The Filmmaker's Guide to Visual Effects offers a practical, detailed guide to visual effects for non-VFX specialists working in film and television. In contemporary filmmaking and television production, visual effects are used extensively in a wide variety of genres and formats to contribute to visual storytelling, help deal with production limitations, and reduce budget costs. Yet for many directors, producers, editors, and cinematographers, visual effects remain an often misunderstood aspect of media production. In this book, award-winning VFX supervisor and instructor Eran Dinur introduces readers to visual effects from the filmmaker's perspective, providing a comprehensive guide to conceiving, designing, budgeting, planning, shooting, and reviewing VFX, from pre-production through post-production. The book will help readers: Learn what it takes for editors, cinematographers, directors, producers, gaffers, and other filmmakers to work more effectively with the visual effects team during pre-production, on the set and in post, use visual effects as a narrative aid, reduce production costs, and solve problems on location; Achieve a deeper understanding of 3D, 2D, and 2.5D workflows; the various VFX crafts from matchmove to compositing; essential concepts like photorealism, parallax, roto, and extraction; become familiar with the most common types of VFX, their role in filmmaking, and learn how to plan effectively for the cost and complexity of VFX shots; See visual effects concepts brought to life in practical, highly illustrated examples drawn from the real-world experiences of industry professionals, and discover how to better integrate visual effects into your own projects.

Industrial Light & Magic Presents: Making Solo: A Star Wars Story is an eyewitness account of the film's production from visual effects supervisor and coproducer Rob Bredow. The book gives readers an intimate glimpse into the journey that Solo took from pre-production, production, and post-production, fully documenting how this film came to the big screen. Making Solo gives a chronological overview of how this multiple-Academy-Award-winning visual effects company created new worlds, aliens, droids, and vehicles for a galaxy far, far away, including insights into how the train heist on Vandor, L3-37, the Kessel Run, and the reimagined Millennium Falcon were brought to life. A must-have for Star Wars fans, this authorized, all-access book will be an indispensable work for all movie fans and devotees of popular culture.

Sound for Film and Television, Third Edition provides a thorough introduction to the fascinating field of recording, editing, mixing, and exhibiting film and television sound. It strikes a fine balance between aesthetic and technical content, combining theory and practice to approach sound as both an art and a science. This new edition has been completely updated to reflect the latest advances in HD technology, new hardware and software systems, new distribution methods, wireless sound capture, and more. Also, analog-related content has been reduced and transferred to the chapters covering historical techniques. Sections on troubleshooting and FAQs have been added to help you avoid common pitfalls in sound production.

Written by one of Hollywood's leading sound experts, Sound for Film and Television provides a solid grounding in all aspects of the sound process. Basic principles are presented with illustrations demonstrating how they affect the day-to-day activities on a film or television set, in the editing room, and in the mix room.

The accompanying audio downloadable resources contain more than 50 tracks that demonstrate practical, real-world examples of key concepts presented in the book.

A companion Web site provides further resources and information:

www.focalpress.com/cw/holman-9780240813301/

Please use the access code located in the beginning of the book to register for access to the Web site.

Table of Contents

Preface to the Third Edition

Introduction

Chapter 1 Objective Sound

Chapter 2 Psychoacoustics

Chapter 3 Audio Fundamentals

Chapter 4 Capturing Sound

Chapter 5 Microphone Technicalities

Chapter 6 Handling the Output of Microphones

Chapter 7 Production Sound Mixing

Chapter 8 Sync, Sank, Sunk

Chapter 9 Transfers

Chapter 10 Sound Design

Chapter 11 Editing

Chapter 12 Mixing

Chapter 13 From Print Masters to Exploitation

Appendix I Working with Decibels

Appendix II Filmography

Appendix III The Eleven Commandments of Film Sound

Appendix IV Bibliography

Glossary

Index

About the Author

The Companion Website

Instructions for the Accompanying DVD

Strong images only come about through a combination of technical excellence and thorough composition. While there is plenty of technical advice, photographers often turn to fine-art sources for the so-called 'rules of composition'. This book, however, acknowledges photography's quite different dynamic and offers a contemporary approach to composition more suited to the medium. The second edition of Basics Photography 01: Composition offers a contemporary approach to composition. Its six core chapters cover historical background and personal motivation, formal elements, space and time within the photographic frame and composition in real-world situations. The Basics Photography series, originally published by AVA Publishing, comprises a collection of titles including: Lighting, Composition, Capturing Colour, Post-Production Black & White, Post-Production Colour, Working in Black & White and Exposure. Easily accessible and highly readable, the books clearly explain and explore fundamental photographic concepts; they are fully indexed and illustrated with clear diagrams and inspiring imagery, building to provide an essential introduction to the subject.

Visual effects cinematography is the art of creating special effects during a film or video shoot using camerawork, optical illusions, and miniatures to create realistic-looking effects. Filming the Fantastic reveals the secrets of achieving these effects to filmmakers on a modest budget. Many effects are now created in postproduction (after the shoot) and require incredibly expensive workstations and 3D animation software that are beyond the reach of independent filmmakers. With this book, filmmakers are empowered to create professional effects during the shoot for little money. Sawicki teaches filmmakers to invent solutions and use their ingenuity to get it right the first time so they don't have to "fix it in post," a notoriously expensive and time-consuming process that derails many movies. The book has been updated from start to finish, including new technology, even more inside secrets, HD, even more step-by-step illustrations, and more user-friendly advice from inside the trenches. A website features step-by-step features with raw footage and backgrounds, a compilation, and several lectures given by the author. Readers learn how to effectively photograph and create miniatures, matte paintings, green screen setups, crowd replication, digital rear projection, replicate props, models, fire, smoke, floods, and explosions, and so much more -- all to create elements that will composite together flawlessly.

In a film career that spanned more than seven decades, Freddie Francis distinguished himself as both an award-winning cinematographer and as a director of classic British horror films of the 1960s and 70s. From his formative years as a clapperboy and camera assistant in the 1930s to his work as camera operator, director of photography, and director through the 1990s, Francis had a unique behind-the-scenes perspective on filmmaking, particular British cinema. Throughout his career, Francis was honored with several BAFTA nominations and received Academy Awards for Sons and Lovers and Glory. Freddie Francis: The Straight Story from Moby Dick to Glory, a Memoir is a personal story by one of the great British filmmakers of the 20th century. In this engaging volume, Francis provides a firsthand account of working on such classics as The Small Back Room, Beat the Devil, Room at the Top, Saturday Night and Sunday Morning, The Elephant Man, The French Lieutenant's Woman, Cape Fear, and The Straight Story. He also reveals what is was like to work with some of the most significant filmmakers on both sides of the Atlantic, including Carol Reed, Rene Clair, Michael Powell, Emeric Pressberger, John Huston, Karel Reisz, Robert Mulligan, Jack Clayton, Martin Scorsese, and David Lynch. With his own brand of humor and charm, Francis recounts his career as a director for the British horror studios Hammer Films and its chief rival, Amicus Productions. Freddie Francis's memoir provides an insider's view of the British Film industry from the mid-1930s to the 1990s. As such, it will appeal to both scholars of cinema and anyone interested in the golden age of filmmaking in the latter half of the twentieth century.

From stereoview cards to large-format IMAX films, 3-D technology's heightened realism and powerful visual allure have held audiences captive for over a century and a half. The technology, known as stereoscopy, creates an illusion of depth by presenting two slightly different images to the eye in print or on-screen. The advent of stereoscopic film technology excited both filmmakers and audiences, as a means of replicating all of the sounds, colors, movement, and dimensionality of life and nature for the first time. The origins of 3-D film are often linked with a proliferation of stereoscopic films in the 1950s. By the time films like Man in the Dark and House of Wax was attracting large crowds, however, the technology behind this form of filmmaking was already over a century old. Stereoscopic Cinema and the Origins of 3-D Film, 1838-1952, examines this "novelty period" of stereoscopic film, charting its progression from Charles Wheatstone's 1938 discovery of 3-D to the 1952 release of Arch Oboler's innovative film, Bwana Devil. Stereoscopic specialist Ray Zone argues that the development of stereoscopic film can best be understood through a historical analysis of the technology rather than of its inventors. Zone examines the products used to create stereoscopic images, noting such milestones as David Brewster's and Oliver Wendell Holmes's work with stereoscopes, the use of polarizing image selection, and the success of twin-strip 3-D films, among others. In addition, Zone looks at the films produced up to 1952, discussing public reception of early 3-D short films as well as longer features such as Power of Love in single-strip anaglyphic projection in 1922 and Semyon Ivanov's 1941 autostereoscope Robinson Crusoe. He integrates his examination of the evolution of 3-D film with other cinematic developments, demonstrating the connection between stereoscopic motion pictures and modern film production. Stereoscopic Cinema and the Origins of 3-D Film, 1838-1952, is an exhaustive study of not only the evolution of 3-D technology and the subsequent filmmaking achievements but also the public response to and cultural impact of 3-D movies. Zone takes the reader on a voyage of discovery into the rich history of a field that predates photography and that continues to influence television and computer animation today.

New to this edition:
* Learn how many Hollywood techniques--previously impractical on video--can help solve problems on smaller productions
* Expanded cookbook recipes section
* Technically updated throughout
Make your soundtracks as good as your pictures with this compendium of professional audio techniques that can be adapted to desktop post. Specializing in sound after the shoot, this book features many practical examples, cookbook recipes, and tutorials. Audio theory, when necessary, is presented in plain English with plenty of visual analogies.
FAQs, full explanations, and from-the-trenches tips address the complete range of processes from wiring and hardware to testing the final mix. The one-hour audio CD features platform-independent diagnostics, demonstrations, and tutorial tracks. Novices will learn how to improve their soundtrack--even after the actors have gone home. Experienced producers will learn how to solve technical and creative problems quickly.
You'll get recipes and step-by-step instructions on how to:
* build an efficient and reliable audio post setup
* plan and budget a good soundtrack
* get sound into your NLE without losing quality or sync
* edit voices and music
* record Foley and ADR
* find music and use it effectively
* find and create your own sound effects
* shape sounds with equalization, reverb, noise reduction, and more
* produce the final mix
* test the final product for various media
Please visit the author's website for additional resources: http: //www.dplay.com/book/app
* Popular DV Magazine columnist Jay Rose makes it easy to improve your soundtrack
* Includes "cookbookrecipes"--step-by-step solutions for common audio processing operations
* One-hour audio CD includes platform-independent diagnostics, demonstrations, and tutorial tracks to load into your NLE

Filmmaking is an art, but, like so many art forms, there are basic underlying tools and techniques and a body theoretical knowledge that must be understood and mastered before artistic expression can flourish. This book is an invaluable resource for all aspiring DoPs. Practical Cinematography can be dipped into for quick reference - perhaps to answer a specific question or deal with practical problems relating to a shoot - or read from cover to cover. It discusses the principles of cinematography and the expertise which is unique to the Director of Photography (DoP). It deals with all the basic theory such as color temperature and sensitometry, and all the practical things a DoP needs to know, from the make-up of the crew to how to prepare an equipment list.

Behind each shot there lies an idea or purpose. When setting up a shot, the camera operator can employ a range of visual techniques that will clearly communicate the idea to an audience. Composition is the bedrock of the operator's craft, yet is seldom taught in training courses in the belief that it is an intuitive, personal skill. Peter Ward shows how composition can be learned, to enhance the quality of your work. Based on the author's own practical experience, the book deals with the methods available for resolving practical production questions such as: Does the shot composition accurately reflect the idea that initiated the shot? Will the content and method of presenting the subject accurately convey the idea? Major innovations in television and film production since the previous edition have affected the styles of composition, such as wide-screen and the use of mini DV cameras. These new technologies and their implications for picture composition are addressed in this new edition. A new colour plate section is also being included to update the section on colour. If you are a practising camera operator, trainee camera operator, student or lecturer on a television or film production course, or simply a video enthusiast wishing to progress to a more professional standard you will find this book essential in enhancing the quality of your work.

The Basics of Filmmaking is an introductory textbook tailored to the needs of beginning and intermediate film students and independent filmmakers that expertly guides you through the entirety of the craft, from screenwriting all the way through to editing, with detailed chapters covering each department involved in the filmmaking process. The book takes a behind-the-scenes look at every aspect of the filmmaking process: writing the screenplay (and getting it critiqued by a professional), pre-production, cinematography, lighting, the shooting process, getting good audio, editing, and even going to a pitch meeting to sell it. It addresses the real fundamentals, the mechanics and the basic concepts of how to write, produce, direct, shoot, record, and edit your movie. Written by Blain Brown, a seasoned expert who has worked professionally as a cinematographer, screenwriter, director, producer, line producer, assistant director, gaffer, grip, and editor; this is a must have resource for any filmmaking student. Featuring an accompanying companion website with video examples of scene directing methods, continuity and coverage, working with the camera, lighting, audio, and editing, and downloadable production forms you can fill out and use for your projects.

'Tim Crook has written an important and much-needed book, and its arrival on our shelves has come at a highly appropriate time.' Professor Se n Street, Bournemouth University

The Sound Handbook maps theoretical and practical connections between the creation and study of sound across the multi-media spectrum of film, radio, music, sound art, websites, animation and computer games entertainment, and stage theatre.

Using a cross-disciplinary approach Tim Crook explores the technologies, philosophies and cultural issues involved in making and experiencing sound, investigating soundscape debates and providing both intellectual and creative production information. The book covers the history, theory and practice of sound and includes practical production projects and a glossary of key terms.

The Sound Handbook is supported by a companion website, signposted throughout the book, with further practical and theoretical resources dedicated to bridging the creation and study of sound across professional platforms and academic disciplines.

The first-ever comprehensive examination of the film editor's craft from the beginning of cinema to the present day. Of all the film-making crafts, editing is the least understood. Using examples drawn from classic film texts, this book clarifies the editor's role and explains how the editing process maximises the effectiveness of the filmed material. Traces the development of editing from the primitive forms of early cinema through the upheavals caused by the advent of sound, to explore the challenges to convention that began in the 1960s and which continue into the twenty-first century. New digital technologies and the dominance of the moving image as an increasingly central part of everyday life have produced a radical rewriting of the rules of audio-visual address. It is not a technical treatise; instructive and accessible, this historically-based insight into filmmaking practice will prove invaluable to students of film and also appeal to a much wider readership. -- .

The Basics of Filmmaking is an introductory textbook tailored to the needs of beginning and intermediate film students and independent filmmakers that expertly guides you through the entirety of the craft, from screenwriting all the way through to editing, with detailed chapters covering each department involved in the filmmaking process.

The book takes a behind-the-scenes look at every aspect of the filmmaking process: writing the screenplay (and getting it critiqued by a professional), pre-production, cinematography, lighting, the shooting process, getting good audio, editing, and even going to a pitch meeting to sell it. It addresses the real fundamentals, the mechanics and the basic concepts of how to write, produce, direct, shoot, record, and edit your movie.

Written by Blain Brown, a seasoned expert who has worked professionally as a cinematographer, screenwriter, director, producer, line producer, assistant director, gaffer, grip, and editor; this is a must have resource for any filmmaking student.

Featuring an accompanying companion website with video examples of scene directing methods, continuity and coverage, working with the camera, lighting, audio, and editing, and downloadable production forms you can fill out and use for your projects.

Table of Contents

FILMMAKING THE BASICS

WRITING YOUR STORY

PRODUCTION

THE AD TEAM

CONTINUITY AND COVERAGE

THE WORK OF THE DIRECTOR

CINEMATOGRAPHY

LIGHTING AND GRIP

THE ART DEPARTMENT

SLATING AND SCRIPTY

AUDIO BASICS

THE WORK OF THE EDITOR

SAFETY

GETTING STARTED IN THE BUSINESS

TERMINOLOGY

RESOURCES

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In 1891, William Dickson, a researcher at Thomas Edison's firm, developed the Kinetograph, a motion picture camera that used Eastman Kodak's new celluloid film. Almost immediately, an industry was born. The new artistic and technical discipline of motion picture photography matured as the film industry grew. From the beginnings of the movie camera, developments in film production and exhibition have been inextricably linked to the evolution of motion picture photography. This work traces the history of motion picture photography from the late 19th century through the year 1960, when color photography became the accepted standard. Generously illustrated, it covers each decade's cameras, lenses, cameramen, film processing methods, formats, studios, lighting techniques and major cinematographic developments. Each chapter concludes with examples of the decade's outstanding cinematography.

Did you ever want to know how to apply simple and practical work techniques to all that film editing theory? Here is an authentic 'How-to' guide - adaptable to all tools and technologies - to make you a better editor of film or video. Pepperman's vibrant approach uses dozens of terrific sequences from a wide array of films to teach you how editing can make a good film better. He defines what is constant in all great work and gives you all the tips you need to achieve your own greatness.

Written both for students and working professionals, this book walks readers step-by-step through the foundations of color grading for projects of any size, from music videos and commercials to full-length features. In this clear, practical, and software-agnostic guide, author Charles Haine introduces readers to the technical and artistic side of color grading and color correction. Color Grading 101 balances technical chapters like color-matching, mastering, and compression with artistic chapters like contrast/affinity, aesthetic trends, and building a color plan. The book also includes more business-focused chapters detailing best practices and expert advice on working with clients, managing a team, working with VFX, and building a business. An accompanying eResource offers downloadable footage and project files to help readers work through the exercises and examples in the book. This book serves as a perfect introduction for aspiring colorists as well as editors, cinematographers, and directors looking to familiarize themselves with the color grading process.

Sam O'Steen was the editor who helped create some of the most important films during the Golden Age of Cinema, including "The Graduate, Chinatown" and "Cool Hand Luke." In this behind-the-scenes look at the art of editing, O'Steen talks candidly about working and playing with Hollywood's biggest directors and stars. 30 photos.

In a career spanning six decades, director of photography Alan Hume has worked on over 100 films and television shows and progressed through the ranks from a young clapper boy to one of the best lighting cameramen in the business. From early films with David Lean, through the popular Carry On series, Amicus horror, four James Bonds, Star Wars: Return of the Jedi, A Fish Called Wanda, Shirley Valentine, Stepping Out, and others, Alan Hume has worked alongside some of the most acclaimed directors and producers and biggest film stars. The memoir, from his evacuation as a child in World War II to his retirement, includes a collection of rare photographs, both in front of and behind the camera. He explains technical details and insights of the industry while divulging anecdotes about celebrities and filmmaking. It concludes with a summary of the technological changes throughout his career and to the present, and a full filmography. With great good humor, Hume offers an incomparable tour behind the camera.

Using extensive research and interviews with many of the surviving Technicolor technicians, the history of dye printing and the events leading to its demise are fully covered. (The Beijing Film Laboratory is the only facility currently using the process.) Included are diagrams of how the process worked and an extensive listing of U.S. feature films printed with it.

Behind each shot there lies an idea or purpose. When setting up a shot, the camera operator can employ a range of visual techniques that will clearly communicate the idea to an audience. Composition is the bedrock of the operator's craft, yet is seldom taught in training courses in the belief that it is an intuitive, personal skill. Peter Ward shows how composition can be learned, to enhance the quality of your work.
Based on the author's own practical experience, the book deals with the methods available for resolving practical production questions such as:
Does the shot composition accurately reflect the idea that initiated the shot?
Will the content and method of presenting the subject accurately convey the idea?
Major innovations in television and film production since the previous edition have affected the styles of composition, such as wide-screen and the use of mini DV cameras. These new technologies and their implications for picture composition are addressed in this new edition. A new colour plate section is also being included to update the section on colour.
If you are a practising camera operator, trainee camera operator, student or lecturer on a television or film production course, or simply a video enthusiast wishing to progress to a more professional standard you will find this book essential in enhancing the quality of your work.
* Learn the secrets of successful composition from an experienced camera operator
* Completely rewritten including compositional implications of widescreen, DV cameras
* Teaches through varied examples of practical scenarios and problem-solving

Covering all aspects of production safety, this is an invaluable reference guide for the independent programme maker, freelancer, manager, producer, tutor and student filmmaker. Robin Small identifies all the major risks and gives advice on how to control and/or eliminate them. Each hazard section includes useful references to the relevant legislation, documents and licences, as well as addresses of organisations for essential advice and recommended further reading. An appendix lists samples of vital certificates, with visual references provided on www.focalpress.com.

Important information about hazard identification, risk assessment and safety policy is provided in the chapters covering legislation, health and safety management, personal protective equipment and insurance. Particular hazards are then split into individual sections for ease of reference. These hazards include:
Asbestos
Cranes
Explosives and pyrotechnics
Food and catering
Manual handing and lifting
Visual display screens
Working at heights
The appendices provide comprehensive contact information for UK and European Heath and Safety sources. They also include sample forms to draw up your own safety system.
Robin Small is Senior Lecturer in Television, Media Department at the University of Huddersfield.
Learn how to identify potential hazards and control and/or eliminate them.
Gain fast access to legislation and procedure.
Make use of the essential documentation contained on the CD and website.

This book examines the art and craft of motion picture photography through a veteran professional cinematographer's personal experiences on five major motion pictures, each selected to illustrate a particular series of challenges for the photographer. "Every Frame a Rembrandt" is an expression heard on sound stages and locations the world over. While in most cases the expression is used lightly and not infrequently with a certain amount of sarcasm, its true meaning speaks highly of most cinematographers' commitment to producing the best, most interesting, unusual and memorable images for the screen. Through the five films he selected for this book Laszlo is able to show the broad range of complexity in motion picture photography, from the relatively simple "point and shoot" in the typcal western to complex in-camera effects. In recounting his "war stories" Laszlo is able to show the day to day activities of a cinematographer before, during and after filming the project, discussing equipment, film stocks, testing, labs, unions, agents, budget requirements, and working with the director and producer. The five films discussed are Southern Comfort, The Warriors, Rambo: First Blood, Streets of Fire, and Innerspace. The book is illustrated throughout with production stills from Laszlo's extensive collection (12 in a color insert).

The beginning of the author's adventure with a camera - filming wildlife across the world for the BBC Natural History Unit and other major TV companies - began in 1978 when he joined the RSPB's film unit. Untangling the Knot gives an in-depth look into what is involved in capturing the sequences needed for a natural history film, using comprehensive diaries and over 200 photographs. Mike describes the stresses of international flying with 20 cases of film equipment, sometimes alone, to distant corners of the world. The hardships of living and working for weeks in remote regions, avoiding tropical diseases, the onslaught of forest insects, long hours of waiting from dawn to dusk, and of frustration and disappointment when the elements or circumstances conspired against him. There are times of great elation too, when animal behaviour never seen before is captured on film. Working with top biologists and highly-experienced pilots was an essential partnership in understanding the subject to be filmed, often in remote regions where the challenge was reaching the subject in rainforest canopies, on remote islands or in featureless arctic tundra. In a career spanning 35 years, several of the programmes in which he was involved have won major awards. He describes filming Attenborough in Paradise in New Guinea with Sir David Attenborough as a career highlight, where he filmed behaviour of Birds of Paradise that had never been seen before. His last programme, Jewelled Messengers was the fulfilment of an ambition to make the ultimate film on hummingbirds with producer Paul Reddish, using the latest high-speed, high-definition cameras, and which was shot mainly in Brazil and Ecuador. The story concludes when he realizes his dream of visiting the Ross Sea region of the Antarctic. Mike considers himself lucky to have worked in so many spectacular regions of the world and this book enables readers to travel with him and share his incredible experiences.

The Art of Film Projection: A Beginner's Guide is a beautifully produced, comprehensive outline of the materials, equipment and knowledge needed to present the magic of cinema to an enthralled audience.
Part manual and part manifesto, The Art of Film Projection compiles more than 50 years of expertise from the staff of the world-renowned George Eastman Museum and the students of the L. Jeffrey Selznick School of Film Preservation into the most complete and accessible guide to film projection ever produced. The product of more than ten years of painstaking work by renowned film preservation specialists, and featuring a foreword by Tacita Dean and Christopher Nolan, this volume addresses a changing film landscape.
No film comes to life until it is shown on the big screen, but with the proliferation of digital movie theaters, the expertise of film projection has become increasingly rare. Written for both the casual enthusiast and the professional projectionist in training, this book demystifies the process of film projection and offers an in-depth understanding of the aesthetic, technical and historical features of motion pictures. Fully accessible for the layperson, student, technician or scholar, the book is designed to be used: richly illustrated with photographs and easy-to-read diagrams, it is printed at a size that is easy to carry, with a ribbon bookmark and pages for notes. The Art of Film Projection invites readers to help save the authentic experience of seeing motion pictures on film.