A quick preamble: I often buy books at a local bookseller. I like them to remain in business so I can wander the aisles and look for new books. But sometimes I shop based on price at Amazon.com. I find that they consistently have the best prices on both new and used titles through their network of booksellers. I have bought many books from Amazon that were not available locally, and have never been disappointed when they were delivered. However, your mileage may vary. That said, anything bought through a link from this site will likely be at the lowest price you can find. Not only that, it will help me support my “teaching habit”.
If you need an overview of the technical challenges you will face making a film and can buy only one book, this is the one. Cameras, Lighting, Sound, Post-Production, it’s all in there. It was first written in 1984, then updated in 1999, and again in 2008 to keep it current with advances in technology and common practices. Need to know how your camera actually works? It’s in there. Want a quick overview of recording good sound? In there. Telecine? Editing? Distribution? All that, and a bag of chips. To be fair, some topics are covered only superficially, but hey - the book is only 614 pages. You can’t expect to learn everything about filmmaking in a measly 614 pages. This book is a great starting and departure point. Every section has important information for the aspiring filmmaker, and in the event a section of this book raises more questions than it answers, you know to look to other titles for a more detailed understanding of the topic. If you want to learn about the technical aspects of fimmaking, I highly recommend this book.
Directing: Film Techniques and Aesthetics, 4th ed.
This weighty tome is written in textboook style by a working director/editor. It has many exercises scattered throughout the text and covers a multitude of important topics. Rabiger takes the reader from story development, to working with a crew, all the way through post-produciton. You won’t find much information about more technical aspects of filmmaking like lighting, or camera operation. Related topics like these are covered only superficially. For those who want to direct, or become better directors, this is the best widely available academic book I have found.
What They Don’t Teach You at Film School
A few weeks after I read this book a friend of mine pulled it off my shelf and started leafing through it. From around the corner I kept hearing “I learned that in film school. Yup. Learned that in film school, too”. So, the title may not be completely accurate (but you can’t blame ‘em for trying to sell more books). Even so, this title still has some value. It’s written much like those other ‘list-based’ books you’ll find at doctor’s offices and in household bathrooms around the world. It promises “161 strategies for making your film no matter what”. It’s a good read if you want some light inspiration or a quick look at a concept you may not have thought of before.
Making Documentary Films and Reality Videos
This is a great book about the realities of making documentary. Because after all, documentaries are not reality. At best they are a ‘true’ abstraction of the footage shot. Which in turn is an abstraction of the actual events that took place. Think about that one for a minute. Done? Ok, let’s move on. The edition I have is copyright 1997, which means that unless there is an updated version somewhere, some of the technical information may be out of date - especially with relation to how digital acquisition has changed the face of documentary production. It’s faster, cheaper (and sometimes more out-of-control), than it used to be. Which is fine, because very little of this book is about the technology. What is not out of date, is this title’s sections on planning, the need for preproduction, and the peculiarities of creating watchable and relevant media from the filmed interviews and actions of real people. I can’t tell you how many documentaries suffer due to lack of planning. I have seen the behind-the-scenes thrashing-about that often happens when people do not plan their docs. For this book, bonues include historical and film references sprinkled throughout, as well as parts where the author takes great care in presenting the case for ethics in documentary production. I heartily recommend it.
Ever wonder how shot selection and sequence affects the emotional impact of a scene? For an early discussion of the art of montage, try Eisenstein’s Film Form. For a more contemporary approach that covers storyboarding, staging, and camera motion, read this book. Visualization is important, and an incrediby powerful part of pre-production. This book covers many of the basic conventions of composition and montage in use today, with many storyboard and photo examples. If you really want to understand how a film is built ’shot by shot’, read this book first. Then watch a few contemporary films with the sound turned off. You may gain a whole new appreciation for the art and discipline involved in both the shoot and the edit.
Crafting Short Screenplays That Connect
A teacher of screenwriting at Florida State University for 15 years, Johnson brings not only a measure of authority to this book, but also an accessible writing style and pragmatic approach. There are exercises to get you going, and a number of examples pulled from finished screenplays. One of the best things about the book is that there are 7 complete short screenplays included, all written by students in her classes. As a bonus, the book comes with a DVD so you can see how the written word was translated into the finished films.
Perhaps one of the most widely read books about screenplays in the English language, Screenplay has been around since 1972 and was updated to its most recent edition in 2005. You will find it especially useful if you are new to the form and are trying to write a screenplay of your own. It concisely details formatting, structure, characters, and more. You won’t find much in the way of writing exercises, or detailed minutiae of the craft in this book.
If you’ve read the book Screenplay and need more, or if you are just plain ready for a deep examination of the form, read Story. McKee is lauded by many as a top screenwriting teacher and authority. And you’ve probably heard that art imitates life (or is the other way around?). The author is featured as a character (played by Charlie Cox) in the 2002 film, Adaptation. McKee will be your screenwriting guru, driving you to better know your story and characters. Or you may be reduced to an emotional wreck in the process (much like the Charlie Kauffman character in the film). Either way, this book is packed with great information to help you better your screenplay and your writing.