Cody J Deel Posted January 27, 2014 Posted January 27, 2014 Hello everyone! Sorry for reposting this, but the first time I did it for some reason there was no title. Alas! So, I love reading books about film, media, art and the motion picture industry in general. I'm looking for recommendations on new reading material for the future. So, if you have a favorite book or know of any essentials that I should read, let me know! I'm sure there are dozens of authors and countless pieces of work that would be valuable and pertinent to my attempts in always trying to further educate myself as a filmmaker. Books I've read that I really enjoyed include: Final Cut - Steven Bach Poetics of Cinema - David Bordwell The Way Hollywood Tells It - David Bordwell On Directing Film - David Mamet Ways of Seeing - John Berger and my personal favorite... Devotional Cinema - Nathaniel Dorsky All of these books gave me great insight into many different aspects concerning motion picture production and flim/media theory. In ways these books changed the enitre way I perceive reality and the world, and how closely this coincides with filmmaking. In many ways they're synonymous. Motion pictures are merely captured moments of the whole experience. But yes, I would greatly appreciate any and all recommendations. I'm always eager to be turned on to something new, thought-provoking and/or technically beneficial. I also recently ordered the ASC Manual 10th Edition. I thought it was about time I finally got it. So if you were going to suggest that, maybe think of another one. Please? Awesome! Well.... Thank you and good morrow!
Zac Fettig Posted January 27, 2014 Posted January 27, 2014 Given your list, I assume you're looking for insight into filmmaking, as opposed to a textbook on practices and technique. Here's a few I've enjoyed: Something Like an Autobiography - Akira Kurosawa Images - Ingmar Bergman (A little hard to read though). Every Frame a Rembrandt - Andrew Laszlo In the Blink of an Eye - Walter Murch Acting in Film - Michael Caine Rebel Without a Crew - Robert Rodriguez Textbook style: Film Directing: Shot by Shot - Stephen Katz Film Directing: Cinematic Motion - Stephen Katz Painting With Light - John Alton The 5 C's of Cinematography - Joseph Mascelli Cinematography - Kris Malkiewicz and M. David Mullen Special Effects Cinematography - Raymond Fielding Reference Hands On Manual For Cinematographers - David Samuelson The Filmmaker's Handbook - Steven Ascher and Edward Pincus
Randy J Tomlinson Posted January 28, 2014 Posted January 28, 2014 Books i have: About 20 CINEFEX Issues The Filmmakers Eye The 5 C of Cinematography very cool: Master Shots - Volume 2 Cheers Randy
David Landau Posted July 16, 2014 Posted July 16, 2014 Making Movies by Syndey Lumet - great book! Faber & Faber (England) put out a series of great books that were autobiographies of cinematographers and directors. I bought used copies of the ones written by Freddie Young (Seven Light years) and Jack Cardiff (Magic Hour) but haven't cracked them open yet. I'm taking them for summer vacation reading. They also put out "David Lean's Dedicated Maniac: Memoirs of a Film Specialist" written by Eddie Fowlie, a prop master for David Lean which sounds fascinating. 1
Valter Jaakkola Posted July 19, 2016 Posted July 19, 2016 I highly recommend Andrei Tarkovsky's book "Sculpting in Time" - to me a it's a pure diamond.
John Woosley Posted August 9, 2016 Posted August 9, 2016 David's book "Lighting for cinematography" is excellent!
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