Customer Reviews:
Explotation Goodness.......2007-09-14
This book is an excellent companion piece to the two movies that were part of the in theater double feature collectively known as Grindhouse.
The book treats us to plenty of pictures of not just the lovely ladies, of which there are many, but of everything from the movie. Included is the script for Planet Terror along with plenty of commentary about the filmaking process and the support network of both Robert and Quentin.
Unlike other film related books this one is not a fluff piece, there is a lot of material between the covers and this book is definately worth reading more than once.
Awesome.......2007-08-24
It's everything I expected and more! Loads of pictures and information. Even QT's AMI playlist. I love it XD
What a Ride.......2007-06-27
Talking about the movie, the girl riding on the hood of the challenger was quite a stunt and I have to admit that it was original and very edgy.
The girls in this movie were well cast and Cherry is hot.I can't wait to buy the DVD, hurry up and release it!
Not sleazy at all.......2007-05-25
Great transaction! No SLEAZY here! The book is great. The shipping was super fast. Thanks a whole bunch!
Grindhouse: The Sleaze-filled Saga of an Exploitation Double Feature.......2007-05-18
fantastic book with interviews, heaps of behind the scenes info and photos, screenplay for Planet terror and the trailers a very comprehensive book for any movie lover
Amazon.com
Film Directing Shot by Shot offers a good introduction to the rudiments of film production. Steven D. Katz walks his readers through the various stages of moviemaking, advising them at every turn to visualize the films they wish to produce. Katz believes that one of the chief tasks of filmmaking is to negotiate between our three-dimensional reality and the two-dimensionality of the screen. He covers the number of technical options filmmakers can use to create a satisfying flow of shots, a continuity that will make sense to viewers and aptly tell the film's story. Katz provides in-depth coverage of production design, storyboarding, spatial connections, editing, scene staging, depth of frame, camera angles, point of view, and the various types of stable compositions and moving camera shots.
Book Description
A complete catalogue of motion picture techniques for filmmakers. It concentrates on the 'storytelling' school of filmmaking, utilizing the work of the great stylists who established the versatile vocabulary of technique that has dominated the movies
since 1915. This graphic approach includes comparisons of style by interpreting a 'model script', created for the book, in storyboard form.
Customer Reviews:
Chicken scratches vs. Detailed Storyboards.......2007-08-19
I have used this book numerous times for my teachings in which students go through the process of making a short film with certain limitations being imposed. It is part of a process that I call "fast filmmaking". I like the examples that Katz presents, specifically that it is not the quality of the drawing, but how the drawing communicates the director's vision to the rest of the crew. I will usually have a student "explain" their storyboard to the class, and it is amazing how a few chicken scratches can give as much details as a fully detailed storyboard. Kudos to Katz for explaining the creative aspect of directing, and Michael Weise Productions for publishing these types of books.
of moderate interest to readers of video magazines.......2007-08-13
as a long-time reader of videographer's magazines, I didn't find much of interest in this book. If I were new to the trade, I'd probably have found it more useful. For that reason, I gave it a rather high rating of 4 stars
Mind-opening, even if you aren't interested in directing.......2007-06-30
I've worked in the graphics design business for years, but more recently I've grown interested in working with video, primarily shorts and documentary work. I was looking for a book that could help teach me the "language" of motion and visual storytelling, and this book fit the bill. In fact, I found it to be incredibly inspiring as a student of art in general. It's extremely well-written, chock full of practical examples, and contains numerous time-worn techniques as well as cutting-edge experimentation. One funny thing: since it was written a few years before the desktop digital video revolution began, it talks about some of the difficult aspects of shooting which are now in many ways moot. But it's good to hear about the history of the craft.
If you have any interest in all in shooting, directing, or producing any kind of motion picture, show, or short, you'll definitely want to buy this book. However, be forewarned: you'll never be able to watch movies the same way again. You'll begin to pick up all the subtle nuances of filmmaking without even realizing it, so don't feel bad if you have to force yourself to re-engage with the actual story as you're watching!
Useful, pleasurable.......2007-05-07
I'm a college student, not at film school, who makes videos as a serious hobby. I thought this book was much better than other titles in the same market, because it's so specific. Instead of telling you what anyone with common sense knows, like "keep continuity" and "composition can affect the mood of a scene," this film lays it all out in detail. I recommend this for everyone who wants to improve. Even if you're not particularly interested in storyboarding, you'll learn how to think about your sequences in advance much better.
Learning the Rules Before You Break Them.......2007-01-13
Even though many of the great filmmakers may have not utilized storyboards, every one of them has pre-visualized their films.
Pre-visualization is the essence of what it means to be a director. A director can only be effective if he/she properly prepares for each scene. Even if one does not have every shot precisely planned out, they will still have an idea of the look and the flow of the process.
There are certainly many people who feel directing should be intuitive, that there should be no structure to the process or else creativity is stifled. This is a valid point from the perspective of the artist.
What is wonderful about this book is that it gives extensive insight into WHY one should cover a scene in a certain way. Directing as a profession requires a certain amount of preparation and PROOF that you have a handle on the film. Producers want reassurance that you have a vision worth pouring tens of millions of dollars into. Armed with the ability to properly express yourself in regard to your vision, you will have a much easier time convincing others to follow you.
So, in the end, if you are interested in studying the language of film and the methodology behind classic film composition and editing, then this book and the accompanying Film Directing: Cinematic Motion are essential.
Book Description
Written by Stu Maschwitz, co-founder of the Orphanage (the legendary guerrilla visual effects studio responsible for amazing and award-winning effects in such movies as Sin City, The Day After Tomorrow, and Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire), this book is a must-have for all those budding filmmakers and students who want to produce action movies with visual effects but don't have Hollywood budgets. The Orphanage was created by three twenty-something visual effects veterans who wanted to make their own feature films and discovered they could do this by utilizing home computers, off the shelf software, and approaching things artistically. This guide details exactly how to do this: from planning and selecting the necessary cameras, software, and equipment, to creating specific special effects (including gunfire, Kung Fu fighting, car chases, dismemberment, and more) to editing and mixing sound and music. Its mantra is that the best, low-budget action moviemakers must visualize the end product first in order to reverse-engineer the least expensive way to get there. Readers will learn how to integrate visual effects into every aspect of filmmaking--before filming, during filming and with "in camera" shots, and with computers in postproduction. Throughout the book, the author makes specific references to and uses popular action movies (both low and big-budget) as detailed examples--including El Mariachi, La Femme Nikita, Die Hard, and Terminator 2.
Customer Reviews:
Essential Reading for Indie Filmmakers.......2007-10-03
The DV Rebel Guide, by Stu Maschwitz, formerly a member of Industrial Light And Magic, explains in easily understandable, yet highly technical language, exactly how to create astounding visual effects using the kinds of cameras, computers, and software available to ordinary people. A Spielbergian budget is NOT required. In addition to his information, he offers many links to other websites of technical expertise and training,
You may be making a little family drama, rather than a shoot-'em-up, but the techniques in this book will increase your palette of possibilities. In other words, every indie movie maker can benefit from this book. It's essential reading, period. No one else has published anything like it.
Maschwitz assumes throughout that you are not an idiot or a dummy. Scores of color photos show exactly how every technique is done. He also runs an on-line forum; he and other digital rebels (some of whom are exceedingly experienced and clearly top pros) will help you through the rough patches.
Get this book, go out and make movies better than anything you thought you could do.
This is got the TRICKS!!!.......2007-09-23
Awesome book. My friends and I make ugly videos as a hobby and we've tried many things... but this book has some balls to the wall tricks. The guy is not a scaredy cat about shooting videos with minimal resources and lets you know how to make the most with what you've got. Also has great instructions on how to build your own stuff and pull crazy stunts. Grease up your baby, this is gonna have you running to your video camera with ideas as soon as you open it up!
love it.......2007-08-27
I've done video production professionally for several years and picked up some of these tricks from simple trial and error. What I love is how well Stu connects the techniques in this referrence and compares them to equivalent effects on film. And its not just informative, its enjoyable to read.
I recommend this book to anyone interested in making their videos stand out or looking to up their production value without spending a lot of money.
Love this book.......2007-08-19
I have read a lot of film making books and this is easily the most useful and informative. Anyone trying to make a film on their own needs to have this book!
Best Book for Independent Digital Video Production Ever!!!.......2007-08-12
This is it!!! If you want to produce an Independeant Film this is THE book to read. Don't be fooled. You still need to know what you're doing go to school. Read the manuals, watch the best movies, by the best directors, then read this book and make your movies!!!!!
Average customer rating:
- Good Intro to Leni
- Brilliant But Petty and Cruel -- Oh, Wait, That's The Author!
- Double standard
- Good book but, a little too long
- Leni survives all
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Leni: The Life and Work of Leni Riefenstahl
Steven Bach
Manufacturer: Knopf
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Similar Items:
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Leni Riefenstahl: A Life
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OLYMPIA -The LENI RIEFENSTAHL Archival Collection
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The Wonderful, Horrible Life of Leni Riefenstahl
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Triumph of the Will
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Einstein: His Life and Universe
ASIN: 0375404007
Release Date: 2007-03-13 |
Book Description
The definitive biography of Leni Riefenstahl, the woman best known as “Hitler’s filmmaker,” one of the most fascinating and controversial personalities of the twentieth century. It is the story of huge talent and huger ambition, one that probes the sometimes blurred borders dividing art and beauty from truth and humanity.
Two of Riefenstahl’s films, Olympia and Triumph of the Will, are universally regarded as the greatest and most innovative documentaries ever made, but they are also insidious glorifications of Adolf Hitler and the Third Reich. Now, in this masterful new biography, Steven Bach reveals the truths and lies behind this gifted woman’s lifelong self-vindication as an apolitical artist who claimed she knew nothing of the Holocaust and denied her complicity with the criminal regime she both used and sanctified.
The facts and her actions, many unknown until now, bear chilling witness: her passionate enthusiasm for Hitler from her first reading of Mein Kampf; her involvements with Nazi leaders Joseph Goebbels, Martin Bormann, Albert Speer, and Julius Streicher, who advanced her career, and with Hitler, who personally helped finance it; her role as silent eyewitness to wartime atrocities against Jews; and her use of slave labor in the form of concentration camp Gypsies destined for Auschwitz. We see her after the war trying to sell footage to Hollywood under an alias, manipulating a sham “discovery” of the Nuba tribes of Sudan into a career comeback, fighting to disinherit her closest living relatives, and—to the end—unable to express remorse for the millions murdered by the Nazi regime made mythic by her work.
Relying on new sources—including interviews with her colleagues and intimate friends, as well as on previously unknown recordings of Riefenstahl herself—Bach gives us an exceptional work of historical investigation that untangles the past and is also an objective but unsparing appraisal of a woman of spectacular gifts corrupted by ruthless personal ambition.
Customer Reviews:
Good Intro to Leni .......2007-08-29
After reading Jurgen Trimborn's admirable but somewhat inaccessible biography of Riefenstahl, I sought out this book in hopes that it would be friendlier to a Riefenstahl novice such as me. It certainly is an easier read and a much better starting place.
Steven Bach, of Final Cut fame, writes from the standpoint of a motion picture enthusiast. He also has a POV where Riefenstahl's Nazi associations are concerned and he doesn't hide it. For Bach Riefenstahl is the living version of Klaus Mann's Mephisto, a careerist willing to do anything and associate with anyone to advance her "art." He also makes the case (clearly building on Trimborn's work, among others) that Riefenstahl not only had no problem with anything Hitler did or said, she likely agreed with most if not all of it.
Bach's style is that of a gossipy Hollywood bio, which is fine by me, but he's no fan magazine hack. He knows the power of the snide observation and, best of all, how damning Leni's own words were. At times Riefenstahl comes across as downright delusional about her artistic abilities and men's lust for her. To hear her tell it no man so much as entered the same zipcode as Leni Riefenstahl without falling madly in love with her.
Some may have disagreements about Bach's assessment of Riefenstahl's artistic contributions. I've only seen clips of her work so my own opinion is somewhat limited. Bach does make a good case the Riefenstahl either stole the ideas of others or took credit for their work. Bach doesn't buy the argument that the art is more important than the character or actions of the artist. He also doesn't buy that Riefenstahl was much of an artist.
This is no love letter to Leni. It is an entertaining read. Gossipy, slightly bitchy (as one reviewer here has aptly noted), and full of telling details and quotes, this is a easy entry into the myths and controversy that make up Leni Riefenstahl.
Brilliant But Petty and Cruel -- Oh, Wait, That's The Author! .......2007-08-26
Not since Albert Goldman's ELVIS has a dense, full length biography of a sexy, glamorous larger than life legend been written with such sadistic relish, such delicious malicious bitchery and pure venomous guile.
There's no question that Leni Riefenstahl, the stunningly beautiful German woman who made hypnotic propaganda films for the Nazis, was guilty of moral cowardice and hypocrisy, if not during the war, then certainly afterwards. She persisted to the end of her life in wanting to have it both ways -- saying in effect "I didn't know," and at the same time "I was too scared to stop Hitler -- too scared that I would be next." She claimed to have legions of Jewish friends before the war, but she never tried to help them when things got bad, even though she had lots of Nazi influence and power. And she always seemed weirdly out of touch with the human results of Hitler's evil deeds.
The problem is, Steve Bach doesn't know when to quit. He sneers at Leni Riefenstahl not just for the big things -- not strangling Hitler with her bare hands, the way he seems to imagine he would have done -- but for the little things too. The book is full of catty little remarks like, "Leni was always conscious of her hypnotic effect on men" or "Leni didn't mind having handsome, powerful men buy her presents" or "Leni's fearless mountain climbing only made her feminine allure more overpowering to the distinguished male cinema artists who indulged her every creative whim."
It's hard to tell whether Bach hates Leni for being heartless and callous or for being beautiful, talented -- and very knowingly seductive.
There is a much more serious issue here than the hissy ALL ABOUT EVE style bitchery of a jaded Hollywood insider. Bach insists on judging a German film maker by a far more rigorous standard than he would ever apply to the film industry in Hollywood today -- or seventy years ago, for that matter. When Leni goes to Hollywood he brags that the left-leaning Hollywood of 1938 treated the lovely German visitor with scorn -- but how did they treat Margaret Mitchell when she came to town the very next year? Bach has nothing to say about why those same "leftists" failed to prevent the making of a racist epic like GONE WITH THE WIND.
If Leni Riefenstahl shares any part of the guilt for Auschwitz -- and I agree that she does -- then David O. Selznick is equally responsible for the murder of Emmitt Till, the bombings in Birmingham, and all the other hate crimes perpetrated in the Jim Crow south. Bach is in a big hurry to compare Leni to the Stalinist film maker Eisenstein -- arguing in a feeble and half-hearted way that Eisenstein "probably" rebelled at what he was doing. But why not compare Leni Riefenstahl to D.W. Griffiths, or Margaret Mitchell, or David Selznick? All of them dealt in racial hate. They looked the other way while helpless people were tortured and murdered, too. But mentioning America's poisonous history of racial hate would reflect badly on Bach's own milieu. Bach's beloved Hollywood elite never questioned the racial status quo in the Jim Crow south -- at least, not until long after blacks had begun risking their lives to bring the horror of their situation to national attention.
What's really going on here is not genuine, humanistic outrage, but elitist hypocrisy. Bach hates Leni Riefenstahl because he knows that, for all their tiresome liberal cant, just about everyone in Hollywood (and the book world, and the world of leftist Manhattan politics) has the same rat-like survival instincts that Leni had. None of the liberals who demonstrate their courage by hating her guts now ever had to look Hitler in the eye. But they know who would have blinked first. And they know themselves too well to ever show mercy to someone just like them.
Double standard.......2007-08-22
Most of the facts and "facts" in this book cannot be disputed. Only one comment - there were many other people who "cooperated" with the Nazis, but who escape any oprobrium, Richard Strauss name comes to mind. In 1938 he composed "Festliches Praeludium" for the occassion of NSDAP Parteitag, he was the president of Reichsmusikkammer, directly working for Goebbels, he never lifted a finger to help his Jewish friends, etc. etc. Maybe Richard Strauss could be another topic for Steven Bach to delve into.
Good book but, a little too long.......2007-08-11
This was a very good book but, I think Bach gives us too much detail on Leni's life after WWII. I thought the book could have ended much sooner than it did. After all, did we really have to hear about Leni's search for a particular tribe in Africa? It would have suited me fine to hear about her various means of defending herself from various charges as a result of her association with Hitler and the Nazis. I don't see what benefit the inclusion of the African tribe info was to the reader. Still an interesting read.
Leni survives all.......2007-06-14
The author tries and fails to give an evenhanded account of this much reviled woman's life. All this proves once again that the winners write the history. In the meantime he does portray a fascinating and beautiful woman as the opportunist she was without detracting from her worth as a great artist. All in all the best effort so far reflecting an eventful life.
Book Description
After the 1973 success of American Graffiti, filmmaker George Lucas made the fateful decision to pursue a longtime dream project: a space fantasy movie unlike any ever produced. Lucas envisioned a swashbuckling SF saga inspired by the Flash Gordon serials classic American westerns, the epic cinema of Japanese auteur Akira Kurosawa, and mythological heroes. Its original title: The Star Wars. The rest is history, and how it was made is a story as entertaining and exciting as the movie that has enthralled millions for thirty years–a story that has never been told as it was meant to be. Until now.
Using his unprecedented access to the Lucasfilm Archives and its trove of never-before-published “lost” interviews, photos, production notes, factoids, and anecdotes, Star Wars scholar J. W. Rinzler hurtles readers back in time for a one-of-a-kind behind-the-scenes look at the nearly decade-long quest of George Lucas and his key collaborators to make the “little” movie that became a phenomenon. For the first time, it’s all here:
• the evolution of the now-classic story and characters–including “Annikin Starkiller” and “a huge green-skinned monster with no nose and large gills” named Han Solo
• excerpts from George Lucas’s numerous, ever-morphing script drafts
• the birth of Industrial Light & Magic, the special-effects company that revolutionized Hollywood filmmaking
• the studio-hopping and budget battles that nearly scuttled the entire project
• the director’s early casting saga, which might have led to a film spoken mostly in Japanese–including the intensive auditions that won the cast members their roles and made them legends
• the grueling, nearly catastrophic location shoot in Tunisia and the subsequent breakneck dash at Elstree Studios in London
• the who’s who of young film rebels who pitched in to help–including Francis Ford Coppola, Steven Spielberg, and Brian DePalma
But perhaps most exciting, and rarest of all, are the interviews conducted before and during production and immediately after the release of Star Wars–in which George Lucas, Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Sir Alec Guinness, Anthony Daniels, composer John Williams, effects masters Dennis Muren, Richard Edlund, and John Dykstra, Phil Tippett, Rick Baker, legendary production designer John Barry, and a host of others share their fascinating tales from the trenches and candid opinions of the film that would ultimately change their lives.
No matter how you view the spectrum of this thirty-year phenomenon, The Making of Star Wars stands as a crucial document–rich in fascination and revelation–of a genuine cinematic and cultural touchstone.
Customer Reviews:
Wait, you mean there's stuff I didn't already know?!.......2007-09-30
The Making of Star Wars: The Definitive Story Behind the Original Film (Star Wars)
I was four years old when the original "Star Wars" was released, and like so many kids of that generation, that film and its two sequels defined an enormous part of my childhood. Even though I didn't know it at the time, it introduced me to the "best bits" of classical mythology, while being a visual catalyst for my imagination (and years of subsequent role-play, particularly in Upstate New York, where re-enacting ice planet Hoth after "Empire" came out was all too easy...).
As I grew older (I hesitate to use the phrase "grew up," as I'm not sure it's happened yet), I came to appreciate more than just the adventure and dynamic visuals that "Star Wars" represented; it was my "gateway drug" into wanting to learn more about how movies were made. I remember all of the TV specials of that era that pulled back the curtain on the filmmaking process, particularly with regard to the original "Star Wars" trilogy, and I couldn't get enough information. That hunger became the same kind of obsession that's typically associated with "Star Wars" fans, and I absorbed every scrap of detail I could find, from Ralph McQuarrie's concept art, to model photos, to script pages, and even before the Internet made it only a matter of a few clicks to access such information, there was a wealth of it, when it came to "Star Wars."
Fast forward to 2007; "Star Wars" is 30 years old, a whole separate trilogy has come and gone, and my own children are budding "Star Wars" fans for their own reasons. I figured I knew pretty much all there was to know about this film. I darn well should have, for as much time as I had spent (and continue to spend) over the years actively seeking out new details about it. Then came this book; I didn't know anything.
This is dense, dense reading, covering every minute detail about every aspect of production of the original "Star Wars," from drafting the script, to getting it taken seriously by Hollywood, to assembling the team that would revolutionize filmmaking as we came to know it. This is a wonderful thing. I find myself poring over every word, every image, every caption and footnote, just as I did as a child who was learning about film for the first time. It is an amazing tribute, an insanely detailed reference volume, and most incredible of all, a unique representation of a film that has been covered in so many ways by so many authors, that finding anything new to talk about seemed impossible.
The aspect of this book I personally find most exciting is that all of the interviews that comprise it are taken from the period immediately surrounding the production and release of the original film. There is none of the revisionist hindsight pertaining to the film that has come about as a result of the films that came after; every word spoken by the people involved is "of the moment," and as such, is refreshingly candid about what was going on while the film was in the throes of its conception and execution.
The hardcover volume is worth the extra cost, because of its additional supplemental material, not found in the softcover edition. There are 45 pages of storyboard reproductions, as well as Lucas' first-ever references to the larger world beyond what was shown in the original film, in the form of interview excerpts taken in 1977, which involve Lucas describing character and environmental background information. As author J.W. Rinzler explains in the opening to the section, "Many of these ideas...[have since been] modified to a greater or lesser degree. They are presented here...[as] an idea of how he first began [the process of expanding the "Star Wars" universe]." Given the amount of tweaking that the backstory has undergone in the decades following "Star Wars," the inclusion of Lucas' first impressions of it in this volume are incredibly valuable to anyone who, like me, has wondered if the second trilogy of films was truly borne from his original ideas, or was more a product of his later experiences.
This book is exactly what its title promises: the definitive history behind the original film. And for someone who has spent most of his life feeling like there was nothing new under the suns (not a typo) when it came to the story of how "Star Wars" was made, that's saying something.
Wonderful.......2007-09-22
I think I've been waiting 30 years for this book. It is excellent and packed with really cool behind the scene photos and notes. It is exactly as it should be given the lack of "marketing" tools of movies back in the late 70's. It has a lot of information and will add nicely to any Star Wars collection for years to come.
A wonderful piece to celebrate this film's 30th anniversary!!.......2007-08-24
Before this book came out, the greatest making of book in star wars lore was Once Upon A Galaxy. Now it has a partner!!! This book is amazing; truly a magnificent look at what it took to get this film on the screen. Not only do you get hundreds of never before seen and priceless photos, the sheer amount of text is incredibly impressive. This was very hard work to put together. There isnt much more I can add about this book. So.......go buy it; and Happy 30th Star Wars!!!
Exhaustively complete, excellently thorough.......2007-08-23
This book goes into more detail than anyone but a die-hard fan would want to know, in all honesty; but as it's one of the greatest movies ever filmed, Star Wars has more than its fair share of die-hards. The book is thoroughly researched and excellently presented and covers every aspect of the film's genesis from the very first words scribbled on George Lucas' yellow legal pads to the opening day. This book is, as the title states, the definitive story behind the making of Star Wars. Again, fascinating for the die-hard, but may be a bit detailed for the casual fan.
The Making of Star Wars: The Definitive Story Behind the Original Film .......2007-08-13
For all those you loved the first Star Wars experience this book is a must have. The hard copy has many extra pages and it worth the additional price. The pictures and details included makes this a fun, informative and exciting book to read and re-read.
Book Description
Tens of thousands of readers have benefited from Michael Rabiger's classic text on documentary filmmaking, now updated to reflect the revolutionary switch to digital video equipment and software. You will learn how to research and focus a documentary film or video idea, develop a crew, direct the crew, maintain control during shooting, and oversee postproduction. Practical work is emphasized, with dozens of exercises and questionnaires to help focus your ideas and give you hands-on practice. The documentary is treated as an important genre in its own right, as well as a useful prelude to directing feature films.
The fourth edition is a significant update. The book's emphasis has always been on concrete steps you can take to become a documentary filmmaker, and there are loads of new projects to help, along with assessment tables that allow you to gauge your progress. In addition, there is new material on location sound, the reality TV trend, top documentaries to see, and more.
*The definitive guide to making a documentary
*A hands-on approach with dozens of exercises
*A fully updated 4th edition of the classic textbook
Customer Reviews:
Enjoyable Too.......2007-04-11
Thought it would be much more heavy and academic. Is an easy read without dumbing down. Great for getting you going again if youhave "fallin off the wagon".
great.......2007-04-10
what a great book. it's up-to-date and goes through everything you could ever want to know about documentary filmmaking.
The Ultimate Guide to Documentary Filmmaking.......2007-03-26
I already use Rabinger's "Directing" tome as my filmmaking bible, and always refer to it when planning productions and right before shooting. So when I started a documentary project, I knew I had to get this version dedicated to that aspect of filmmaking. I was not disappointed. Right away, his advice improved my project planning and helped me make a much better project pitch than I originally had. And once again, it's loaded with practical advice that's very easy to read and use. Rabinger knows how to put together a great reference resource. Too bad all books weren't put together like these.
Great book for filmmakers of all kinds.......2006-09-21
this book includes all kinds of useful information that is not necessarily specific to documentary, although that is it's focus. there's excercises in here to help develop ideas into a filmic narrative, ethics, how to tackle an interview as well as subject matter. i've read a lot of film books, and i have to say, this is not only well written with a sense of humor and wit, it deals with potential situations in a down to earth way. The information provided is not just technical, but also how to approach an emotional situation, gain the trust of your participants, and address multiple points of view.
Directing The Documentary.......2006-07-19
I am currently writing a documentary for a feature length film, and found Michael Rabiger's book informative, subtle, and well structured. Having received a documentary film class at University, I had already learned about the basic tools of the medium. This book provides a masterclass in documentary filmmaking, and prepares you for the demands of documentary filmmaking. I recommend it to students and professionals alike.
Average customer rating:
- A first-rate primer for the aspiring filmmaker
- An Excellent Overview
- good intro for the novice filmmaker
- Stick to "Film Art" by Bordwell/Thomspon
- Best introduction to filmmaking I've found
|
Art of Technique, The: An Aesthetic Approach to Film and Video Production
John S. Douglass , and
Glenn P. Harnden
Manufacturer: Allyn & Bacon
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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Story Sense: A Screenwriter's Guide for Film and Television
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Practical DV Filmmaking, Second Edition
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ASIN: 0205142486 |
Book Description
This book provides readers with a teaching tool not currently available. It fills a gap in the literature by going beyond simple discussions of hardware usage, basic technical knowledge, and descriptions of technique to in-depth discussions of how this knowledge can be applied in a coherent approach to production.
Customer Reviews:
A first-rate primer for the aspiring filmmaker.......2002-01-21
"The Art of Technique: An Aesthetic Approach to Film and Video Production," is more of a primer than it is a critique of cinema. Yes, there is a big difference between this volume by John S. Douglass and Gleen P. Harnden and "Film Art: An Introduction" by David Bordwell and Kristin Thompson. The latter utilizes literally hundreds of frames from both classic and relatively unknown films to demonstrate cinematic techniques. "The Art of Technique" does the same thing with student models. Whether this has to do with the cost of using copyrighted images and/or transforming them into individual frames for use in a book, this is a major difference between the two textbooks. When Douglass and Harnden discuss something, like Ingmar Bergman's use of Extreme Close-ups (ECU) in "Scenes from a Marriage," they can only talk about the extraordinary intimacy it gave the production, without offering visual evidence to support their claim. However, the authors do use their "homemade" examples to good use at time; for example, when exploring the concept of framing they provide examples of "bad" shots (filled with distracting clutter) before showing better choices for the cinematographer.
"The Art of Technique" is divided into two main sections. After an introductory chapter on "Interpretation and Treatment," there are six chapters focusing on the various ways a film can tell a story, essentially pre-production considerations. There is a nice little section detailing the basic types of stories Hollywood tells over and over again ("Jack the Giant Killer," "Fish Out of Water," etc.). Clearly the emphasis here is more on production than criticism, which makes the orientation of this textbook more towards the filmmaker than the movie audience. This first section ends with a look at Mise en Scene and questions of design. In terms of concepts covered, separate from the issue of how those concepts are presented in the textbook, the authors provided a comprehensive, well-organized presentation.
The second half of the book covers "Techniques for Interpretation," which starts with a consideration of the trinity of how the camera, editing and lighting can be used for interpretation. Again, everything is here; I could not find a concept or technique that was an obviously glaring omission. The book concludes with a pair of chapters on Symbols and Significance, which get into the impact film can have on an audience. You might expect to find a glossary at the back of the book, but instead we have a pair of appendixes on Electricity and Measuring Light, which only serves to reaffirm that this book is geared towards the novice filmmaker. If you are looking for a textbook that because you are a budding film critic, then this is not going to be your first choice. I can even make the argument that by not saturating their textbook with frames from dozens of films, Douglass and Harden do their readers a favor, because instead of borrowing shots and techniques from the acknowledged masters of the art form, they are being asked to reinvent the wheel. Do not knock this, because that is basically how we think Orson Welles made "Citizen Kane."
An Excellent Overview.......2002-01-15
This book explores many aspects of filmmaking in a logical, easy-to-follow manner. A great find, albeit a bit pricy. I used it as my text for teaching a video class as it offers some aesthetic considerations for why techniques may or may not be used in a given situation. This approach helps to minimize the technique-euphoria beginners tend to have with techniques which are new to them (ala George Lucas in the new Star Wars...)
good intro for the novice filmmaker.......2000-04-21
this book works very well as an introduction to the creative use of techniques for filmmaking. it is quite clear and concise and is not bogged down by too much technical details or dicussions on film theory. a good starting point.
Stick to "Film Art" by Bordwell/Thomspon.......2000-04-17
I was shocked when I looked over this book. I had always relied on "Film Art" which is the standanrd intro to film but I wanted to branch out. I found this book to be a superficial approach to cinema, no probbing analysis or challenge to interpretaion of technique or narrative. Save your money and stick to the classics. No one seems to use this book in higher education film studies- ask your professor to suggest a book.
Best introduction to filmmaking I've found.......2000-02-16
I teach filmmaking, and needed a book that covers all the basics in a few meaty and meaningful pages. This is it. Most books on filmmaking technique either wax philosophical on the author's pet theories or get lost in gee-wiz-you-can-do-this-neat-trick-with-the-camera mania. There's little of either here; instead, you'll find a focused, highly readable series of lessons on what really matters most--how to communicate a meaningful message on film or video. Unlike some VERY annoying books that give examples of lighting and other techniques via badly drawn line-art, this book shows every technique with actual stills from video shoots so you can see how lighting, framing, lens use, etc. actually change the appearance and impact of a scene.
There are also numerous references to excellent classic and modern films with quite specific suggestions for examining the techniques that make those films work so well. Perhaps most important of all, the authors never lose sight of the fact that filmmaking is about interpreting and creating a reality that evokes a meaningful and powerful experience for the audience.
So if you want a book listing all the oh-so-tacky transitions and effects that your new NLE will do, or a thousand-page treatise on the history of film, THIS AIN'T IT. But if you want a book that will help you quickly learn to put cameras, lighting, and editing in the service of your creativity--buy this one first.
Book Description
Model, animate and render with a practical command of all the essential functions and tools in CINEMA 4D 10. Detailed tutorials, suitable for novices and experienced users alike, demonstrate how to navigate the redesigned UI and orient you to the workflow. Next, the author guides you through the creation of a more complex project in which you model, create, apply textures, light, and render a final showcase image of a sports car. Finally, you will model, texture and prepare a comic character for animation using the new powerslider, timeline and the revised MOCCA module.
Build on your command of the essentials with an introduction to the new layer system as well as these advanced skills:
* Light, texture, and shade with CINEMAs material system, BodyPaint 3D, and the integrated shaders
* Build complex mechanical and organic models using NURBS and polygon tools
* Compose 3D content into photos
* Render with advanced techniques such as Multi Pass rendering, HDRI lighting and radiosity
* Simplify animation setups using XPresso constrains
* Work with specialized tools such as HAIR, Clothilde or SKY for special effects
The companion CD includes all of the required tutorial media, a bonus chapter on character modeling, Macintosh and PC demo versions of CINEMA 4D 10, and a limited edition of the PhotoMatch plug-in that permits you to easily insert 3D objects into photos.
* Covers all of the features of version 10 release including BODYPAINT 3D and the MOCCA module
* Tutorial-based approach demonstrates the workflow processes for modelling, texturing and animation
* Advanced features including HyperNURBS modelling, XPresso programming and the Advanced Renderer.
* Companion CD includes tutorial files, a demo version of CINEMA 4D and plug-in samples
Customer Reviews:
Disapointing.......2007-08-23
If you know anything about Cinema 4D you will be very disappointed. It is really a First time beginner's book. The only good thing is that it goes through different parts of the software, like rig animation and UVs.
What really bothered me is that the chapters are huge, and uses pages and pages to explaining little details. But as i said, if you are the real beginner, you will enjoy it.
Lost in translation.......2007-08-15
The things they have you build look really cool, but the big wrench in the works for this book is its sloppy, inaccurate translation to English. You really have to move through it super-slowly, watching for potential mistakes. Having said that, I did get through the first tutorial on modeling a G5 Mac, but only at a snail's pace because of the translation.
Another complaint -- they continually reference screen-shots that aren't on the same page, so for instance, they say "Do this, like in fig. 8.5", and fig. 8.5 is on the next page, while directly above the instructions is fig. 8.4. The whole book is like that, with the pictures lagging one or two pages behind the text.
If you're just getting started in C4D, I'd look elsewhere.
Cinema 4D 10 Workshop.......2007-07-10
Im a motion graphics designer and decided to upgrade my knowledge using 3D and found out that Cinema 4D is easy to use. I tried and downloaded several tutorials in the internet and most of them are very helpful and I learned the basics in Cinema 4D. However, there are some aspects of this tool that is quite hard to find in the web (advance topics)and so I decided to purchase a book.
I found this book and I was quite disappointed in several of its projects/tutorials. The steps are not well-written. Usually, most of them are shortcuts, it doesn't give you the step-by-step procedure on how to accomplish a task. Perhaps, if you're an advanced user of Cinema 4D you would understand it, but if you're a beginnner, then you would have a hard time accomplishing the projects.
Now Im planning to buy another cinema 4d book the one written by anne powers.I hope that this one would be really helpful and easy to understand.
almost satisfied.......2007-06-27
Although the tutorials are very good, they are very hard to follow, there are no numbered tutorials, they are made in paragraphs, so you find yourself reading an entire paragraph which at the end you already know.
Some important little details are sometimes forgotten so you spend a long time going back and experimenting until your result looks like the result in the book.
Good book for modeller.......2007-05-12
The print quality is very good. Nice tutorials for modeller. Lacks any in depth information for animator/special fx. Pity...
Average customer rating:
- A good guide for those first starting....
- excellent resource
- Sell your kids to buy this book
- FIVE STARS, excellent, excellent, excellent.
- Great source of info...
|
Writing, Directing, and Producing Documentary Films and Videos Third Edition
Alan Rosenthal
Manufacturer: Southern Illinois University
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 0809324482 |
Book Description
As Alan Rosenthal states in the preface to this new edition of his acclaimed resource for filmmakers, Writing, Directing, and Producing Documentary Films and Videos is “a book about storytelling—how to tell great and moving stories about fascinating people, whether they be villains or heroes.”
In response to the technological advances of the last six years and the demands of cable TV stations like Discovery and A&E, Alan Rosenthal reconsiders how one approaches documentary filmmaking in the twenty-first century. Foregoing theory and hardware, Rosenthal tackles the day-to-day problems from initial concept through distribution, emphasizing the research and writing approach.
He offers examples of interviewing, narration writing, and the complexities of editing. Simply and clearly, Rosenthal explains how to write, direct, and produce the documentary, whether film or video. New aspects of this third edition include nonlinear editing techniques, a complex budget example and its analysis, plus a chapter on “Staying Alive,” which details how European and U.S. stations approach documentary and how the Internet can help filmmakers find new markets. A new chapter has been added to address the growing genre of family films.
Customer Reviews:
A good guide for those first starting...........2007-04-05
In starting something new, the potential making missteps that can derail the whole process is always present. This book helps you avoid those and has advice on how you can develop a quality product that people will want to see. Very worthwhile.
excellent resource.......2002-04-27
Even while reading this book I was able to pitch an idea for an event and documentary project, my first, and gain acceptance for the project. The concepts are helpful as well as practical.
I read a lot of books once I am interested in a subject and I would place this one at the top for documentaries.
Sell your kids to buy this book.......2001-09-27
There is little in written text that summarise the worth of this book. I was so moved by its detailed and incisive content and direction that I sold my kids to afford the time and space, the peace required to absorb the rivetting content.
As I sat at my video production terminal I realised that the nirvana of books on docudrama had been produced. This is the sort of book that makes you go and get the authors name tattooed on your butt.
Buy , buy , buy ..
FIVE STARS, excellent, excellent, excellent........2001-06-25
This book is a masterful resource for any filmmaker regardless of their expertise.
No one has come close in their summation of the documentary process. It is 2001, the book was released in 1996, it is timeless. The best book on the market, a better book could only be devised by the author.
Four years of preperation in one book. Every student, professional filmmaker, enthusiast should have it. I have even allowed persons/subjects whom I was documenting to read this book. It made the process that much easier. They were extremely thankful. PURCHASE THE BOOK.
Great source of info..........2001-03-21
I find myself opening this book up over and over again . I have learned alot from the writer of this book . I would tell anyone who is going to make a documentary , they should have this book on there desk.
Average customer rating:
- iMovie 6 & iDVD: The missing Manual
- Great Step by Step Guide
- This book saved my life... in a roundabout way
- One of the best "how to" manuals I've bought
- Quite simply-THE BEST
|
iMovie 6 & iDVD: The Missing Manual
David Pogue
Manufacturer: O'Reilly Media, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 0596527268 |
Book Description
While the last version of iMovie gave moviemakers the ability to capture and edit widescreen High Definition Video (HDV) from the new generation of camcorders, iMovie 6 is all about the ease of moviemaking itself. iMovie 6 includes five professionally designed themes with backgrounds, motion graphics, titles, and effects that act as building blocks for your projects. You can preview transitions and stunning new video effects--such as time-lapse video--in real time using the full screen. Or edit audio and add sound effects with a new built-in sound studio. For presenting your movie, Magic iDVD offers easy-to-use themes, including new widescreen options.
Whether you're a professional or an amateur moviemaker, this is amazing stuff. But if you want to learn the full capabilities of these applications, Apple documentation won't make the cut. Instead, iMovie 6 & iDVD: The Missing Manual is the ideal third-party authority that covers all of these changes through an objective lens. This witty and entertaining guide from celebrated author David Pogue details every step of iMovie 6 and iDVD production. The book shows you how to:
- Work on multiple iMovie projects at once and drag & drop clips among them
- Output your creation to a blog, its own web page, or as a video podcast with iWeb
- Use "Magic iMovie" to import your video and make a movie for you
- Integrate with other iLife programs to use songs, photos, and an original soundtrack
- And a whole lot more
From choosing and using a digital camcorder to burning the finished work onto DVDs, posting it online, or downloading it to an iPod, iMovie 6 & iDVD: The Missing Manual zooms right in on the details in a clear, concise, and understandable manner. The book also provides a firm grounding in basic film technique so that the quality of your video won't rely entirely on magic.
Customer Reviews:
iMovie 6 & iDVD: The missing Manual.......2007-10-03
Having Missing Manuals 3 to 5 It is again most difficult to find what's new in Apples Version 6 amongst all the older information contained in the previously published "Manuals". If one was purchasing it for the first time it does a reasonable job.
Great Step by Step Guide.......2007-06-27
This book is a thoroughly attentive-to-detail manual that is true to it's name/concept: The manual that *should* have come in the box! It clearly walks you through every step, big and small as well as including sections on how to improve your filming, editing, and a concise Quicktime how-to.
I recommend reading the entire book before starting an iMovie/iDVD project but if you just can't wait (I couldn't-- I read as I went), I recommend reading Appendix B (pg. 461) which is "Troubleshooting" early on . It includes *many* crucial tips from being sure to format your external HD to Mac OS Extended (if saving on an ext. HD) to switching the factory-setting 12-bit audio on your digital video camera to 16-bit to common 'glitches' while importing, working with or exporting footage.
The other great benefit of this book is it explains the various little 'tricks' for more complicated tasks or for things that are hinky and need a little fiddling to work. One ex.: You use the new iMovie 6 themes w/in iMovie (Pass Through, especially, is slick/professional-looking!) and are trying to use a *trimmed* clip w/in the theme. iMovie doesn't understand starting it where you trimmed because it keeps the trimmed portion of the clip hidden but still there so the undesirable portion of your clip is shown in the intro theme instead. This book explains in detail how to save it to Quicktime and re-import the new *permanently* trimmed clip to use w/ no problems in your themed intro!
This book also spells out the key differences in iMovie 6 vs. previous versions. I HIGHLY recommend this book if you are looking to edit home movie footage (or other) using iMovie (& iDVD) and don't have your own personal Mac Genius in your household. :-)
This book saved my life... in a roundabout way.......2007-05-14
I recently purchased a Mac and edited my first film - a short documentary - on iMovie.
I had never used iMovie before and a good friend recommended this book and I couldn't have been more pleased. I haven't encountered a problem yet that this book hasn't addressed.
Well-written, simple and practical.
A great resource. Worth your time and money.
One of the best "how to" manuals I've bought.......2007-04-19
I have to admit that I was skeptical when I saw that this was a textbook for an introductory filmmaking class but it's an awesome book. It strikes just the right tone and is basically a short course in filming, editing and distributing (dvd, web, email) movies. Well done.
Quite simply-THE BEST.......2007-04-03
Simple and darn articulate. Im not a tech person in any sense of the way, Mr Pogue has outdone himself. He indeed has made understanding imovie very simple. Highly recommended if you are just starting out or if you wish to brush up on the latest version of Imovie
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- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
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