A Primer For Film Making

Making a movie is an incredibly complex pursuit - there's so much to learn about technology, procedures and aesthetics, that it can get overwhelming. Filmmaking Made Simple: an illustrated primer explains complex terminologies and processes in an easy-to-understand way, with images and diagrams to illustrate them. This book is designed for the novice filmmaker - someone who has a passion for filmmaking and wants to learn how it's done, yet does not want to get bogged down with an overly technical textbook.This book contains all of the information you need to get started on your journey into filmmaking - guiding you through the Pre-Production and Production phases for your first short film. Every instruction, from how to write a script to how to hold a microphone, is illustrated on these pages. Not only will you have an understanding the technical elements of filmmaking once you finish this book, but you will also take away an understanding of film aesthetics, composition and techniques for shooting scenes. This book covers the following:Story - employ the elements of story structure and storytelling techniques to make a compelling narrative.Actors - apply the tools directors use to work with actors to elicit honest and effective portrayals of their characters.Shot Composition - compose shots that convey meaning, as well as apply techniques involving motion.Strategies for filming scenes - apply the techniques used on major motion pictures to create footage that will cut together seamlessly in the editing room.Pre-Production - organize your production prior to filming, from budgeting to breaking down the script, effectively covering all of your bases to have a successful production.Production - coordinate the crew you need to get your production going, and execute the procedures needed for a smooth-running production. Understand the roles they individually play on a production and their contributions to a well-made film.Format - master the methods used to acquire images, as well as resolution, compression, frame rate and other technical requirements.Exposure - understand the processes the camera uses to acquire light and how these affect the quality of the resulting image.Lens - effectively choose lenses for your production, knowing how their differing perspectives affect how your audience sees the world of your film.Sound - understand the tools and techniques used to record high-quality sound that your movie audiences will enjoy.Lighting - light your film effectively to convey mood, create tension, and draw your audience into your story.All of these topics are explained simply and with illustrations to get you started making your first film.

What if there was an easy-to-follow roadmap for beginner filmmakers to realize their best film school experience? 21st Century Film Student PRIMER is thoughtfully geared towards helping students ensure that their investment in post-secondary film education delivers the maximum possible return. Cinema, media, and visual arts programs want successful students, and PRIMER lays out a practical approach for scholastic achievement. Award-winning filmmaker and educator, John Pozer, draws on thirty-five years of experience to inspire and empower the up-and-coming filmmakers of tomorrow. A straight-forward, entertaining and comprehensive guide filled with proven strategies, helpful tips, and creative exercises used by writers, directors, and filmmakers around the world. No matter which school you want to attend, or what kind of films you want to make, you'll find time-tested advice on how to build your voice, accomplish your best work, and make the most out of your creative time and efforts. PRIMER is the first book film schools want students to read. It is the must-have companion for anyone setting out to study filmmaking. "Every film student should be hanging onto this book from the day they first consider film school to the day they graduate." - Sebastien de Castell, Former Director of Program Development, Vancouver Film School. "Simple, insightful, and to-the-point. Nobody can tell you if film school is right for you, but Pozer's insight can guide you to the right place to make that call." - Tony Zhou, Co-Writer/Director/Editor, Every Frame a Painting.

Breaking the Spell offers the first full-length study that charts the historical trajectory of anarchist-inflected video activism from the late 1960s to the present. Two predominant trends emerge from this social movement-based video activism: 1) anarchist-inflected processes increasingly structure its production, distribution, and exhibition practices; and 2) video does not simply represent collective actions and events, but also serves as a form of activist practice in and of itself from the moment of recording to its later distribution and exhibition. Video plays an increasingly important role among activists in the growing global resistance against neoliberal capitalism. As various radical theorists have pointed out, subjectivity itself becomes a key terrain of struggle as capitalism increasingly structures and mines it through social media sites, cell phone technology, and new “flexible” work and living patterns. As a result, alternative media production becomes a central location where new collective forms of subjectivity can be created to challenge aspects of neoliberalism. Chris Robé’s book fills in historical gaps by bringing to light unexplored video activist groups like the Cascadia Forest Defenders, eco-video activists from Eugene, Oregon; Mobile Voices, Latino day laborers harnessing cell phone technology to combat racism and police harassment in Los Angeles; and Outta Your Backpack Media, indigenous youth from the Southwest who use video to celebrate their culture and fight against marginalization. This groundbreaking study also deepens our understanding of more well-researched movements like AIDS video activism, Paper Tiger Television, and Indymedia by situating them within a longer history and wider context of radical video activism.

(Limelight). Originally conceived as a workbook for young directors, The Little Blue Book for Filmmakers has become a handbook for easy reference, with all the information a student director/actor/producer needs to create a film, from inception through production, to sales, distribution, and exhibition. The book discusses issues faced by all beginning filmmakers, with a historical perspective that explains problems and solutions that reach back to the invention of movies at the turn of the last century, and stretch forward to include new digital technology and the popularization of videography as global self-expression. A valuable addition to the shelves of all film school instructors who've not had years of practical experience working in the trade, it's also a syllabus in itself and can be the foundation for a course schedule. More important, it's something every film student will want to own as a reference and guide.

A documentary filmmaker and historical archaeologist team up to provide a concise guide to filmmaking designed to help archaeologists navigate the unfamiliar world of documentary film.

The four volumes of Film Study include a fresh approach to each of the basic categories in the original edition. Volume one examines the film as film; volume two focuses on the thematic approach to film; volume three draws on the history of film; and volume four contains extensive appendices listing film distributors, sources, and historical information as well as an index of authors, titles, and film personalities.