Video Books

This is an excellant book by an author who best describes the feelings of this amazing film.
The book has a great mixture of photoes I have never seen before and also, a lot of interesting stories about the cast and and the making of the film.
I would certainly recommend this book to anyone who loves the film( Its a wonderfull life) and my praise to the author in writing something that I know both my family and myself will read and read again.
A great buy

There are plenty of surprises in this book. You'll read what director Frank Capra and the players themselves have to say about making "It's a Wonderful Life," and you'll discover some interesting names among those who were almost cast. You'll also learn that some of the film's legends are true, while others are not. For example, while it is true that Carl Switzer (Alfalfa from the "Our Gang" comedies) was the rascal who opened the gym floor exposing the swimming pool beneath, it is NOT true that muppets Bert and Ernie were named as an homage to Bert the cop and Ernie the cab driver -- that's just a coincidence. In spite of the book's rather crowded layout and lackluster production, if you love "It's a Wonderful Life" and/or if you collect IAWL memorabilia, you'll want to have this book.

If you love "It's a Wonderful Life" (and who doesn't?), then you'll LOVE this book! I was stunned to learn about what happened to the cast and where the Bailey kids are today and what they look like in more recent years. No other book offers the pure nostalgia factor like this one. The author gives us some amazing details about deleted scenes, as well as photographs that have surfaced showing these rare behind-the-scenes glimpses into scenes that never made the final cut. I loved the photo of Henry Travers (Clarence the Angel) in full color, not long before he died. What a treat this book is!! And the special message from Jimmy Stewart at the beginning of the book is pure magic! If you are a fan of this film, you won't be disappointed! This book is the perfect gift for any friends who love the movie, too. I've already ordered several and am giving them out this holiday!

Cox's "It's a Wonderful Life: A Memory Book" is an excellent addition to the movie buff's collection, and to fans of this exceptional film. The book is packed with stunning photographs (many never seen before), interesting tid-bits about the making-of, backstory on not only the fine performances of James Stewart, Donna Reed and Lionel Barrymore, but the character actors that helped make Capra's touching film so memorable and the holiday favorite it has become--almost 60 years later. It is well-researched and richly-written. This is a perfect gift year-round for any reason. It is one of Cox's best!

I have to admit that I wasn't much of an "It's a Wonderful Life" fan....until now. I had the pleasure of meeting Karolyn Grimes (little ZuZu Bailey) recently. She is such a warm and lovely person and spoke of IAWL with such passion that I bought the DVD the next night and watched it with new eyes. Now I'm hooked.

I was so delighted to find this book, to learn even more about this classic movie. After reading the book, I had to watch the DVD again.

Even if you're just a casual viewer of the movie, you'll still love this book. It's incredibly well-researched and jam-packed with beautiful photographs. Stephen Cox has a way with words. You feel like you're sitting with an old friend. His books are like comfort-food for the mind!

Like all the other reviewers I'm staggered by Youngkin's accomplishment, which seems to me--perhaps profanely--even more impressive than Lorre's own. In a way, Lorre has found a biographer supreme, one beautifully blessed by all the gifts of sympathy and knowledge needed to translate an artist's work into contemporary times. How many of Lorre's peers have been given such a chance to live again? It's really shocking how few good biographies there have been of Hollywood stars, and even some of the most acclaimed (think of Gavin Lambert's Norma Shearer) have actually been among the most banal and simplistic.

Of course Lorre gave Youngkin a life really worth chronicling. If it wasn't the drug addiction, it was the dramatic life in Germamny observing and protesting the rise of Hitler, till he and Celia Lovsky found their way out in a sequence right out of Shearer's ESCAPE! The work with Fritz Lang, with Brecht, with Hitchcock, with Bogart, with Irwin Allen, with Roger Corman, each one of these phases could have made an interesting book, and Youngkin knows how to spread them out so that every angle is covered and yet our curiosity remains high. And the research and the interviewing is by itself amazing. Every time you turn around, Youngkin is eliciting revealing and wry comments from exactly the people you hope would comment on the particular situation he is writing about. Because the book has apparently been in motion for something like 30 years, his reach goes way back--he spoke with Frank Capra, with Hitchcock and Huston, with Broderick Crawford and Corinne Calvet--hundreds of actors, writers, directors and behind the scenes personnel. This research gives the book a depth and richness of point of view that elevates it to the Mount Rushmore of biography.

I wasn't always persuaded by Youngkin's critical judgments, and would rather put a staple gun to my face than have to watch SILK STOCKINGS again, for example--but now he's got me re-thinking, "Maybe it is a great performance stuck within a lousy film." Youngkin pulls the camera way back and takes us through Rouben Mamoulian's whole career, his way of astonishing audiences by revealing unexpected sides to their favorite stars. I didn't actually need all of that to get the point, but I hope he gets to do the DVD commentary for SILK STOCKINGS, for we need more enthusiasts and fewer haters. Why write a book about a man, even a drug-addled and morose one, unless you love him?

if you are unable to get ahold of author stephen youngkin's earlier biography of peter lorre, then by all means purchase this book. it's comprehensive and thorough, and a good read of a fascinating subject. if you were able to get ahold of the earlier book, then you can save your money on this one. the only new item that would make purchasing this edition worthwhile is the photo and information on peter's daughter catherine. she looks like him but pretty, and her connection to the hillside strangler is included.

Peter lorre was one of the most unique and fascinating actors ever to come out of the studio system in Hollywood. Anyone who has every seen his soft, silken acting or heard that lyrically menacing voice ever forgot it. I know that I never did. I have been a fan since seeing him go toe to toe with Cary Grant in Arsnic and Old Lace when I was in my teens.

Peter Lorre fans have cause for celebration with this book, which is full of tremendous insight and depth. It covers all of Lorre's life and does so with compassion and appreciation. This work never becomes a fan's love letter, though, as the author does not shy away from the star's less admiriable qualities (which I will leave to the reader to discover). But everything is put in context, which often provides a certain understanding. And what a fascinating context it is - from the German stage of Bertolt Brecht to the Hollywood horror of Roger Corman. It's worth noting that this book is extremely well researched and includes a complete Lorre filmography as well as a complete listing of his tremendous radio work (was ever their a voice better suited for telling stories over the radio?).

As the Author tells Lorre's story, the reader is treated to plenty glimpses into several Hollywood immortals, such as Humphry Bogart, Walter Huston, Sidney Greenstreet, and Lauren Bacall (with whom Lorre had a close friendship). And the writing style is very readable and smooth.

All I can say is, for all of us Peter Lorre fans, Thank you, Mr. Youngkin.

And while we are on the subject of Hollywood greats that never have been given an aurhorative bio, what about Boris Karloff. Mr. Youngkin . . .?

-Mykal Banta

First of all I am profoundly grateful, that finally someone took up the task to write a biography on one of the greatest actors of the 20th century. Mr. Youngkin did very good work especially in researching the very early years of Peter Lorre in Vienna and Berlin, which I assume must have been a quite excrutiating task. Nobody who ever saw the film "M" will ever forget the wonderful performance Peter Lorre gave. Even later on, nearing the end of his live, when he was doing B-movies, he gave them that certain Lorre-touch. It is a wonderful read and Mr. Youngkins work cannot be praised enough. Sometimes this biography makes you cry and laugh at the same time. Finally somebody did credit to this wonderful, wonderful actor.

"He's crazy about me...all the degenerates are." Peter Lorre, speaking of his chimpanzee co-star in "Five Weeks in a Balloon."


From the beginning of his career, Peter Lorre was typecast. The classic German Expressionist drama, "M", set the tone for his entire career. Lorre said that from that point on, in people's eyes he was "forever the murderer". This was allowed to overshadow his incredible talent and his great aptitude for comedy. (His throwaway lines, like the one I quoted above, are priceless!)

His career spanned from experimental theater in pre-Nazi Germany, to classic noir films with Humphrey Bogart, to eminently forgettable films from the Sixties. (How odd that one of his last appearances was in "Muscle Beach Party"!)

Stephen Youngkin does an admirable job of chronicling Lorre's professional life, including the myriad missed opportunities--(of note: Malcolm Lowry's rabid interest in seeing Lorre play "the consul" in "Under the Volcano", and Lorre's own desire to produce a film about Kasper Hauser. Both of those projects, never realized, would have added so much to Lorre's cachet.)

The book overflows with examples of Lorre's humanity, professionalism, and wit. Unfortunately, the actor's personal battles with the demons of drug abuse and poor health, his unluckiness at love, and his profligate nature create an undertow of tragedy which no reader can escape. In the end, this is a deeply saddening and troubling book. Long after you have finished reading it, you will find yourself reflecting on the life of this brilliant and tormented individual, who indeed has a special place in the hearts of all the "outsiders" in the world.

I have actually used this reference for years as needed for ActionScript. I still had a good use for this text in ensuring compatibility with Flash MX until the lack of features became too overwhelming. This is in the face of newer versions of Flash such as CS3 (9.0) that use ActionScript 2.0/3.0. All in all, this book was wonderful until the release of Flash 8.

Because of the new Filters that have come out with Flash 8.0 and the features of ActionScript 2.0 to support these and other enhancements, I would instead recommend Flash 8 ActionScript Bible if one is concerned with cross-compatibility in their ActionScript code and wishes to still be able to use AS with newer features such as Filters (but not as new as Transitions or other CS3 exclusive features - for that, I'd recommend ActionScript 3.0 Bible or something similar).

As far as who I could possibly recommend this book for: It's good for somebody who is still working with Flash MX 2004 and below to Flash 5 (much of the text is compatible with Flash 5), however, I don't know that there are many of those sorts of individuals.

This book is a great resource for when you're looking for that specific line of code. Its terrible to read from front to back, but its an excellent way to find exactly what you're looking for. Its so much code, it'll make your eyes bleed.

One of the few comprehensive actionsctipt titles on the market. The first half of the book boasts a large variety of tutorials and examples that skillfully lead the reader through both the syntax and use of actionscript. Personally I found the text clear and practical. The chapters on OOP were of particular value as they went beyond actionscript basics into application, bordering on philosophical.

The second half is an invaluable reference of the entire actionscript dictionary with a comprehensive CD full of .fla example files and bonus chapters on the XML Object. As a qualified teacher I found it hard to fault the methodology employed by the various authors.

Well worth the purchase.

I am a former programming teacher and I have a style to teach my students the most UNDERSTANDABLE way to do something not just how to do it. This text/reference achieves that purpose. If you have an understanding of Flash (which you should have before getting into scripting see Weinman books) then this book will serve you well. There are other books on scripting - great books - such as Moock's books but they are more so for the programmer. This book is for the novelist programmer that desires to learn about action scripting.

5 stars if you know Flash well.
1 star if you haven't had any experience with it at all.

I was a beginner once, who couldn't figure out Flash at all. I'd like to help you build a bridge between where you may be now, as a beginner, to where you may find yourself aspiring to go.

If your only experience with Flash is to have seen the many wonderful and breathtaking Flash movies on the Internet and just had a look at the authoring tool, I strongly recommend that you leave this book until much later. It has its place in the learning curve but it isn't, in my opinion, the first book to see.

There are understandings to possess that this book doesn't cover sufficiently well enough for those whose minds work in particular ways. This is a programming book, for using the phenomenon of programming to create great design and animations. Whilst the focus is on design, you aren't using the design tools on the interface. With this book, you are using the Actionscript language and you have to have a logical mind for this activity (as well as keeping your strong creative one).

I began my steep learning curve with Flash by watching others and watching video tutorials, especially those by George Pierson. In this way, I can ask questions that are tailored for me and I get tailored responses. Books aren't always able to do so well here.

What is great about this book is the MX Actionscript reference in it and the seemingly well designed theory tutorials. I can't find a fault with the reference. The theory is quite good. In the reference, all Flash MX commands are covered. There are examples of how to use them, but the coverage may not be enough for some. Brill. Just BRILL. I can be excited but because I can follow Actionscript.

Approach this book when you are successfully making Flash movies on your own. Yes, on your own. For me, this book is an aid for when I am going to where I haven't gone to before. It helps me make judgements on ideas I get.

Are you are a Big Fan of Romantic Comedies? Take this three question quiz!

Which Director of the Romantic comedy "the more the merrier" went on to direct "Giant" with James Dean

A) Preston Sturges

B) George Stevens

C) Elia Kazan

Which actor hasn't stared in separate movies directed by Preston Sturges AND George Stevens

A) Bill McCrea

B) Peter Lorre

C) Charles Coburn

Who has starred with Meg Ryan more times?

A) Billy Crystal

B) Tom Hanks

If you guessed B all the way down the line, have I got the book for you! How to write a Romantic Comedy is a fun breakdown of the various devices and structures that go into making a Romantic Comedy great. With ideas, exercises and meditations culminated from the UCLA extension class taught by Mr. Mernit himself, this book will entertain the screenwriter and romantic Comedy Buff alike.

Rather than a how to book on Comedy, HTWARC takes scenes and plots from movies and dissects them illustrating the principles within each chapter. Movies like Tootsie and The Lady Eve are broken down by spine and scene to reveal ideas about sex appeal and imagery in comedic cinema. Anyone would get a kick out of this book in that kind of "watch how a magician reveals his tricks" kind of way, and Mernit speaks with the tender zeal of a true enthusiast.

The only section strictly devoted to screenwriting is the last 30 pages. Mernit has been a Studio reader for many years and I learned things about writing that I hadn't learned before and could apply immediately. There aren't any hard and fast rules, just tips to improve performance. Three sentences on sentences structure towards the end completely changed my writing style. (Hopefully for the Better!)

If you are a screenwriter tired of people cramming books like save the cat, Syd Field's Screenwriting, or Story down your throat, take a walk off the beaten path and give this book a try, the least you will have is a good time.

Truly an excellent guide to the romantic comedy genre and how to write within it. Perfect for an intermediate writer who wants to branch out into this kind of screenwriting; could even be useful for short stories and novels, because the ideas translate well. Very well written, entertaining, never boring, and always enlightening. Loved it and consider it a must-have in my screenwriting/writing library.

I recommend this book for all writers - not just screenwriters. He has a way of making it so clear all the clever ways not to fall into the usual traps of a typical scene.

Whether you are writing a book or a movie the information he presents how to establish relationships between characters is tremendous. It's also a fun read.

I refer to it often when building characters, relationships, and their world.

This IS the book for anyone interested in writing a romantic comedy. Simple and easy to follow with great examples from films we love. It's all about the chemistry. If you want to write an emotional picture...this is the book for you. Writing the Romantic Comedy is your ticket to writing a romcom that sells!

I've been working on my text for a while and struggling with
it. Once I start reading the book I knew I was in right hands because page after page I immediately start finding out answers for my questions. I gained time and saved much of my energy for writing the better. Definitely value of my money.
ILKSEN BAS f/36

This book, which highlights a fairly outdated version of Adobe Premiere Elements, is nevertheless extremely useful. After reading the reviews of newer versions of the Premiere Elements software, I decided to stick with 2.0 until I become much more adept at video editing. For a relatively small purchase price, this book will definitely be a huge help for me. Because it is: a) task oriented, b) easy to understand, c) contains intuitive links to other tasks, d) is well organized by section number, this book is highly consumable. I can't recommend it highly enough. Actually, as painful as this sounds, it may be worth toughing it out for a few weeks with the Adobe documentation that comes with the product, and then turbo-boosting your success with this book. Incidentally, the fact that the editors have bona fide video production chops versus tech writing skills was not lost on me!

If you have Adobe Premiere Elements 2 or 3 or version 4 this book is the answer to your questions. Even though it was written long ago it covers all the basic stuff to get you going. The price at Amazon is great too compared to a bookstore. It has saved me untold hours of frustration already. It's well laid out and relatively easy to follow.

Deals with many complex concepts in a concise manner. I'm a beginner to video editing and have found it a invaluable source of knowledge. So far I have been able to accomplish my editing goals using the book and the help system in Premiere elements.

This book is very well organized and easy to understand. As a newby to Premiere it was very helpful. I still refer to this book often and I think it is one of the reasons I feel proficient in Premiere today. It's only shortcoming is limited info on how to use the audio effects in Premiere

Premiere Elements 3 users, this book is for you too! Being new to video editing, I was wary of a book that was not version specific. No need to worry, this book works well with version 3. Whether you are a beginner or advanced this book has it all. The format makes this book superior to others. The inside front cover has 'Contents at a Glance' index that directs you to the section for a specific task eliminating wasted time searching or reading unneeded info.

Just pick a task and go straight to that section. Each section has a guide on what to read before you begin and other related topics, key terms, tips, and best of all step-by-step instructions with illustrations.

After reading the dry manual, it was wonderful to have an easy to read, concise, and informative book. This book takes the frustration out of video editing and puts in the fun. The authors also have online tutorials that make a good companion to the book at [...].

First of all, I will say the few things I wish were included on this art book.

- More pictures of Kuja's design.
- Pictures of Queen Brahne in the characters section.
- A picture of Zidane on trance form.
- More data to identify characters, name when possible, place where they are found when not (I am not sure if Puck appears in this book or not, and I have to check the in game graphics to know who other characters are).

That's it. Those are the points that make this book not reach the absolute perfection for me.

That said, I still love what is in the book! There are designs for many characters, even some who are not very important in the story, and there are different designs for the non-playable characters when they have variations in their clothes or hair.

The equipment section and the airship section have lots of details. Those are great for fan-artists!

The section with pictures from the in-game animations has a poster-like selection that will make you remember all those moments from the story.

I'm afraid that everything I say now will sound very fan-boyish, since Final Fantasy IX is my favorite of them all (beating Final Fantasy V, something I didn't thought was possible), so I hope what I have already said helps you somewhat in your decision to buy this book.

I got this book through another online retailer for half the price these U&N people are selling for. You just need to shop around.

I'm an artist, and I have a fondness for the Final Fantasy games. Final Fantasy IX was a challenge for me and after beating it, my claim is that it's the best in the series so far. After watching the last cutscene, I knew I had to have this book. I was very pleased when it arrived and have found it useful even today. FF9 is one of the most franchised game of the FF's(second to 7); I wouldn't waste that if you're a fan of it.

It's got all the characters, all the settings, all the fun. FF9 was my favorited in the series so I just had to get this homage to it. It's just fun to look at the sketches and rough-drafts and such. The town designs are really amazing.

If you're a fan of the FF series, anime, or just incredible art, I suggest you check this out.

I love Final Fantasy!! I have been a die hard fan since part one was released in 1990. There are several books out that show the visual effects from the Final Fantasy series, but this one is by far the best. It is strait forward, art, from the original designer of FF characters, Yoshitaka Amano. Page for page you will see the steps that he followed making this characters shine.

The main reason that I took one star away was because most of the art in this book is finished up designs from Amano. I am a very big fan of his work, ex. Vampire Hunter D, FF1-6,and 9 adn several other Japaneese work. I enjoy his early sketches better, they are much more fantasy like. But that does not mean that this collection is not beautiful as printed.

This is a beautiful editon to any Final Fantasy collecton or just plain art or drawings collection. Dont pass this up.

When I bought this book, I expected mostly black and white photos and small screenshots from the game, but when I opened it up I was happily suprised with a book full of large, colorful artwork. Being a fan of the game series itself, this book especially appealed to me, as it probably would to many other FF players. But even those who do not play the game will find them selves impressed with the tons of fantastic artwork that fills its pages. I definitely recommened this book if you are a fan of the game or just love great art!

Christina Hamlett is a respected and well-known script consultant who has taken her knowledge of the industry and turned it into a thought-provoking look at the process of writing a script. While most how-to books on screenwriting give a reader the nuts and bolts of what makes a good screenplay, Ms. Hamlett does one better and walks her readers through HOW to make a good screenplay. Could It Be A Movie? is conversational and encouraging the whole way through and I especially like the hands on exercises that can be found in each chapter. They truly provide insight on what works for a story and what doesn't.

Ms. Hamlett begins by guiding her readers through deciding which format - movie, book, or stage play - best suits their particular story. She includes interviews and inside stories from some of the industries leading professionals who help explain what writing, and writing for Hollywood, is all about. She touches on everything a writer ever wanted to know about the screenwriting process - three-act story and it's proper structure, character and dialogue, adapting material from other mediums, rewrites, script consulting, more rewrites, and all about the business side of screenwriting - like protecting your work and querying an agent.

This book is one of the best on the market - as an aspiring screenwriter I've read many - and definitely belongs on the desk shelf right next to the likes of Syd Field, Linda Seger, and Dave Trottier. Ms. Hamlett's wonderful insights and straightforward writing style make it clear that she enjoys writing and helping other writers achieve their full potential. I can't say enough good things about this book, but I will say that Ms. Hamlett is a master at providing guidance to aspiring writers and she is a wonderful inspiration to us all!

Could it be a Movie gives great, detailed advice to aspiring screenwriters trying to come up with ideas and inspiration. But the book delivers so much more. This is a seriously good resource and I would highly recommend adding this book to your collection. From soup to nuts, Christina Hamlett keeps it real and discusses dialogue, agents, what producers do once they have your script and more. This is one of the best, most inclusive, humorous and spot-on books on screenwriting I have seen in some time. I just love Christina's voice. Reading her book is like having coffee with a dear friend.

Julie Gray
Founder, The Script Department
www.thescriptdepartment.com

"Could it Be a Movie?" tackles the title question with wit and a great sense of the craft and business of storytelling. Beyond that, it explores the fundamental question: Could I Be the Movie Writer? If that is a career you are considering, read this book first. Not only does it give solid information to help you make that decision, but it clues you in on the fundamental principles of the craft and business of writing for the movies. This remarkable book is loaded with resources from the library and from the internet. Could your idea be a movie? Just maybe, yes, with the aid of this invaluable resource.

There is only one reason a person writes - because they have to. And no one ever has to read what you write. But if you wish, pass copies out to your family and friends. I promise you they will gush and fawn. And you will realize the money you dropped on that script writing software was well spent. Then buy Christina's book. You'll find out that developing a script is not done by just sitting at a computer. Christina's too much of a lady to tell you in the book to do this, but here's what I did after reading COULD IT BE A MOVIE- I grabbed a couple note books, a bunch of sharp pencils, a bottle of scotch, found an empty table, and slashed my way into my soul. Christina helped me find places there I was proud to write about.

Just like Christina Hamlett's other reads, Could It Be a Movie? get's two pens up! This How-To book is your first step in determining whether or not your newly written script is fit for the big screen. Maybe it would be better as a book or maybe a stage play. Now, with this book as your guide, you will be able to make that determination on your own.
This book is chock full of great knowledge dug up from the wonderful mind of a successful theater director, script consultant and former actress. But what is great about the book is its easy to understand voice. Christina writes in a very conversational tone and combined with her wit and great sense of humor, it seems as though you are learning all this priceless information from across a table in a coffee shop. It's amazing how easily the information flows from the book to the brain. I even catch myself (who has no experience in this field) saying to myself, "Oh yeah! That totally makes sense!"
The book also relays great advice such as, "if you can strip away all the glitz and gizmos and your story still has something substantive to say to an audience, you've probably got yourself a solid plot." She instructs you to be familiar with the medium you are trying to emulate. "Don't be a playwright who has never seen a play, a novelist who has never read a book or an aspiring scriptwriter who never goes to the movies." And another brilliant point she makes is: "there are no short cuts in this business so you might as well start at square one."
Like Christina Hamlett's other book, Screenwriting for Teens, this book also has great mind-stimulating exercises to give a try. For instance, she asks the reader to list movies that are written in "bookend format" or what she aptly named the "maypole format." How about turning a commercial you are familiar with into a movie? All the while, she continues to drive home the importance of your story having a solid message. What does your script say to the audience?
There are so many important topics this book touches on that first timers may not already know. For example, she explains how to shorten a script by taking out lengthy stage directions. She advises leaving that to the directors. Or maybe you have never left Wisconsin but you want to write a believable book about a character in Los Angeles. With the invaluable resources she has included such as websites written to help novelist's research different kinds of people, jobs, cities and customs for anywhere in the world or anything you may be writing about, it's now possible. She delves into the legalities of copyrights and how to stay away from shady websites that promise you the world. Worried about how to find an agent? Could It Be a Movie? to the rescue! Yes, even that information is in there.
So start writing that first script because like in her waffle analogy, the first one always gets thrown out.

If I had this book as a reference when I first started out as a newbie assistant editor I would have made less mistakes along the way.

Recently, I found this book when I started teaching an introduction to digital editing at the college level. Now I literally stand in front of the class with the book in my hands and say: "Learn what Chandler is teaching you in this book and you'll be on your way to getting and keeping a job as an assistant film editor. It is so full of practical advice and solid information on what to do and when and how to do it.

Because of the availability of lower cost editing applications today, many young people become quite technically savvy with the software even before they leave high school. But they have no knowledge of, or experience of working with projects shot on film. Nor are they aware of the aesthetics of the art of editing.

Chandler's book makes the reader aware of how much work has to be done before even one scene should be cut. Then she gives some great advice on what to consider when editing in general, and when dealing with various types of projects. It is a must read for anyone who needs more knowledge before they step into the digital cutting room.

I am never going to make a movie -I just love watching them, talking about them and understanding them. This book gave me enormous insight into how movies are made, not just edited. All the parts of a film come together in the editing process and Ms. Chandler explains how all those parts come into being as well as how they are edited together to make a film.
It is well written and precise, as a technical book should be, but it is also lucid and frequently funny.
Other than a couple pages of detailed film planning material at the end of each chapter everything in this book will be of great interest to any film buff

A comprehensive, updated, description of how to post, edit and finish a film including both creative and mechanical processes. Clearly written, many tables, charts, and illustrations. Covers film, digital, and web preparaton workflows. Fabulous book. High recommenation. But this leans on the technical and workflow side, not the creative. A wonderful review of the ENTIRE process. Necessary text for all film students.

If you buy the book, you have to be prepared to read much useless information.
The interesting part of the book (10 to 15 pages) focuses on practical editing problems.
The rest of the book contains endless lists of unnecessary information on video/film editing.
From 360 pages of the book only 10-20 really count.
Other books like "on editing" by Edward Dmytryk or " the technique of film editing" by Karel Reisz contain full, real, deep, dense information on the subject.
And for the amateur/enthusiast/prosumer film/video maker (like me) there is one book that really arms us for the battle in that difficult field.
A book with myriads of most valuable information.
A book that it's a pity only few knowledgeable people have mentioned it.
The "Five C's of cinematography" by Joseph Mascelli.
That book every day teaches me. And that author is a big teacher, someone who loves and really wants to communicate his knowledge with fond to learning people.

This book is a reminder that there's more to editing than meets the eye.

Chandler methodically details editing practice and thoery in an easy to understand way. There's so much here for the interested hobbyist to the aspiring editor.

An indespensible resource.

This book is easy to read, has good illustrations, symptom descriptions, and suggestions for diagnosis, treatment and prevention.

I found this to be the best book as far as having pictures to show how to do stretches and on good typing technique.

Other books I would recommend are:

`The Repetitive Strain Handbook by Robert M Simon, MD and Ruth Aleskovsky'.

`The Trigger Point Therapy Workbook by Clair Davies'

`Living Better Every Patient's Guide to Living with Illness by Carol j. Langenfeld'.

This book is the single most useful collection of practical RSI information I've found. Highly recommended for anyone trying to figure out how to stop hurting themselves when they're working. I have bought four copies for friends.

"Repetitive Strain Injury: A Computer User's Guide" by Pascarelli is a good introduction for those who know nothing about RSI. Even a cursory search of the Internet will turn up several references to this book as the classic on the subject. It describes what RSI is, what the risk factors are, how to evaluate your physician in terms of his or her RSI awareness, how to treat RSI symptoms, and it offers tips on workstation configuration, typing and mouse technique, monitor settings, and daily living. If you think you have RSI and your first instinct is to go out and buy yourself a wrist wrest and a splint, stop and read this book first, it explains why these amateurish attempts at self treatment are a bad idea. I was disappointed that the book didn't offer more specific advice for actually treating RSI, though I understand that would have been difficult given the large number of causes and manifestations of the disorder. The book claims on the front cover to contain a "seven point program for treatment", but most of the advice for treatment itself consists of "go see a doctor". This is frustrating given the book's repeated claim that most doctors know nothing about RSI or don't even believe in it in the first place. Another thing that really annoyed me was the book's assertion that employers are largely responsible for RSI. The basic message was: "RSI isn't your fault. It's just another example of how `the Man' exploits you in a thankless and mindless job." In my case, my RSI was caused by my own obsessive work habits. The book does list "Driven Behavior" as a risk factor for RSI, but it gets only a perfunctory mention. Another negative is that the book focuses on tendonitis-type RSI, whereas my problem was clearly nerve-related (numbness, weakness, and lack of coordination in hands, forearms, and upper arms). The book that really nailed my problem on the head, and that I recommend as a supplement to this one if your RSI is caused by obsessive computer use, was "It's Not Carpal Tunnel Syndrome!", by Damany, who worked under Pascarelli treating patients for many years.

After years of extreme pain caused by ...poor working conditions ..., I ended up disabled. I found this book four years later. In that time, I had seen two M.D.'s, three chiropracters and two orthopedic surgeons. I was diagnosed as having a pinched nerve.

After reading this book, I made an appointment with Dr. Pascarelli. I was the last new patient he took before retiring.

He diagnosed me as having thoracic outlet syndrome, and wrote up a script of physical therapy treatment for me, which I took back to Ohio and showed to the doctor's here. I still live in constant pain because of permanent muscle damage in my upper back because this wasn't diagnosed sooner, but at least the pain is bearable. I also have problems using my arms and hands. But, today I'm partially disabled instead of totally disabled.

Maybe, if one of the doctor's that had examined me before had Dr. Pascarelli's knowledge, I wouldn't be living in pain today. Or, if I had the knowledge this book provides....

If you use a computer, read this book and follow the advice. You don't have to end up living in pain.

The heart of the drama in its classic definition is powerful storytelling raised to the optic of art through the masterful and ingenious handling of the elements of plot, character, theme, genre, and style. What makes a great play or film great, meaning what gives a great dramatic work of art its power to move us, to amuse us, to enlighten us, to experience it as profound and beautiful?
The elucidation of these questions is the purpose of this excellent guide and manual to the essential structure of the art of the drama. Presented in sprightly and cogent language, illustrating its points with a wide range of telling contemporary and classical examples, THE ARCHITECTURE OF DRAMA succeeds in illuminating its subject with precision and clarity, and a good deal of humor, while avoiding the pitfalls of "textbookism." It covers the ground thoroughly and engagingly and leaves the reader with a solid, fundamental understanding of what goes into the craft of drama.

David Garfield, author of A PLAYER'S PLACE: THE STORY OF THE ACTORS STUDIO

After a forty-year career in higher education teaching stagecraft, film production design, sound design and lighting for stage and camera, I'm convinced many of today's students lack the skills required to read and analyze scripts. I'm uncertain as to the cause but feel an effective and reader-friendly text has been missing. Mr. Letwin and the Stockdale's have written a book that's easy to read, full of wit and humor and provides current, relative examples for the reader. 21st.century designers and technicians must develop not only their artistic and technological tools but also must learn "The Architecture of Drama" - what a great title! As a Professor Emeritus from a program that taught film, television and theatre production and theory, I am particularly pleased the book offers a wide variety of examples from the stage and screen. I highly recommend the book and feel it should be on the "REQUIRED" list for all film, television and theatre programs.

It's hard to imagine why this book hasn't already been written! The information is so basic, so essential, and so relevant to every playmaking experience, one imagines there must be dozens of similar books out there. Yet, I have yet to find one that even comes close to this book in its elegantly simple presentation of the most important part of playmaking: the architecture of the story. Working primarily from Aristotle's six elements of drama, the authors flesh out each subject in a manner that is concise, clear, and full of marvelous examples from both the great theatre canon and from Hollywood's greatest hits. For a subject that many feel is very dry, this is a marvelously entertaining book, which is probably the best reason to consider using it as a text book: your students will probably actually read it! I'll be using it in a class I teach on creating radio drama, as it is simply the most explicit treatise on the subject of linear storytelling that I have ever encountered.

Rick Thomas, Professor, Purdue University Theatre; Composer/Sound Designer/Playmaker

I'm an anesthesiologist who goes to NYC every year for the US Open Tennis. While in NYC we try to suck up a little Kulture and always attend a few theatre offerings. I found the book not only informative but entertaining and it also gave me some new insights into theatre-going and watching films.

Reading "Architecture of Drama" will definately enhance your cultural experience in both the theatre and film.

Whether the information of THE ARCHITECTURE OF DRAMA is new to you as an emerging theatre artist or whether you have spent a lifetime in the theatre forgetting the essentials, this book is invaluable in stating the universals of drama, and stating them in a way that all can comprehend and use in both theoretical and practical ways.

It is impressive in its economy, stylish in its presentation, and entertaining in its prose. The sidebars on artists and productions are fascinating.

An extraordinary amount of information in a very brief and easy read.

THE ARCHITECTURE OF DRAMA is an exceptional resource.

Tom Moore
Director
Broadway: 'night Mother, the original GREASE, MOON OVER BUFFALO, etc., Extensive Regional Theatre.