In the 1960s film schools sprang up around the globe and since then one-time student film-makers such as Milos Forman and Martin Scorsese have enriched world cinema. Yet when young upstarts such as Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez were able to succeed without a formal film school education the very need for such institutions was…
The recent boom in independent filmmaking has been both a boon and an added challenge for aspiring directors. While the chic status of festivals like Sundance makes it easier for a few hot new directors to find major distributors, other worthy films risk being lost amid a sudden flood of contenders. Chris Gore, editor of…
Independent film at 7,500 feet! January in Utah – for 10 days, the normally sleepy mountain resort of Park City becomes the focus of the movie world as 40,000 people descent on the town to sample the year’s finest independent films, do a little business, and partake in all that is the Sundance Film Festival….
Cannes – A Festival Virgin’s Guide™(7th Edition) is the essential handbook for filmmakers and film industry professionals looking to attend the Cannes Film Festival. Demystifying the event and providing practical advice for attending, the book is about helping you make the most of your visit to the world’s most famous film festival, and most importantly,…
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…
A sequel to Steven Katz’s Film Directing Shot by Shot, this book tackles specific problems of staging cinematic scenes. How should directors shoot scenes in confined spaces, such as small rooms or the interior of a car, in large open spaces, or with a number of characters involved in busy dialogue? As in his previous…
Setting Up Your Shots is a complete visual encyclopedia of creative camera set ups and moves every filmmaker and cinema fan will want to own. Over 100 storyboards with simple descriptions have been especially designed for this book. They show filmmakers, home video buffs and cinema fans how to achieve an incredible number of effects,…
According to David Mamet, a film director must, above all things, think visually. Most of this instructive and funny book is written in dialogue form and based on film classes Mamet taught at Columbia University. He encourages his students to tell their stories not with words, but through the juxtaposition of uninflected images. The best…
I recieved this book as a gift, and got a lot from it. It is dated, and based mostly on West-coast studio work, (2 things I am not), but there was still a great deal of information for me to continue my education in the Assistant Director department. I also found the UPM info a…
This is essential reading for anyone interested in directing or acting. Judith Weston’s brilliance is to recognize that directors, actors, writers, and technicians are involved in a process that is at essence a collaboration. In order for them to have the best shot at creating something true and meaningful, they must share a language and…
