Visual Effects for Film and Television (Media Manuals) [Paperback]

Mitch Mitchell (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 4, 2004 | ISBN-10: 0240516753 | ISBN-13: 978-0240516752 | Edition: 1

* An invaluable insight into the use of visual effects in film and television
* Fully illustrated with diagrams to show you step-by-step techniques
* Covers visual effects processes from front-of-camera to post-production
* Integrated approach to film, video and digital techniques
* Redefines the rules of photography so that they can be broken for effects
* Shows the line of development from the oldest to the newest processes
* A must for cinematographers, editors, designers and students of VFX alike
* Everything you need to know to plan and supervise visual effects shots
* Essential reading for anyone working in commercials/advertising photography or effects

Written by an experienced professional, this manual is the essential guide to understanding the principles and background of modern visual effects.

Visual effects are at the forefront of a digital revolution in the film and video industry and are becoming more and more important to movie language. This book teaches the practical techniques and skills required to incorporate effects successfully into both film and television production.

* Offers an invaluable insight into the use of special effects in film and television
* Step-by-step coverage from moving camera through to post production for ease of understanding
* Learn all the skills and techniques required from the only text available on the subject

Editorial Reviews

Review

"There is such a wealth of information...I believe that it will be useful and interesting for established filmmakers and students alike...it is the best book of its kind that I have ever read." - Image Technology

"A well-written guide to producing visual effects, both with cameras and computers, this forms an excellent background to film and TV technology." - Lighting and Sound

Book Description

An essential quick reference which provides the latest techniques and practices in the area of special effects.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 248 pages
• Publisher: Focal Press; 1 edition (October 4, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0240516753
• ISBN-13: 978-0240516752
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 5.4 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,368,532 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

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Amazing Reference Work, November 7, 2005

By 

Craig Zerouni (Los Angeles, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Visual Effects for Film and Television (Media Manuals) (Paperback)

This is an amazing book. It covers every conceivable aspect of getting visual effects onto film (and videotape), and is particularly strong on historical techniques that are probably not familiar to a new generation of filmmakers, who have been raised to think that computers solve all problems. It's an incredibly dense collection of information.

This is not a book about using computers to do visual effects - it is about capturing, as much as possible, the desired effect in camera, through a variety of ingenious means. I've been working in this field for 25 years, and I still found myself saying "ooohhh, so that's how that works" on several occasions. It's very strong on using historical examples to illustrate particular techniques, which always makes things much clearer (full disclosure: I know the author personally).

As well as describing how to do things (including options and variations on a theme), this book also is very good at pointing out potential problems and things not to do. This is good information, obtained the hard way, and readers should cherish it.

There is also some information on opticals and digital compositing, and even less on straightforward computer generation techniques. But those topics are well served by many, many other books, while Mitchell's book covers territory that is not often treated.

Anyone seriously interested in this topic should read this book.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A "must-have" tips, tricks, and techniques manual, January 11, 2005

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Visual Effects for Film and Television (Media Manuals) (Paperback)

Professional digital effects pioneer Mitch Mitchell presents Visual Effects for Film & Television, a thorough guide to visual effect processes used in television complete with step-by-step guides, integrative approaches to film, video and digital techniques, chronologies of development from the oldest to the newest processes, and much more. Mitchell has worked in visual effects since the early days of color television at BBC, and his list of achievements ranges from effects for "Doctor Who" to the recent smash hit movies "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban", "Troy", and "The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen". Chapters cover photography for effects, composite photography, combining action with pre-shot backgrounds, computer-based technqiues and much more. Organized for quick and easy reference or on-the-job use, Visual Effects for Film & Television is a "must-have" tips, tricks, and techniques manual especially for professionals, yet also invaluable for students and amateurs seeking to push their talents a step beyond simple home movies.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars time honored, industry proven, December 27, 2005

By 

VFX_student_9 (Savannah, GA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Visual Effects for Film and Television (Media Manuals) (Paperback)

If your looking for a book on time honored, industry proven special effects this is the book for you. If you want to expand your knowledge and understanding of basic principles and historic technique this is the book for you. This book has helped me understand how effects have become what they are today.

However, if you're looking for a book that will immediately address modern computer generated effects look elsewhere. If you're looking for a book that will give you a clear insight into the state of the industry today look elsewhere. If you're looking for a book that will spell out /outline what a modern VFX college course is designed to teach you look elsewhere.

I'm not a professional. I'm just a student aggressively searching for knowledge and this book is packed full of it. So I force myself to keep reading wile I dream of a book that dynamically outlines the nuts and bolts of modern effects technology.