Customer Reviews

The Film Director: Updated for Today's Filmmaker, the Classic, Practical Reference to Motion Picture and Television Techniques

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The strength of this book is that Richard Bare tells a lot of very entertaining stories that he or other directors have had to face. In doing so, he engages the reader and invites us on his personal journey through his career in making motion pictures. In particular, his stories about Spielberg & Lucas are engaging. Also, I think that the chapter on the two different forms of acting was particularly good.

The weakness of this book is that it is more a collection of "war stories" applied to chapters that are supposed to be instructive. In other words, he has chapters including: "Camera as a directors tool", "working with a film editor", "creating a job for yourself", etc... however, these chapters are not particularly insightful in teaching one about the topic. Part of this is the result of being laid out in what feels like a random order, instead of each chapter building on the previous one. Additionally, the book gets bogged down in that it tries to cover so much that it is only successful superficially.

Again, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. Thus, I would highly recommend it as a read to anyone that is seeking pleasure. However, if you are after the true "directors" insight... I would refer you to "Making Movies" by Sidney Lumet. "The Film Director" is to "Making Movies" as "Mobsters" is to "The Godfather".

Richard Bare does a tremendous job in inspiring the novice director giving him/her a down to earth look into what it takes to be a successful director. The insights and historical facts to the realities of movie making made me aware of the passion and courage many directors must have to bring their vision alive. Mr Bare is forthrite and yet encouraging in revealing the truths to what will make a great director. The book is practical and gives a step by step guide to the role the director must play in dealing with cast and crew from pre to post production. I highly recommend this book.

This is a very good book. Bare's knowledge is from experience and is not garnished from other books. Well worth the price.

In 1972, I was real excited about going to a film school and becoming a filmmaker. In the back of this book, there was a list of colleges offering film degrees. I chose one of those listed, the University of Oregon in Eugene. After a freshman year of fun, I went into my counselor and said I was ready to declare my major in film. "We don't have a film school here." he solemnly stated. "But it's in the book!" I exclaimed. I immediatly tried to get into UCLA, but the wait was 1 1/2 years. Thus endeth my pursuit of a film career (I'm now in TV advertising). I found this book recently in a bookstore and sure enough...it still lists U of Oregon as offering a film degree!!