Basics Film-Making 03: Directing Fiction

by Robert Edgar

Overview

Basics Film-Making: Directing Fiction introduces the essential aspects of the directorial process, focusing on the requirements of short films while also drawing on classic examples from the world of feature films. It looks at the tricky balancing act of art and business, offering guidelines and basic principles rather than instructions.

Divided into the three key stages of the film-making process - pre-production, production and postproduction, the book provides students with a framework to begin directing their own productions. The chapters are interspersed with case studies investigating the working practices of leading professionals such as Robert Rodriguez, and Mike Leigh.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9782940411009
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Academic
Publication date:	11/02/2009
Series:	Basics Filmmaking , #3
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	184
Product dimensions:	6.30(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.60(d)

About the Author

Robert Edgar-Hunt is programme head of Film and TV Production at York St John University. He also practises as a screenwriter and has research interests in creative writing, postmodernism and film directing.

Table of Contents

How to get the most out of this book. Introduction. Preliminaries: Directing: Art or business?; The production team; Theories and their application; Directing: The vision; Avoiding Alan Smithee; Exercises. Pre-production: The pre-production team; Working with script; Case study: Peter Hunt; Image composition; Storyboards; Locations; Casting; Cast study: Mike Leigh; Rehearsing actors; Mark Herman interview; Exercises. Production: The production team; Case study: Robert Rodriguez; The director as artist; Working with sound and image; Setting the shot; Case study: Martin Scorsese; Production equipment; Production effects; Working on location; The first assistant director; Working with actors; Non-professional actors; Reviewing your material; Mark Herman interview; Exercise. Post-production: The post-production team; Editing systems; The grammar of the edit; Case study: Sergei Eisenstein; Sound and music; The finishing touches; Exhibition and distribution; Case study: Miles Watts; Consent, clearance and copyright; Mark Herman interview; Exercises. Conclusion. Directing and film resources. Picture credits. Acknowledgements. Working with ethics.

Editorial Reviews

I think this is an excellent book. The writing is clear, concise and informed. The layout is lively and makes it very accessible to students. Great exercise ideas ... I imagine it'll inspire many a budding film-maker to get their teeth into the business of making films and to stick with it, regardless of how challenging it can sometimes be.
Wyn Mason, University of Glamorgan, UK

The book is really excellent, finely produced and illustrated and with an intelligent and thoughtful text ... The case studies are varied and well selected ... No budding film-maker could fail to find something valuable here: in its concise, accessible and unassuming way, it's as good a book of its kind and for its student audience as I have yet encountered.
Neil Sinyard, University of Hull (retired), UK

The book is well written, the layout is clear and it is relevant to the courses I teach.
Robert Klenner, Anglia Ruskin University, UK

From the Publisher