Good Books

Corey Bringas · July 29, 2006

Hey guys,

Just wondering what your top choices are for books to read for a developing DP. I'm currently in film school but want some good reading material that professionals recommend.

An AC told me to get "The Camera Assistant" by by Douglas Hart. What else do you recommend for both an AC and DP?

Thank you,

Corey

Morgan Peline · July 31, 2006

http://cinematography.com/shop/books.asp

July 31, 2006

Also try: http://www.theasc.com/cgibin/store/acsstore.cgi

You looking for technical, theory, or personal experiences? In the vein of personal experiences "Reflections" has been a good resource for me. Its any good read filled with a lot of insight from a variety of DPs. Its a good balance of "what" & "how" mixed in with "why".

Brian Dzyak · July 31, 2006

My book What I Really Want to Do on set in Hollywood will answer a lot of your questions. See my website in the signature for more information.

Thanks and good luck!

Corey Bringas · August 11, 2006

Also try: http://www.theasc.com/cgibin/store/acsstore.cgi

You looking for technical, theory, or personal experiences? In the vein of personal experiences "Reflections" has been a good resource for me. Its any good read filled with a lot of insight from a variety of DPs. Its a good balance of "what" & "how" mixed in with "why".

Thank you for everyone's reply thus far. I'm not necessarily looking for a specific "type" of book. Rather I'm looking for "good reads" that you have read and have found useful towards your career. I'm a strong believer in knowing a little of every part of filmmaking, particularly if wanting to be a DP as lighting and grip knowledge can help a lot. Any book which you've found is great at teaching, aiding or just plain telling you how it is in a particular field/part of filmmaking is a great suggestion to me.

Thank you very much,

Corey

Edited August 11, 2006 by Corey Bringas

Thom Stitt · August 11, 2006

Set Lighting Technician's Handbook:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/024080257...ce&n=283155

Or... 1 left at $22! Hurry, hurry!

http://www.powells.com/cgi-bin/biblio?inkey=65-0240804953-2

Corey Bringas · August 11, 2006

Set Lighting Technician's Handbook:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/024080257...ce&n=283155

Or... 1 left at $22! Hurry, hurry!

http://www.powells.com/cgi-bin/biblio?inkey=65-0240804953-2

I actually already have that one :-D

David Mullen ASC · August 11, 2006

Most of us contributed to the list on this website's suggested reading page.

But in terms of favorite books, the ones I read early on and were inspired by were "Masters of Light" and "Film Lighting". Also, being a film technology history geek, I loved Barry Salt's "Film Style & Technology: History & Analysis."

Tshaka · August 12, 2006

I really enjoyed The Negative by Ansel Adams. I came away from that text with a heightened understanding and respect for exposure choice and control. Ansel Adams writes very well, not a boring read at all. He describes the Zone System and how to make it work for you; very big deal! The Camera's not bad either (especially the Chapter on Lenses).

Blain Brown's Motion Picture and Video Lighting is excellent for understanding Cinematography technique, Theory and Practice. He gives good examples of lighting basics and other examples of lighting setups and approaches. Simple, Informative and Fun. Kind of a lighter version of Harry Box's book but don't be dissuaded by this. Motion Picture and Video Lighting is one of the best on the topic.

The first chapter anyone (especially aspiring cinematographers) should read in Harry Box's Set Lighting Technician's Handbook is Chapter 7 "Lighting Objectives and Methods" and then Chapter 8 "Manipulating Light: Tools, Techniques and Behavior of Light". After those 2 chapters go back and read the rest of it if you care to know more about the Technician's responsibilities. This is a great book. A wealth of information and plenty of illustrative photographs, diagrams and drawings. It is very technical and great for Electricians and to a lesser degree Grips too.

Great books to read before, during and after a production you photograph are Malkiewicz's Film Lighting and Masters of Light by Dennis Schaefer and Larry Salvato. In Film Lighting Malkiewicz describes cinematography techniques briefly and then includes short essays from notable Cinematographers and Gaffers on the same topic. Masters of Light is great because it's cinematographers and their work in their own words, it's exciting because it's more of a philosophical approach and accounts of their personal experiences. There have since been other books like the Screencraft Series title Cinematography by Peter Ettedgui is one.

Oh and Blain Brown also has a book titled Cinematography. I haven't read it so I can't say much on it but he writes well and he is very informative and easy to digest. I'm a fan of Blain Brown I guess.

There are lots of great books out there. I'm still itching to read Man with a Camera by Almendros and I haven't finished reading Freddie Young's Seventy Light Years.

Save the technical books, like the ones on Camera Assisting for class. They're informative but they really focus more on organizational skills and focus pulling techniques. Very important stuff but not really Cinematography. I have to say the same goes for Mike Uva's Grip Book. I enjoyed those books and learned a great deal from them about working as a Technician.

Thanks for reading.

See ya!