Camera Assistant's Manual, The, Second Edition [Paperback]

David E. Elkins SOC (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 2, 1996 | ISBN-10: 024080242X | ISBN-13: 978-0240802428 | Edition: 2

The Camera Assistant's Manual, Second Edition, is essential reading not only for the beginner but also for the experienced camera assistant. For the beginner, it contains complete descriptions of all aspects of the jobs of first and second assistant cameraman, as well as a new chapter on the basics of cinematography. For the experienced camera assistant, it continues to be a complete reference source dealing with all aspects of the job.


The material has been organized in a way that should make it very easy to find specific information. This extensively updated edition contains information that should make it quite easy for the beginning filmmaker to start his or her career.

The Camera Assistant's Manual, Second Edition, features new sections covering:
The basics of cinematography
The job interview, set etiquette and networking
Camera and magazine illustrations of the currently used professional 16mm and 35mm camera systems
Complete checklists for camera equipment, filters, and expendables
Tables covering f-stop compensations, hyperfocal distances, and footage-to-time and time-to-footage conversions.

David E. Elkins has spent the past ten years as an Assistant Cameraman and Camera Operator on many commercials, music videos, feature films, and television series. Among his credits are The Wonder Years, Star Trek-The Next Generation, Gabriel's Fire and commercials for McDonalds, Burger King, Coca-Cola and many more. He has spent many years teaching at Columbia College-Hollywood. He is also the author of Camera Terms and Concepts (Focal Press).

A new opening chapter which covers the basics of cinematography.
Complete checklists for camera equipment, filters and expendables.
New section containing useful tables including footage-to-time and time-to- footage conversions.

Editorial Reviews

Review

The Camera Assistant's Manual is essential reading for the beginner and for the experienced camera assistant alike. For the beginner, it contains complete descriptions of all aspects of the jobs of first and second assistant cameraman, as well as a new chapter on the basics of cinematography. For the experienced camera assistant, it continues to be a complete reference source dealing with all aspects of the job. The material has been organized in a way that should make it very easy to find specific information. This extensively updated edition contains information that should make it quite easy for the beginning filmmaker to start his or her career because it features new sections covering the basics of cinematography, the job interview, set etiquette and networking, camera and magazine illustrations by 16mm and 35mm camera systems, complete checklists for camera equipment (including filters and expendables), tables covering f-stop compensations, hyperfocal distances, and footage-to-time and time-to-footage conversations. The Camera Assistant's Manual is comprehensive, practical, informative, well-organized, and the most valuable book an assistant camera operator could have on his or her reference bookshelf. -- Midwest Book Review

Book Description

A must-have reference for camera assistants! --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 416 pages
• Publisher: Focal Press; 2 edition (July 2, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 024080242X
• ISBN-13: 978-0240802428
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.5 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #502,257 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars THE Textbook for Assistant Camera, March 17, 2000

By 

Michael J. Hanly, II - See all my reviews

This review is from: Camera Assistant's Manual, The, Second Edition (Paperback)

Having been trained by David Elkins from the original manuscript of this book, I was eager to read the second addition.

This book is the perfect primer for the beginning Assistant Cameraperson. The details of the camera department, each department broken down into chapters, gives not only an overview, but a detailed step by step description of the tasks and duties of an Assistant Camera.

This has been an invaluable text book for my beginning Film Students.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Best Technical Book on Moviemaking, November 28, 2005

By 

Jack Anderson "Director of Photography" (Los Angeles, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Camera Assistant's Manual, Fourth Edition (Paperback)

David Elkins's The Camera Assistant's Manual, Fourth Edition is the best technical book around, and one of the best books on movies, period.

Dave manages to cover every aspect of an assistant's job, no matter how obscure or infrequently encountered. But the completeness is only one aspect which recommends it to any aspiring or working cinematographer.

Written in a clear, conversational manner, Dave manages to demystify both the jargon and the sometimes strange job of an assistant. His accounts of procedure for both first and second assistants clarify what we in the business call "industry standard": the accepted, professional way of conducting yourself and doing a job. Outside of a job on a

Hollywood set, it is nearly impossible to learn these classic, time-saving routines. And unless you've been a pro in the business, you're not going to know about such things as the relative merits of Magliner and Rubbermaid carts for hauling equipment.

The book covers the general characteristics of film, cameras, and lenses in such a way as to give a general technical education. Dave also gives a valuable overview of the camera department and its place in film production overall.

What many readers will find most useful are the sections on troubleshooting, the diagrams and threading patterns of every currently used camera, and the wealth of forms and lists to organize the on-set work.

I've tried to give a good idea of what the book covers, but it contains much, much more. I've been using The Camera Assistant's Manual since the first edition. This is the biggest and the best version. I only wish that, when I started as a camera assistant, I had had access to such a clear, helpful book.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Amazing reference! May leave you a soulless husk if you read it all the way through..., January 9, 2007

By 

J. Wolfsberger - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Camera Assistant's Manual, Fourth Edition (Paperback)

I bought this book when I was hired to AC for a project on equipment I had never worked with before. For one of those, "Holly crap! I agreed to do a job I only know how to do part of!" moments, this book is great. Every question I could think of was answered thoroughly and I mean THOROUGHLY. If you want to learn exactly what the responsibilities of an Assistant Camera Person are and how best to execute them read this book! If you are a working AC and want an easy to read, text-book style reference this is it.