selection, field recorders, the ABCs of digital audio, understanding Digital Audio Workstations, building your own Foley stage, designing your own editing studio, and more.

Documentary Storytelling, Second Edition: Making Stronger and More Dramatic Nonfiction Films

Sheila Curran Bernard

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 8 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

Documentary Storytelling offers a unique in-depth look at story and structure as applied not to Hollywood fiction, but to films and videos based on factual material and the drama of real life. With the growing popularity of documentaries in today's global media marketplace, demand for powerful and memorable storytelling has never been greater. This practical guide offers advice for every stage of production, from research and proposal writing to shooting and editing, and applies it to diverse subjects and film styles, from vérité and personal narrative to archival histories and more.

Filled with real-world examples drawn from the author's career and the experiences of some of today's top documentarians, Documentary Storytelling includes special interview chapters with Ric Burns, Jon Else, Nick Fraser, Susan Froemke, Sam Pollard, Onyekachi Wambu and other film professionals. This second edition has been brought up to date with a more international focus, a look at lower-budget independent filmmaking, and consideration of newer films including Super Size Me, Murderball, So Much So Fast, and When the Levees Broke.

* Storytelling techniques are one of the most powerful tools in the documentary filmmaker's arsenal--learn how to harness them with this book
* Top documentary filmmakers provide their storytelling strategies
* Covers a wide range of documentary styles

The Pocket Lawyer for Filmmakers: A Legal Toolkit for Independent Producers

Thomas A. Crowell

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Total reviews: 14 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

* You have an idea you want to pitch to a production company; how do you safeguard your concept?
* There's a painting in the background of your independent film; is it necessary to clear the rights?
* The screenplay you and a friend wrote gets optioned; how do you split the proceeds fairly?
* How do you get a script to popular Hollywood actors or deal with their agents?
Find quick answers to these and hundreds of other questions in The Pocket Lawyer for Film and Video, the next best thing to having an entertainment attorney at your beck and call. Written by a TV-producer-turned-entertainment-lawyer, this no-nonsense reference provides fast answers in plain English: no law degree required! The Pocket Lawyer is designed to help producers reduce legal costs by providing the vital information needed to make informed decisions on the legal aspects of film, video, and TV productions.

Film and video production is a litigation lighting rod: actors get hurt, copyrights are infringed, and contracts are broken. Big-budget producers have lawyers on retainer, but many independent filmmakers are left legally exposed. Arm yourself with the practical advice in this book. You will not only avoid common pitfalls, but become empowered in your daily work. Too many otherwise competent producers turn over every aspect of the deal negotiations to their lawyers and agents. This book explains the principal deals common to every production, putting producers back in the co-pilot seat with their representatives.

The format is carefully designed for quick reference, so you get the answers you need, fast. Features include:
* Clause Companion: explains the meaning and impact of typical contract clauses, taking the headache out of reading them.
* F.A.Qs: instantly answers the most commonly asked legal questions.
* Warnings: alerts you to critical areas and common mistakes.
* Pro-Tips: advice on unions, escrow accounts, etc. for producers who want to distribute their video widely.

Key features
* Avoid legal pitfalls with this quick reference guide: get instant answers
* Written in plain English for filmmakers, not lawyers
* Three books in one: a handy manual on film contracts, a step-by-step guide to critical legal issues on and off the set, and a quick reference on copyright and intellectual property issues

The Art and Technique of Digital Color Correction

Steve Hullfish

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Total reviews: 6 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

Provides direct access to the skills, insights and techniques of some of the postproduction industry's most prominent digital video colorists, delivering practical skills to the postproduction pro seeking to improve their color grading craft. The author interviews and observes 8 professional colorists as they grade a series of real world video images, describing the methods and techniques each artist uses to reach their finalized image. These video images are included on a DVD that allows you to work lockstep with each artist as they grade their images.

Though some tools provided may differ from one product to the next, the basic process of video color correction (grading) remains the same. Application agnostic and sure to inspire, The Art of Digital Video Color Correction will further your artistic skills, whether you're an editor, compositor, or colorist, and allow you to apply those skills to the grading process, making your finished image sharper, crisper and more aesthetically pleasing in general.

* Digital video color correction tips and techniques from the pros grading the films, shows and commercials we all see everyday, thus advancing the artistic coloring skills of the reader
* Is non-software specific, with lessons that are applicable to any postproduction workflow
* DVD includes samples of the same video images that the colorists featured in the book were working on, providing direct access to the techniques and process of professional grading

The Conversations

Michael Ondaatje

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 20 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Accessable to everyone 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

This is not a technical film editing manual, but should prove invaluable to someone beginning in film and interesting to anyone on an intermediate level. Filled with fascinating stories of what it takes to make the cut. An excellent read.

This book is about creativity, not just film or sound 5 out of 5 stars.
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I loved this book because it is intensely literary and thoughtful. It gives great insights into the creative process which transcends film, sound, and writing; and Ondaatje's thoughtful questions are a huge part of what makes the book great. If it were just a 'normal' author interviewing Murch, they wouldn't have gotten to half the interesting topics which they end up covering. This book is also wonderful because it's such a departure from other books -- it's not trying to fit a type or a genre of writing, so it seems to end up in this essential but interstitial place in between 'how to' 'memoir' and 'philosophy of'. The first couple dozen pages are a bit slow as Ondaatje finds his footing, but after that, the book is compelling.

Distilled Genius 5 out of 5 stars.
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Murch is one of the quiet masters of the filmmaking craft. He has a gift, a genius, and he's generous enough to impart it in these pages, and in his own book on editing, In the Blink of an Eye Revised 2nd Edition. Simone Weil said that "attention is prayer," and Murch pays attention. You'll learn how to see films differently, more clearly, yet knowing the technical stuff he imparts won't detract from the magic of the medium. He is both a master AND a fan. What a fine perspective.

Hitchcock (Revised Edition)

Helen G. Scott, Francois Truffaut

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Total reviews: 28 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

Any book-length interview with Alfred Hitchcock is valuable, but considering that this volume's interlocutor is François Truffaut, the conversation is remarkable indeed. Here is a rare opportunity to eavesdrop on two cinematic masters from very different backgrounds as they cover each of Hitch's films in succession. Though this book was initially published in 1967 when Hitchcock was still active, Truffaut later prepared a revised edition that covered the final stages of his career. It's difficult to think of a more informative or entertaining introduction to Hitchcock's art, interests, and peculiar sense of humor. The book is a storehouse of insight and witticism, including the master's impressions of a classic like Rear Window ("I was feeling very creative at the time, the batteries were well charged"), his technical insight into Psycho's shower scene ("the knife never touched the body; it was all done in the [editing]"), and his ruminations on flops such as Under Capricorn ("If I were to make another picture in Australia today, I'd have a policeman hop into the pocket of a kangaroo and yell 'Follow that car!'"). This is one of the most delightful film books in print. --Raphael Shargel