Film Directing Shot by Shot: Visualizing from Concept to Screen (Michael Wiese Productions) [Paperback]

Steven D. Katz (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 31, 1991 | Series: Michael Wiese Productions

A complete catalogue of motion picture techniques for filmmakers. It concentrates on the 'storytelling' school of filmmaking, utilizing the work of the great stylists who established the versatile vocabulary of technique that has dominated the movies
since 1915. This graphic approach includes comparisons of style by interpreting a 'model script', created for the book, in storyboard form.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Film Directing Shot by Shot offers a good introduction to the rudiments of film production. Steven D. Katz walks his readers through the various stages of moviemaking, advising them at every turn to visualize the films they wish to produce. Katz believes that one of the chief tasks of filmmaking is to negotiate between our three-dimensional reality and the two-dimensionality of the screen. He covers the number of technical options filmmakers can use to create a satisfying flow of shots, a continuity that will make sense to viewers and aptly tell the film's story. Katz provides in-depth coverage of production design, storyboarding, spatial connections, editing, scene staging, depth of frame, camera angles, point of view, and the various types of stable compositions and moving camera shots.

Review

"Now that you've got a couple of shorts under your belt, why not get a little more analytic? Steven Katz's book gives a great breakdown of the fundamentals of film directing. It's not something you might want to start off by reading, but once you are ready to have your films take that next step this should be number one on your to do list. Katz breaks down film language for you so that you can learn how to speak it in your own way." - www.austinfilmfestival.com

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Product Details

• Paperback: 366 pages
• Publisher: Focal Press; 1 edition (July 31, 1991)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0941188108
• ISBN-13: 978-0941188104
• Product Dimensions: 6.3 x 0.9 x 9.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (53 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #10,597 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #1 in Books > Humor & Entertainment > Television > Direction & Production
  • #10 in Books > Humor & Entertainment > Movies > Direction & Production
  • #22 in Books > Arts & Photography > Performing Arts

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

69 of 75 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Mixed Review May 20, 2001

By Thor Vader

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

The main problem with this book is that it suffers from either being too in depth and far beyond a beginners book or at other times is far too rudimentary. That said, its strength is that it is one of the only books on directing that actually takes you through shot composition, different lenses, and the cinematic achievement that can be created by various devices ranging from cranes to simple editing techniques. Overall, I feel that I learned some new things from this book, but at the same time - after having read it cover to cover - it just doesn't strike me as a great reference book... as I had hoped it would be.

54 of 59 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars For someone trying to break in, this is the book for them. June 30, 1999

By [e-mail]

Format:Paperback

When I entered college to recieve a bachelor's degree, I wasn't quite sure what I wanted to do. I ended up choosing a degree in acting, but have since wondered if that was the wrong choice. In the last year of college, I became interested in film direction, but felt it was to late to pursue that career. Mr. Katz's book has changed my mind. In less than one week, I learned more about the technique of film direction than I ever learned in numerous film, and television classes. This book was easy to read, yet not easy in subject matter. It challenges the reader to visualize the subject matter, and to work out common problems in his/her head. It uses an extensive study of soryboarding from both classic and fictional films to easily illustrate his technique. Although Mr Katz uses a pretty set theory of film mechanics, he does challenge the reader to experiment and to create new and exciting art. This book is a must for beginners in the film industry, and I have a hunch that advanced artists could learn a lot from it too.

39 of 43 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Steven D. Katz positions the Filmmaker as Graphic Designer. August 28, 1997

By [e-mail]

Format:Paperback

Film Directing Shot by Shot is a step back from the filmmaker's lens. This book is a praise of preplanning shots and putting them together in the filmmaker's head. Steven D. Katz has presented a great resource not laden with hard technical terminology limited to the professional.
Katz explores the graphic design of a shot, presenting alternate examples of shot layout side by side. The author encourages seeing shots on the storyboard and how they play together, seeing the movie as static pictures before any film is spent. As he explains: "look at each sequence as a complete statement. Developing an intuitive sense of the overall perceptual effect of a sequence is one of the skills necessary for visualization." (pp 160) He offers traditional process but encourages experimental methods where appropriate.
I was pointed toward the book as an art professional interested in filmmaking. Having read other film preproduction books this has been the best so far.