Shooting Movies Without Shooting Yourself in the Foot

Shooting Movies Without Shooting Yourself in the Foot

by Jack Anderson
Released November 2012
Publisher(s): Routledge
ISBN: 9781136040498

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Book description

"Shooting Movies" is the book for all those film enthusiasts who can't get on a professional set or can't undertake studies at an expensive film school. This book approaches the subject of cinematography from a 'hands-on, in the trenches' viewpoint, as though the reader were an apprentice on the set. It's a book about learning to shoot a film without making an idiot of yourself and wasting lots of time and money. It's a book about how to take artistic inspiration and make it a reality. A breezy writing style mixed with practical, interactive exercises geared for both film and video give filmmakers the experience they need to take their work to the next level. Beginning with fundamental techniques and concepts of cinematography, the author shares his many years of experience with the reader, imparting invaluable advice and guidance on how to avoid common pitfalls, and more importantly, learn from mistakes. This title provides a mentorship-in-a-book approach not found any of the other technical guides to cinematography, using both film and video exercises. It is written for filmmakers working on a budget. Unique exercises throughout the book provide the reader with an interactive experience that will give them a higher level of expertise and will improve the quality of their shooting, lighting, and reel - all on a budget. It helps you learn the realty of filmmaking from the cinematographer's perspective. Companion website showcases video samples, visual demonstrations of the exercises in the book, and further video explanations of the concepts that are better explained visually.

Table of contents

  1. Cover
  2. Full Title
  3. Copyright
  4. Contents
  5. Preface: What Is a Director of Photography?
  6. Acknowledgments
  7. Chapter 1: Introduction
  8. Part 1 Realities: Preproduction
    1. Chapter 2 What’s First?
    2. Chapter 3 We’re Still Reading the Script
    3. Chapter 4 A Few More Things to Think About
    4. Chapter 5 The Shot List
    5. Chapter 6 The Crew
    6. Chapter 7 The Location
    7. Chapter 8 Selecting a Camera
    8. Chapter 9 Selecting Lenses
    9. Chapter 10 Selecting Film Stock
    10. Chapter 11 Selecting a Tripod and Head
    11. Chapter 12 What Everyone Else Is Doing to Prepare
    12. Chapter 13 The Night Before
  9. Part 2: Realities: Production
    1. Chapter 14 On Time and Ready to Shoot
    2. Chapter 15 First Day/First Shot
    3. Chapter 16 Shooting Masters
    4. Chapter 17 Close-Ups and Coverage
    5. Chapter 18 Operating the Camera
    6. Chapter 19 Still More Composition, or Follow the Money
    7. Chapter 20 The Horror of the 180-Degree Line
    8. Chapter 21 The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly (But Not Necessarily in That Order)
    9. Chapter 22 Learning the Hardware
    10. Chapter 23 Why We Light
    11. Chapter 24 Exposure
    12. Chapter 25 Exercise: Shooting Your Project on Film
  10. Part 3: Realities:Postproduction
    1. Chapter 26 Postproduction: Timing and Transferring
    2. Chapter 27 Postproduction: Putting Together a Reel
  11. Part 4: Technicalities
    1. Chapter 28 Cameras: Black Boxes
    2. Chapter 29 Lenses
    3. Chapter 30 The Zen of Focusing
    4. Chapter 31 The Magic of Filters
    5. Chapter 32 Film
    6. Chapter 33 Color Temperature
    7. Chapter 34 Using and Handling Film Cameras and Lenses
    8. Chapter 35 Using a Tripod and Head
    9. Chapter 36 The Dolly Grip
    10. Chapter 37 Laboratory and Postproduction Processes
  12. Appendix 1 Cheat Sheets
    1. Appendix 1.1 Introduction: Nonfilm Camera Checklists and Cheat Sheets
    2. Appendix 1.2 Simple Steps for Operating a Video Camera
    3. Appendix 1.3: PD 100 Cheat Sheet
    4. Appendix 1.4: DCR-TRV15/17 Checklist/Cheat Sheet
    5. Appendix 1.5: Preparation for In-Camera-Edited Shoots
    6. Appendix 1.6: Tips for In-Camera-Edited Shoots
    7. Appendix 1.7: Tips on Shooting When Scouting Locations
  13. Appendix 2: Checklists
    1. Appendix 2.1: DP Location Checklist
    2. Appendix 2.2: Checklist for Movie on Film
    3. Appendix 2.3: Camera Assistant Checklists
  14. Bibliography
  15. Index

Product information

  • Title: Shooting Movies Without Shooting Yourself in the Foot
  • Author(s): Jack Anderson
  • Release date: November 2012
  • Publisher(s): Routledge
  • ISBN: 9781136040498