Video Production Books

James Alburger wrote this book some years ago. In fact, he's on his 3rd edition! And this book is still so in style. Having worked in voice-over for a number of years here in Los Angeles I can honestly say that Mr. Alburger hits the nail on the head with his advice. He covers the basics like proper breath control, how to create believable characters and subtext, breaking down copy, recording a demo and how to succeed at your first session. You can follow the samples that he has included in the book and on the CD to practice your craft and get it down. How great is that!

Recently I heard that Mr. Alburger and his colleague Penny are putting on a major voice-over event here in L.A. sometime in the spring 2008. I don't think aspiring voice-over artists will want to miss that, but should read his book first.

By the way, Mr. Alburger is correct that on-going training and "classes" are essential to voiceover success....unless you are lucky enough to be working every day in the industry....which is very rare.

A must-read for anyone interested in entering this potentially lucrative industry. Break a leg!

Has some good information in it. It's written in simple, accessible prose. But, honestly, there were so many typos within the first few pages, that I started getting distracted and looking for them. It's also quite repetitive, reiterating, rather than adding to a point or topic. (i.e. "take as many VO and acting classes as you can!")

The author, James Alburger, has taken his passion and years of knowledge, experience, and wisdom to assist others who are interested in the art of voice acting. I have not attended any workshops yet, but after reading this book that also comes with a demo cd... I feel that I have gained a wealth of information that will be very valuable as I develop my voice acting career.

This book covers tips, techniques, the business side, auditions, demos, characters, promotions, agents, and getting paid. I enjoyed this book and will read it over and over again on my acting journey.

Only thing I have a problem with in this excellent book is the rather constant "suggestions" that you stay in classes forever. As in stage and film acting, a lot of good, natural actors have been ruined by "teachers" who insist on "shaping" them to their own personal style. Works for some workshop junkies I suppose.

This book provides all the necessary information one needs to find his or her way into the voice acting profession.

Alburger brims with enthusiasm and an earnest desire to share his experience to the benefit of others.

It could probably be a little more concise, but the positive tone of the book more than makes up for any wordiness or repetition.

Thanks, James!

This is a well written and interesting book that gives the reader an "insider's" view of the history of all of the varied productions, stage and screen, of both Auntie Mame and Mame. It's interesting to see the personalities and egos of the playwrights, the actors, producers, directors and choreographers interplay with the characteristics of the character herself. Auntie Mame always wins. She embraces those who are in tune with her and easily dispatches those who are not. Mame remains invincible.

I enjoyed this compendium of backstage lore, but other reviewers are correct in saying that Jordan provides little context for the phenomenon of AUNTIE MAME. But who cares about that really when you have all these wonderful stories of difficult people and the tantrums they throw to get their own way?

Sumner Locke Elliott, the playwright and novelist originally hired to adapt Patrick Dennis' 1955 novel to the stage, gives a chiseled portrait of the late Rosalind Russell, depicting her as a sort of sacred monster who made sure everything went her way. Russell was never a great star but she knew how to adapt her act for changing times, and turned from comedy to drama to musical to farce to suspense to religion, whatever paid the rent. Her efforts at drama were pretty feeble, she was no Nazimova that's for sure, but in the annals of high comedy she will always have a shining place due to the sheer intensity of her performances in HIS GIRL FRIDAY, THE WOMEN, and of course AUNTIE MAME.

Jordan shows us how Hollywood got it wrong, casting Lucy as Mame when the cognoscenti wanted Lansbury in the musical version of Dennis' play. After reading this book I felt sorry for Lucy for the first time in my life, for reading the savage reviews attacking her physical appearance is actually painful, as though all the critics in the world had turned into John Simon for this one occasion. Lucy was 61, is that really 15 or 20 years too old to play Auntie Mame? Why? Not that Lucy was any good, I'm not standing up for her, but no one deserves the venom she got for playing in that one movie, shooting herself in both feet for her arrogance and pride and vanity.

Jerry Herman wrote the foreword to this book, but could he really have read it? He comes off like a spoiled princess, scuttling plans for a TV remake of MAME with Bette Midler for no good reason, then lacing into a great screenwriter for daring to pen an adaptation of MAME with the temerity to cut two horrible Herman numbers (Saint Bridgette and That's How Young I Feel) which are, apparently, sacrosanct. Jerry Herman always seems so good natured and sweet, but now after reading this book I know he's a Teri-Hatcher style diva.

I'm so thankful that Kensington has republished this wonderful, long out-of-print treasure and went several steps beyond by having the author UPDATE the book. We now have a fuller picture of the recent battles to bring AUNTIE MAME to the big and small screen with Richard Jordan detailing all the initial interest, demands for script changes, and collapse of various projects when scripts were written (and REWRITTEN) for actresses like Angela Lansbury, Goldie Hawn, Whoopi Goldberg, Barbra Streisand, Bette Midler and Cher. Jordan not only read many of the scripts--which range from misguided (Goldie Hawn's script would have been set in the 60s and present day) to the glorious. BUT DARLING... is filled with great B&W photos and whether you're a fan of the Rosalind Russell AUNTIE MAME or even the Lucille Ball musical MAME (did you know Madeline Kahn was fired from that film by Lucy?), there's plenty of gossip and deep affection for the creators (not only Patrick Dennis but Jerome Lawrence, Robert E. Lee and Jerry Herman). A fascinating, enlightening tale of the evolution of this eternal gay icon who told us to "Live! Live! Live! Life is a banquette and most poor suckers are starving to death!" The perfect gift for movie and theatre buffs.

I don't know what edition of this wonderful book some of the reviewers had read, but in the current one I just purchased from Amazon, there are none of the grammer errors or typos mentioned in other reviews.

For anone who loves Auntie Mame in any of her creations, play, musical or R. Russel film, this is a must have book. (I won't mention the disaster film with Lucille Ball although it is also covered in the book).

I was lucky enough to have seen Miss Russell on stage and Angela Lansbury twice on stage. They were so different yet so right as this wonderful lady. That is the clue to Mame, she is not a funny woman, she is an excentric LADY. Her humor comes from being elegant, beautiful and excentric. (The only real failure I saw was Bea Lilli in London.)

This book is filled with terrific backstage stories, confirming some already told and stating new ones. It is a book impossible to put down once you pick it up.

For a really fun and enjoyabloe read, a Mame fan could not do better.

I looked forward to reading this book, having discovered the novel Auntie Mame as a child and then finding Around the World with A,M. years later.
As a few other reviewers have remarked, there is a disconnect in the book between the novel and the movies/plays, There is a small effort to explain the differences among performers but it is perfunctory.
I found this book rather shallow and superficial. There is little substance or depth to it. It would have been nice to read some analysis of how so many actresses could portray the same role in the musical play and whether that enhances the play's value or detracts from it,
It is occasionally enjoyable and certainly a quick read but the style is that of a
gushing fan with very little discrimination and a very elementary view of the
phenomenon of Auntie Mame. The book is almost too tactful and respectful sometimes, e.g., not naming individuals who behaved badly or summarizing Uncle Mame, the biography of Tanner but leaving out major facts.

Though less clear than Truffaut's book on Hitchcock (mainly because of Wilder's lack of interest in explaining himself) 'Conversations with Wilder' does echo that landmark book. Not as tightly structured as Truffaut/Hitchcock, but also a book about a Directing God, written by an admiring younger director, who wants to go through the whole career of the maestro, hoping to understand some of the magic. A must read for every Wilder fan, something every film maker (and film lover) should be. Wilder (who at first is uninterested to cooperate) seems a bit more humble than the Master of Suspence, so he tells less tricks and other details. He is far more eager to talk about his most succesful films and prefers to leave the films he regards as failures alone. Crowe however tries to come back to them, every now and then, but Wilder is a smart converser. This leads to a fun book, which perhaps shows more of the psyche of Wilder than the film technical (in the broadest sence) side of him. As a film maker you can perhaps learn more directly from Hitchcock's approach, as a film lover this is just as much fun to read. Wilder's honousty is charming and in no way a danger to the grand status of the film maker. Knowing how wonderful his masterpieces are, it is perhaps even more impressive to read how easy it seemed for Wilder to make them. Wilder is never showing off, never full of himself and always entertaining. A true genius who made some of the best films ever.

This book really allows the reader to visualize the type of person Wilder is. His character shines through in his words. Cameron Crowe succeeds in getting that more personal story behind the director by asking tougher questions. It is also very entertaining to read because of the endless stories that Billy Wilder tells about "behind the scenes" of the making of his movies.

Enthusiastically recommended by Robert Osborne of Turner Classic Movies, the Hollywood Reporter, et.al.

If you want to get on track to one day being a happy, laughing, feisty old man, buy this book. The amazing director Billy Wilder speaks freely and delightfully with Mr. Crowe about all the things that went right, and the many, many other things that went wrong with films from "Some Like It Hot" to "Sabrina" to "The Seven Year Itch," and much more. Hundreds of photos evoke the points of discussion (or is it, thousands of photos?). Close-up discussions of Marilyn Monroe, Audrey Hepburn, Marlene Dietrich, and much more.

You may come to see Mr. Wilder as a blind date who showed up on your doorstep: a funny little German man, and not the suave genius your mother had promised at all. He spends the entire book giving you reasons why he is most certainly not the movies' knight in shining armor, but in the end (despite all his excited, hilarious minor outrages) he only proves that he is that knight, after all.

An outstanding companion to Truffaut's indespensible book on Hitchcock, but very different. Both are "interview" books, and each paints a very lively picture of its subject. But where Hitchcock comes off as a man left at the bus stop, like his cameo in "North By Northwest," with his career somehow fallen from his fingertips too soon, Wilder seems like a grandfather surrounded by delighted children in the twilight of his years. He shows us how to laugh, and roll our eyes at both success and failure, through the international language of film.

With this book, you see what a huge difference great writing makes when it comes to films. Crowe and Wilder are both articulate, thoughtful, and in love with film and words. The care in this book shows. You don't just get a thorough knowledge of Wilder straight from the man himself, but you get a glimpse into Crowe and Wilder's developing relationship. It's an amazing, moving book, and it made me want to go out and rent every Wilder film I could get my hands on.

In the tradition of Hitchcock/Truffaut, a young master of the craft interviews an old one. One difference from the earlier book, Wilder's productive career was over, so covered entirely if not exhaustively by this book. After a slow start, a little too much of how Crow got to do this, the book jumps into an anecdotal, charming and literate discussion of Wilder's movies, Wilder's career and Hollywood movie-making. If you have any interest at all in these areas, this is a must read book.

If you are interested in screenwriting this isn't a must read book, this is part of the bible.

For anyone who is a fan of Hitchcock, and/ or is a serious student of Hitchcock's works, this is an essential reference.

It has been quoted in many other books written about Hitchcock and his films.

Alfred Hitchcock rarely granted interviews. He did so only when it was required for publicity for his TV series and his movies. But in the late 1960s, French director Francois Truffaut interviewed Hitchcock at length (something like 2 or 3 hours a day for five days straight) and from a director-to-director standpoint, the book covers each and every one of Hitchcock's movies and "in-his-own-words" format. So Hitchcock is constantly commenting about his films. Truffaut thankfully, lets Hitchcock do much of the talking. There is no other book like this one and of the three must-have books on Alfred Hitchcock, this is on the top of the list.

Examples: When Truffaut asked Hitchcock why he appears at the close of the opening credits of NORTH BY NORTHWEST, the director commented that his in-joke of appearing in "almost" every movie distracted audiences spending time looking for him, shortly after the success of the TV show, hence the reason why the director made his on-screen appearances in the beginning of each of his movies after 1956, and not in the middle or end. Remember the scene in which Eva Marie Saint pulls a gun out and shoots Cary Grant towards the end of the picture? Hitchcock commented that a blooper is in that scene. A young boy in the background puts his fingers in his ears BEFORE she pulls the gun out of the purse. When Truffaut commented that Hitchcock won his only Oscar for Rebecca, which won the Academy Award for best picture of the year, Hitch corrected him saying he did not. He wold have had he won best director. The best picture Oscar went to Selznick, the producer.

There is no other book like this. It's filled with page after page of info.

(The other two must-reads are the Donald Spoto's "Art of Alfred Hitchcock" book and Grams and Wikstrom's "The Alfred Hitchcock Presents Companion". Together with these two and this book, you have the essential library and all-you-really-need references for all things Hitchcock.)

Yes, I'm one of those who can't hear Gounod's "Funeral March of a Marionette" without thinking of the Alfred Hitchcock Presents series that used it for a title theme.

This book is about Hitchcock and his more than 50 movies. And it is a fine work. Francois Truffaut writes it by supplying us with the results of a set of interviews with Hitchcock, and I think this works very well.

Hitchcock was an unrivaled master of suspense. Other considerations were secondary. Did the villains seem to take absurd chances or appear inadequately motivated? Well, sometimes they did, but that was not a big problem. Even in "Vertigo" Hitchcock admits that there is a "flaw" in the plot, as the entire idea by which the murderer has planned to escape might not work at all. But that did not bother me, and I doubt that it bothered Hitchcock very much either.

Another minor consideration was the exact nature of the items that the bad guys (or the good guys) make such desperate moves to acquire or defend. Hitchcock simply called such an item (such as some secret documents) a "MacGuffin." In the superb "North by Northwest" we see the exact nature of this item reduced to total insignificance (with the only comment being "government secrets"), and the movie is not any poorer for it. We do find out in this book that in 1944 (well before Hiroshima), Hitchcock wanted to use uranium as a MacGuffin, and he explained to a producer that the uranium was going to be used to make an atom bomb. Of course, when Hitchcock tried to ask a well-known physicist how big an atom bomb would be, he got a very evasive reply (and it turned out that the FBI put Hitchcock under surveillance for three months after that).

As Hitchcock explains, suspense is very different from surprise. If something dramatic happens out of the clear blue sky, the audience will be surprised. But suspense is achieved by letting the audience know that something is probably about to happen. Of course, surprise is not bad; it too is an essential element of many Hitchcock films.

Hitchcock gave himself bit parts in pretty much all of his movies; it was one of his trademarks. I'd always look to see where he'd show up when I saw a Hitchcock film. And Truffaut tells us and shows us quite a bit about these roles as well.

I admit that I was not very happy with one of the first Hitchcock movies I saw. You see, in John Buchan's exciting book, "The Thirty-nine Steps," the hero cracks the code of a now dead man to figure out the story left in a notebook. And there is this phrase in it that gets repeated a few times.

"('Thirty-nine steps') was the phrase; and at its last time of use it ran--('Thirty-nine steps, I counted them--high tide 10.17 p.m.')."

It is interesting to see the mystery worked out. And I was wondering how Hitchcock would handle it. Perhaps he would have either the victim or the hero miscount the steps! I was disappointed. The movie, albeit suspenseful, had nothing to do with either 39 or steps. It would have been better had it been titled with some mild double-entendre, such as "The Rubber Band" (the name of a very different mystery that has nothing to do with Hitchcock).

On the other hand, I truly enjoyed many other Hitchcock movies (one of my favorites is "The Trouble With Harry"). And this book is a very good and rather comprehensive tribute to Hitchcock and his cinematography. By the way, Truffaut dedicated it to Hitchcock's daughter, Patricia, who appeared in at least three of Hitchcock's movies and played an important role in "Strangers on a Train."

If you liked some of Hitchcock's movies, you'll probably find this book fascinating.

This book is a simple idea - Francois Truffaut interviews Alfred Hitchcock about his career. The simplicity makes for an engaging read. The book offers a unique look into the art of film. While it's technically an interview, it reads more like a casual conversation between two people who are incredibly skilled at what they do. If you love behind-the-scenes history of movies, you must pick up this book. Hitchcock talks about everything from casting to costumes to set design for every movie he ever made.

The book starts with Hitchcock's childhood and his first days making silent films in England in the 20's. The interview traces his career all the way to 1966's Torn Curtain. The concluding chapter includes a short interview on Frenzy, Hitch's 1972 hit, and offers Truffaut's comments on Topaz and Family Plot. It also gives a brief summary of The Short Night, a screenplay Hitch was working on shortly before his death. Truffaut also objectively examines the decline in quality of Hitchcock's films toward the end of his career, and explains his interesting theory of great flawed films.

If you love Hitchcock movies, the history of cinema, or the theory of directing, you'll enjoy this book.

I bought this book as a gift for my brother who is going into film school soon, and it looks KICK ASS. It was mentioned in the dvd commentary of "The 400 Blows." I hope to borrow it from my bro at some juncture.

In short 178 pages Michael Rubin covers the essentials of making home videos. This is a book for beginners. It follows a structure (and approach) smilar to an English composition college course - Rubin teaches techniques (types of shots, as you would cover paragraph structure), but also fundamental stylistic considerations (movies ,not unlike Enlgish compositions, must have structure, e.g. beginning, middle and an end).

There is much I liked about the book:

(1) Comprehensive - covers everything a novice would need (a) products (out of date - see below), (b) camcorder handling technique, (c) shooting techniques and (d) editing

(2) Less product covereage; more focus on techniques - spends almost no time on discussion regarding camcorder choice (which seems to be the area where most other similar book allocate too much attention) .

Thechniques are described in detail and author's views are clearly argumented.

For example, chapter 3 "Shooting" introduces camera holding techniques, gives Rubin's summary 11 rules of shooting and covers major techniques:
(a) structure - beginning, middle and ending shots; close-up, medium, large shots;
(b) coverage - establishing shots, over the shoulder shots, cut-away shots.

Or, Chapter 6, Editing, provides the following brakdown of approximate time required for postproduction of 20 min of material:
- 20min capturing the material on computer
- 45min creating the "first cut"
- 30min recutting and trimming
- 15 minutes creating titles and effects
- 10 min finalizing

(3) Clearly expressed opinnions - Rubin is not afraid to articulate his position (the market is otherwise full of "decriptive" books whose authors are afraid from taking a point of view).

For example, regarding close-ups, Rubin states, "...because your camera's viewfinder and LCD are so small, there is a real tendency to shoot everything too close...when you are shooting someone's face, don't be afraid of cutting off the top of their head. It's the eyes, not the head, that make for a powerful close-up of a person."

(4) Rubin is an able teache - and he teaches substance, not just technique, which is to say - he suggest a style of thinking while making movies.

For example, here is how Rubin puts forward his idea that making movies is what he calls, "shooting to edit" - "Shooting to edit involves nonlinear thinking - tha is, thinking "out of order". The last shot you make may turn out to be your opening shot..."

(5) Practical examples and exercises - Rubin illustrates with pictures many of his ideas (I would have loved a cideo-CD with the book). He also suggests exercises. For example - shooting at a dog park, so that one fine-tunes techniques (such as allowing subjects to "exit" the frame).


I also have a concern (or two) about the book:

(1) Technical material is dated - the book is published in 2002 and largely focuses on discussion of tape-based camcorders. There is no discussion of high definition videos.

(2) Limited additional information - a CD/video CD or web-site supplied with the book would have been nice. While illustrations (in black and white) in the book are OK, real video examples will have been useful.

All-in-all, this an excellent book for beginners.

This can by no stretch of the imagination be considered a comprehensive guide to digital video. It cannot even be considered an adequate "operator's manual". It serves a much different purpose. It helps one who knows nothing or practically nothing to get started, to learn the right questions to ask and to determine if this is really a field of interest after all. For those purposes, it is excellent.

In addition to some very basic general priniciples, this book also contains a lot of practical advice and entry level explanation. Why is time code important? Why should tapes be logged? What is the best way to capture the kids' birthday party and not completely bore everyone? Each of these questions, and others, is important but their importance may not seem at all obvious to a beginner. This book answers question like that so that people who will take this hobby further will get started on the right track.

The place I see this book as particularly valuable is for someone considering the purchase of video equipment. It will provide insight as to what is involved. Someone who has already bought some expnesive equipment might be better served by a book that is a bit more advanced.

My home videos are better already because of this book! This book is not necessarily aimed at the pros, but at the amateur who wants to make better home videos. The information and tips are excellent, but some of the writing style could have used editing.

This is NOT a book for those people who already know and practice video making skills. It is an excellent book for the person with little or no introductory knowledge of digital video however.

Great book for beginners. Demonstrates everything from shooting the video to editing on the computer. The author covers nearly every video editing program available.

This book focuses on creating small projects. The book provides exercises that help you get going. They demonstrate what you should try, as well as what you should not try.

This is not a lengthy book. You will probably get through the entire book in a few days. But it is great to refer back to as you begin your own video projects.

As has been abundantly stated by other reviewers, this is an interesting book for both movie lovers & movie makers. It is eminently readable, in a flowing, non-technical style that is surprisingly effective at delivering practical information about Lumet's filmmaking choices & philosophy through the decades of a legendary career.

Many how-to manuals seem to put the cart before the horse. Refreshingly, rather than providing instruction in equipment-driven decision making [here's how you use this particular lens, camera, fill light, etc.], Lumet talks about his story-telling goals then how he worked with his team to identify the proper technology to achieve them, resulting in such stylistically varied successes as the hyper-real video & dialog quality of "Dog Day Afternoon" & the Rembrandt-esque look of "The Verdict".

This book has a fly-on-the-wall quality that almost makes you feel like you are participating in a long dinner conversation where the filmmaker discusses his day, reliving his experiences, revisiting his ideas & choices, evaluating whether they worked or not, even racking on the unprofessional Teamster who made him late to rehearsal, then pillaged the craft services cart.

Something that hasn't been stated by other reviewers is how remarkably humble the author comes off. Far from validating the "auteur" status that many would grant him, Lumet appears to have a sincere appreciation for the complex team effort that results in a major motion picture, rather than an inflated perception of the supremacy of the director's role. He is extremely knowledgeable about all aspects of the filmmaking process & manages to share that knowledge clearly & concisely. He has profound respect for the contributions of the players who typically get nothing but abuse: the studio execs, writers, post-production, the stars.

Lumet even seems honestly enraptured by the emergent qualities that blossom from a group effort where "everyone is making the same movie", & he takes his responsibilities for vision, coordination & budgeting very seriously.

This guy just comes off as the consummate professional & his book is a joy to read.

This book was fantastic, and I recommend this to all ppl intersted in films, especially students. It really brings a reality check to it all and makes you love filmmaking even more! Just great!

I got this book as a gift for my younger sister, a film major. It goes through the process of making a movie from rehearsal to release, with a lot of anecdotes and examples for flavor. It's a fun read; more of a memoir than a how-to manual.

Sidney Lumet is a tremendous director who has worked with some of Hollywood's finest. In this book, Making Movies, Mr. Lumet allows the reader into his mind and method answering any question one might ever think to ask. He is candid, honest, and inspiring -never once leaving the ground to fabricate or falsify the reality and responsibility of making a movie. It is as though he were passing his knowledge on to a family member. If you are thinking about becoming a director, actor, writer, or producer I recommend this book to you; read into the traditions of Mr. Sidney Lumet.

Lumet's book is very well written. He has done a great service to movie lovers everywhere who want to learn more about the process of filmmaking. I wish more directors wrote books like this. It is helpful if you have seen some of his more popular films before reading the book since he uses numerous references to them to illustrate why a certian decision was made or how different elements of the film contribute to the theme.

this really isn't the best guide for documentary filmmaking. especially if your goal is to create an independent project. i wanted a "step 1, step 2. step 3..." guide. this was not it. also, the author's bias is toward behavioral documentaries, for profit.

I took a two week documentary filmmaking course recently and this book was our text. The majority of the class had no prior experience with making a movie of any sort so this book became our life. I felt it was very easy to comprehend and gave ALOT of great advice. For those who did have experience in filmmaking, which included shooting, editing, and distrubution, this was a refresher for them. Overall I'd say it was a great reference book to rely on.

I found this book extremely useful and does as it claims-- covers all aspects of documentary production. Although written intially before NLE, it has adequately been updated to cover NLE. I found the planning part very useful but had to make my own notes to organize the author's thoughts. Otherwise would have deserved 4 stars.

great book for his main points regarding the style and elements one should have in the documentary, mostly revolvong around the point of not having too many 'talking head' interviews and 'showing' the point more,,, the book isn't relevant at all regarding technologies, however, as it seems to be written before 1998 or so,,, but it's probably helpful to see everything from the past,,,
overall a great book, i think, for someone like me who is just starting out and doesn't know where to begin,, this book definitely has given me a great idea of the directions i want to be heading in,

If you have absolutely no experience whatsoever in writing to tell a story, filmaking, photojournalism, videography or communicating in any significant way, this book will be helpful if you're suddenly called upon to produce a documentary film or video.

The advice given here is very basic and really doesn't have all that much to do with making a documentary. For example, Hampe describes the roles of the people who might be found on a typical documentary crew, such as the scriptwriter and camera operator. In sum, this is really a book that describes the entire process of creating a documentary from coming up with an idea, capitalizing it, putting a crew together and so on. It really is for someone who has absolutely no experience whatsoever - and while there are many people who may dream of making a documentary, this book will not provide them with the experience they actually need.

The book is also increasingly outdated. Almost all of the technology Hampe describes for lighting, capturing images and sound, editing has been superceded.

The good thing about the book is that it is thorough: Hampe really does cover every step. But its odd that a book on documentary and reality video creation has not a single illustration. Very strange. Another thing in Hampe's favor is his writing style. Except for way too much patting himself on the back for his own work, Hampe writes in a clear manner.

Overall, this is a quick read and useful to those who have no experience whatsoever with the film making process, but have dreams of making documentaries. This book will not really teach you anything about actually making a documentary, but it does an okay job of describing the process.

Jerry

With a title like 'The Making of the Movie *Trilogy*', this book is not nearly as comprehensive as it should be. While there are great photos and interesting background information, the book mostly covers The Fellowship of the Ring and some of The Two Towers.

I was expecting much more - actors' biographies, the screenwriters' methods and decisions in writing the screenplay, a timeline of the making of the trilogy, etc. Also I hoped that it would be more celebratory of the achievements of this landmark film series. This was impossible since the book was published prior to the release of the Two Towers. So that's my fault for not looking at the publication date.

In a nutshell, the book is a premature summary that fails to pay tribute to the entire trilogy. It makes a mediocre collector's item that I could have done without. One star for information and another for quality photos.

there was 3 yung spys andthey spy,ed on Alie andthe way they spy,ed on her was they sneak acros the house & in side and they went in the vent and put the camra on and spy,ed ontel tomor,o &then they left be for she got up THE END

That's a very picturesque book and an interesting narrative. It's more about making the movie and the WETA involvment in it than, say, about the actors of the movie, as I was hoping. But it's still very interesting, uncovers some film production facts and includes some interviews. But if you're interested in the actors' interaction with each other and the like, better pick up Sean Austin's book (There and back again, an actor's tale).

I bought this book and I was interested but it really disappointed me! It doesn't give you any information neither details about the making of the movie rather than the author's babbling (honestly)! The only good thing is some nice pictures and they are not many.

This contains much of the behind-the-scenes information that the "special feature" of the DVD versions contain. There is significant new material, however. I enjoyed the book very much as it describes the amazing job of the team that produced the movies that we love.

Burton on Burton is a great read for anyone who loves Tim's movies and who would like a glimpse into how movies are made. I've always connected to Burton's films because they're unusual and full of heart. I loved walking around in Tim's head for a few days.

bought this for my son, who's a burton fan. he liked that it's a window into burton's thoughts, but would have liked more illustrations/pics.

I absolutely love Tim Burton and Johnny Depp, so when I saw that the book was about Tim Burton and there was an introduction by Johnny Depp, I had to buy it! The book includes the first foreword Johnny wrote for this book and it also includes the more recent foreword he wrote.

With regards to the wonderful Mr. Burton, this book is a compilation of interviews put together to draw an intensely intimate portrait of him! No website or five minute interview can get more information in it than this book does. The best part about this book is that the words belong to Tim Burton; there are no assumptions of who he is and what he believes according to the writer. "Burton on Burton" chapters are broken up into the movies Tim Burton has created but it also examines what he was doing at the time, how he felt, and what he was thinking when he was in the process of creating his films. Being able to get into the mindset of Tim Burton enhances the enjoyment one acquires while watching his movies. In any case, while I believed some symbols he uses often meant one thing, Tim Burton stresses that they meant something completely beyond the metaphorical condition(s) an audience has set.

Overall, I highly recommend this book to anyone willing to understand Tim Burton and his breathtaking talents. This book is enchantingly captivating and makes you feel as though you truly know Tim Burton by the end of the book. Mark Salisbury (the editor) has surpassed his job in this book and stays true to Tim Burtons words. If you read this book and enjoy it, I would also recommend the more recent, "Sweeny Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street," written by Mark Salisbury and Tim Burton. Everything created by Tim Burton is truly magnificent and this book will allow you to view a more personal side of Tim Burton through the thing(s) he does best: art.

This book covers everything. It's a serious must for film students. I got a complete idea of how to put ideas on the screen and how it affects peoples views. This book never covers up anything. I enjoyed it and it's worth the money

I've Only been living for a little more than 12 years but i can tell tou how great of a director Tim Burton is.
i havnt read the book yet but i know for sure its gona be good.
think about it this way, tim burton has made all these great movies, like Edward Scissorhands(my personal favorite), the nightmare before christmas, corps bride, and a lot more so if he made all those awesome movies, its gona be good

I had the pleausure of attending one of Mr. Bettman's workshops some time ago. Do not on account of this think I am a close personal friend of his, in fact I do not think the man even liked me when I did the workshop. Due to my participation I decided to buy his book. And sweet Jesus! This book is truly entertaining as well as informative. There are several personal anecdotes which can help you avoid pitfalls you might fall into unless you know about them. It also covers how to move your camera around the set to make a good moving mastershot. A lot of stuff which is not covered in other on-directing books I have read.

There tends to be a certain kind of students that dislike this book. If you dress in very dark clothes and rave about obscure films from European cinema, this might not be the book for you. It is in fact very geared towards making commercial productions.

Does it have shortcomings? Yes. Working with actors etc. are not too well explained. There are other books that covers these subjects in depth. Get them as well. But do get this book and read it in advance of your big shoot. As stated before: It is both a fun and informative read. Regard it as an extra layer of protection against the director-slaying members among your crew.

I love this book and I will definately get the next one he promises us here on Amazon.

Gil Bettman offers a unique take on the craft of film directing. His slim volume covers all the basics without overcomplicating matters. But the value added is his method for visual storytelling, which makes this book truly stand out, as does Bettman's passion for the subject. Personally, I have been a fan of First Time Director since I read it back in Russia after it came out, and found it well-worth multiple re-reads ever since. Lately, I attended a seminar Gil Bettman taught in LA with Mark Travis, which I also highly recommend. I defy you not to become a better director after Gil Bettman is through with you!

Film is, quite simply, a director's medium. You're here reading this review because you're serious about making films; and you've come to the right place. Sure, you're going to learn the most about directing by making a movie yourself, but reading about the process can also be helpful. In any movie industry, the so called pros who write a book on directing to show how many stars they have worked with or what big name films they have done; are a dime-a-dozen and no really help to you. The names may impress you...but you'll soon realize, that you've walked away with learning nothing at all on how to make your own movie.

Whether you're a script writer, actor, first time filmmaker or just someone interested in movies; after reading this book you will walk away truly empowered; with a new understanding of making a motion picture and a new found confidence in your ability to handle just about any directing job thrown at you. Bettman, a mesmerizing storyteller, takes us on a rollercoaster ride of Hollywood in his First Time Director: the penny pinching producers, the fierce competition, and above all...the art of making a movie itself. Filmmaking, he'll have you know, is about creative talent and technical knowledge, but just as importantly, about relentless networking. Every aspect of pre-production and post-production seems to be covered, including the impossible hurdle of dealing with actors. And Gil Bettman knows. A television and feature film director at the heart of the nation's entertainment industry, he has directed dozens of television episodes, including cult favourites Knight Rider & The Fall Guy. He explains that in order to be a capable director you must know about and be able to do so many different things. The director's job ultimately,we learn,is to ensure that their movie is both entertaining and enlightening to an audience.

The people I passed this book onto - which varied in age, background and profession - loved it, as did I. The author is a captivating, informative writer. The sometimes blunt straight-forward prose is him being the streetwise guy who tells it like he sees it; readers will find that the writing style is informal, personal, and he is both humorous and approachable. There are a number of reviewers here on Amazon.com that don't seem to get the tongue in cheek humour of the book; when he tells you it's a good idea is to sleep with your producers to secure the job; he's being as witty & sarcastic as it gets. It's too bad that some people are not smart enough to read between the lines and trash this for nothing at all. They need to pick it up again and see what a well written book this is. In a nutshell,this provides a comprehensive and extremely fast paced introduction to the industry; and for those with more experience it can clarify questions. If you have already had the opportunity to direct a project of your own as I have, you know something about the difficulty of putting together a piece of film that actually works. Few artistic endeavors are more challenging, or more rewarding. If you're not ready to start and direct your own movie after this reading this book, then you better brush-up on your waiting table skills. A must read for any serious aspiring filmmaker.

There are way too many books on directing and most of them cover the basics well but very rarely we come across a book that takes us to the next level which is the real time world of film making and the constraints. This book constantly keeps us rooted to reality despite explaining the art of showbiz. The book beautifuly covers the design of a moving master with four tasks, objectives for actors, directing method actors, improvisation, script breakdown, team building and casting. Gil Bettman's approach makes us think about the simple things of film making that we tend to put away into our closets once we finish film school. The book not only is a great refresher which brings back wonderful memories of my own film school experience but also is a lesson in Cinema's most important skill; namely man management or also known as people skills. Bettman's witty and humorous comments make the book a great read not just for the knowledge gains but also as a window into the hollywood system of film making which is exciting and rivetting. It is a must read for all.

My name is David Worth and I've been a professional Director / DP in the film industry for nearly 30 years. I've Directed features with Jean-Claude Van Damme, Roy Scheider and Dennis Hopper, as well as being the Director Of Photography on features with Clint Eastwood, Bruce Campbell and the late Shelly Winters.

Like most of the reviewers remarked, Mr. Bettman's book: First Time Director: How To Make Your Breakthrough Movie, is "...essential... inspiring... invaluable...". Mr. Bettman writes about the basic "nuts & bolts" of "in the trenches" Directing by someone who has obvilously been there. I believe that his book is an absolute MUST for any one aspiring to be a Director or a woking professional in the film industry and that it should be part of the required reading for every Film School, Course or Program on the planet.

Anyone not getting the "tongue in cheek" and "gallows humor" of some of Mr. Bettman's remarks simply hasn't been there,"in the trenches" tying to make a film with never enough time or money. The mantra "the Master becomes the Coverage" is the hallmark of someone who not only understands the process, but also has the chops of a world of experience behind them. Mr. Bettman's book comes from the heart and soul of a Filmmaker and a Professor of Cinema, the forward by Mr. Zemeckes is simply the icing on the cake and in my humble opinion, "The Good Filmmaking Seal Of Approval"!!!