American Cinematographer Video Manual?

[Guy Meachin]

A few questions if anyone would be good enough to answer them for me.

 

1. Can anyone tell me if this book (American Cinematographer Video Manual) would be useful to a student who only has access to video at the moment? I am attempting to teach myself the theory of cinematography so would it be a good purchase anyway?

 

2. Is there a British version of the magazine 'American Cinematographer" as it could be difficult trying to subscribe to it from the U.K.

 

3. Finally what is the difference between a DP and a cinematographer?

 

Cheers! :huh:

[Michael Nash]

I've only thumbed through the AC Video manual, but I could say it certainly wouldn't hurt to own it. You'll probably find that it's mostly technical about video imaging, and won't tech you much about cinematography per se.

 

More accessible and helpful information might be found in some of the various video books from Focal Press. There's one in particular called something like "Basic Betacam and Digital Video Camerawork."

 

http://books.elsevier.com/us//focalbooks/u...nity=focalbooks

 

Start with some of the basics, and don't limit your education just to video simply because that's the camera you have access to right now.

 

Don't know about UK magazine subscriptions, since I'm in the US. You can read some material from American Cinematographer online, though.

 

http://theasc.com/magazine/index.htm

 

There's no real difference between "cinematographer" and "DP." A cinematographer is someone who practices motion picture photography. "DP," or Director of Photography, describes the position a cinematographer holds on a film crew. One word describes the action, the other term describes the crew postion.

[Guest mknorth]

I subscribe to American Cinematographer and I live in the UK you can get it through their web site.

[Guy Meachin]

Cheers,

 

would you say it's worth my while subscribing, I've never seen a copy? Would I learn much from it?

[Dan Salzmann]

Subscribing to American Cinematographer is a good idea for anyone seriously involved with cinematography. And don't worry, lots of DP's from the UK and elsewhere get interviewed and profiled. It will cost roughly 3 pints or less per month, delivered.

Good luck,

Dan

[Andrew Greenan]

it's cheaper for me to buy AC from a niche magazine store that imports a few issues from the states, than it would be to subscribe to it. That's in South Africa, so i'm talking postage too. So maybe look around as well.

andrew

[Guy Meachin]

Hey, come on 3 pints is alot for a student! :D

[Jerry Murrel]

 

1. Can anyone tell me if this book (American Cinematographer Video Manual) would be useful to a student who only has access to video at the moment?

 

2. Is there a British version of the magazine 'American Cinematographer" as it could be difficult trying to subscribe to it from the U.K.

 

The most recent version of the ASC Video Manual (3rd Edition; 2001) is out of date and I don't

recommend buying it until it is updated. On page 1, there is a statement that "3/4" U-Matic still

maintains a presence in many areas."

 

There is quite a bit on how to store videotape, as well as obsolete videotape formats. There is no

discussion of file-based recording, state of the art codecs such as Pro-Res 422, or H.264/MPEG-4

AVC standards.

 

Nor will you find anything on today's HD cameras such as the Panavision Genesis, The Arri Alexa

or even the Red One or Epic. The subject of DLSR cinematography is absent, also.

 

 

2. Yes, the British Society of Cinematographers (BSC) publishes an excellent magazine (unique,

not a version of AC) called BRITISH CINEMATOGRAPHER.

 

http://www.britishcinematographer.co.uk/

 

 

-Jerry Murrel

DP

Little Rock

Edited May 18, 2011 by Jerry Murrel

[Deepak Bajracharya]

Namaste,

 

A digital version of the American cinematographer magazine is available at http://www.theasc.com/ac_magazine/digital_edition.php

 

 

Regards,

Deepak