The behind-the-scenes anecdotes, minutiae about production—I find it all fascinating. Even if you're just a casual filmgoer, I guarantee at least one of these books will dim the lights in the theater of your mind and transport you to another world. The only book on this list I haven't read, even though it is by a horror Grand Master, and therefore comes with a certain amount of pedigree. New LitReactor Shirts & Stickers Now Available. Film/Filmmaker in question: Long lost silent film Angel of the Abyss, a risque piece of arthouse horror from the 1920s. 3. The Best Books by Great Filmmakers. My only complaint is Pessl's maddeningly arbitrary use of italics throughout. An updated review and list for 2018-2019 of the best books out there for new and student filmmakers. Film/Filmmaker in question: Ike "Vikar" Jerome, a cineautistic editor who discovers frames from an unknown film spliced into the reels of every other film ever made. But enough names I respect have praised its intricacies, and I hope to revisit it one day soon. We could have chosen any title by this highly engaging cultural critic – Down and Dirty Pictures is also highly recommended – but Easy Riders is a great place to start. Yes, an investigation by a down-on-his-luck/disgraced writer type ensues. Reading about Rodriguez’s journey offers aspiring filmmakers the useful opportunity to learn how to make a movie on the cheap from someone who has actually done it. Film/Filmmaker in question: The Navidson Record, a documentary (that may or may not exist) about a family (that may or may not exist) living in a house (that may or may not—you get the idea) that is larger on the inside than it is on the outside. As a thought-provoking treatise on the practicalities and aesthetics of cutting film, In the Blink of an Eye is a book everyone who works in editing should read. If It's Purple, Someone's Gonna Die. Or does he? The studio is reportedly working to adjust teams of its deals with partners to ensure that filmmakers are paid regardless of box office earnings, according to Bloomberg.As part of the new deals, the odds of performance-based bonuses have been increased and Warner Bros. … Film/Filmmaker in question: Blacklisted silent era comedian (trope) Tubby Thackeray, whose films/performances purportedly cause riots and/or madness (trope), disappears under mysterious circumstances. The Unfilmable: The Literary Adaptations of David Cronenberg. Two: this is more of a traditional ghost story, and I could easily see it being turned into a movie of its very own. *. He even ties in his first novel, Days Between Stations (1985), which is about a lost silent film by a mysterious director (a trope we are going to be seeing a lot of). This is a much more noir-ish tale than The Book of Illusions (and not nearly as surreal as Days Between Stations). Books; Features; 10 Essential Books For Aspiring Filmmakers That Are Not About Filmmaking. Roxy The Zoologist is a female filmmaker and presenter, environmental activist, and business-owner. Amazon.com: Encyclopedia of Filmmakers (Great Filmmakers) (9780816043842): Tibbetts, John C., Welsh, James Michael: Books by Peter Biskind © 2016 LitReactor, LLC | Privacy Policy | Terms of Service, Joshua Chaplinsky ), In the Blink of an Eye (2nd Edition, 2001) by Walter Murch. An investigation ensues. Easy Riders, Raging Bulls: How the Sex-Drugs-and-Rock ‘N’ Roll Generation Saved Hollywood (1999) by Peter Biskind. Naturally, any list of this kind features a certain level of subjectivity, but all of the below are industry renowned titles and come highly recommended. Legendary director Sidney Lumet didn’t see filmmaking as magic, so this magician was more than happy to share his secrets. Many of these are “must read” industry standard books. My introduction to this so-called genre, although certainly not the first of its kind. As this is one of the earliest examples I found of this type of book, this is where we start to go down the rabbit hole of who-influenced-who? Find our best selection and offers online, with FREE Click & Collect or UK delivery. Film/Filmmaker in question: Little-known silent film star Hector man (there's that trope), who goes missing at the height of his fame in the 1920s. Author(s): Patti Bellatoni. Home • Student Services • NYFA Online Store • Jobs • Privacy Policy • Site Map Years later, an investigation by a disgraced film journalist (trope) ensues. Follow him on Twitter at @jaceycockrobin. The Filmmaker’s Handbook: A Comprehensive Guide for the Digital Age (2013 Edition) by Steven Ascher and Edward Pincus. (Sound familiar?). Highly recommended. ), On Film-making: An Introduction to the Craft of the Director (2005) by Alexander Mackendrick, edited by Paul Cronin, Alexander Mackendrick’s seminal volume on the craft of filmmaking has long been an industry standard text, and one that has helped countless individuals find their own cinematographic eye and achieve success in directing. The reader is able to utilize an app called the "Night Film Decoder" to unlock additional content via their smartphone. April 16, 2013. It takes the form of a collection of short biographies on such characters as Jake Gittes, Rick Blaine, and Harry Lime, written as if they were real people, and weaves a convoluted shared history of murder and intrigue. Film/Filmmaker in question: Mrs. A. Macalla Whitcomb, a 20th Century woman who stakes a posthumous claim to the distinction of being the first Canadian filmmaker. As such, Mamet has more than a few nuggets of wisdom to share throughout the pages of On Directing Film, making it a mandatory read for directors… or really, anyone working in film. 1 Brooklyn, Thuglit, Severed Press, Perpetual Motion Machine Publishing, Clash Books, Pantheon Magazine and Broken River Books. As for filmmaking books, I haven't read any for a while, but my first book on the subject, was brought back from America by my Dad and was called The Filmmakers Handbook by Edward Pincus and Steven Asher. Film/Filmmaker in question: The titular Throat Spockets, an obscure quasi-porn that consumes the life of those obsessed with it. Filmmaker Biographies. One way he saved money was by serving as his own editor, cinematographer, writer, producer, director, and film scorer–roles he still fills for many of his much higher-budgeted films to this day. More information about education benefits offered by VA is available at the official U.S. government website at http://www.benefits.va.gov/gibill. The book is based on a series of lectures he gave while teaching at Columbia. Bloomberg's report states Warner Bros. new deal would give anyone their bonus at half of the box office haul normally needed. Definitely some Flicker influence here, but also a healthy dose of David Cronenberg. I want stories about films I've never seen, and probably never will. Any I've encouraged you to pick up? His short fiction has been published by Vice, Vol. Black Bear: Aubrey Plaza, One-Piece Bathing Suits and Acts of Creation. Read any other excellent books on filmmaking that we should be checking out and including here? Fiction that's stranger than truth. It's a fictional story about fictional characters from ACTUAL films. Filmmaking Books are an important part of every filmmaker’s arsenal. The Rape of Europa was a winner of the National Book Critics Circle Award. I love film. 8 Directing Books Every Filmmaker Should Read. Creating a book that is comprehensive, readable and useful – that takes a gift. Don’t be put off – this isn’t a technical manual on the hows of editing, but more of a meditation on the whys. Warner Bros. will compensate filmmakers for projects being released in theaters and on HBO Max simultaneously in 2021. Very nice work!”—Larry Jordan, Award-winning Producer, director and trainer “You need this book. After all, top performers in various industries read for self-improvement. How To Shoot a Feature Film For Under $10,000 is guaranteed to revolutionize your approach to problem solving (and hopefully make you a much better filmmaker in the process. His guerilla-style, ultra low-budget take on indie filmmaking is detailed in his book Rebel without a Crew, a must-read for filmmakers who don’t have millions of dollars at their disposal to make the movie of their dreams. What Would Books Look Like If Big Publishing Collapsed? Making Movies was the first book to contextualize my passion for filmmaking, revealing just how much work goes into both the art and business of getting a movie made! I don't know if the entirety of the experimental film history presented here is real or created, but it is obvious Files is an expert either way. Erickson populates the story with real-life film icons, but forgoes providing their names, forcing the reader to connect the dots. Copyright © 2019 New York Film Academy. Another must-read for either those at filmmaking school or looking to make a career hop over to the director’s seat. Stories about films that could never exist in the real world. The Education of the Filmmaker in Europe, Australia, and Asia Mette Hjort No preview available - 2013. So it stands to reason I would love fiction about film. And check out NYFA’s filmmaking programs to learn more about movie making. Having made films in Poland, Britain, France and the USA, he is considered one of the few truly international filmmakers. Something about it didn't quite grab me. Its cinematic world is not nearly as expansive as the one in Flicker or Night Film, and doesn't expand beyond the making of the titular film, but it contains some well drawn Hollywood characters and is a fun read none-the-less. Then allow me to present to you these literary coming attractions. 9 Best Books on Filmmaking and Directing. This volume contains twenty in-depth studies of prominent New Zealand directors, producers, actors, and cinematographers. are not affiliated with Universal Studios or Harvard University. Directing: Film Techniques & Aesthetics (Fifth Edition, 2013) by Michael Rabinger and Mick Hurbis-Cherrier. He is the author of ‘Kanye West—Reanimator’ and the story collection 'Whispers in the Ear of A Dreaming Ape.' Roman Polanski was born in Paris in 1933. Filmmakers. It begins with a segment of film called "The Five and a Half Minute Hallway," which documents a mysterious corridor that extends from an exterior wall of the house but is not visible from the yard. This makes for a very conversational tone which works well. Okay, technically this one isn't about fictional films or filmmakers. To leave a comment Login with Facebook or create a free account. There's also the earlier 'Ancient Images' by Ramsey Campbell  about the search for a lost British Boris Karloff and Bela Lugosi film 'Tower of Fear'. While Mexican director Robert Rodriguez is now more known for his blockbuster epics like Alita: Battle Angel and the Spy Kids movies, Rodriguez first rose to prominence with his independent film El Mariachi, which he shot with only $7,000. A great book from the author of the seminal non-fiction work, The Making of a Counter Culture. April 11, 2018 - Directing. Find more information about: ISBN: 1590185986 9781590185988: OCLC Number: 55597178: Years later he is tracked down by an intrepid journalist (trope-a-dope), and only agrees to speak on record via the lens of the cinema he destroyed. Over the years I have been steadily collecting the best books on filmmaking. This book is a treasure trove of film trivia. One: it is distinctly Canadian. From Aristotle’s Poetics to Iravati Karve’s Yugant – a series of books that can be of great help in understanding the WHYs of filmmaking and add multiple dimensions to the craft All programs and workshops are solely owned and operated by the New York Film Academy and These must-read books for filmmakers and videographers can give you an edge in our competitive industry. Share: Obviously influenced by Flicker, Night Film is none-the-less an immensely readable story, which creates a fascinating mythology of its own. “In her Voice” is such a refreshing read because all too often we read and hear about the work of male directors while female filmmakers and their films are casually brushed to the side. Don’t hesitate to drop your suggestion in the comments below, and let’s chat books! Share on WhatsApp, YouTube, Tik Tok & other social media! Top Filmmaking Books Legendary director Sidney Lumet, whose credits include Twelve Angry Men , Dog Day Afternoon , and The Verdict , guides the reader through the filmmaking process in a friendly and approachable way. Yeah, someone else mentioned that to me. I read it over and over again before making my first 16mm short with a crew I trained purely from theoretical knowledge gained from the book. BEST BOOKS ON SCREENWRITING 10. With this in mind, join us as we separate the wheat from the chaff with: The following is a summary of the best filmmaking books written by filmmakers, for filmmakers. Whitcomb disappears under mysterious circumstances (check), her films are of the silent variety (double check), and an investigation by a film critic/journalist ensues (check and mate). There exists a group of purists who would not want to pick anything that comes out of a series, but written by Bryan Michael Stoller, this book packs the potential and image that it has gained over the years in a variety of domains, and ultimately, it does come with a promise to make a filmmaker out of anyone . Despite the inclusion of several familiar tropes, Experimental Film stands out for a number of reasons. Still, Auster builds an immersive cinematic world for his characters to inhabit, and he makes it look too damn easy. Joshua Chaplinsky is the Managing Editor of LitReactor.com. But after the third or fourth book I started to understand I wasn't the only one fascinated by faux film mythology and cinematic mysteries of the unsolved kind. from New York is reading, The 10 Best Sci-Fi Books That Should Be Box Office Blockbusters, Behold! Editor’s note: Yoruba Richen is the director and Mehret Mandefro and Lacey Schwartz Delgado are executive producers of American Masters: How It … Was Stanislas involved in some sort of cult? There are only so many hours in the day, people! It especially serves as inspiration for how, as the book’s back covers says, “creativity — not money — is used to solve problems.” Easy Riders, Raging Bulls. I get it, we are filmmakers. Yes, a type of investigation ensues. What are your favorite BAFFAFs? I love books about film. And sure, stories that take place within the timeline of existing cinematic history are great, but they only allow for so much narrative wiggle room. Fact, it could be argued that there are only so many hours in the day, people list. ’ re doing yourself a disservice books for Aspiring filmmakers that are not about filmmaking own Bart Bishop about! So it stands to reason I would love fiction about film filmmaking school or looking to make 300! 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