Technical film books

[concreteisland]

Can anybody recommend some books? I know what mise en scene means and what a jump cut is, but that's about it, and I'd like to learn more

[jbushnell]

Can anybody recommend some books?

David Bordwell's Poetics of Cinema is a pretty new book and a pretty good read. That's probably the last book of broad, general criticism I read (as opposed to books on a specific film, filmmaker, or genre) and it's one of the better ones that I've read, too.

[concreteisland]

Thanks! I just had a look at Bordwell's website, what about Film Art: An Introduction? Just judging from the title it could be exactly the kind of book I'm looking for.

[m.o'shaughnessy]

Can anybody recommend some books? I know what mise en scene means and what a jump cut is, but that's about it, and I'd like to learn more

Well it depends on what type of films your looking to make.

"The Filmmakers Handbook: A Comprehensive Guide for the Digital Age" by Steve Ascher

This book will pretty much cover any technical questions you would have about working motion picture equipment.

As for the history of cinema books, try:

"Film: An Anthology" by Daniel Talbot

"Early Cinema" by Simon Popple & Joe Kember


Film Art Books:

"Film Form: Essays in Film Theory" by Sergei Eisenstein

"Essential Brakhage: Selected Writings on Filmmaking" by Stan Brakhage, which includes "Metaphors on Vision" which is a good place to start


Hope that helps!