Good Film Making/Directing Books?

[Geddy]

Hey I was wondering if anyone knew what any good books on directing,special effects,And film making books are?Thanks.

[Roderick Usher]

I'm not a director and I have'nt read any of these kinds of books, but a lot of my friends are directors and I hear them answering his question all the time. So this is essentially how any one of them would answer you.

what level of filmmaking are you at?

Do you need to learn about lighting, cinematography and shot compsotion?

or

Do you need to learn how to break a script down into a shot list and figure a real-life schedule and budget?

or

Do you need to learn some quick tricks to maximize your budget and production value?


Like I said, I don't have an answer, but I hope I narrowed your focus on this one...I'll ask my buddies for some advice.:)

[Geddy]

I think I'd need all of those things.I don't really know anything about film making so maybe I could find a dummy's book or something.Thanks for the help.

[urgeok]

I think I'd need all of those things.I don't really know anything about film making so maybe I could find a dummy's book or something.Thanks for the help.


listen to John Carpenters commentaries on his films ..
you'll learn a lot of interesting stuff there...

it wont answer technical questions in detail but he provides a lot of insight.

[Geddy]

Thanks for the help.I never really listened to any of his dvd commentary's but I got a couple of his dvd's.What movies of his should I get that have good commentaries?And are there any other Directors who have good tips on their commentaries?Thanks.

[Roderick Usher]

Robert Rodriguez has his "10 Minute Film School" on the Spy Kids 2 DVD

The movie is terrible, but the simple tricks of the trade he imparts in that short time is incredible.

Also, Resivoir Dogs comentary track is an incredible lesson in filmmaking.

[Geddy]

Thanks.I could probably get that spy kids 2 dvd for real cheap to.Also does anyone know if those two Tom Savini books Grande Illusions are any good?I'm also kind of interested in special effects.

[Roderick Usher]

A friend of mine said get this one

http://www.amazon.com/Film-Directing-Shot-Visualizing-Productions/dp/0941188108/ref=cm_sylt_fullview_prod_18/102-0224506-5347342?ie=UTF8/102-0224506-5347342

it's supposedly all you'll need to get started

[Geddy]

Maybe I can find it at the library and if I can't I might ask for it for Christmas.Thanks for the help.

[bwind22]

It's probably kinda hard to find, but Lloyd Kaufman (Troma) has a DVD set out there specifically for people interested in making their own low budget films... It's called 'Make Your Own Damn Movie!' but like I said, it could be hard to locate.

[Geddy]

It's probably kinda hard to find, but Lloyd Kaufman (Troma) has a DVD set out there specifically for people interested in making their own low budget films... It's called 'Make Your Own Damn Movie!' but like I said, it could be hard to locate.

I looked it up on amazon and they had the Dvd set and a book.The book might be easier to find.What about those Grande Illusion books are they any good?Thanks.

[AmericanManiac]

I have three books, one is which was posted the Shot by Shot book, its decent. I also have a book called $30 film school (http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbnInquiry.asp?z=y&EAN=9781598631890&itm=1), that is the first one I read and it helped me out alot, it goes over everything you need to learn teaches you how to use the programs, gives you all of the forms you will need your actors to fill out. I also have a book called creative filmmaking (http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbnInquiry.asp?z=y&EAN=9780743223195&itm=4) I haven't looked at this one yet. I got all three of them from Barnes & Noble. I started going to film school and they was teaching me the same shit these books were so instead of paying the 75 grand for school I dropped.

[Geddy]

I ordered that Shot By Shot book today,it was 40 bucks,hopefully it'll be good.

[Roderick Usher]

I started going to film school and they was teaching me the same shit these books were so instead of paying the 75 grand for school I dropped.

Good call. better to take the money you would have spent on school and simply make a movie with it.

[urgeok]

Thanks for the help.I never really listened to any of his dvd commentary's but I got a couple of his dvd's.What movies of his should I get that have good commentaries?And are there any other Directors who have good tips on their commentaries?Thanks.

mouth of madness focuses on lighting (he brought the lighting director to the commentary) so that was kind of unique

the kurt russell ones were great as well (the thing, escape, big trouble)
well, big trouble was amusing, but they didnt talk about the movie once ..


like RU said .. rodriguez gives a great commentary - and cooking lessons too !

[The_Return]

Robert Rodriguez has his "10 Minute Film School" on the Spy Kids 2 DVD

Doesnt he have those on the Mariachi series DVDs, too?

Havent checked out any of the features yet, but I remember reading something about that when I bought the Mexico Trilogy boxset...

[Geddy]

The book just came in the mail.I glanced through it and it's pretty good.Kind of hard to follow though He uses alot of huge words.

[AmericanManiac]

The book just came in the mail.I glanced through it and it's pretty good.Kind of hard to follow though He uses alot of huge words.

Get an electronic dictionary my friend, or dictionary.com to find out the meaning of them words.

[Geddy]

Get an electronic dictionary my friend, or dictionary.com to find out the meaning of them words.

Yeah,I think I will.I read the first chapter over again and it's starting to make more sense.

[AmericanManiac]

Also use highlights, study just like you were in school, know your shit !

[jmac5000]

Oooohhhhhkkkaaaayyyyyy. You ready?

Basic Film Directing Theory:

On Directing Film - David Mamet
http://www.amazon.com/Directing-Film-David-Mamet/dp/0140127224/ref=pd_sim_b_1/002-7803124-6444043

Making Movies - Sidney Lumet
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0679756604/ref=dp_proddesc_1/002-7803124-6444043?ie=UTF8&n=283155

Rebel Without a Crew - Robert Rodriguez
http://www.amazon.com/Rebel-without-Crew-23-Year-Old-Hollywood/dp/0452271878/sr=1-1/qid=1162857253/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/002-7803124-6444043?ie=UTF8&s=books

All I Need to Know about Filmmaking I Learned from the Toxic Avenger - Lloyd Kaufman and James Gunn
http://www.amazon.com/about-Filmmaking-Learned-Toxic-Avenger/dp/0425163571/sr=1-2/qid=1162857378/ref=pd_bbs_sr_2/002-7803124-6444043?ie=UTF8&s=books

A Declaration of Independent Filmmaking - Mark Polish, Michael Polish, Jonathan Sheldon
http://www.amazon.com/Declaration-Independent-Filmmaking-Insiders-Hollywood/dp/0156029529/sr=1-18/qid=1162857762/ref=sr_1_18/002-7803124-6444043?ie=UTF8&s=books

Intermediate Technique:

Feature Filmmaking at Used-Car Prices - Rick Schmidt
http://www.amazon.com/Feature-Filmmaking-Used-Car-Prices-Revised/dp/B000H2N12K/sr=1-9/qid=1162857732/ref=sr_1_9/002-7803124-6444043?ie=UTF8&s=books

Setting Up Your Shots - Jeremy Vineyard
http://www.mwp.com/books/camera/set-shots.php4

Advanced Technique:

Directing Actors - Judith Weston
http://www.mwp.com/books/directing/directing-actors.php4

Film Directing: Shot-by-Shot - Steven D. Katz (Note that I consider this text to be ADVANCED, which is why you're having so much trouble reading it. It's very technical)
http://www.mwp.com/books/directing/directing-shot-by.php4

Film Directing: Cinematic Motion - Steven D. Katz
http://www.mwp.com/books/directing/directing-cinema.php4


This is by no means comprehensive, as I am just going off the top of my head, but these texts were by far the cream of the crop for information on directing.

As far as special effects, I don't know. Sorry.

Cheers!

Jim

[Geddy]

Wicked thanks.I could probaly get some of these for christmas.

[alexhunter3d]

If you are interested in making horror films then a good book to read is:
Horror: The Film Reader (edited by Mark Jancovich). It's good to read as helps to understand what makes a good horror, though can be quite theoretical.

Video Production Handbook (Gerald Millerson)
http://www.amazon.com/Video-Production-Handbook-Gerald-Millerson/dp/0240513215 I definitely recommend to have in your book collection. As someone else said earlier "shot by shot" is another of those must have books.

Cinematography: Theory and Practice (Blain Brown) is another good read.
http://www.amazon.com/Cinematography-Making-Cinematographers-Directors-Videographers/dp/0240805003

[Roderick Usher]

and purely for understanding horror film history

Danse Macabre - by Stephen King

[Geddy]

I looked up that danse macabre book on amazon.com and it sounds pretty awesome.I might pick it up sometime.