Customer Reviews

American Cinematographer Manual

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

 

 

This book is quite technical. It's not designed to lead you through learning cinematography -- it's to answer your nagging questions about exactly how your academy-aperture frame gets cropped to 1.85, or exactly what lights to use to properly light your bluescreen.

If you're a beginner, it may not be the place to start, but if you're about to DP a T.V. commercial, music video, or feature film for actual release you'd better have this book handy and comprehend every word of it.

I work in visual effects and I don't know an effects supervisor or DP anywhere who doesn't have this book handy.

Insight to many of the motion picture cameras used in the industry (and independent scene) as well as a lot of pratical information regarding lenses, light principals, depth of field charts and more. It is the bible for cinematographers!

A book referenced by thousands of professionals with precise and easy to understand information. If you want to be on the technical side of filmmaking, become familiar with this book NOW.

Also known as "The Cinematographers Bible", this thick hand-sized pocket book is an absolute must for anybody who owns or uses a 16mm, Super 16mm, 35mm, Super 35mm or 70mm motion picture camera (movie cameras). IT WILL NOT TEACH YOU CINEMATOGRAPHY! It is a technical manual to be used when shooting on film and has since become the industry standard book that most amateur and professional cinematographers own and use. Motion pictures cameras are also built around the specifications laid down in this book.

Essentially the first 100 pages deal with all the different types of motion picture cameras, their internal mechanisms, technical details and threading paths. Then the book goes on to dealing with motion picture film itself, the various brands that are available, differences between black and white, color and a bit about the development process of each one. Again, technically detailed. There is also very valuable charts on film lengths and running times according to fps. The lens section is very technical covering the different types of lenses and the most important focal length, distance to subject, measuring charts that is really the most widely used part of this book. There is a massive section on filters, exposure and emulsion testing.

The book then deals with lighting and covers the various aspects of lighting types, bulbs, filters and exposure techniques, all highly technical in nature with references to charts and illustrations. The book ends with a coverage of visual special effects that can be done with the motion picture camera and other special techniques that the cinematographer will need to know about.

You will need this book if you are shooting on film, end of story. If you are looking for a manual that teaches cinematography then choose CINEMATOGRAPHY by Kris Malkiewicz instead. As a note, there is a lot of new digital cinematography cameras on the up and coming that work on digital video tape and not film and many new filmmakers may be advised to check out this route as a cheaper and less costly way of shooting their first film.