Customer Reviews

The 30-Second Storyteller: The Art and Business of Directing Commercials (Aspiring Filmmaker's Library)

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I'll say up front that certain film books are a bit dubious. I have been working on sets since a teenager so I am biased a bit in "hands on" training. Reading about making film is sometimes just a very small part of a big education.

Having said that, Thomas Richter impressed me. Mostly by the fact that he is a very pragmatic, level headed director who is actually working, signed and talented who had the nuts to put this down on paper. I've found most advice in specialized arenas like this is unfortunately not given by people who are quite qualified enough.

Mr. Richter is signed at Boxer, an LA production company that I am familiar with. I am also signed at a similar level bicostal shop so when I bought this book I was curious how true the read would be. I have to say that pretty much every thing he speaks about I find quite true and his experiences resonated with mine. To me that is again impressive - this is the real thing.

For my tastes there was a bit too much focus on practical filmmaking. He spells out this book is not a guide to filmmaking but rather about the business world of actually working as a commerical director. Saying that I think there are times he strays a bit and focuses a bit on some very fundamental stuff. This is probably necessary to make the book more accessable but perhaps Mr. Richter missed an interesting opportunity to take this from general interest to a true reference material. I'd love to personally hear more about the values of a great Executive Producer and Producer. Those relationships. Releationships with the sales reps. Knowing how and when to navigate moving to a different production company. I'd love to see the book slanted a bit more for the guide to keep using if you can really get past assembling a spec reel and getting signed.

That being said I enthusiastically recommend this book for getting a chance to see the landscape that is very difficult to navigate from the outside. If only this were written five years ago when I was poking my head in from the outside it might have helped me tremendously. From a working director now I can only say I admire the guts for Thomas Richter to lay it out there and put his name on it. It's a nice work that should be read - especially considering the complete drout of similar quality (real) information either in print or online.

As a producer/artist who is considering a move into the commercial production world, I wanted a book that explained, in a step-by-step fashion, the mundane work routines of a commercial director without glamorizing the business or condescending like an Idiot's guide. This book is exactly that. No frills, just the facts. It is so well-organized, informative, and concise--with tons of great advice that I know I will continue to reference for years to come. It will probably be some time before I can apply all the tools in this book to my professional career, but in the meantime, I feel so much more confident about my decision to move in this new direction. Thanks for writing this, Thomas. I would have been wondering for years if I should take the plunge or not.

Finally, a book about the process of making commercials! It's an easy, up to date read and has lots of funny examples. Really all aspects are there, even the politics of commercial business, how true. Enjoyable read on your flight to Cannes!

This was a superb book, one of the best I've read recently (I read hundreds).... because the author writes from a professional working director's standpoint, and his tips are carefully crafted and communicated.

The thought process behind the Ford/mountain spot, and revisions for example (pages 62-66) was superb, eg why not having the woman drive up, the visuals, framing etc.. very practical and well written.

The business end of it was extremely well put together as well, with advice for commercial directors and how to properly shop their spec reel and establish themselves.

As someone who primarily creates internet commercials for my company's products and seminars, I found a ton of solid content here, too - for all aspects of crafting the spot professionally. The author put a lot of work into writing this, it's extremely professional, hands-on, and should be considered a "seminar in book format" for commercial directors. It's just that powerful. Nice work - thanks!

Two thumbs up - this one's a winner.

- ken

I purchased this book hoping that the author would talk more about the creating process of commercials, but instead it is just about the backed business part. The book is good if you are looking for the business side, but if you are looking for something to talk about the creative side this book is not it. MindBOX Video Productions Austin, TX [...]

Full disclosure: Thomas and I went to film school together.

I just bought this book to support Thomas. But after receiving it, I realized it is the book we all needed while in film school. I recommend this book for anyone that is thinking of working in commercials. Directors, Assistant Directors, Producers, Cinematographers, and anyone else that doesn't have a firm grasp of the way that commercials work.

I personally know some really creative directors that have given up on their dream, which might not have happened had they had some sort of guide like this book.

Congrats Thomas, it should be "REQUIRED READING" at Art Center.

This was one of the best resources I could find out there on how to get started in directing commercials. Thomas adeptly covers the creative process of how he fleshes out treatments and working on set as well as the more practical issues such as getting your reel in front of the right people, what it takes to actually get signed by a production company (in short: talent, hustling, and a lot of luck)

I recently did a podcast interview with Thomas about the state of the commercial industry, which was really informative as well:
http://www.swayproductions.com/spotcast/spotcast.html

Bought this brand new and it's in pristine condition. Arrived right away and it's a great read for class. I'm still only in the first few chapters, but it seems very promising.

Though the commercial directing industry is changing all the time, this book (and its author) provide a lot of excellent insights overall. There's a great interview with the author at The F Stop Mag dot com. For more info about commercial directing, you can read additional interviews (and get TV commercial scripts from top ad agencies) at Spec Bank . com.

What can I say, I went to the same college as Thomas and I have worked for him as a student, so keep in mind that I might not be fully objective, yet it is undisputable that this is an honest depiction of a tough profession in which he clearly excelled is quite remarkable. He doesn't hesitate to give you a brutal insight into the ups and downs of a difficult job that clearly takes a lot more than just talent, but also dedication and vision. Thomas has proven that he has mastered all three and on top of it stuck to his principles! Read this book before you embark onto the journey of being a commercial filmmaker: commercial or not: learn how to have to think on your feet, accept defeat before corruption, and turn defeat into success. The credo is to believe in humanity and people that will share your vision, because after all you want to tell a good story, share your point of view, and entertain the audience while of course you have to sell a product. Commerce and art do not have to be contradictions and Thomas shines a light on the somewhat mysterious paths we all have to take. Respect and congratulations to an honest book with many helpful tips! Read it and marvel at its wonders. Thanks to the author.