No matter what stage you're at in your filmmaking career, there's still a wealth of information that can be learned from picking up and flicking through a book, whether you're a complete beginner, a seasoned set veteran, a passionate cinema-goer or anything else in-between.
Here's 20 books that should be added to your essential reading list if you want to get serious about perfecting your craft.
20. The Filmmaker's Handbook
An absolutely essential read for any filmmaker at any stage in your career whether you're just starting out or a seasoned veteran with a camera, I promise this books has a shed of information you can learn from.
A well researched and authoritative guide to the process of filmmaking, all the way from funding to distribution and covering absolutely every aspect of filmmaking in between
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Now that you've got a couple of shorts under your belt, why not get a little more analytic? Steven Katz's book gives a great breakdown of the fundamentals of film directing. It's not something you might want to start off by reading, but once you are ready to have your films take that next step this should be number one on your to do list. Katz breaks down film language for you so that you can learn how to speak it in your own way.
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Written by legendary cinematographer John Alton, a true pioneer of the film noir style with masterful work in films such as "The Big Combo", "Raw Deal" and "T-Men", many consider John Alton as one of the greats.
A wonderful introduction to the workings of the Hollywood system. We learn in rich and yet accessible detail about special effects, technical wizardry and gadgetry, lighting, make-up, the breakdown of crews, and filming strategies. If you want to get serious about making films then you seriously need to pick up this book.
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If you want a book series that is more than just pages upon pages of theory then look no further than the "Master Shots" trilogy of books.
The saying "the best way to learn is by doing" is the exact approach these books take to inspire filmmakers. Offering shot breakdowns from your favourite films that explain the meaning and motivation behind that shot.
Volume 1 offers you breakdowns of 100 great cinematic techniques, whilst volume 2 focuses in ways to shoot great dialogue scenes and volume three homes in how to use shots within the framework of your story, from set ups, pay offs, reveals and many more. Whilst each book can be read individually, the entire trilogy is great for someone who is keen on understanding visual storytelling.
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There's a reason that Blake Snyder's "Save the Cat!" is as succesful as it is. A great analysis of story structure and how to implement that in a form that studio executives will understand and like. If you're a screenwriter and trying to sell to studios, spend a few quid and learn what they're buying, then tailor your script too actually be saleable.
An unmissable read for any screenwriter who wants to understand the success behind some of film's most popular screenplays.
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15. Screenplay: The Foundations of Screenwriting
Screenplay: The Foundations of Screenwriting is an excellent book from screenwriting guru Syd Field who wrote several books on the subject of screenwriting. He also conducted workshops and seminars on the subject of producing screenplays that producers want to buy. Hollywood film producers have increasingly used his ideas on structure as a guideline to a proposed screenplay's potential.
One of the most important and influential books written on the subject of screenplays. An invaluable and essential read for any budding screenwriter.
One of the most important and influential books written on the subject of screenplays. An invaluable and essential read for any budding screenwriter.
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A one-stop film school, this book is packed with information, tips, techniques, and advice covering all aspects of filmmaking as gathered from the author's years of experience working in short films, features, commercials, and music videos, as well as delivering workshops and lectures to film students of all ages. Everything you need to know - from generating an idea to delivering a finished film - is laid out in an informal and easy to read style. Find everything from script formatting, choosing lenses, and location scouting, to where best to put the camera to film your scenes, working with actors, recording sound, and editing your shots.
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If you dream of making a movie but don't know where to start or you're afraid that your film will end up being yet another unseen indie, this is the book for you. Based on the real-life experiences of Sundance award-winning screenwriter/director Diane Bell, this book will guide you through the process of making an indie film successfully -- from writing a stand-out script to raising finance, from getting the most out of your shoot to planning a profitable release.
Broken down into sixteen essential steps, this book provides you with a clear, actionable, real-world plan for turning your filmmaking dream into your reality. The method in this book is available to anyone, anywhere. You don't need a ton of money or industry connections, you just need to be willing to do the work of each step. In this book, you'll find ass-kicking inspiration and motivational tips for the long journey filmmaking is, as well as the practical knowledge and insider's information you need to make it happen. Shoot from the Heart will empower you to trust your creative instincts and leave you with no excuses for not making the best film you can. This guide is the only one you need if you seriously want to stop talking about making movies and actually make a great one.
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How to set a scene? What's the best camera angle? How does new technology interact with scenes? And how do you get financing to make a movie?
These basic questions and much more are all covered in this exquisite packaged book on the film industry and making movies as a profession. Written by Neil Landau, an experienced screenwriter and script consultant to the major movie studios, this is the perfect book for anyone who wants to know about the inner-workings of this industry.Whether it's someone who wants to make movies as a full -time career, or just someone who is interested in film, this book covers it all
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Two filmmakers who've beaten the system give the real dope on what it takes to get your movie made.
Do you have to go to film school to get your movies made? No, say two young entrepreneurs who survived the grind. Here they offer 140 strategies for making movies no matter what. Amateurs as well as seasoned veterans can pick up this entertaining and incredibly useful guide in any place--at any point of crisis--and find tactics that work. Whether it's raising money or cutting your budget; dealing with angry landlords or angry cops; or jump-starting the production or stalling it while you finish the script, these strategies are delivered with funny, illustrative anecdotes from the authors' experiences and from veteran filmmakers eager to share their stories. Irreverent, invaluable, and a lot cheaper than a year's tuition, this friendly guide is the one of the smartest investments any future filmmaker could make.
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Not many filmmakers have landed on the cinematic map with more explosive force than Robert Rodriguez, director of "El Mariachi." Just how did this amateur filmmaker from Texas - with only one camera, no crew, and a budget largely raised by subjecting himself to medical experimentation - manage to complete a feature film for $7,000 and get himself wined and dined by Hollywood's biggest movie moguls? Now, in his own witty and straightshooting style, Robert Rodriguez discloses all the unique strategies and innovative techniques he used to make "El Mariachi" on the cheap. You'll see firsthand Rodriguez's whirlwind "Mariachi-style" filmmaking, where creativity-not money -is used to solve problems. Culminating in his "Ten-Minute Film School, " this book may render conventional film-school programs obsolete.
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Andrey Tarkovsky, the genius of modern Russian cinema―hailed by Ingmar Bergman as "the most important director of our time"―died an exile in Paris in December 1986. In Sculpting in Time, he has left his artistic testament, a remarkable revelation of both his life and work. Since "Ivan's Childhood" won the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival in 1962, the visionary quality and totally original and haunting imagery of Tarkovsky's films have captivated serious movie audiences all over the world, who see in his work a continuation of the great literary traditions of nineteenth-century Russia. Many critics have tried to interpret his intensely personal vision, but he himself always remained inaccessible.
In "Sculpting Time", Tarkovsky sets down his thoughts and his memories, revealing for the first time the original inspirations for his extraordinary films such as "Ivan's Childhood", "Stalker", "Solaris", "The Mirror" and "Nosalghia". He discusses their history and his methods of work, he explores the many problems of visual creativity, and he sets forth the deeply autobiographical content of part of his oeuvre's closing chapter on "The Sacrifice", directed in the last weeks of Tarkovsky's life, makes the book essential reading for those who already know or who are just discovering his magnificent work.
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This is the only book that combines conceptual and practical instruction on creating polished and eloquent images for film and video with the technical know-how to achieve them.
Loaded with hundreds of full-colour examples, The Filmmaker's Eye is a focused, easy-to-reference guide that shows you how to become a strong visual storyteller through smart, effective choices for your shots. This book has struck a chord worldwide and is being translated into several languages
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Many novice writers and directors forego the huge creative resource of the film medium, defaulting instead to dialogue and narration to tell their film story. Yet most films are carried by sound and picture. This book contains 100 non-dialogue techniques used by professionals to tell the story.
Film is about showing instead of telling, a unique visual language that is overlooked by inexperienced filmmakers. This book breaks down the fundamentals of film as a visual language you can add to your arsenal.
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When the low-budget biker movie Easy Rider shocked Hollywood with its success in 1969, a new Hollywood era was born. This was an age when talented young filmmakers such as Scorsese, Coppola, and Spielberg, along with a new breed of actors, including De Niro, Pacino, and Nicholson, became the powerful figures who would make such modern classics as The Godfather, Chinatown, Taxi Driver,and Jaws. Easy Riders, Raging Bulls follows the wild ride that was Hollywood in the '70s -- an unabashed celebration of sex, drugs, and rock 'n' roll (both onscreen and off) and a climate where innovation and experimentation reigned supreme.
Based on hundreds of interviews with the directors themselves, producers, stars, agents, writers, studio executives, spouses, and ex-spouses, this is the full, candid story of Hollywood's last golden age that will inspire filmmakers at any level of their career.
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4. Shut Up and Shoot
To anyone who wants to make a doc but doesn’t have a lot of time, money, or experience, Anthony Artis says: "It’s time to get down and dirty!"―a filmmaking mentality that teaches you how to be creative with your resources and do more with less. Written by a guerrilla filmmaker for guerrilla filmmakers, this all new edition of a bestselling classic doesn’t just tell you, it shows you how to make your projects better, faster, and cheaper.
Hustle up a winning documentary crew and choose the right equipment for the job. Learn to shoot more polished, professional-looking footage and interviews on any budget, any camera, any time. Plan through all the obstacles, avoid common filmmaking pitfalls and tighten your lighting, audio, and visual storytelling skills before you hit the streets.
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Full of advice for would-be filmmakers. Readers will learn how to make their script work, how to finance their film, how to deal with their producer, how to deal with their crew, how to cast for their film. how to handle post production and how to thrive on the festival circuit.
How Not To Make A Short Film is energetically written and peppered with great anecdotes and interviews with other filmmakers who have struggled with their art. This is a must-read for aspiring filmmakers and a thrilling look behind the scenes for enthusiastic movie goers.
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In the Blink of an Eye is celebrated film editor Walter Murch's vivid, multifaceted, thought provoking essay on film editing. Starting with what might be the most basic editing question "Why do cuts work?", Murch treats the reader to a wonderful ride through the aesthetics and practical concerns of cutting film.
Along the way, he offers his unique insights on such subjects as continuity and discontinuity in editing, dreaming, and reality; criteria for a good cut; the blink of the eye as an emotional cue; digital editing; and much more. In this second edition, Murch reconsiders and completely revises his popular first edition's lengthy meditation on digital editing (which accounts for a third of the book's pages) in light of the technological changes that have taken place in the six years since its publication.
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1. Shooting to Kill
Hailed by "The New York Times" as the "godmother to the politically committed film" and by "Interview" as a true "auteur producer". Christine Vachon has made her name with such bold, controversial, and commercially successful films as "Poison" and "I Shot Andy Warhol". Over the last decade, she has become a driving force behind the most daring and strikingly original independent filmmakers from Todd Haynes to Tom Kalin and Mary Harron. And helped put them on the map.
Shooting to Kill gives an honest and insightful look into the behind the scenes of a true independent film, documenting Vachon's own experiences making the film "Velvet Goldmine". A great read for any filmmaker who wants to understand the struggles and triumphs of independent film before they embark on their own filmmaking adventure.
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