Video Production Books

The good professor is a bit cryptic in his writing: his writing voice sounds as if he's been holding this conversation with you for a while. But if you stick with the book, you'll "get it" and appreciate the material. Excellent author to learn from about making films and writing screenplays. His focus is on techniques for telling the story through film. But screenwriters will also find the techniques valuable.

I was given this book by a friend because he knew I wanted to one day write a screenplay. This book was a gateway to topics and theories I had never even considered. It is well organized and delves into the major theories of film in a concise, informative, and entertaining fashion. It has actually changed the way I now watch movies and will certainly be a handy reference if I one day manage to begin this screenplay of mine.

I only had one problem with this book. He wrote on the back cover that you will save $40,000 in tuition. I don't agree. I go to film school and after the cost of room and board, eating and tuition you can pay anywhere from $80,000 - $100,000 for a BFA, not including the cost of making your films.
Ok, with that said I think watching movies is a great way to learn how to make movies. It was also Alfred Hitchcock's suggestion. Obviously, it's not the only way to learn how to make movies, but it's one of the best. This book is a great teacher if you can't or don't want to go to a Film Evaluation class. This is also the cheapest way to do it. Spend the class money on this book, the suggested DVD's, and some popcorn. Enjoy.

Now you can go to film school in your bathrobe and bunny slippers - and still learn an awfully lot. With Richard Pepperman's "FILM SCHOOL" book in hand and a stack of suggested DVDs, you can learn a lot about how stories are put together for visual and emotional impact. The book is categorized according to concepts taught in traditional film schools and offers specific chapter and frames to access the examples; you also learn why and how the filmmakers applied the concepts. This is a book you should read through once to get the ideas, then go through again watching all the film excerpts, all the while learning an awfully lot about film-making theory and practice. Then keep this book on your desk or on the set as you construct your own stories.

I have justified it many times to my friends. Why do I watch so MANY crappy Public Domain films? Well, first, they're cheap. And, second, I learn things while watching them. Things that are important if you want to actually write and/or direct film. At least that's the excuse I'm giving them.

In reality, I learn far more from crappy films than I do from good films. From good films I'm drawn into the story, into the characters, into the themes. I often don't think about the nuances of the film because I'm so involved in the story. But, heck, give me "Invasion of the Wasp Woman" and I spend most of the time ignoring the bad acting and marveling at how they got this shot or that shot. But, lately, I've been analyzing better films, classic films, peaking behind the curtain and exploring what elements were used to create the visual story.

Richard Pepperman using mostly classic films and films of all genres and styles shows you how it's done. Breaking films down into all their main elements (story, place, character) and then going one (or two or three) steps farther breaking those down into telling, structure, subplot (for story), light, setting, space (for place) and dialogue, reactions, subtext (for character) - and more.

Pepperman does a great job of showing you how these directors and editors used all the elements at their disposal to create the stories you see. How dialogue influences character, how the sense of space comments on place, how the use of structure builds a story. And then he gives you detailed and exact places on the DVD to find what he is talking about.

If I had any fault with the book, I would have liked visual examples from the various films - he wouldn't have to do visuals for each film, but select a few - such as the sense of space in "High Noon" or the showing aspect of story in "Witness." The only other issue I have with the book is that there is an assumption that the reader knows what an "establishing shot" is or a "medium two shot" or a "POV" shot. It would have been great if some examples could have been provided in the introduction, or throughout the book, just to give the reader a frame of reference to go back to.

Still, Mr. Pepperman, using mostly classic films, breaks them apart in ways that teach the reader how films are put together on many different levels. I have always watched films and ended up analyzing them - Mr. Pepperman takes it to a whole other level. Amazing.

We all love parts of Star Wars, but why settle? For example, he could take a novel like Defenders of the Holy Grail and make it as magical as Lord of the Rings. His fantasies miss connections with the modern world His studio could be making real statements about the human condition instead of lightweight _______.

Wonderful book about the great filmaker who gave us such masterpieces as THX 1138,Raiders of the Lost Ark and Star Wars. . . .very rich and well done with beatiful colored pages, and comments from other filmaker on the movies of George Lucas. . . . a wonderful edition that would look great on anyone cofee table,so go out and buy it today.

This book gives you a sequence of events in Lucas' creative empire. It also contains interesting quotes from the man himself as well as other significant contributors to his work. It may come as a surprise to some of us that Lucas' goals are quite similar to our own; the only difference is that he has a very strong will to make it all come true.

Contained in this book are his projects that touched many who will never imagine the same way again.

George gave us visions of a future never before seen - this book is a chronicle of his works. The full page images and stories behind the ideas will leave you with a better sense of how this incredible universe came to be.

A GREAT BOOK!

George Lucas: The Creative Impulse is a great book which gives the reader a view over George Lucas and his life and filmography. The book introduces in sections Lucas' "early years", his films and also briefly his companies (ILM, Skywalker Sound, LucasArts) and also takes to a tour around Skywalker Ranch.

Although there isn't as much behind-the-scenes info I would have hoped for, the book was really interesting with lots of big photographs taken during the production of Lucas' films and other neat stuff.

Great book.

If you like Terry Gilliam's movies, you need this book. He covers his childhood in surprising detail, talks about the Monty Python years, and then gets into each movie. The book drags near the end, but that's primarily due to the exhaustion you feel reading about this stuff --- like his movies, you can get overwhelmed by the details. This is the best on Gilliam I've read, and one of the best books in the 'Director on Director' series.

If you happen to be a Terry Gilliam fan, you have to read this. If you don't happen to be a Gilliam fan, but are an aspiring filmmaker, this is an invaluable source of insight. Hell, there are many pros who should read this!

Reading these interviews puts you inside the creative mind of a filmmaking genius (yes, I dare say that). There's a reason for everything that's on the screen, and one understands that Gilliam's knack for weirdness is a little more than that... there's more to his filmmaking virtuosism (wild camera angles and moves) than there is when they make it in your average Nike comercial. If you wanna know what I mean, well, read the book.

Also, I don't recommend this much to Python fans. Certainly, a good part of it talks about the Python days, but it doesn't talk about their creative process much - it's more about the making of the films and Gilliam's animations.

If I had to utter one complaint about this piece, it would be that it is terribly, if understandably, one-sided. The book is terrific in showcasing Gilliam's opinions and feelings on his career and films, but that's the only opinion we receive. After hearing Burgess denounce his masterpiece, "A Clockwork Orange," I've been under the impression that an artist's opinion on his own work, while priceless, is nothing more than that; an opinion. This must be especially true in the medium of film, which more than any other medium is a collaborative effort. A book including interviews with producers, actors, technicians, designers as well as the director would make for a thorough and multi-layered overview on any film. Having said that, this particular book still succeeded in offering a peak, no matter how slight, into the workings of what I humbly consider to be an unspoken genius of our times.

As someone said on the back cover (neatly stealing my idea), Gilliam on Gilliam is like something Phillip Dick might have written. It is paranoid, neurotic, nutty, and fascinating look at filmmaker Terry Gilliam.

It is, truly, Gilliam on Gilliam, with the book in total an interview with the filmmaker. Gilliam talks about the battle for Brazil, his frustrations in the early Python films (was was stigmatized as the arty image guy), and his intricate intentions in later films.

Most interesting to me, other than how it reminded me of how much of his films, sadly, I had forgotten, was how much visual work he puts into his films. That is relatively clear from screen, but even more apparent after you read through this book.

Equally interesting to the biz geek in me was reading Terry's pitched battle for budget credibility. After having budget troubles on two films (Brazil and Baron Munchausen), Gilliam had a financial scarlet letter to sport and it has been tough for him to convince the studios that he is not a risky budgetary bet. Hard to believe that such a prolific and successful filmmaker could still be auditioning, but there it is.

Anyway, an interesting and informative book. Not for those who are mildly interested, but a treat for Gilliam geeks who want the inside skinny on everything from De Niro's bizarre behavior in Brazil, to the casting of Jon Pryce, to underlying mythic chain operating in The Fisher King.

One of the most interesting director that the world of cinema give to us. This book it's an insight view, a dive in the mind of the visual art of Terry Gilliam. If you are a fan of his work this book it's kind of a Bible and if you are not a fan, this book will open your mind to one of the more magical directors in the history of this art.

This is the book I ran to when I sent back my 8th edition ASC manual. I refer to this book everyday and always have it with me when shooting. Very well laid out and full of useful information. An indispensable tool for cinematographers, and unlike the ASC manual, has NO advertising in it.

This and the AC manual are the two bibles that any cinematographer should have in hand when shooting.
It is a comprehensive guide with technical facts, and might be a little to complex for begginers and amateurs.
It is not edited to be readen as a starting/basics book for students, but as a book to be consulted by professionals or starting DPs.

This and the AC manual are the two bibles that any cinematographer should have in hand when shooting.
It is a comprehensive guide with technical facts, and might be a little to complex for begginers and amateurs.
It is not edited to be readen as a starting/basics book for students, but as a book to be consulted by professionals or starting DPs.

I read this book back in film school, it is full of good information and useful tips. For someone who understands film and photography this is a great book. For those who are learning the book is good but may be confusing in some places. That is why I gave it 3 stars.

this book is very helpful for students who are aspiring cinemaographers. it provides a guide to various data that is vital on shoots and has basic info that is very important for all cinematographers.

Lots of important insights from industry leaders. Topics are very well planned out. Transitions from one quote to the next become a bit cumbersome and redundant, but authors cover what should be remembered most.

This gem of a book needs to be absorbed long before a filmmaker makes their first or next movie. Filled with tips and do's and don't from interviews with more than 60 veteran insiders and filmmakers, a few things became clear to me right off: (1) no single person harbors all the answers, (2) the competition is fierce, (3) quality films deserve a better shot than they're getting, (4) never alienate NY Times Critic Manohla Dargis, translation: know how each journalist works, how-to approach them, & spell their name right, and (5) cultivate link(s) to respected industry contact(s) who will champion your film with you.

This is a really good book, hard to stop reading, because it's so lively and well written by two respected indie pros -- a film critic and a publicity whiz -- giving advice and interviewing other pros. Great for anyone who wants to know who the players are and understand the reality and mystery of how independent films get to the big screen, and how they're handled on their way there by the filmmakers, press, publicists, reps, agents, festivals and distributors. It's a page turner you'll want to read straight through and go back to later for reference. Full of information you don't get in film school, with lots of specifics, even a section on legal issues and what to include in a press kit -- everything except how to raise money, shoot footage and edit dailies. It's also nicely printed, lightweight, affordable and good looking in paperback.

Think of yourself running in a mile-long race - you kill yourself to finish the mile, and when you can see the tape, you find out you have four more miles to go!

That's exactly how the authors frame the problem for a filmmaker. You got the money scraped together, you shot your film, you've been in post cutting the film, and then (and perhaps only then) do you become aware of the millions of details, hurdles, and pitfalls that lie between you and bliss - a theatrical release. The authors love film, and want nothing more than for your film to find an audience...but how? This is where the step-by-step analysis of dealing with PR, producer-reps, attorneys, media and buyers all get outed in fascinating detail. The tone of the book is encouraging overall, but stern in its advice when necessary, i.e. "Don't ask a film critic what they thought of a particular film." The juicy vignettes are funny and poignant. They have been around the block a few times, from LA to Cannes and everywhere inbetween, and the experience shines through in their examples of how things good and bad happen to unsuspecting filmmakers. The Sundance stories are a hoot!

First-time filmmakers who have already made their film should be forewarned - you may be deeply depressed by how tiny and incestuous the business is, especially for the top sales and producer rep talent. And there are some very unhappy endings for a lot of films, truth be told. But even at the end of the line, as our faithful authors tell us, there is still self-distribution. About the only ones in the business who get short shrift in this book are actors - notably the ones who don't support their film during festivals.

Ultimately, this book captures the vibe of indie film admirably. This book should be read alongside "The Big Picture", and the comparison/contrast will make you never want to see a blockbuster again. If there is an Independent Spirit Award for how-to books about film, this should be a nominee. Read it, and you will be much more prepared to reach the real finish line - your world premier at the film festival of your dreams.

Picky detail - this edition needs copyedited and proofread. There are too many repetitions of who's who (after the 59th reference you *know* Kenneth Turan is a film critic for the LA Times) and the chapters are too discrete - too close to a textbook assignment. The flow is there, though, and the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. A good scrubbing is all it needs, not surgery.

This book appeared in my mailbox recently, I'm not sure how. But I'm glad it did. (And I wish it had appeared in my mailbox three years ago.)

"I Wake Up Screening" is an excellent guide to the ups and downs & ins and outs of getting a film out of your bedroom and into the world. It covers, with humor and aplomb, the details of fixing mistakes BEFORE you start shooting, how to get into festivals (and why you shouldn't rush to do so), and how to keep your sanity and humility in a world that is heavily populated with large budgets and larger egos.

A lot of people recommend that anyone wanting to "get into Hollywood" study films and read books like "The Kid Stays in the Picture", "The Art of War" and Machiavelli's "The Prince". While stuff like that is good for dreaming and scheming of becoming a cross between Cecil B. DeMille and Montgomery Burns, I'd recommend that for every two books like that, you read a book like this. And I'd especially recommend that you read THIS book.

Michael W. Dean
Author, "$30 Film School"

A beautifully written account of a life dedicated to the making of films by a true Master of the medium. This book together with the other volume of his autobiography, Million Dollar Movie, gives the reader a wonderful insight into a very creative personality. Michael Powell recounts his life with charm, whimsy, wit and voluptuousness: a perfect picture of the man himself.

Meet Michael Powell! The great and iconoclastic film direcotr of such classics as 'The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp"; "The
49th Parallel"; "The Canterbury Tales: "Black Narcissus": "Peeping Tom" and countless others tells the story of his long,productive and adventurous life (1905-1990).
Powell grew up in bucolic middle class farm life in Canterbury, Kent. His father divorced his mother moving to France following World War I. It was while staying with his father that Powell became involved in moviemaking as he joined the company led by director Rex Ingram on the French Riveria.
Powell later became associated with Alfred Hitchcock, Arthur
Rank, Michael Balcon and J. Arthur Rank . He made his first hit with his eccentric view of life in the Orkney islands in "The
Edge of the World."
Powell knew many of the great actors, directors and technicians who made the movies the folk tales of the 20th
century.
Powell's closest associate was the Hungarian writer Pressburg with whom he organized Archer Film Studios.One classic from this association was "The Red Shoes" which is arguably the finest ballet movie ever made!
Among other things Powell was:
a. A womanizer who wed several times and romanced the likes of actresses Deborah Kerr and Pamela Brown.
b. A novelist and a director who actually read books! His writing style is anecdotal and very readable!
c. Powell's love for film is manifest Even though British film culture turned its back on him following his controversial "Peeping Tom" in 1960 he never gave up his love for film, storytelling and art.
Powell is sadly little known on our side of the pond. He deserves to be better celebrated as one of the best film directors of the 20th century.
With the TCM cable channel's recent festival of his best movies the hope is that Powell will become better known and his
imperishable films enjoyed by a new generation of film fans.
This was a fine book to spend several hours perusing in the company of a grand old man of British and world cinema.

No other biography i've read places the man himself before me, so evocative is it. In his films he chased and captured the wonder in all things, but his own writing does this more directly, a wonderful book. The life of the film maker from the 1920's onwards, and one who can fully express himself descriing the life, and equally great on his growing up towards film. The maker of wonders like A Canterbury Tale, Small Back Room, The Spy In Black and Peeping Tom achieved as much in this book.

Michael Powell, partnered by Emeric Pressburger, made some of the finest films of the forties. Films like The Red Shoes, A Matter of Life and Death and The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp, are startlingly original. These two men, known as the Archers, formed one of the great creative teams. His description of this partnership forms the heart of Powell's autobiography A Life in Movies.

Powell's book is long and takes a while to get going. He spends rather too long on his childhood in Kent. It is an interesting description of a long lost world and provides some insight into the development of Powell's character, but eventually one becomes rather impatient for him to get onto his film career. This he does with a brilliant description of his start in silent movies. Powell's story from this point onwards becomes gripping. He is a good writer, clear and readable. This book is full of interesting anecdotes and, on the whole, is very candid. There are times when he is circumspect and he sometimes withholds a name, but normally he is very open and honest. This is especially so in perhaps the most heartbreaking story of the whole book, his affair with Deborah Kerr. Powell's description of this is warm and loving and full of feeling. It is quite clear, even after more than forty years, that he never got over it. Thus Powell comes to resemble Roger Livesey's character in Colonel Blimp, and the film somehow seems all the more poignant.

In any long story there are dull bits. Powell's account of his struggles in the early thirties making obscure films which have been all but forgotten is not especially interesting, although it does contain some fine material regarding his interaction with the young Alfred Hitchcock. Furthermore, he dwells at times overly much on the politics of the British film industry. However, when he discusses his great films starting with The Edge of the World and finishing with The Red Shoes, this book is as good a description of making films as I have read. Fans of the Archers cannot fail to learn something new about their favourite films from this book.

This is a good read written by and about the life of one of the truly great movie directors. Along with Emeric Pressberger, Michael Powell created The Archers, whose movie productions were and are breathtaking in their daring cinematography and scoring. If you're not familiar with Powell's movies, you're in for a treat. I urge you to design your own Michael Powell film festival: Be sure to include The Thief of Baghdad, Stairway to Heaven (A Matter of Life and Death in Britain), The Red Shoes, Black Narcissus, The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp and my personal favorite, I Know Where I'm Going. These are stunning works of art. Consider that they were filmed in cash-strapped postwar England, and you come away all the more amazed. Powell lost his career when he filmed Peeping Tom, a Hitchcockian thriller that upset critics with its psychosexual theme; his reputation was only rehabilitated by the intercession of such luminaries as Michael Scorcese during the 1980s. Powell lived a brash, full and vigorous life spiced with affairs with the likes of Deborah Kerr and the fascinating Pamela Brown. He dared the new, often endured hardship and even danger to catch what he wanted on film. He envisioned original and groundbreaking ideas, and then assembled teams that made them happen: A Himalayan garden in Kent for Black Narcissus, awesome outer space animation and the world's largest staircase for Stairway to Heaven, shooting I Know Where I'm Going without the leading man ever being on location. This book has been out of print for some time in hardcover. I've seen copies selling for hundreds of dollars. There is a reason! Now is your chance to enjoy the best words there are about Michael Powell--his own.

This book was an utter let-down. I was pumped up ready to dive into this book after reading the previous reviews here on Amazon. The reviews made it sound like it was a solid book with a lot of detailed information regarding the actual "making of doom 3". This book in reality is a half-assed, piece-mailed collage of hype and fluff. There is no meat here. Steven Kent is not David Kushner, and this is not "The Masters of Doom" (part 2)... very unfortunately.

What I was expecting from this book was stuff about how the team created what they created (which the book does, to some extent), but more importantly, WHY. What were the reasons for making certain decisions, what were the challenges they had to overcome, what technological barriers did they break, and how did they persevere together, as a team? I also wanted to know about the personal stories and the inner happenings of the game in production. I wanted to learn about the conflicts between the developers and the motivations for doing things they way they did. I wanted to know what kind of pizza they ordered after working 80+ hours a week, and how many liters of Mountain Dew they consumed as a whole. None of this was even pretended to be addressed.

What the book does is a cheap, glossed-over summary of doom 3. It talks about the doom story mostly and tells some basic information about how things were created. (Anyone already in game development will surely recognize the provided information as elementary and immediately self-evident.)

About the only good thing in this book is the Question and Answer Section with John Carmack. As always, John provides a real treat by articulating his knowledge of technical issues and world view opinion in the most elegant way. The author, Steven Kent, gets one point here for not editing Carmack's dialogue; for Carmack, on a number of occasions, seems to poke fun at the interviewer's most obvious lack of game development knowledge.

Get this book if you are interested in game design (but have no previous knowledge) and/or if you are a die-hard id fanboy.

Great book by the writer Mr. Kent! The only problem that I came across was the that the pages fall out with minimal use. Warnig!!! Don not treat this book as a standard book!

This book gives a great insight on the inner workings of ID software. The paper used in the publication of this seems to be extremely high quality. My only gripe is the book is not hardcover. Overall Steven Kent does a great job as usual. If you want to understand how ID works this book will explain alot.

I purchased both this book and the Half-Life 2 'Raising the Bar' book together for a discounted price. Both are exceptional and both I HIGHLY recommend owning.

The Doom 3 book is far heavier on word count and focuses on the entire production of Doom 3 as opposed to the sporadic comments and captions grouped with pictures in 'Raising The Bar'. Having said that both are different and will appeal to everyone interested regardless.

Both are printed on very high quality paper, 'Raising The Bar' even having a hard cover, a sore omission from The Making Doom 3. The content is brilliant with hundreds of images gracing throughout and insights into the making of these games. I particularly liked reading about the ideas, monsters and objects that were cut from the final games. Seriously, every gamer or visual artist/designer should own these, awesome and inspirational 'picture' books to have laying around.

SO! If you are a fan-boy or girl of either game, get both, they are EXCEPTIONAL READING and I cannot recommend them highly enough.

Steven Kent was given extraordinary access to the creative team doing Doom 3 while the project was under develoment. In this book he charts that development from early conception and the development of details like a new graphics engine that would do the actual on screen graphics. He then moves on to the development of characters, locations, and sounds that make the game what it is. One by one the developers are introduced, often by interview. And the developers get to say their prospective on the game and their part in it. The book is profusely illustrated showing the characters in the sceens where they belong.

It is surprising, no incredible to me that the game of Doom 3 was created in total by a team of some 22 peop.le.

For those would would prefer not to have to pay $150 for a used copy, I can refer you to the following link where you can download the PDF. FOR FREE

http://quod.lib.umich.edu/c/cjs/images/0920054.0001.001.pdf

David Bordwell's extraordinarily detailed and painstaking analysis of the entire oevre of Ozu Yasujiro is one of the best studies of Japanese cinema written in English language. Bordwell does a brillian t job of demolishing the mythical image of Ozu as the "most (traditional) Japanese filmmaker," illustrating through numerous case studies that Ozu, rather than challenging the Western norms of narrative strageties in the manner of a Zen master , developed his own stylistics which is rigorous, refined and distinctively "modern." By no means the last word on Ozu scholarship, the book is nonetheless highly recommended to any serious student of Japanese cinema.

I have had a couple classes with David Bordwell and I noticed that what you sighted as weaknesses is his approach. He sets out to analyze the films exactly as you have mentioned. So maybe you need to write a book on Ozu that suits your angle.

I also think your comments on Welles and "Last Year at Marienbad" are a bit empty themselves. They seem to be more in line with opinion rather than astute rebuttal of a given piece of analysis. For instance, your comment "...from emptyheaded formalist garbage like "Last Year at Marienbad" or Welles' endlessly awful "Touch of Evil."; what makes these films empty-headed and formalist garbage? What is your definition of "empty-headed"? What is your definition of "formalist garbage"? One can state negative comments but to dissect the "why" in your comments is key, in my opinion, to delve into serious criticism. You sound like you like certain films (in my opinion you seem to like films that tread closer to realism such as "Yi-Yi", which you reviewed and gave five stars) and you do not like other films (such as "Touch of Evil" and "Last Year at Marienbad" which seem to be set in unrealistic realms). I think that sums up every film-goer. I do appreciate your comments though.

David Bordwell has prodused one of the most detailed analyses of Ozu's work available in English. Beginning with short sections on his background and career, several essays offer key advice on key motifs in the director's work.

The heart of OZU, however, lies in the comprehensive film reviews (not critiques) that take up the second half of the book. Beginning with some lost silents and continuing throught he director's early efforts, we get a comprehensive view of all Ozu's films.in the context of his developing talent. Some may complain that there's too much detail -- even to the point of outlining camera setups, or correcting other critics -- but the diligent reader will find a goldmine of information that they otherwise might have missed. Bordwell. Until the definitive Ozu study is avalable, this is essential..

Bordwell's extremely well-researched book on Ozu covers all of the great director's existing works from the earliest silent films on - unlike Donald Richie's book, which tends to pay scant attention to the silent pictures. Bordwell does challenge the notion of Ozu as a "traditional" director (Richie tends to reinforce it) and instead makes the argument that Ozu was a formal pioneer - as he was. The problem with Bordwell and many other "serious" film critics is that they get so wrapped up in technique that technique becomes the only measuring post - which is why formally innovative but otherwise shallow directors like Orson Welles continue to be considered the best directors in history. Ozu combined cutting-edge technique with beautiful, quiet, often profound insights into Japanese society and human nature but Bordwell, like a scientist dissecting a frog, can tell you about all the parts but not what truly animates the thing. Ozu always called himself a formalist and his attention to formal details was meticulous and precise, but it was the real poetry of his films that caused Wenders to cite Ozu as "a sacred treasure of the cinema" and seperates Ozu's films from emptyheaded formalist garbage like "Last Year at Marienbad" or Welles' endlessly awful "Touch of Evil." Bordwell's dry analysis of technique borders on the obsessive and really [stink] the joy out of each film, even Ozu's extent pure dumb fun silent "B" pics like "Dragnet Girl." Mr. Bordwell's effort and his attention to detail should be cheered; some of the points he makes and the patterns he discovers are truly astonishing and enlightening. But ultimately, though, I would say that neither this book nor Richie's really seem able to nail Ozu down. Perhaps that's merely a testament to Ozu's enduring genius.

I had never used Premier Pro so I decided to read this book before starting. When I sat down to import my first footage I was plesantly surprised at how much I had retained. Its written in a very visual way that really sticks with you and conveys the concepts going on behind the scenes as well as the actual nuts and bolts of the program. Its written in a logical progression from start to finish that allows new Editors to take it a step at a time. The author spent time where it was needed the most and moved along quickly in areas where the learning curve was easier, encouraging readers to start with solid fundamentals and build from there. I was able to get right into a big project with confidence.

I have read numerous "how to" books on premier pro and editing, in general, but none as well written than this. By well written, I mean that he talks to the reader with the assumption that they know very little. Thus, his explanations and use of analogies are geared towards creating concrete images that one can use in understanding some pretty abstract concepts in editing. He makes the learning very visual. So, I would say this is an excellent book for visual learners. Despite the use of a great deal of text, he explains the processes in concrete visual terms so that you can better grasp and retain the concepts. Very well done.

OK I admit it, most of my work is done on a Mac. But I do keep a fully loaded PC in my editing bay for jobs that require PC apps. One of those apps I keep on board and up to date it Premiere.

What caught my eye about this book was the Editing Workshop concept.
This book not only benefits Premiere Pro editors, but editors in general.

I loved the illustrations in Chapter 5 on Trimming. You took the time to draw it out to describe Handles. A subject that causes many students much consternation.

Good job.

Had used Premiere Pro for an 18 minute project and had some of the major concepts down already. Knew my way around the interface a bit, but found that I really didn't feel comfortable, and knew that there was alot of stuff beneath the surface that I could really use. I have several premiere pro books that are really just manual replacements and I didn't want one more step by step "do this, then this" hand holding books. I wanted to get a handle on how to get my projects done and what tools Premier Pro had to help me.
The book covered all the bases: Acquistion, rough cut, tim, sound, effects, color correction and even some basic integration with other products.
I found the Editing Worksop to be a pleasure to read, and it gave me a much firmer foundation on how this NLE works, and what is really happening to my clips along the way. It is a great book for the beginner to intemediate user. I still find myself going back to reread sections as I work or as I read more advanced books. The book is clear, concise and well illustrated. Many illustrations are well thought out and designed to illustrate concepts rather than just pages of screen shots. The book manages to give a very comprehensive grasp of all the major features, without becoming lost in useless detail. Not the last Premiere Pro book you will own, but one of the best, and the one you should read first.

When I purchase a book like this, I am always hoping that it will be a one-stop, exhaustive resource for the application. A lofty goal? Maybe. However, this text falls utterly short of providing an in-depth look at Premiere Pro. I am the proud owner of many volumes in the CMP Books, DV Expert Series. Most of them are excellent, this one is unsatisfactory. It describes only the basics, and I mean the basics. It is not much more than a user-friendly owners manual. I've actually found the Help resource within Premiere Pro to be more informative. This book is only good for the first two weeks you are using the program. After you are acclimated to the interface and common operations you will shelve it and scour the internet for tutorials or tips specific to your needs. An editor that is serious about his work, needs to know his software from top to bottom. Otherwise, the scope of his creativity is curtailed due to an innadequate knowledge of process. Let me stress that this book is only worthwhile to the most inexperienced editors and users new to the Adobe Product line. In addition, the DVD is total garbage. Most volumes in the DV Epert Series have pretty decent bonus/tutorial material. This one does not.

On the positive side - No gripes about the writing style, after all I'm looking for industry professionals here, not poets. It will get you up and running if you are brand new to Premiere Pro.

Overall - Would not recommend this text.

At first, I was very pleased with "Scoring for Pictures", but after having read the whole book I am somewhat disappointed. The book covers so many different aspects, ranging from composition and conducting an orchestra to setting up your studio, professional conduct and building a career, it's destined to be a bit shallow in each area. It certainly makes good points in each area, but I would prefer more depth in the areas specific to film scoring, and less "general advise".

As a full time working film composer I am always trying to improve on my knowledge about the business as well as the technical aspects of this tough yet gratifying craft. Jeff Rona's Reel World is a great to read, Un-boring view into the world of the film composer. At many points I must confess, I couldn't let it go out of my hands. He uses many of his own case scenarios as a very active film composer to enlight us on a few lessons learned and succeeds on bringing on several points missed on most books if this genre. I had a Reel Blast. Either you are just jumping into this, or you have been on it and just want to make sure you are doing things right, this book is a must have, hats-off piece for your career.

Like many musicians, I have a great interest in film scores and, if it weren't so tough to make a good living at, I'd love to have pursued scoring to picture as a career. This book, however, is a great introduction to the world of film scores and covers all the bases at an introductory level. You'll learn about the business side (dealing with clients, sticky politics between directors and producers, etc), the technical side (the equipment you'll need, what it all does, etc), and the musical side (developing themes and so on). He also includes interviews with several other prominent film composers, which is great because he asks the questions other musicians would ask.

Rona's style is quite approachable, as evidenced by the column he's written for Keyboard magazine for years. In fact, my only criticism of the book might be that some of the chapters are taken directly from his past columns and the result is sometimes a choppy transition from one chapter to the next. Overall, though, that's a pretty small nit to pick about what is otherwise a great introduction to the world of film scoring.

Not much to say besides, I love this book. Had it not been so jammed with great info, I would have been more turned off by the typos and somewhat disjointed nature of the read. However, if you're trying to learn the basics of film and tv score, check it out.

This book not only gives you the information you were after when you bought the book in the first place. It is also joy to read. There is a perfect balance between raw information, interviews with the biggies (John Williams, et cetera), and tips on how to think about film music. This is NOT just another fluff book that the author wrote simply because his last three scores were rejected and he needed the money. If you do not find this book to be incredibly helpful then you have either been making film music for 30 years already (even then I find it hard to believe that you didn't find it helpful), or you are just nutts!