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Direction And Production
from AllProduct description
In this page you will find a series of products about the process of film making/directing and all of its steps the movie theatre.
Filmmaking (often referred to in an academic context as film production) is the process of making a film, from an initial story idea or commission, through scriptwriting, shooting, editing, directing and distribution to an audience.
Typically, it involves a large number of people, and takes from a few months to several years to complete. Filmmaking takes place all over the world in a huge range of economic, social, and political contexts, and using a variety of technologies and techniques.
Film production occurs in five stages:
* Development—The script is written and drafted into a workable blueprint for a film.
* Pre-production—Preparations are made for the shoot, in which cast and crew are hired, locations are selected, and sets are built.
* Production—The raw elements for the finished film are recorded.
* Post-Production—The film is edited; production sound (dialogue) is concurrently (but separately) edited, music tracks (and songs) are composed, performed and recorded, if a film is sought to have a score; sound effects are designed and recorded; and any other computer-graphic 'visual' effects are digitally added, all sound elements are mixed into "stems" then the stems are mixed then married to picture and the film is fully completed ("locked").
* Sales and distribution—The film is screened for potential buyers (distributors), is picked up by a distributor and reaches its cinema and/or home media audience.
Sample Products:
The Art of The Fellowship of the Ring (The Lord of the Rings)  Alan Lee, the beloved illustrator of many of Houghton Mifflin"s Tolkien editions, and a talented team of other artists, including the renowned Tolkien illustrator John Howe, have spent more than three years creating the sets, props, creatures, and locations that truly bring Tolkien"s Middle-earth to life. Hobbiton, Rivendell, and Minas Tirith are no longer designations on the map. Literally hundreds of designers and craftspeople have been painstakingly adding authentic cultural details to each of more than 48,000 separate objects shown in The Fellowship of the Ring, from armor to props to architecture. All this and more is shown in Gary Russell"s lavishly illustrated book. Russell spent time on the set in New Zealand, conducting interviews with director Peter Jackson, special effects guru Richard Taylor, art directors Paul Lasainne, Dan Hennah, and Chris Hennah, costumer Ngila Dickson, and Alan Lee and John Howe. Featuring everything from pencil sketches to the finished objects, his book gives detailed descriptions of why and how this groundbreaking film looks as exciting as it does. The millions of fans dazzled by the results will find here everything they want to know about the genesis and evolution of the movie"s incredible look. Customer Review: Creative process revealed This book shows readers how the creative process begins. The author makes an effort to show the many creative minds that influenced Peter Jackson in his decisions with the making of Lord of the Rings. The artists' commentaries about the art is a fascinating journey on what influenced them to come up with the design and how they used color and form to produce feeling and mood for the movie. Great read for Lord of the Rings fans and anybody who is interested in the creative process. Customer Review: All Inclusive If this book was a DVD, it would be brimming over with extras. As an artist and a LOTR groupie(yeah I was one of those middle earth crazed fans) the book is very complete and satisfactory. The paintings, drawings, sketches and maquettes are really fun because they along with the writings chronicle the development process. Rather than skimming the surface of the movie art for profit it cuts the art department in two and looks at its insides. It doesn't have every detail(sans storyboards) but it is most definitely a quality tome and worth the price for any fan or for those interested in art. |
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Movie Speak: How to Talk Like You Belong on a Movie Set  When is "groucho" not a comedian? A "seagull" not a bird? A "banana" not a fruit, and a "taco cart" not a food stand? What's the "Castle rock rule" and when should you call for a "buff & puff"? And why expect trouble when the A.D. (assistant director) knowingly mumbles "Gone With the Wind in the morning, Dukes of Hazzard after lunch"? An oral tradition gathered and passed down for more than a hundred years, the language of moviemaking, like other secret lexicons, is the only accepted way of communicating on a set €”and is all but unknown to the outside world. Technical, odd, colorful, mysterious, the working language of movies sheds light not only on the hugely complex process of making a film, but on the invisible hierarchies of a set, the unspoken etiquette between cast and crew, and the evolution of a process that's endlessly fascinating.Movie Speak is a book about language, but through language also a book about what it €™s really like to be a director or a producer or an actor or a crew member. An Oscarwinning producer (The Sting), actor (who worked with Spielberg, Coppola, and Sydney Pollock), and director (Five Corners, Flyboys, My Bodyguard, and more), Tony Bill has been on sets for more than 30 years and brings a writer's love of language to this collection of hundreds of film terms. A futz. A cowboy. A Brodkin and a double Brodkin (a.k.a. screamer). Streaks €™n tips, a Lewinsky, Green Acres, rhubarb, a peanut, a Gary Coleman, snot tape, twin buttes, manmaker (and why you can yell for one if needed for a grip, but must whisper if it's for Tom Cruise) €”these are the tricks of the trade. Customer Review: Charming, fun, intelligent, and a great gift for movie buffs Hello all, If you love movies, you'll love this "dictionary" of movie language. I smiled all the way from the charming dedication to the pull quotes Workman Publishing highlighted in the short essay sections. I especially enjoyed the "aha" moments where I finally understood what some terms I had heard before actually mean..... Tony Bill has provided us with a wonderful read. I highly recommend his unique book as a gift. Customer Review: Cool compact book ridden with useful info I love small books. I take this book with me when I travel to read the fascinating information in it. While I know most of the definitions, there are new things to be learned every time I flip through this book. The minimal illustration is entertaining but I wish it contained more of it. |
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Film Editing: Great Cuts Every Filmmaker and Movie Lover Must Know 
Film Editing: Great Cuts Every Filmmaker and Movie Lover Must Know makes the invisible art of editing visible by using nearly 600 colorful frames from popular, recent films. The frames, accompanied by brisk descriptions, make it perfectly suited for quick study readers who like to 'gaze' rather than 'graze' and don't want to read a book. Written by an editor and the author of Cut by Cut: How to Edit your Film or Video, it shows how editors can make or break a movie.
Customer Review: MicroFilmmaker Magazine reviews Film Editing with an 8.5/10 Score... Gael Chandler's Film Editing has a lot of really helpful information on editing, especially for new filmmakers and/or film lovers. While more experienced filmmakers might find much of what's in this book to be concepts they're already familiar with, nearly anyone who reads this book will find their awareness of the art of editing expanded. As such, this is definitely a book to take a look at if you want to learn more about the process of sculpting and honing film, which is editing. -Jeremy Hanke, Editor-in-Chief, [...] , Issue 43, Final Score: 8.5/10 Customer Review: Great pictures and book design A great book for movie lovers who want to know how movies are put together. Awesome book design makes it fun to page through and clear enough to convey the information. |
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Conversations with Woody Allen: His Films, the Movies, and Moviemaking (Vintage)  In discussions that begin in 1971 and end in 2009, Allen talks about every facet of moviemaking through the prism of his own work as well as the larger world of film, and in so doing reveals an artist €™s development over the course of his career. He speaks about his influences and about the genesis of his ideas; about writing, casting, acting, shooting, directing, editing, and scoring €”and throughout shows himself to be thoughtful, honest, self-deprecating, always witty, and often hilarious. Customer Review: Inside the mind of a genius. Conversations with Woody Allen may very well be one of the finest books in regard to Woody Allen. The whole book consists of questions given to Woody at diffrent time periods. Many of which were during production of his films. This books allows you to generate an in depth understanding of Woody and who he really is. Within the book you find virtually everything. Images from many of his films, as well as a biography of his younger years, his favorite music and films, and whats going through his mind while filming and writing his one of a kind pieces. Each chapter consists of a diffrent subject, from directing, writing, editing and scoring the film. All of which give the reader an understanding of Woodys methods. Woody Allen is a master in his field, and I highly recommend this book to whomever is into film, or hoping to get into film. You will understand methods in which one of the greatest director/screenwriters uses, as well a side you never expected from such a comic character on the big screen. Customer Review: Great read! My husband is a big Woody Allen fan...he's read so many biops, but this one seems to be the one he really can't put down. |
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Tim Burton  Tim Burton has reinvented Hollywood genre filmmaking over the past three decades. With a visual style inspired by the aesthetics of animation and silent comedy, Burton's work melds the exotic, the horrific and the comic, manipulating expressionism and fantasy with the skill of a graphic novelist. Published to accompany a major career retrospective at The Museum of Modern Art, this volume considers Burton's career as an artist and filmmaker. It narrates the evolution of his creative practices, following the current of his visual imagination from his earliest childhood drawings through his mature oeuvre. Illustrated with works on paper, moving-image stills, drawn and painted concept art, puppets and maquettes, storyboards and examples of his work as a graphic artist for his non-film projects, this volume sheds new light on Burton and presents previously unseen works from the artist's personal archive. Acclaimed American filmmaker Tim Burton (born 1958) is known for his dark, gothic films about quirky outsiders, many of which are both Hollywood blockbusters and cult classics. To date they have been nominated for 16 Academy Awards and have won six. They include Pee-Wee's Big Adventure (1985), Beetle Juice (1988), Batman (1989), Edward Scissorhands (1990), Batman Returns (1992), Ed Wood (1994), Sleepy Hollow (1999), Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Corpse Bride (both 2005) and Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2007), among others. Alice in Wonderland is slated for 2010. Burton has collaborated extensively with composer Danny Elfman and with actors Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter. Customer Review: A Little pice,But a great content. I live in Bogota Colombia,i Know Tim Burton movies and works,but this book is amazing.Thanks Timmy. Customer Review: So Exciting! What a delight it is to see behind the scenes drawings as well as some early, unseen, works of this acclaimed genius. How lucky we are that this has been brought out of the vault and onto display! This is the catalogue of the current life retrospective of Tim Burton running at MoMA and is a thrilling taste of what is on offer. Some of this reviewers personal favourites are "Romeo and Juliet", "Mothera" and the Clown series and Boy series - but there is a treasure for everyone. Do not miss it! |
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Filmmaking For Dummies(r)  Now updated--the step-by-step secrets to capturing great moments on film With all the recent advancements in filmmaking technology, more people than ever are trying their hand at filmmaking. Keeping up with the newest information in this booming field, this updated edition of Filmmaking For Dummies features up-to-the-minute coverage of the latest and greatest hardware, software, accessories, and trends--including high-definition technology and new outlets for films such as YouTube and MySpace. It demystifies the nuts-and-bolts of filmmaking, from developing a project and securing financing to hiring a cast and crew, editing, and getting distribution. This new edition also provides new movie examples and updated contacts and resources. Whether people want to become professional filmmakers or simply shoot quality home movies, this practical guide has all the advice and tips needed to succeed. Customer Review: great book Great book , very informative . Full of handy tips and contacts for making anything from a small home video to a full blown film ! Customer Review: the low budgeters dream guide An excellent book for making your first second third and any other film after that. Being a big fan of the for dummy series, it was good to have a film making guide that covered every area of film making. From preproduction to postproduction. It is a good investment and a worthy compainion as one works on a size project. |
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The Men Who Would Be King: An Almost Epic Tale of Moguls, Movies, and a Company Called DreamWorks 
For sixty years, since the birth of United Artists, the studio landscape was unchanged.Then came Hollywood €™s Circus Maximus—created by director Steven Spielberg, billionaire David Geffen, and Jeffrey Katzenberg, who gave the world The Lion King—an entertainment empire called DreamWorks. Now Nicole LaPorte,who covered the company for Variety, goes behind the hype to reveal for the first time the delicious truth of what happened.
Readers will feel they are part of the creative calamities of moviemaking as LaPorte €™s fly-on-the-wall detail shows us Hollywood €™s bizarre rules of business.We see the clashes between the often otherworldly Spielberg €™s troops and Katzenberg €™s warriors, the debacles and disasters, but also the Oscar-winning triumphs, including Saving Private Ryan.We watch as the studio burns through billions, its rich owners get richer, and everybody else suffers.We see Geffen seducing investors likeMicrosoft €™s Paul Allen, showing his steel against CAA €™s Michael Ovitz, and staging fireworks during negotiations with Paramount and Disney. Here is Hollywood, up close, glamorous, and gritty.
Customer Review: Gladiators "The Men Who Would Be King," is one hell of a great ride, brimming over with flamboyant personalities, outrageous behavior, and the kind of feats of hubris that would shame even Icarus. It's no easy task to write about the scariest men in town, especially when, as LaPorte says in her book, "DreamWorks was not going to take things lying down." Thankfully she didn't give up the fight. I had a ball. Customer Review: Gripping This book somehow manages to get in the minds and psyches of three of the most accomplished men Hollywood has ever seen and explain, down to the color of the curtains in the room when they decided to go into business together, every last riveting detail. Books like these tend to skim the surface, take the easy way out, or just read like they're written by someone who's very aware of how they'll be perceived by the subjects. Nicole LaPorte seems out to both understand and explain what happened, mis-step by mis-step and clearly isn't interested in pleasing these men who would be king. Even people who aren't interested in Tinseltown shenanigans would find this compelling: a fascinating tale of how sometimes the best intentions, when mixed with some other less-than-stellar intentions, can cause a "sure thing" to come toppling down. |
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On Directing Film  From a Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright comes invaluable insights and practical instructions on the art of film directing. Mamet looks at every aspect of directing--from script to cutting room--and draws from a wide variety of sources to make his points. Customer Review: Do as I say In this extremely short book composed of a series of lectures he gave in 1990, screenwriter turned director David Mamet puts forth his approach to directing. At the time he directed two films - "House of Games" (1987) and "Things Change" (1988). He would go on to make several more - "Homicide" (1991), "Oleanna" (1994), "The Spanish Prisoner" (1997), "The Winslow Boy" (1999), "Catastrophe" (2000), "State and Main" (2000), "Heist" (2001), "Spartan" (2004), and "Redbelt" (2008). For none of his dozen films as a director has he received any award or nomination, although his work as a screenwriter has received many awards, including two best screenplay Oscar and Golden Globe nominations ("Way the Dog", "The Verdict") and 4 WGA nominations ("The Verdict", "The Untouchables", "Glengarry Glen Ross", and "Wag the Dog"). Films he wrote and directed never got an award/nomination for directing, but did receive acknowledgement for the writing, such as "House of Games", "The Spanish Prisoner", and "Homicide". In the book, Mamet criticizes actors who bring more to the scene than the simple desire to follow the action. This seems like a strange recommendation for a director who frequently uses such actors as Ricky Jay, J.T. Walsh and Joe Mantagna, although we can see his model actor in people like William Macy and Alec Baldwin whom he also uses repeatedly. It's also interesting to note that Mamet maintains that the best directing is done by juxtaposing visual images which is something we expect from John Ford or Michael Mann, but certainly not from a director whose main trademark is his powerful use of dialogue. Only in his last film, Redbelt, has he displayed his commitment to the visual in the manner that one would expect from this book. Despite the contradictions, the book is interesting to examine Mamet's professed approach to directing circa 1990. It's well written and several pages involve actual transcripts of teaching sessions which I found instructive and worthwhile. Customer Review: Must reading for anyone who wants to direct Ignore the advice here at your peril. David Mamet has a forty-year career in the theater and in film because he KNOWS THINGS. In his books, like this one, he shares THOSE THINGS. Any intelligent reader picks the grain and leaves the chaff behind. You don't have to direct your actors to be "wooden" or "stilted." In fact, he never asks you to, not even in his equally excellent book on acting (/True and False/). If you are wise, however, you do consider what the shot means, how it is a unit of the scene, how to tell the story efficiently with action - in short, you master the vital parts of filmmaking FIRST. This isn't a technical manual - lots of good ones already exist - but a provocative, and therefore challenging, attempt to address the underlying principles behind making a film. If more film schools insisted their students master these concepts (yes, I have a friend who went through the directing program at AFI), we'd have less dreck at the cineplex. |
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Master Shots: 100 Advanced Camera Techniques to Get an Expensive Look on Your Low-Budget Movie  Master Shots gives filmmakers the techniques they need to execute complex, original shots on any budget. By using powerful master shots and well-executed moves, directors can develop a strong style and stand out from the crowd. Most low-budget movies look low-budget because the director is forced to compromise at the last minute. Master Shots gives you so many powerful techniques that youll be able to respond, even under pressure, and create knock-out shots. Even when the clock is ticking and the light is fading, the techniques in this book can rescue your film and make every shot look like it cost a fortune. Each technique is illustrated with samples from great feature films and computer-generated diagrams for absolute clarity. Customer Review: Not Even a Good Coffee Table Book The camera techniques may be 'Advanced' but the execution and explanation of the material in MASTER SHOTS is not. One critical aspect of the craft that is missing from this primer is how the shots were actually lit. In addition, the author employs computer-rendered images to augment his lessons but they only convey a general idea of camera placement. I applaud Kenworthy's desire to come to the aid of us low-budgeteers--helping us achieve that A-list look--but maybe the next edition should include a disc with corresponding video clips. In the meantime, if you're wanting to be the next Gordon Willis or Roger Deakins, you might be better served by renting movies they shot, turn off the audio and simply study their craft. Customer Review: Love it! I bought this book as a gift for my love because she has just officially founded her own film company and she really loves the book. It is easy to understand and very useful. We both love it. |
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The Power Filmmaking Kit: Make Your Professional Movie on a Next-to-Nothing Budget  Think big, spend little! Everything you need to make your movie is in this complete resource kit.The Power Filmmaking Kit is a comprehensive, multimedia book and DVD package that empowers you to produce your own Hollywood-quality movie. Emmy-award winning director Jason Tomaric produced an independent film using only local resources for under $2,000 that not only got picked up for distribution, but is also used as a case study in top film schools. This book shows you how to do the same, regardless of your budget or location. You'll learn how to achieve professional quality on a microbudget, using the resources you have at hand.The book includes:* Coverage of the entire filmmaking process. It's all here, from writing, directing, and cinematography, to acting, editing, and distribution.* Step-by-step instructions, tips, diagrams, charts, and illustrations for how you can make a Hollywood-caliber movie on a next-to-nothing budget with little upfront money and access only to local resources. Customer Review: Who the heck is this book written for? To give this less than 5 stars would be to do this very detailed book an injustice. At this point in time if you could buy just one book on filmmaking this is the one to buy. However, this is a critique rather than a review--and I do want to point out what irks me about this book. But lets start with what is really good about it. 1) The book is fascinating--and even someone who has read many other books will find it engaging and enlightening. 2) The included movie that the author made for $2,000 is superb. (This is a little depressing as it is so good why isn't it better known, and what does that imply about the films we will make.) 3) The book is superbly detailed in every area. For example I've purchased books on directing actors that were not as enlightening as the directing actors section of this book. 4) There is genius in the depth it goes to. For example a veritable checklist about parking, etc, when your actors invade the neighborhood of the shoot. What I didn't like was the fact that although the author made his film for so little, he does not share as much detail about that accomplishment as I would have liked. It is not like How to Make a Low-Budget Digital Movie which focuses solely on a low-budget film, and although that is not entirely a negative it does get us to where my critique of the book lies. Who the heck is this book for? It is written as if the reader might be a no budge movie maker with a dream, but is slightly more likely to have a spare fortune about to finance their film? And at the same time isn't quite focused on the big budget filmmaker such as From Reel to Deal: Everything You Need to Create a Successful Independent Film. What I would say is that it is a better and more American version of The Guerilla Film Makers Movie Blueprint. But don't get me wrong. This is still a brilliant book. The author, for example, does not fall into the trap so many others have, of recommending cameras, equipment, etc. Instead he talks about the equipment in general and so doesn't not date his material as badly as others have. Even my Canon XH A1 1.67MP 3CCD High-Definition Camcorder with 20x Optical Zoom has a new model Canon XH-A1S 3CCD HDV High Definition Professional Camcorder with 20x HD Video Zoom Lens III (and I recommend 2008 Learn the (Canon XH A1, XH-A1) XHA1 TUTORIAL TEACHING PROGRAMMED-INSTRUCTION DVD for both. Though before too long solid state cameras, i.e. no tapes needed at pure 1920 x 1080 resolution will be the only show to consider.) In conclusion, my problem is who the author addressed as his reader. I do not as a reader have a problem with the wealth of information here. And until another book comes along this may well be the best book out there. Customer Review: FANTASTIC BOOK! A Great Resource guide. Another fantastic book from Focal Press. This book by Jason J. Tomaric is a fantastic resource guide, covering all aspects of filmmaking from start to finish. Well written, and a DVD loaded with extras! Don't make an independent movie without it! Highly recommended! |
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Make Your Own Damn Movie!: Secrets of a Renegade Director  In 25 years, Lloyd Kaufman, along with partner Michael Herz, has built Troma Studios up from a company struggling to find its voice in a field crowded with competitors to legendary status as a lone survivor, a bastion of true independence, and the world greatest collection of camp. Now, Kaufman takes his independent studio style of filmmaking and puts it in the readers hands, showing them how to:Develop and write a knockout screenplay Raise funds for production Find locations and cast actors, hire crew, obtain equipment, permits, and music rights for little or no money Make incredible special effects for 79 cents Charm the people on the film festival circuit Make sure the drunken cameraman keeps the scene in focus Make a bad actor act so badly, theyre good.Kaufman has accumulated a remarkable list of credits, as well as a more extraordinary list of debits to loan sharks and pawn shops across New York. He also had the wisdom to reject Madonna after an audition. Customer Review: Brilliant! If you are someone who has wanted to work in movies, is fascinated by movies or hell, even seen a movie. You should give this book a read. Written by Lloyd Kaufman (of Troma fame)who has crafted the perfect bible for guerrilla filmmaking. Co-written by long time collaborators Trent Haaga and Adam Jahnke you receive an in depth look into the behind the scenes of movie making right from preproduction through marketing and release. It's witty, informative and includes hilarious banter between the authors on every page. I can't recommend this book enough. Kaufman has three other books out on the subject of film making: All I Need to Know about Filmmaking I Learned from the Toxic Avenger, Produce Your Own Damn Movie!, and Direct Your Own Damn Movie! Check them out too. Customer Review: About to Make Our Own Damn Movie Wow! What a fun way to impart real knowlege about getting started making movies while entertaining us with countless anecdotes from the man, the legend himself, Lloyd Kaufman! Yes you can make movie(s) if you REALLY want to. Looking forward to finishing my script and making my first short feature; I'm even considering a possible sequel! Reading this after meeting Lloyd and his wonderful staff at a recent convention was just the confidence I needed to start doing and stop talking. Yes, "where there's a will there's a way" and yes it's "all in the name of art", I can't go wrong. I'll be ordering Lloyd's other books and DVDs in the series next. This is great stuff!! Now back to casting the right shopping carts... |
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The Invisible Cut: How Editors Make Movie Magic  The book reveals how the editor like a magician manipulates his audience by using sleight of hand and seduces them by anticipating their needs and desires. Only then can he create those invisible cuts that grab them and keep them on the edge of their seats. Part One lays out the rules, strategies and techniques as well as the evolution of editing in movie history. Part Two shows the actual work of master editors by using 248 frame grabs individual frames from thirteen famous scenes. Customer Review: Great read even for a film novice I certainly enjoy films, but would consider myself a complete novice when it comes to how they are edited. The Invisible Cut provided fascinating and clear examples of how important the roll of film editor is. Including examples from classic movies - everything from The Graduate to Rear Window, O'Steen taught me about aspects of film-making that I had previously taken for granted. A great read - it inspired me to go back and re-watch a number of great films. Customer Review: Great book for both film-makers and film-fans! My film is too long. First cut was over two hours, second cut I had trimmed nine minutes bringing it to 115 minutes. A few members of my "brain trust" (people who work in Hollywood and actually do this for a living) had told me to "cut it down substantially" but no one was giving me good examples of where or how. It was, simply, "cut it." Easier said than done. The task in front of me was to slice and dice my film in a way that would get my points across and tell my story as best as possible without, certainly, putting the audience to sleep. When I got this book in the mail, I was like a kid on Christmas morning. It was exactly what I needed/wanted at this time of trial. Using classic films (and all films I have seen and have in my collection - thank God she didn't use obscure/little seen films!) Bobbie O'Steen goes FRAME-BY-FRAME through certain scenes and situations; giving the reader a clear understanding of how the film was cut the way it was. How the director and/or editor worked to fix a performance. Whether it was the classic chase in "The French Connection" or the seduction scene in "The Graduate" - using her insight or, on occasion, interviews with directors and editors, she got to the heart of what made the scene work - or usually, how they MADE it work. Who knew that the initial sex scene in "Body Heat" was actually a mistake, fraught with camera issues and footage that was unusable? Did you realize that a pivotal scene in "Chinatown" actually went on for a number of lines - but it was trimmed not so much for time, but for performance? Not only does O'Steen's book take you into the cutting room, it takes you into the minds of the film-makers behind the scenes. Where I felt the book could have been improved, slightly, was to take an approach in the book for that new director who doesn't have a clue (i.e.: me). Sort of a question and answer: "So you want to shoot a seduction scene, first, ask yourself: Who is the seducer, who is the seducee? Etc." I should, of course, glean this from seeing how Mike Nichols directed and Sam O'Steen (Bobbie O'Steen's late husband) filmed and edited the scene in "The Graduate" - but I sometimes like my lessons spelled out very clearly. Second, and similar, there should have been a chapter, or two, dedicated to the first timer picking up the camera. A quick overview of what "coverage" is, clarifying the basics of shooting. Though she touches a bit on this, I would have liked there to be just a little more. Bottom line, though, that by using scripts and frame shots from classic films, Bobbie O'Steen takes you inside the world of editing - turning it inside out to show you most everything you need to know about the process. An excellent book for both film-makers and film fans. |
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Conquest of the Useless: Reflections from the Making of Fitzcarraldo 
One of the most revered filmmakers of our time, Werner Herzog wrote this diary during the making of Fitzcarraldo, the lavish 1982 film that tells the story of a would-be rubber baron who pulls a steamship over a hill in order to access a rich rubber territory. Later, Herzog spoke of his difficulties when making the film, including casting problems, reshoots, language barriers, epic clashes with the star, and the logistics of moving a 320-ton steamship over a hill without the use of special effects. Hailed by critics around the globe, the film went on to win Herzog the 1982 Outstanding Director Prize at Cannes. Conquest of the Useless, Werner Herzog's diary on his fever dream in the Amazon jungle, is an extraordinary glimpse into the mind of a genius during the making of one of his greatest achievements. Customer Review: As Good As The Movie Much as I love Herzog's films I did not expect his observations made while making even a movie as outrageous as Fitzcarraldo to be all THAT interesting. Perhaps I feared the opposite, that they would be too interesting - the weird factor infusing his ruminations with a delirium that would irritate me. As it turns out, the way Herzog documents what he sees and experiences is pitch perfect, avoiding a self-indulgence that generally pervades these things. He cannot avoid himself, his idiosyncrasies and imagination, nor can he ignore the bizarre circumstances. But I never feel that Herzog is demonstrating what a unique genius observes and how it expresses itself. His fodder is inherently fantastic and he has the sense to keep it simple. His notes are engrossing, visual, and yes, at times magically real but everything is somehow grounded. I should have known Herzog's exquisite sense of things would enable him to express the outrageous and fantastic without sacrificing, how Gauguin put it, "The flat sound of my wooden clogs on the cobblestones, deep, hollow and powerful..." Herzog's objective observations of suffering at times added a painful edge to the book. Not that the observations are devoid of compassion, but and good, melodrama is avoided. I fear I'd have been driven mad by all those pleading eyes and desperate creatures: live chickens tied by their legs, dangling off the back of a motorcycle, being choked by dust as their heads bounce on the road; dogs tied up, stranded, thirsty, starving and covered in sores; helpless children - the relentless Amazon. Conquest Of The Useless is one of the most engrossing books I've ever read. For some reason I kept caring. Customer Review: Hypnagogic brilliance This is a fascinating, startingly moving diary. It brings eloquence and artistry to a usually mundane form. I wonder how much Herzog edited these entries, if at all, and if he was thinking of publishing them as he wrote them. I'd love to think they were just his daily scribbles, used to keep himself sane under his burden of dreams. However, if they were contrived to a certain degree all the more power to him for his writerly skill. Great fun to watch the movie again as you read along with his tribulations. Was especially moved by his tendency to describe things as though they were happening in some somnolent state in a country that only existed in his dreams and then how he would effortlessly switch to telling us what he had for lunch. An audio recording of Herzog himself reading these diaries would be priceless. I'd imagine the absurdity would be operatic. |
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iMovie '09 & iDVD: The Missing Manual  Bursting with new features, Apple's iMovie '09 is vastly more usable and complete than iMovie '08 -- amazing right out of the box. But the box doesn't include a good user's guide, so learning these applications is another matter. iMovie '09 and iDVD: The Missing Manual gets you up to speed on everything you need to turn raw digital footage into highly creative video projects.You get crystal-clear, jargon-free explanations of iMovie's new video effects, slow & fast motion, advanced drag & drop, video stabilization, and more. Author and New York Times tech columnist David Pogue uses an objective lens to scrutinize every step of process, including how to:Organize your videos just like your photos, and precisely edit with easeWork on multiple iMovie projects at once and drag & drop clips among themIntegrate with other iLife programs to use songs, photos, and an original sound trackOutput your creation to a blog, its own web page, or as a video podcast with iWebUnderstand basic film techniques to improve the quality of the video you bring to iMovieFrom choosing and using a digital camcorder to burning the finished work onto DVDs, posting it online, or creating versions for iPod and iPhone, iMovie '09 & iDVD: The Missing Manual helps you zoom right in on the details. Customer Review: movie editing I have gone over about 75% of the contents of this Missing Manual iMovie 09 and iDVD. I find the text and the remarkable illustrations very helpful. Unfortunately, some of the instructions in manipulating the selection tool like the one that deals with the yellow boundaries(or borders) can become frustrating. It says something about grabbing the handles which in my case only works on one side but not on the other side, this side bouncing irritatingly back like a rubber band. And no explanation of how to handle this "handle". But I could be just be missing something that I should have done at first. The other disappointment I found in the manual is not too much detail has been given for stunning special effects, astounding movie special effdects being in my high priority list. Things like sci-fi lasaer swords, muzzle flashes for gun shots, smoke clouds,etc.But again, maybe these details are reserved for manuals specific for those. These things, put aside , I beleive the manual is suitable for ordinary "gentle" movie editing. Customer Review: Even an 80 year old can learn to create movies with this manual I could not have made my first movie without iMovie '09 & iDVD The Missing Manual. I am now 80 years old, and learning something new. My wife has been ice skating for 63 years, and had never seen herself skate. She had her second knee replaced, and it would be wonderful if she could show her surgeon how she could skate on her new knee. It took almost a week using iMovie '09 & iDVD The Missing Manual to learn enough and create the first movie of my wife and myself ice skating. It took less time to create a second movie of my wife skating. She had some ideas for improving it. It only took one day to shoot the ice skating that she wanted to show the surgeon, and create that movie of her skating. She was thrilled, and we hope her surgeon will also be thrilled. If an 80 year old can use iMovie '09 & iDVD The Missing Manual to make movies, you can too. iMovie '09 & iDVD The Missing Manual covers a lot more than iMovie and iDVD because it takes a lot more than iMovie to make a movie. First the book covers the advantages of different camcorders past and present as well as the different ways you import videos from them. I wasted time here trying to find out how to import from my digital camera into iMusic. Later I found the indexed reference to iPhoto Videos which explained they are imported into iPhoto and how iMusic uses them from there. Next iMovie '09 & iDVD The Missing Manual clearly covers the concept of movie projects, and of events which contain source footage. Then it covers building the movie by reviewing (skimming) your clips, selecting and editing the good stuff, adding the good stuff to your project in the storyboard, and using the editing tools. There was too much to learn all at once. I selected the portions of the information in the manual that I needed to do what I needed to do when I needed it. I found the information I needed to select and insert transitions, run stabilization analysis, and to add titles. I used just a little of the information in chapters about Narration, Music, and Sound, and about photos, to import background music from iTunes and add stills from iPhoto for the beginning and ending. You could become an expert by learning all there is in iMovie & iDVD The Missing Manual, but not in one month. Part two covers getting your finished movie to your audience. Using iMovie '09 & iDVD The Missing Manual it was a snap for me to export to iTunes and from there to our iPods, to export to YouTube and MobileMe. It was also easy to create QuickTime versions of my movies and to burn the movies to a CD. There is more in the book about QuickTime and the Quicktime Player that I want to learn. Part three covers iDVD '09. I will use it to create and burn a DVD containing my movies and slide shows. As with iMovie, I will not need to learn to be an expert, but based upon my experience with the iMovie '09 portion of iMovie '09 & iDVD The Missing Manual, I am sure you could use it to become an expert. I highly recommend iMovie '09 & iDVD The Missing Manual. Aaron Miller has written an excellent '09 update. He makes light reading of what could be a heavy subject, but without forcing David Pogue's natural humor. You can view the movies at 100204_IceSkating [...]. |
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Rebel without a Crew: Or How a 23-Year-Old Filmmaker With $7,000 Became a Hollywood Player  In Rebel Without a Crew, screenwriter and director Robert Rodriguez discloses all the unique strategies and original techniques he used to make his remarkable debut film, El Mariachi, on a shoestring budget. This is both one man's remarkable story and an essential guide for anyone who has a celluloid story to tell and the dreams and determination to see it through. Customer Review: Inspirational!!! This book was great! It was very inspirational, reading the path Robert Rodriguez walked in order to make, sell and promote his indie film. He goes through his process of acquiring funds, writing, filming, and selling his project. The books even has a 10 minute film class that is very informational for those of you who want to get started. This book has inspired me to start filming immediately, I'm currently on the hunt for my camera to start filming my shorts and feature film on my own, in mariachi style. I gigot recommend this title or those of you who want to undergo the task of getting yourself started on your own. BUY NOW!!!! Customer Review: Inspirational! I had never seen a film by Robert Rodriguez before reading this book, but what an amazing story! It could inspire anyone to want to make a movie even if you've never contemplated such an idea before. As a start-out film maker, it's been far more inspiring than any technical book I've read on the subject of film making. If you are a film maker, and you have somewhat succeeded in what RR calls "becoming technical", then this book oozes just enough technical stuff to keep it informative without detracting from what the book really is - a recount of his experience making El Mariachi. Whatever you take from the book, it's going teach you something. Rebel Without A Crew is also a hilarious read. Rodriguez writes very freely and this is one of those books responsible for the well-known cliche "once you start you can't put it down" or something along those lines. |
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Making Movies  It's well known that a vast number of people work on any given movie in roles as varied as writing scripts, choosing locations, dressing sets, costuming the players, lighting scenes, manipulating the camera, directing actors, editing film, working on sound, advertising the finished product, and screening it to an audience. Have you ever thought about how these components are collated? Or why the director is most often considered the author of a film? Wonder no more, because Sidney Lumet's Making Movies is a terrific journey through each stage of filmmaking that is overseen by the director. Lumet, the veteran director of Twelve Angry Men, The Pawnbroker, Serpico, Dog Day Afternoon, Network, The Verdict, and many other fine movies, knows the ins and outs of American filmmaking as well as anyone. In this excellent, personable account, Lumet tells what he's learned about making movies in the course of the last 40 years. He shows why fine directors need to have strong imaginations, extraordinary adaptability, and skill in many different fields. His enthusiasm for his life's work, particularly his love of actors, is evident on every page of this book. As Herculean as the labors of film directing are, Lumet takes great pleasure in his work, almost guiltily admitting that the film director's job is "the best in the world." Customer Review: Interesting insight from a directors point of view. Sidney Lumet holds nothing back. He is honest and interesting, but refrains from trashing anyone. Great insight into the enormous amount of work that goes into a movie and how seriously the players take their roles. Customer Review: IT'S A FINE ART TO DIRECTING I've read this book and found it an excellent source for the 'real' story behind making movies. Lumet gives the reader a true insight into the how's and why's of what he believes is the true grit of making movies. As a film maker I've found the information in 'Making Movies' a valuable resource in developing my mind set and approach for my films. |
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The Pocket Lawyer for Filmmakers: A Legal Toolkit for Independent Producers  * 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. * 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 Customer Review: Practical, complete and informative While not a lawyer, I have been through the legal process before when it comes to intellectual property. So when I read this book, it made me wish I had picked it up years ago -- it would have saved me from a lot of mistakes I made the first time around. Pocket Lawyer can be used as a reference when any legal questions come up, but it is written in an easy-going style so I was able to read it cover to cover, and picked up a lot of information that I might never have even thought to look up. I recommend every filmmaker read this book BEFORE they start their next film (or as soon as possible) to avoid a lot of headaches later down the road. Customer Review: Great Resource! This book takes a different approach than most entertainment law books. Instead of simply throwing a bunch of boilerplate contracts into the book, this author actually walks you through the legal timeline of a project. It's kind of like Entertainment Law for Dummies and it's very engaging and easy to read. A great reference guide as well. |
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The Filmmaker's Book of the Dead: How to Make Your Own Heart-Racing Horror Movie  Product DescriptionProduce, direct and promote your own chilling horror film with real-world advice from award-winning, independent producer/director Danny Draven! From the history of horror and the technique of the scare to pre-production and distribution, this complete, full-color guide to horror filmmaking uncovers all the insider secrets for creating your own successful movie. Sharing his personal filmmaking experience, Draven reveals how to create a spine-tingling horror film from start to finish. You'll not only discover how to craft the story, but also how to master using production techniques, music, lighting and editing to thrill audiences. Straight-from-the-set tips will help you avoid common filmmaking pitfalls, and extensive information on marketing and distribution will show you how to get your film out to the public. Plus, learn from groundbreaking horror legends including: *Lloyd Kaufman, Toxic Avenger *Robert Kurtzman, From Dusk till Dawn *James Wan, Saw *Robert Englund, Freddy Krueger from the Nightmare of Elm Street films *Stuart Gordon, Re-Animator *Tom Savini, Night of the Living Dead *"Godfather of Gore" Herschell Gordon Lewis *Charles Band, Trancers *David DeCoteau, Puppet Master 3 *John D. LeMay, Friday the 13th: The Series *Debbie Rochon, Tromeo & Juliet *Reggie Bannister, Phantasm *and many more. Find even more hands-on horror advice and over an hour of video extras on the companion web site! Featuring: *Behind-the-scenes footage from Ghost Month, Cryptz, Darkwalker and Deathbed *A collection of independent horror film trailers *Sample scripts, schedules and agreements *Classic behind-the-scenes footage from Puppetmaster, Blood Dolls, Dead Hate the Living and more courtesy of Full Moon Features *Listing of horror film festivals and distributors *Write, produce, and distribute your own low-budget but high-quality horror film * Find over an hour of behind-the-scenes video footage and movie trailers on the companion web site! * Exclusive interviews with horror legends A Look Inside The Filmmaker's Book of the Dead
� Customer Review: Great book to produce low budget films This is a great book for those who aspire to produce low budget films, or just get a taste for what the low budget film industry is about. He has some really great interviews and quotes scattered about the book that really get you into the heads of producers, actors, directors, and film crew. The book in general is aimed towards the horror genre, but the information in the book can really be applied to any independent film making. The author presents a good amount of information in a fairly structured way, but will sometimes leave you hanging. At some points the author seems to forget that the target audience for the book is an outsider looking in and will skip or skim over important details. For instance, at one point in the book the author glosses over video equipment. He's specific enough to mention brands and models, but not at all specific on what the strengths or weaknesses of the product. He actually says in this section that equipment is a matter of preference and that if you want your movie to have a digital look then use digital cameras and if you want the movie to have a film look, use film. He does this without explaining what that look is. Despite some of the flaws, this book is a great buy even for those with a casual interest in the film making industry. The stories Draven pulls from his experiences and the experiences of others through interviews suck you into the world of independent film making. Customer Review: Lots of informative stories This book has a lot of great stories from popular artists of the genre connected to breakdowns of various elements of movie production. One of my favorites, Reggie Bannister from the Phantasm series, has a four page interview. I think the various interviews scattered throughout the book are probably going to be the highlight for a lot of people. The content includes lots of advice on preproduction, production, postproduction, and distribution of modestly budgeted horror films. It is a book geared to production, but I would have liked it if they had found a little more room to discuss spec scripts from a producers standpoint. Although there is a good article by HP Lovecraft about writing horror fiction. A great reading book overall. |
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What They Don't Teach You at Film School: 161 Strategies For Making Your Own Movies No Matter What  Two filmmakers who've beaten the system give the real dope on what it takes to get your movie made
Do you have to go to film school to get your movies made? No, say two young entrepreneurs who survived the grind. Here they offer 140 strategies for making movies no matter what. Amateurs as well as seasoned veterans can pick up this entertaining and incredibly useful guide in any place--at any point of crisis--and find tactics that work. Whether it's raising money or cutting your budget; dealing with angry landlords or angry cops; or jump-starting the production or stalling it while you finish the script, these strategies are delivered with funny, illustrative anecdotes from the authors' experiences and from veteran filmmakers eager to share their stories. Irreverent, invaluable, and a lot cheaper than a year's tuition, this friendly guide is the smartest investment any future filmmaker could make. Strategies from the book include: Love your friends for criticizing your work--especially at the script stage Shyness won't get you the donuts Duct tape miracles Don't fall in love with cast or crew (but if you do...) |
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Hellboy II: The Art of the Movie  The anticipation is ratcheting up for one of this summer's biggest action-adventure events, Hellboy II: The Golden Army, and Dark Horse is taking you behind the scenes! As we delved into the original box-office hit, this 200-page tome likewise presents the most extensive look into the film's evolution, from early concept art and diary sketches, to photos of the final props, sets, and filming. A unique look at filmmaking and the art of graphic novels. Del Toro and Hellboy creator Mike Mignola once again bring their world-renowned talents to bear on a brand-new chapter in Hellboy's history - a visual feast only they could produce. Get your sneak peek well before the celluloid hits the screen! Customer Review: Hellboy 2 This is a great book about the making of the movie "Hellboy 2" that one will enjoy reading over and over again. Customer Review: Nice movie compendium! Well...I'm spanish , so my english is rather poor ... sorry for that. The book is one of the best "Art movie books" I have , and I have a relative big collection. The sketches are very good , and you'll find a huge amount of them , there are many photos too , excerpts of the storyboard... One of the things I found more interesting is the scans of Guillermo del Toro's sketchbook...these are beautiful pieces of his journal with very well done drawings .Guillermo is a good drawer too! I recomend this book to all Hellboy fans. |
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