Book Description
Veteran camera assistant Doug Hart describes in this comprehensive technical guide all of the important facets and duties of the first and second camera assistants' jobs. Whether it is feature films, episodic television, documentaries, commercials, or music videos, The Camera Assistant: A Complete Professional Handbook explains both the practice and theory behind it with a concentration on technique rather than equipment. In addition, personal anecdotes from the author's years behind and beside the camera provide insight into this demanding field.
Key topics include film formats and aspect ratios, testing lenses and camera equipment, focus theory, film loading and labeling, scene blocking, marking actors, shooting tips, slating, paperwork, equipment maintenance, set etiquette, and finding work. This is not a camera equipment handbook; it is a comprehensive procedures manual which describes and explains the most important responsibilities of the camera assistant on the set, the theory behind the practice, and the methods that get the job done properly and keep the assistant frequently employed.
Douglas C. Hart has been a freelance first-camera assistant on feature films, documentaries, television shows, and commercials for more than 20 years, including 10 years (and 10 films) as first-camera assistant to Gordon Willis, ASC, as well as work in 42 states and 26 foreign countries. His work includes Presumed Innocent, Hannah and Her Sisters, The Cosby Mysteries, and CBS's Central Park West. He is a member and former president of the International Photographers Local 644, IATSE, and teaches the Camera Assistant Workshops at the International Film and Television Workshops in Rockport, Maine.
Details both the practice and the theory necessary to be a camera assistant.
Concentrates on technique, not equipment.
Serves as a comprehensive manual, which teaches the necessary methods to get the job done and stay employed.
Customer Reviews:
Great starter book for AC's.......2006-06-12
Of the two major "textbooks" on ACing, this is the best one to start with. It gives enough information to initiate you into what is expected of all members of the camera crew, but is not overwhelming with technical info (not that you are not going to want that info someday, but if you are new, it can be confusing and even discouraging.) After this book, get David Elkin's Camera Assistant's Manual, which goes into much further detail. As you work with different cameras, download the manuals from the panavision/arri/aaton/etc websites so you can feel comfortable with the differences in individual cameras. Lastly, get a used copy of the very expensive American Cinematographer Manual for all the technical bits in one handy portable reference book. This, and tons of set experience, is probably all you need (and keep in mind some of the greatest cinematographers who ever lived worked without any of these aids). Rely on your eye!
The Camera Assistant - A Complete Pro Handbook (Hart).......2000-08-17
This is probably the best handbook for this discipline I've ever seen. I bought a copy when I was in the States three years ago - and it was swiped ! I plan to prescribe this book for my students from 2001 onwards. Well done !
John Hill ctftvs@netactive.co.za
The bible for operating camera personnel!.......1999-06-10
This book is a complete and highly insightful manual for motion picture camera assistants and operators. It covers the disciplines, techniques, skills and even the politics of the craft. For anyone involved or wanting a fabulous look into the workings of the film industry, buy this book!
This is the new Bible........1997-10-15
Compiled from years of teaching innumerable students at the International Film & Television Workshops in Rockport, ME, this book supercedes all previous texts on the subject. A former President of East Coast Camera Local 644, Hart writes in a manner as readable as it is thorough. Illustrations and appendices are completely useful. This is the new Bible for the working A.C. and anyone seeking to understand how the camera department really functions.
Book Description
Herbert Zettl has drawn on his expertise and field experience to bring you the new edition of Video Basics, which continues to be the most authoritative, current, and technically accurate student guide to video production. Meeting the instructor's needs for a briefer book, this text distills video basics so they can be covered in a single semester. The book moves students from video concepts and processes to production tools and techniques, and finally, to the production environment (studio or field, inside or outside) and its effects. A more conceptual framework leads the student from the idea (what to create) to the image (how to create) on video.
Customer Reviews:
A Great Start.......2006-03-02
This book is a must for anyone getting into video production. Full of basic information that is conveyed in an intuitive and concise way, plus there is plenty of advanced knowledge to keep you referring back for years to come. Definitely a staple for all video people.
Very Good.......2004-01-24
My boss told me to buy this book, and it is one of the best available book.
great book!!.......2002-08-09
i am an electronic media communications major and this book has been used for a number of years in my school's communications program. video basics 3 has everything you need to know and everything is explained in much detail, yet not too complicated. there are great illustrations throughout the book that are very helpful as well.
i bought this book used from my campus bookstore and i gotta wonder, why would someone return this book at the end of the semester? i still have mine and have re-read it through quite a few times, most definately something worth holding on to!
Superlative.......2002-04-24
This book gives a broad overview of the field of video. It is intended as a textbook for students in a university video course, however, the information that it contains will be valuable for anyone interested in improving their video skills, especially in professional contexts. Since the book is a textbook, each chapter begins with a list of key terms and definitions, and key concepts are highlighted in the text and repeated at the end of the chapter. Each chapter also contains instructions for a lesson in Zettl's Video Lab on CD (not included). The book covers many topics related to professional video production, including the video production process, the video team, video cameras, lighting, sound, editing, and the studio. I found the language to be very straightforward and highly informative.
Bad Copies.......2002-01-30
My copy of the book did not have chapters 3 and 4. I had a chapters 1 and 2 repeated. Check your copy of the book.
Book Description
Video Production: Disciplines and Techniques introduces students to the operations underlying multiple-camera video production. This textbook deals with a range of issues from how crew members interact with equipment to the manner in which crews interact with each other. More than just telling students "what to do," this textbook shows how to do a job and why.
Customer Reviews:
Good Video Production Textbook.......2006-11-05
I continue to look for a book that conveys the myriad practical details needed to put together a successful video program. I'll have to admit this is one of the best textbooks I've seen on the subject; but I continue to search for a more practical guide to the art/science of live video production.
Very Good.......2002-05-03
This is one of the best books that I've every used. I had it for 5 years and I use it all the time. it's great for beginnners, and professionals. I own my own video productions company.
I'd recomend it to anyone and everyone!
Product Description
Two entrees in the digital SLR market from Pentax, in one Magic Lantern Guide. Both of these easy-to-use, budget-friendly cameras are packed with loads of features, including: a 6.1 megapixel sensor, large 2.5" LCD monitor, Auto Picture modes, Shake Reduction image stabilization (K100D only), and more.
Customer Reviews:
Ideal for noobs, far better than the manual ..........2007-07-02
Pentax, who caters to amateur photographers unlike most other dSLR vendors who cater far more to professionals *COUGH*Canon*COUGH*Nikon*COUGH*, actually includes a very detailed manual with all of its K series of dSLR products. Unfortunately, while the manual suffices for amateur photographers, it is very difficult for the beginning SLR user. The terminology poorly defined in the Pentax manual is a major barrier to using their dSLR products effectively. That's where the Magic Lantern Guides come in.
This book takes you through not only the K100D (and K110D), but covers the much needed terminology for beginners of photography, all while using the K100D. That right there is gold -- using the actual buttons, menus and other settings in the K100D to setup common photo scenes and settings. The author effectively covers many aspects beginners, novices and even not-so-seasoned amateurs will want to cover (or recover). The author also does a good job of covering select Pentax lenses for various scenes, including some of the newer DA lenses, or at least introducing them as and when they are appropriate.
The only reason I give this a book four (4) stars instead of five (5) is because the author could have done better job of layout and organization. Although some aspects and depth of photography are unavoidable microcosms in themselves, the fact that you have to (and I mean have to) read the entire book to get down the basics is not the "ultimate" beginners' guide. I felt the author could have done a better job of pointing new users to bracketing and exposure compensation first, which are great for initial experimentation, and then rolled back into more in-depth concepts. But otherwise, it is an "ideal" beginners' guide, so it does get four (4) stars.
But if you do read it from cover-to-cover, you will know how to use your K100D (or K110D) to its full effectiveness without being an experienced photographer. Everything else is a combination of practices and non-camera specific implementation, like metering and other exposure considerations (that you can pick up from other sources). I came from Point'n Shoot cameras, being utterly ignorant of photography fundamentals. This book, combined with Pentax's award winning ergonomics and "built for amateurs" mentality in its products, will make you an amateur almost overnight -- or at least by your first half-dozen scenes and hundred-plus shots.
Magic Lantern Guides: Pentax K110D .......2007-03-21
If you buy this camera theis book is a must. The camera is a bit complicated and I found the book great for learning all its features. I am carrying the book in my camera bag. The book that came with the camera is cryptic and leaves too many unanswered questions.
Average customer rating:
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Geraldine Nagle
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ASIN: 0697120481 |
Book Description
A fresh approach to the interdisciplinary humanities course that takes a strong multicultural approach to the visual and performing arts. Organized thematically, the text covers painting, printmaking, sculpture, camera arts, architecture, music, and drama.
History is taught from the perspective of the individual - artists come alive as students discover the artists' backgrounds and where they fit in the social history and cultural context.
The text builds an appreciation for the language of the arts with discussion of techniques, vocabulary, and definitions.
Customer Reviews:
A Graduate Course in Commercial Acting Excellence.......2000-03-27
Joan See, a classically trained actor (Sanford Meisner, Wynn Handman), explodes numerous myths about acting in commercials, such as:
o Commercial acting is easy
o Commercial acting requires no craft or skill
o Commercial acting is selling
On the contrary, says See: the actor's job is not to sell. Actors "must bring little stories to life in a way that makes other people believe them. If you believe that your job is selling, you will feel that something other than acting is required. But don't forget what the advertisers hired you for - your acting skills. They want your ability to communicate ideas and feelings in such a way that their audience believes you." In other words, actors in commercials need to remain grounded in their foundation skills of acting.
The challenge for actors with a background in theater, says See, is that they don't understand the differing requirements of acting in front of a camera, and the challenge for all actors unfamiliar with the commercial genre is the need to turn in masterful performances in mere seconds in the somewhat bewildering formats and styles found in commercials. This book provides detailed help on both fronts.
The author begins by reviewing acting fundamentals that apply to the naturalistic stories actors are most often asked to bring to life in commercials, including the basic skills of relaxation, concentration, listening and responding, and physicalization. She then discusses the mechanics of acting before a camera, both in the audition and on the set, and lays out strategies for overcoming the most common traps in those settings.
Finally, in the meat of the book, See identifies the three most common forms that Madison Avenue tends to use in commercials -- slice-of-life, spokesperson, and MOS -- and the three most common styles in which those forms are expressed -- film-style, sitcom-style, and "Honeymooners" -- and lays out extensive strategies for practicing, auditioning, and performing in these forms and styles.
This is valuable information indeed: "Analyzing commercial scripts by pinpointing their form and style gives an actor the first chance to control the material. With this information, you suddenly have guidelines for your performance. You have something to work with. The directors and casting directors in the commercial advertising field know what results they want. They are not always skilled at helping actors obtain that result. Actors must be able to function as their own director and bring their performance into the audition with them."
This book provides an excellent set of tools for navigating these challenging but lucrative waters. It is full of practical information, example scripts, and helpful guidance, almost all of which is firmly rooted in classic acting. Practicing and using the techniques in this book, an actor should no longer be like a deer in the headlights at an audition or on the set. Highly recommended.
Up-front, practical, informative, easy to grasp concepts.......1999-04-26
I have had the pleasure of reading several books for actors aspiring to make commercials a part of their livelihood. This is an easily understood exposition of the many facets of commercial work and the transition from stage acting to camera. Many superb examples of eye-opening scenarios give the book life and energy. Anyone aspiring to make commercials should give this book thorough study. Ms. See offers several other sources for self study in the pages toward the end and examples of commercial copy and the mind set to make a performance count.
Book Description
Culled from Tony Barr's 40 years' experience as a performer, director and acting teacher in Hollywood, this highly praised handbook provides readers with the practical knowledge they need when performing in front of the camera. This updated edition includes plenty of new exercises for honing on-camera skills; additional chapters on imagination and movement; and fresh material on character development, monologues, visual focus, playing comedy and working with directors. Inside tips on the studio system and acting guilds make it particularly helpful for people new to the business, and numerous anecdotes from actors such as Morgan Freeman and Anthony Hopkins and examples from current movies illustrate its many lessons. It is perfect for acting classes, workshops, all actors who work in front of the camera -- and all those who want to.
Customer Reviews:
No. 1 hand book for Actors.......2007-09-25
I recom'nd this book for all young actors & actresses to read. This is really good hand book for these people
Great general book on acting, with emphasis on TV/Film.......2006-07-12
I obtained this book to read while taking an "Audition For Camera" class at my acting school. I'm a relative novice, but had read some books on general acting before, such as Uta Hagen's "A Challenge For The Actor," and really wanted a book that talked about specific aspects of acting in front of a camera.
This book, Tony Barr's "Acting For The Camera," is a little different from what I was initially hoping it would be, in that it basically is a book about general acting, with more than the entire first half of the book devoted to that. I remember often thinking "when are we going to get to the part about camera work?"
Mr. Barr's general thoughts on acting are actually quite good, though, which encouraged me to read through the whole of the first section, and I would say that there are many excellent insights there. It's also a relatively quick read, as opposed to Uta Hagen's book, for example, and many things are presented in ways I hadn't read in other books before.
When I finally got to the "camera" section of the book, I sort of realized that the reason he probably spent so much time with the "general acting" stuff is because ... well, the most important part of "acting for the camera" is the ACTING, not the CAMERA! Of course there are many specifics that he addresses, but all the specifics and terminology etc. aren't going to help you if you can't act.
Plus, the section on "exercises" at the end of the book was helpful to read, even though I haven't tried any of them myself yet ... they seem like well-thought out exercises to improve ones' camera work.
The groundwork and advice on acting that he gives, though, is excellent all-around and seems appropriate to apply to ANY type of acting, not just camera acting.
So, all in all, I'd say that the book would more accurately be titled "ACTING, with a special section on Acting For The Camera!" That isn't quite as marketable though, I suppose!!
Very good introductory text.......2005-08-27
I very much agree with philosophy of this text. I think it did a good job of gathering the most important points of acting for film.
It's a short, easy, read, but I think it teaches all the right things.
A good reference.......2004-07-05
Overall, this is a good purchase. I got this a while ago because of my interest in branching out in my acting. I will admit that the first few chapters were slow, and I stopped reading for a while. However, after the first 1/4 I really got into it. There are excellent tips in there on how to go from theatre acting to film acting. There were also some good ideas on acting in general--from reacting to stimuli during a scene or dealing with unruly directors. It also had a few addresses for unions, which is always nice to have. There were also definitions of jobs related to film and the equipment used in film. The last chapter of the book is a compilation of exercises to practice in front of a camera. These are exercises that you will need about 2 or 3 other people for, and you will either have to improvise a scene, write a scene, or find a scene to perform while doing the exercises.
This is a very good book that gives you the basics. It can be used as an introduction or as a refresher, and it is generally an enjoyable read--Tony Barr writes with humor but also gets the point across. After the first few chapters, I devoured this book. This is definitely a good book to have for reference, one that I will have around for a while...
Another Must ahve for Serious actors!.......2004-02-12
My acting teacher says that, basically, their are two types of acting. Acting for the stage (theatre, plays)and acting for the camera (movies, tv). I want to do the later one, acting in movies. We do some stage excersises in class, but they dont interest me. I want to be in front of the camera so I can use some method and other technics, that my teacher says dont work in stage acting. I know i will reach my goal and get more and more film work. If you think the stage isn't for you, either, than read this book. You learn alot.
Amazon.com
Gary Cooper off Camera is a tribute to a Hollywood star that manages to be sentimental, glossy, and passionate all at the same time. A fond introduction by Tom Hanks opens the book, but its multifaceted pleasures spring from the love of author Maria Cooper Janis, who clearly felt it was a unique and great privilege to be the daughter of Gary Cooper. Janis's writing--from the loving letter to her father's ghost to the text that accompanies the many photographs--is charged with filial warmth.
Though the book offers many glimpses of Cooper on the set, it also sheds light on sides of the actor that never appeared on screen: the family man, the sportsman, the host and guest who opened his affections to many Hollywood luminaries. It is these photographs that really make the book a delight. The camera has loved very few men as much as it did Cooper, and this collection captures the ease and joy of an American icon who in films often played awkward and alienated figures. Page after page of extraordinary black-and-white shots reveal the warm relationships Cooper had with his family, and with friends like Pablo Picasso, Ernest Hemingway, and Jimmy Stewart. This volume offers a tender view into a rare and fading kind of celebrity life, one that appears to have been somehow both glamorous and private. --Raphael Shargel
Customer Reviews:
GARY COOPER FANS...ATTENTION!!.......2005-09-24
This is a great book for initial insight into Gary Cooper by his daughter. It is very obvious she adored her father. The book is very informative about the personal life of "Coope" with many wonderful pictures, however, the book is more images than writing. The details are only touched on. If you are a Gary Cooper & you want many unseen pictures, this is the book for you...
Daddy's Girl .......2004-09-15
The cover photograph, of Gary Cooper spoon-feeding ice-cream to his daughter on the streets of "Hadleyville," is a poignant clue to what follows. Maria Cooper was a girl who lived a very rarified life, and she lets us take a delicious peek at it.
Beautiful Pictures Captures Public Image.......2004-04-03
Well, let me start with what beautiful tribute this book is to her father. Maria Cooper's book is beautiful, but too many of the pictures look posed (Hollywood style). And the pictures that are actually not posed say more in body language about a family that clearly protects the Cooper family image. These people are beautiful, but they are too perfect: clothes, hair, makeup, you know it's all there. One picture I found fascinating, is of the three of them on a beach facing the ocean. Maria and her mom on the left, and further away is Gary Cooper and his body language is quite clear. Hmmm, that definitely was a candid shot. And if anyone is really looking, the beautiful Maria seems to be the glue that kept that family together. There is a gorgeous shot of the three of them in their ski clothes in an old house. Rocky with little makeup is quite beautiful, but Maria and her Dad are the ones in sync in this picture. I don't know, but these pictures show a definite strain in the family relationship far more than I ever realized. With friends, the pictures are happier. I am a fan of Gary Cooper's and always will be. And the fact, that he adored his beloved daughter and she adored him is clearly seen in this book. Maria Cooper shows us a Gary Cooper I have already seen in other pictures other people have taken of him. There really isn't a lot of hugging, and touching, and birthday parties, water fights, and family occasions, events, like most people and other stars have of their lives while children are growing up. I would love to have seen a picture of Mr. Cooper in his overalls in his garden (he was an avid gardener), teaching Maria to do things, showing her how to ride a horse, acting goofy.. Maria Cooper is quite lovely, and this book is wonderful to look at, but I don't really feel anything but a little sadness that she didn't show us more candid and "real" photographs about of her Dad and the family. There was a great deal more to this man than meets the eye. I didn't get too much of a glimpse into that.
Gary Cooper Off Camera.......2001-07-14
In a day and age when the children of "the stars" write the most deplorable books about their parents, this book is a wonderfully tender tribute to a true hero. Absolutely refreshing.
An Appealing Memoir.......1999-11-06
Smack in the middle of these cynical, jaded times comes this warm and appealing memoir by Maria Cooer Janis of her father, acting legend Gary Cooper. How wonderful! Maria Cooper Janis's open love for her father is there for all to see on every page. This alone makes the book worth owning. We've come to expect the negative, the cynical, in books of this type. But Ms. Janis has put together an extened love letter to her father and mother. And good for her!
Average customer rating:
- Stunning
- Life Is A Cabaret
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I Am a Camera
John Van Druten , and
Christopher Isherwood
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ASIN: 0822205459 |
Customer Reviews:
Stunning.......2000-08-03
I'm a sucker for plays, and this play is no exception. I was fascinated by the title and read it without having any idea as to what the content was. It is wonderfully written and stark for the time it was written. It tells the story of Christopher Isherwood and the time he spends in Germany during the Second World War. You confront frank subjects and controversial topics in this book, and you realize that during World War II, people worried about some of the same things today, such as unwanted pregnancy and racism, to name a couple. Everything you once viewed in an idealized way during this time period unravels, and you don't really mind.
Life Is A Cabaret.......2000-01-19
In all its forms (plays, movies, and books) the legacy of the radical Sally Bowles will live on forever. It is the lidicracy of the times that makes this spectackle a spectacle. A starving artist in Berlin that on New Years Eve met a wild and (quote-on-quote) "Perfectly Marvelous Girl" in a drab nightclub in the mist of the third reich. The spirit of the girl in this grim country is one of the reasons that her story will live forever. And also, seeing a performance in Davis, California starring Matt Dunn as the Emcee, and Rebecca Tosca Grey as the ever so taslented Sally Bowles releived me of all my stress, as well as "mind matter."
Book Description
Single-camera Video Production, Fourth Edition clearly explains the technology and the equipment of video production and details step-by-step the professional-level techniques that can be applied to any type of production or budget. In addition, this manual will train you to integrate technique, equipment, and creative concerns within the production processfrom preproduction planning through final editing.
This new edition contains more in-depth information about the transition from analog to digital video production and includes the latest information on digital video and HD. It includes expanded coverage of nonlinear editing techniques and features a new organization that follows the actual shooting process more closely.
Single-camera Video Production, Fourth Edition is a comprehensive yet succinct guide to single-camera video production. Written as part of the Focal Press Media Manual series, each page of this helpful guide covers a specific issue in video production and is accompanied by at least one illustration or diagram to further develop the your understanding of the topic.
* Learn about the latest changes to video production technology and the industry
* Find new information about digital production techniques and HD video production
* Acquire the basic knowledge needed to plan, shoot, and edit most field and in-studio video productions
Download Description
The new edition of this comprehensive yet succinct guide to planning, shooting, and editing most field and in-studio video productions has been updated to include the latest developments in HD, Digital Video, and equipment. Written as part of the Focal Press Media Manual series, each page of this helpful guide covers a specific topic in video production and is accompanied by a detailed illustration. This helpful guide details how to visualize, shoot, and edit coherent sequences of scenes and includes updated information on nonlinear editing. It also includes information on how to light and compose scenes for maximum impact. Features New to This Edition: *Explores the latest developments in HD *Covers new digital video technologies *Includes the new equipment available
Customer Reviews:
Uneven.......2006-08-05
The fact that a book has reached its fourth edition usually means it has some merit that readers have found useful. If that's the case with this book, it's a mystery to me how the book ever got out of the first edition.
First of all, the title "Single-Camera Video Production" led me to believe that the book's focus is on how to do everything for a video production using a single camera. For the bulk of the book, that's not what it's about. It's really a general book about using a video camera. (One section even illustrates using 5 cameras--rehearsing and preparing talent!)
Second, the illustrations are terrible. They look like they were done by a non-designer using Etch-a-sketch. Further, the drawings of the complex video cameras were so generic and seemingly dated that they were totally useless. However, that didn't matter because I didn't buy the book to learn about video cameras (that keep changing regularly), but rather some wisdom on the production process where the videographer is trying to produce using a single camera.
The reason that this book is rated two-stars instead of 1 (or 0) is because there were some materials on lighting with a single camera that were useful. (However, there was nothing unique and that I couldn't find on the Web for free.)
All in all, this book is a poorly crafted one, and one that I could cobble together with a topic search on the Web. Unfortunately, I think that a good book on Single-Camera Video Production is something that would be very useful. This just isn't it.
Good style but flawed by inaccurate info.......2006-01-12
Mr. Musburger tackles a very wide range of information in a comfortable and easy to read style. He peppers his text with interesting tidbits about TV production and technology and covers a lot of ground.
There are some unfortunate factual errors in this edition (I have not read earlier editions). Focal Press should improve their editing process and attempt to have more industry experts read books like this before going to press.
All in all this is a good overview for someone starting out in video production as long as they continue to seek out other information from various sources. Instructors in the field can furnish errata for their students that will greatly increase the value of this book.
Better fact checking would have made this a strong recommendation.
An excellent resource for student filmmakers.......2002-10-08
Now in a fully updated and expanded third edition, Single-Camera Video Production by Robert B. Musburger (Associate Professor, School of Communication, University of Houston), is a straightforward and highly recommended guide based upon the author's many years of practical field experience to planning, shooting, and editing video productions shot on location with essentially one camera at the filmmaker's disposal. An excellent resource for student filmmakers, Single-Camera Video Production offers a wealth of technical detail on audio signals, the scanning system, digital signal standards, camera controls, microphone types, and more, including sound advice on the social side of shooting film such as directing talent.
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