Film Directing Fundamentals, Third Edition
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"Just bring your talent, add a touch of luck, and the rest you will find in this book." - Milos Forman, film director (One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, Amadeus, The People vs. Larry Flynt)
"This book makes the really complicated business of directing understandable and, more importantly, do-able." - Focus
"Nick Proferes doesn't tell you how to direct?which would be as silly as telling you what to direct. Instead, he does something much more valuable: He explains how directors actually think their way though the job." ?James Schamus, Associate Professor of Film at Columbia University, producer and screenwriter (The Ice Storm and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon)
"An admirable overview of the nuts and bolts of directing, Film Directing Fundamentals takes a unique approach in discussing the craft...Full of interesting observations, this book could be a welcome addition to the aspiring director's bookshelf." - Videomaker Magazine
"For the aspiring director looking to develop craft and technique, this book would be a step in the right direction." - Kurt Patrick Turner
"I am amazed by the simplicity with which Professor Proferes explicates complex ideas. Film Directing Fundamentals is valuable not only for film directors, but also for actors and anyone interested in the creation of dramatic art." ?Andrie Serban, international theatre and opera director, and Professor at Columbia University's Theater Division
"There are many books on directing, but none in my opinion have the depth and accessibility of Nick Proferes's. This treasure trove of insight and inspiration is a master class from a master teacher that clearly illuminates, step by step, the building blocks necessary to create meaningful cinematic storytelling with dramatic punch." ?Alex Zamm, director and screenwriter (Chairman of the Board, My Date with the President's Daughter)
"Few of the many textbooks on film directing make the art as clear and accessible - while still addressing its complicated nature - as Nicholas T. Proferes' Film Directing Fundamentals. Proferes is a veteran academic with hands-on experience as a professional filmmaker - a combination that is evident on every page of his book and which allows him to present theories that have obvious applications to real-world directing situations." -Jim Hemphill, American Cinematographer Magazine --Milos Forman, film director (One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, Amadeus, The People vs. Larry
"This book makes the really complicated business of directing understandable and, more importantly, do-able." - Focus
"Nick Proferes doesn't tell you how to direct?which would be as silly as telling you what to direct. Instead, he does something much more valuable: He explains how directors actually think their way though the job." ?James Schamus, Associate Professor of Film at Columbia University, producer and screenwriter (The Ice Storm and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon)
"An admirable overview of the nuts and bolts of directing, Film Directing Fundamentals takes a unique approach in discussing the craft...Full of interesting observations, this book could be a welcome addition to the aspiring director's bookshelf." - Videomaker Magazine
"For the aspiring director looking to develop craft and technique, this book would be a step in the right direction." - Kurt Patrick Turner
"I am amazed by the simplicity with which Professor Proferes explicates complex ideas. Film Directing Fundamentals is valuable not only for film directors, but also for actors and anyone interested in the creation of dramatic art." ?Andrie Serban, international theatre and opera director, and Professor at Columbia University's Theater Division
"There are many books on directing, but none in my opinion have the depth and accessibility of Nick Proferes's. This treasure trove of insight and inspiration is a master class from a master teacher that clearly illuminates, step by step, the building blocks necessary to create meaningful cinematic storytelling with dramatic punch." ?Alex Zamm, director and screenwriter (Chairman of the Board, My Date with the President's Daughter)
"Few of the many textbooks on film directing make the art as clear and accessible - while still addressing its complicated nature - as Nicholas T. Proferes' Film Directing Fundamentals. Proferes is a veteran academic with hands-on experience as a professional filmmaker - a combination that is evident on every page of his book and which allows him to present theories that have obvious applications to real-world directing situations." -Jim Hemphill, American Cinematographer Magazine --Milos Forman, film director (One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, Amadeus, The People vs. Larry
Product Description
Film Directing Fundamentals gives the novice director an organic methodology for realizing on the screen the full dramatic possibility of a screenplay. Unique among directing books, this book provides clear-cut ways to translate a script to the screen. Using the script as a blueprint, the reader is led through specific techniques to analyze and translate its components into a visual story. A sample screenplay is included that explicates the techniques. The book assumes no knowledge and thus introduces basic concepts and terminology.
Appropriate for screenwriters, aspiring directors and filmmakers, Film Directing Fundamentals helps filmmakers bring their story to life on screen.
* Unique, focused approach to film directing that shows how to use the screenplay as a blueprint for rendering the script to the screen
* Features new sections on "Organizing Action in an Action Scene", and "Organizing Action in a Narrative Scene", to complement the first two edition's emphasis on Dramatic Scenes
* Written by an author with 25+ years experience teaching directing and who has worked extensively in the film industry as a director, cameraman, editor, and producer in both documentary and dramatic/narrative films
Appropriate for screenwriters, aspiring directors and filmmakers, Film Directing Fundamentals helps filmmakers bring their story to life on screen.
* Unique, focused approach to film directing that shows how to use the screenplay as a blueprint for rendering the script to the screen
* Features new sections on "Organizing Action in an Action Scene", and "Organizing Action in a Narrative Scene", to complement the first two edition's emphasis on Dramatic Scenes
* Written by an author with 25+ years experience teaching directing and who has worked extensively in the film industry as a director, cameraman, editor, and producer in both documentary and dramatic/narrative films
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I was fortunate enough - in the late 1990's - to attend Columbia Film School in New York.
It was a truly awesome experience and a world class faculty. Part of that excellence was due to the fact that the school was not in fact staffed by pro academics - it was staffed in the main by pro film-makers. For instance - my Professors that year included James Schamus, Ira Deutchman,
Milena Jelinek, Michael Hausman, and the author of this book - Nicholas Proferes. If you need to - Google these names - this was no ordinary film school.
Proferes ran the cinematography class - and every week we had to write, shoot, and edit a short video to bring to class. Like some wizened buddha he would sit and nod as one black polo sweater after another mused on the nature of reality and what they were trying to achieve by mounting the camera atop a free range goat - or dangling it from the roof so it could spin randomly and 'capture' the moment.
Proferes would sit and nod and ask - but what are you saying?
Proferes was all about craft - the craft of telling a story - of serving a script.
Any fool can press the red button, start a camera rolling, and record everything - that is the domain of the amateur wedding video - it is the essence of CCTV. But the capturing of images is not film making - it is recording. Film making requires rendering. That is - it requires you to make artistic choices to render the story as clearly and powerfully as possible.
To stay wide or go in? Why put the camera here rather than there? Proferes will teach you how to identify your choices and provide you with a palette of tools to render them effective.
You could apply to Columbia (it's very hard to get in - and expensive without a scholarship) or you could buy this book - it is in essence the basis of the Columbia cinematography course - you'll save a lot of money - and you'll get access to some of the best tutelage available.
The only thing you'll miss out on is the Yoda of all film teachers looking you dead in the eye, shaking his head gently and sighing, before asking you - "yes - but what is it you are saying?"
A truly important book for all aspirant film-makers.
Good luck and enjoy.
It was a truly awesome experience and a world class faculty. Part of that excellence was due to the fact that the school was not in fact staffed by pro academics - it was staffed in the main by pro film-makers. For instance - my Professors that year included James Schamus, Ira Deutchman,
Milena Jelinek, Michael Hausman, and the author of this book - Nicholas Proferes. If you need to - Google these names - this was no ordinary film school.
Proferes ran the cinematography class - and every week we had to write, shoot, and edit a short video to bring to class. Like some wizened buddha he would sit and nod as one black polo sweater after another mused on the nature of reality and what they were trying to achieve by mounting the camera atop a free range goat - or dangling it from the roof so it could spin randomly and 'capture' the moment.
Proferes would sit and nod and ask - but what are you saying?
Proferes was all about craft - the craft of telling a story - of serving a script.
Any fool can press the red button, start a camera rolling, and record everything - that is the domain of the amateur wedding video - it is the essence of CCTV. But the capturing of images is not film making - it is recording. Film making requires rendering. That is - it requires you to make artistic choices to render the story as clearly and powerfully as possible.
To stay wide or go in? Why put the camera here rather than there? Proferes will teach you how to identify your choices and provide you with a palette of tools to render them effective.
You could apply to Columbia (it's very hard to get in - and expensive without a scholarship) or you could buy this book - it is in essence the basis of the Columbia cinematography course - you'll save a lot of money - and you'll get access to some of the best tutelage available.
The only thing you'll miss out on is the Yoda of all film teachers looking you dead in the eye, shaking his head gently and sighing, before asking you - "yes - but what is it you are saying?"
A truly important book for all aspirant film-makers.
Good luck and enjoy.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
5 reviews
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Nathan Shepherd
13 Jun 2011
Format:Paperback
Film Directing Fundamentals gives the novice director an organic methodology for realizing on the screen the full dramatic possibility of a screenplay. Unique among directing books, this book provides clear-cut ways to translate a script to the screen. Using the script as a blueprint, the reader is led through specific techniques to analyze and translate its components into a visual story. A sample screenplay is included that explicates the techniques. The book assumes no knowledge and thus introduces basic concepts and terminology.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
An exceptionally well written book! A must for anyone getting into video!
2 Jun 2011
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
Don't just tell me, SHOW me! That's what this marvelous book does. The author makes wonderful use of floor diagrams and storyboard illustrations to make his points. He uses famous examples (Notorious, The Truman Show, many, many films) plus his own simple screenplay scenes to demonstrate lens use, camera angles and movement, and basic "rules" of film making. He even covers the jobs to be performed in any film production and how a director can make the most of working with people in these positions. Fantastic book!
4 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Good book to start with
23 Dec 2009
Format:Paperback
This book is good to start with, it really explains you some fundamental things about films (though you still need to have some experience and "eye" to understand it)... It's good that he makes it interesting and fun to read and learn - you really have more idea about making films in all stages of production yet still like every art book there are some flaws but again it's a book for beginners - I think that people should read the book, watch the EVERY film he talks about and then keep on buying more advanced books as well as seeing more films even with commentary.
To sum up, this book is great for those who want to start learning film-making - truly great but still you won't be able to make even short films just by reading this book but it's sure is a first step.
To sum up, this book is great for those who want to start learning film-making - truly great but still you won't be able to make even short films just by reading this book but it's sure is a first step.
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