Suggest Books

WhiteWood

WhiteWood

Carbonite Member
SWEET! I got a job @ the Borders Bookstore, Downtown Detroit. I have Access to THOUSANDS of books for free. Now I have the ability to get into the books about filmmaking that my teachers and you DVX users have been suggesting to me for YEARS and I've never been able to get them. So, without further a due, PLEASE suggest any and every book that has changed your film making life and describe to me why it's so cool.​
 
A must;

On Directing, by Mamet
Making Movies, by Lumet
Screenwriters Bible, by Trottier
Shot by Shot, by Katz

If you truly study these four books you'll never go wrong, imho.
 
Directing Actors
and
The Flm Director's Intuition Both by Weston

Five C's of Cinematography by Mascelli

Adventures in the Screen Trade
and
Which Lie Did I Tell? both by Goldman

The Technique of FIlm and Video Editing
by by Dancyger

In the Blink of an Eye by Murch

Story by McKee

Understanding Movies by Gianetti...

Geez...too many to list off the top of my head

Try this thread as well:
http://www.dvxuser.com/V6/showthread.php?t=13258&highlight=book+club
 
Second 'In the Blink of an Eye,' and recommed 'The Art of Dramatic Writing' by Lajos Egry, 'Screenplay' by Syd Field, 'Film Directing Shot by Shot' and 'Film Directing: Cinematic Motion' by Steven Katz.
 
Rebel without a crew! By Robert Rodriguez

...No explaination needed, just start reading it and you'll see!
 
Lew Hunter - 'Screenwriting 434'

Then get books on the topics you want to write about.
 
Jim Brennan said:
Directing Actors
and
The Flm Director's Intuition Both by Weston

Five C's of Cinematography by Mascelli

Adventures in the Screen Trade
and
Which Lie Did I Tell? both by Goldman

The Technique of FIlm and Video Editing
by by Dancyger

In the Blink of an Eye by Murch

Story by McKee

Understanding Movies by Gianetti...

Geez...too many to list off the top of my head

Try this thread as well:
http://www.dvxuser.com/V6/showthread.php?t=13258&highlight=book+club
Click to expand...

Geesh, why so many. I only wanted the BEST suggestions. Not any book about making movies just cause it's about making movies. If they all say the same thing, I can spare them. Have you read all of these? And if so, is there a reason why you choose them all?​
 
Wow, I thought you were joking there for a second, but I guess you are serious.

If you think that's too many books to read about a craft that takes a lifetime to master, I don't know what to tell you. They are among the best, but hardly an exhaustive list. I believe you used the phrase "PLEASE suggest any and every book that has changed your film making life"

Weston for dealing with actors, yes the best I've ever read

Mascelli is the bible on cinematography

Goldman's books are entertaining, but there are kick ass lessons about writing as well. His wisdom and observations are priceless

Dancyger's book is the most effective and comprehensive book on editing I have ever seen, but

Murch's unique insight and experience (packed in a small book) are a must as well.

McKee is the best (IMHO) about delivering the most effective story development, pacing and structure.

Gianetti is a great reference for cinema history, and general definitions (editing, direction, music, etc) without having to take a film course.

"Filmmaking" is a very broad term that encompasses many professional disciplines each of which takes dedication. That's why the credits are so long at the end of a movie. I didn't even touch on the business stuff, audio, distribution, marketing... I've probably read well over a hundred books on "filmmaking" (not counting internet user groups, trade magazines, workshops) and I still feel like I am scratching the surface.

And, FWIW, I wouldn't recommend it if I hadn't read it.
 
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Jim Brennan said:
Wow, I thought you were joking there for a second, but I guess you are serious.

If you think that's too many books to read about a craft that takes a lifetime to master, I don't know what to tell you. They are among the best, but hardly an exhaustive list. I believe you used the phrase "PLEASE suggest any and every book that has changed your film making life"

Weston for dealing with actors, yes the best I've ever read

Mascelli is the bible on cinematography

Goldman's books are entertaining, but there are kick ass lessons about writing as well. His wisdom and observations are priceless

Dancyger's book is the most effective and comprehensive book on editing I have ever seen, but

Murch's unique insight and experience (packed in a small book) are a must as well.

McKee is the best (IMHO) about delivering the most effective story development, pacing and structure.

Gianetti is a great reference for cinema history, and general definitions (editing, direction, music, etc) without having to take a film course.

"Filmmaking" is a very broad term that encompasses many professional disciplines each of which takes dedication. That's why the credits are so long at the end of a movie. I didn't even touch on the business stuff, audio, distribution, marketing... I've probably read well over a hundred books on "filmmaking" (not counting internet user groups, trade magazines, workshops) and I still feel like I am scratching the surface.

And, FWIW, I wouldn't recommend it if I hadn't read it.
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Now that's a recommendation. Thank You. It's just that, some authors release books because they got an internshiponce before, seen some stuff and feel that anybody that buys their book isn't going to know more than them. And the people that I know of (Spielberg, Scorcese, Tarantin, etc.) Don't write 'how to' books. And I'm JUST getting into film books. I've taken films classes, but now I'd like to teach myself. So I trust in you people to tell me who these writers are and why I should buy a book by them, ya know. I don't have a problem with reading books man. Don't jump to conclusions.​
 
"The Filmmaker's Handbook" by Steven Ascher & Edward Pincus
This is not a book where I would say, "It's a good read" in terms of a director or a filmmaker explaining his or her experiences in the craft but more of a reffrence guide that never gets boring.
It has gotten me out of every single little pinch I have ever been in explaining in great detail how to use a certain type of equipment or how to direct a certain shot.
Example: I was shooting my first short, wondering how the hell I was getting all the angles wrong and one quick look introduced me to the 180 rule.
I didn't even know what a clapper was for when I first started or what pulldown meant when I first edited, what microphone to use, how to direct your actors, where to position your lights and so on. It's all there in interesting detail wether your shooting film or video, are big budget or low, you will find the explanation for the situation your working with. I never shoot without it.
 
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I read that a few years ago. I did find it very informative. But that is where I ran into a lot of general books that try to cover everything (and there are a lot of them). Most of those DO cover the same ground. I'm not saying they are bad, because there is good info in them. But after you have read one or two, I think you will find a lot of the info redundant and will want to move into more specific books.
 
I agree with you, most of them have the same info (this one seemed to be a little less technical and a little more informative to a layman), and at some point becoming specific would be key. But of course you won't be toting that library with you on a shoot, so this would be my recommendation for a book you'd keep in the Filmmaker's case for on demand emergencies when you can't remember something or other.
Either way, I agree with Jim. Get as specific as you can.
 
The best book I have ever read about filmmaking:

War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy

It has everything you could possibly need to know to be a filmmaker. That's why it's so thick. It's my filmmaker bible.
 
sight, sound, and motion by herbert zettl (must read.... goes way beyond how to direct actors and write screenplays, etc etc)

directing the documentary and directing film techniques and aesthetics by michael rabiger (dense books filled to the brim with tons of direction, tecniques, philosophies, etc)



these three books are invaluable to a filmmaker IMO
 
Jim Brennan said:
I read that a few years ago. I did find it very informative. But that is where I ran into a lot of general books that try to cover everything (and there are a lot of them). Most of those DO cover the same ground. I'm not saying they are bad, because there is good info in them. But after you have read one or two, I think you will find a lot of the info redundant and will want to move into more specific books.
Click to expand...

That's EXACTLY what I was tyring to get at when you listed 8,000 books. I don't want lots of books about the same thing. I've read maybe three books on film and they've been repeating themselves since the 1st page of the 2nd book. I don't want to waste my time.​
 
Billy Pilgrim said:
The best book I have ever read about filmmaking:

War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy

It has everything you could possibly need to know to be a filmmaker. That's why it's so thick. It's my filmmaker bible.
Click to expand...

That's been reccomended twice THOSE are the kinds of recommendations I seek. Thanx, I'll cop that.​
 
I can't tell if you actually got the joke or if you seriously think I'm recommending that for filmmaking. Seriously though, Cassavetes on Cassavetes is my bible. It's not really a "how to" or anything, but it changed the way I look at not only John Cassavetes' films (he's my favorite along with Scorsese and Kubrick) but also the way I looked at independent film in general.
 
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