Film Production Technique: Creating the Accomplished Image (Wadsworth Series in Television and Film) [Paperback]

Bruce Mamer (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 1995 | ISBN-10: 0534205682 | ISBN-13: 978-0534205683

This text emphasizes the importance of understanding and mastering traditional filmmaking technique, focusing on filmmaking in the conventional Hollywood style.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"I think the book's greatest strength is that it can serve as both a textbook for an introductory media production class and a textbook for an introductory film class. The general level of detail and thoroughness is also a great asset. The book is obviously written by a filmmaker, which gives it credibility and weight."

"The single most impressive aspect of the book is the use of diagrams and illustrations to help present technical concepts. Many film students are visually oriented learners and can be turned off by what they perceive to be 'dry discussions of technical concepts.' I've looked at a lot of different texts over the years and have never found anything as well designed as is found in this book." --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

About the Author

Bruce Mamer's experience stretches across academia and the professional filmmaking market. Over the last 30 years, Mamer has freelanced with various lighting, shooting, and sound crews. In addition, he has directed many social service, documentary, and fictional film and video projects. Mamer taught film and video production for more than 25 years and is currently writing freelance on film and video topics, as well as rekindling an old love affair with still photography--working in both film and digital formats (http://jmlfoto.com). Up to date with the technology in his field, Mamer is very good at boiling down complex technical concepts and communicating them in a way that students can fully understand. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 448 pages
• Publisher: Wadsworth Pub Co (August 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0534205682
• ISBN-13: 978-0534205683
• Product Dimensions: 10.8 x 8.5 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,971,694 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fan-Freakin'-Tastic, November 10, 2000

By 

Taylor Bryant (Salt Lake City, UT USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Film Production Technique: Creating the Accomplished Image (Wadsworth Series in Television and Film) (Paperback)

I can barely express how far superior this book is to the restof what's out there. I'll try, of course, but first let me tell you how I arrived at this conclusion.

I looked through all of the books on Amazon that fell under the category of Cinematography, and then chose about the top 25 rated ones. I went to Inter-Library Loans at my university and requested them all. I got about a dozen.

Of all I got, this one, while broad (which I would have thought to be a disadvantage) was by far the most engrossing and the principles were illustrated (graphically and rhetorically) with a clarity that is unusual and tough to achieve. I'm really going to go off on the lighting section of the book (4 chapters, count 'em- "Concepts and Equipment" (which is as far as most books get), "Exposure and Latitude," "Planning the Lighting" (Hallelujah!)and "Executing the Lighting."

Some great advantages: Most of the books I got read like a lighting catalog (this is a tweenie, this is a mini-mole, this is a HMI blah-blah...) As a student filmmaker, that just wastes my time. I don't have access to 10,000 watt HMIs or ultra-specialized fiber-optic lighting kits, so why should I buy a book that more or less advertises them?

One other great strength- They show a photo of a well lit scene (typical) and then pull back with a diagram illustrating the lighting that has achieved this (Unusual for most books, standard for this one). This shouldn't have to be a revelation, but it is.

My interest in this book was sparked with the great lighting section, but there are some other sections stand out: Composition, Previsualization, Basic Scene structure.

The rest of the book is thorough in examining the underlying principles at work: lens, film stocks, audio (with a great section on recording strategies- wow, not just another explanation of a cardioid mic pattern).

I plan on begging, pleading, threatening, blackmailing or whatever means prove neccessary to convince my film professors that this should be our standard text. I would have had an infinitely better time of things on past projects if I had had it.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent introduction, October 1, 1996

By A Customer

This review is from: Film Production Technique: Creating the Accomplished Image (Wadsworth Series in Television and Film) (Paperback)

I'll be honest. The author is a friend of mine and you can find my name in the acknowledgements.
However, i can honestly say this is the best introduction to film production i've ever read. While it is a textbook, it is extremely readable. The information the author gives is first rate. Before you try to read about how to direct, start here and learn what actually goes in to making a motion picture.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars If you're ready to stop DREAMING and start MAKING films..., May 10, 1999

By 

Electronic fan (Minneapolis, MN USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Film Production Technique: Creating the Accomplished Image (Wadsworth Series in Television and Film) (Paperback)

...this is the book for you. Covering everything from the camera to editing, this is film school in paperback form.

I had Bruce, the author, as my film production teacher not too long ago. "Film Production Technique" isn't some esoteric diatribe, it is a nuts and bolts "how to" book on film production. The book is thoughtfully laid out, plain spoken, and punctuated with helpful diagrams and pictures.

Intended for the novice, Mamer's book is an indispensable reference for the seasoned film maker as well.

If you have the nerve, "Film Production Technique" will show you how to make your idea a reality.