
Film Directing Fundamentals
See Your Film Before Shooting
Nicholas Proferes(Author)
Focal Press
3rd Edition
Published on 8. August 2008
Book
Paperback/Softback
336 pages
978-0-240-80940-3 (ISBN)
Article exhausted; check for reprint
Description
Film Directing Fundamentals gives the novice director an organic methodology for realizing on the screen the full dramatic possibility of a screenplay. Unique among directing books, this book provides clear-cut ways to translate a script to the screen. Using the script as a blueprint, the reader is led through specific techniques to analyze and translate its components into a visual story. A sample screenplay is included that explicates the techniques. The book assumes no knowledge and thus introduces basic concepts and terminology.
Appropriate for screenwriters, aspiring directors and filmmakers, Film Directing Fundamentals helps filmmakers bring their story to life on screen.
Appropriate for screenwriters, aspiring directors and filmmakers, Film Directing Fundamentals helps filmmakers bring their story to life on screen.
Reviews / Votes
"Just bring your talent, add a touch of luck, and the rest you will find in this book." - Milos Forman, film director (One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, Amadeus, The People vs. Larry Flynt)"Nick Proferes doesn't tell you how to direct, which would be as silly as telling you what to direct. Instead, he does something much more valuable: He explains how directors actually think their way though the job." James Schamus, Associate Professor of Film at Columbia University, producer and screenwriter (The Ice Storm and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon)
"An admirable overview of the nuts and bolts of directing,Film Directing Fundamentals takes a unique approach in discussing the craft...Full of interesting observations, this book could be a welcome addition to the aspiring director's bookshelf." - Videomaker Magazine
More details
Edition
3rd New edition
Language
English
Place of publication
Oxford
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Taylor & Francis Ltd
Target group
Professional and scholarly
Beginning and aspiring film directors; film students
Edition type
New edition
Illustrations
Approx. 200 illustrations
Dimensions
Height: 254 mm
Width: 178 mm
Weight
772 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-240-80940-3 (9780240809403)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
New editions

Book
07/2017
4th Edition
Routledge
€65.00
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Additional editions

Book
09/2015
3rd Edition
Routledge
€155.99
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Previous edition

Book
05/2004
2nd Edition
Focal Press
€25.99
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Person
Author
Professor of Film at the Film Division, School of the Arts, Columbia University where he has taught directing for more than 25 years.
Content
Part One
INTRODUCTION
Chapter 1
Introduction to Film Language and Grammar
-The Film World
-Film Language
-Shots
-Film Grammar
-The 180-Degree Rule
-The 30-Degree Rule
-Screen Direction
-Film-Time
-Compression
-Elaboration
-Familiar Image
Chapter 2
Introduction to the Dramatic Elements Embedded in the Screenplay
-Spine
-Whose film is it?
-Character
-Circumstance
-Dynamic Relationship
-Wants
-Expectations
-Actions
-Activity
-Acting Beats
-Dramatic Blocks
-Narrative Beats
-Fulcrum
Chapter 3
Organizing Action in a Dramatic Scene
-Dramatic Elements in NOTORIOUS Patio Scene
-NOTORIOUS Patio Scene Annotated
Chapter 4
Staging
-Main Functions
-Patterns of Dramatic Movement
-Changing the Stage within a Scene
-Staging as Part of a Film's Design
-Working with a Location Floor Plan
-Floor Plan and Staging for NOTORIOUS Patio Scene
Chapter 5
Camera
-The Camera as Narrator
-Reveal
-Entrances
-Objective Camera
-Subjective Camera
-Where Do I Put It?
-Visual Design
-Style
-Coverage
-Camera Height
-Lenses
-Composition
-Where To Begin?
-Working Toward Specificity in Visualization
-Looking for Order
-Dramatic Blocks and Camera
-Shot List, Storyboards, and Camera Setups
-The Prose Storyboard
Chapter 6
Camera in NOTORIOUS Patio Scene
Part Two
MAKING YOUR FILM
Chapter 7
Detective Work On Scripts
-Reading Your Screenplay
-The Piece of Apple Pie Screenplay
-Whose Film Is It?
-Character
-Circumstance
-Spines for The Piece Of Apple Pie
-Dynamic Relationships
-Wants
-Actions
-Acting Beats
-Activity
-Tone for The Piece Of Apple Pie
-Breaking The Piece Of Apple Pie Into Actions
-Designing a Scene
-Visualization
-Identifying the Fulcrum and Dramatic Blocks
-Supplying Narrative Beats to The Piece Of Apple Pie
-Director's Notebook
Chapter 8
Staging and Camera For The Piece Of Apple Pie
-Staging The Piece Of Apple Pie
-Camera for The Piece Of Apple Pie
Chapter 9
Marking Shooting Script With Camera Setups
Chapter 10
Work With Actors
-Casting
-First Read-Through
-Directing During Rehearsals
-Directing Actors on the Set
Chapter 11
Managerial Responsibilities of the Director
-Delegating Authority While Accepting Responsibility
-The Producer
-The Assistant Director
-A Realistic Shooting Schedule
-Working with the Crew
-Working with the Director of Photography
Chapter 12
Postproduction
-Editing
-Music and Sound
-Locking Picture, or, How Do You Know When It's Over?
Part Three
ORGANIZING ACTION IN AN ACTION SCENE
Chapter 13
Staging and Camera for Over Easy Action Scene
Part Four
ORGANIZING ACTION IN A NARRATIVE SCENE
Chapter 14
Staging and Camera for Wanda Narrative Scene
Part Five
LEARNING THE CRAFT THROUGH FILM ANALYSIS
Chapter 15
Alfred Hitchcock's Notorious
-Overview of Style and Design
-First Act
-Second Act
-Third Act
-Summary
Chapter 16
Peter Weir's The Truman Show
-Overview of Style and Design
-First Act
-Second Act
-Third Act
-Summary
Chapter 17
Federico Fellini's 8 1/2
-A Masterpiece?
-The Director as Auteur
-Dramatic Construction
-Overview of Style and Design
-What Are We Watching for in This Film?
-Detective Work
-First Act
-Second Act
-Third Act
-Summary
Chapter 18
Styles And Dramatic Structures
-Style
-Narrative, Dramatic, and Poetic Visual Styles
-The Variety of Dramatic Structures
-Tokyo Story, Yasujiro Ozu (1935, Japan)
-Some Like It Hot, Billy Wilder (1959)
-The Battle of Algiers, Gillo Pontecorvo (1965, France)
-Red, Krzysztof Kieslowski (1994, Poland, France, Switzerland)
-sex, lies and videotape, Steven Soderbergh (1989)
-Shall We Dance, Masayuki Suo (1996, Japan)
-The Celebration, Thomas -Vinterberg (1998, Denmark)
-The Insider, Michael Mann (1999)
-The Thin Red Line, Terrence Malick (1998)
-In the Mood for Love, (Kar-wai Wong , 2001, Chinese)
-Little Children (Todd Field, 2006)
Chapter 19
-What's Next?
-Building Directorial Muscles
-Writing For The Director
-Begin Thinking About Your Story
-Concocting Your Feature Screenplay
-"Writing? Scenes With Actors
-Shooting Your Film Before You Finish Writing It
-The Final Script
-Shooting Without A Screenplay?
-Questions Directors Should Ask
-About Their Screenplays
-Building Directorial Muscles
-Conclusion
INTRODUCTION
Chapter 1
Introduction to Film Language and Grammar
-The Film World
-Film Language
-Shots
-Film Grammar
-The 180-Degree Rule
-The 30-Degree Rule
-Screen Direction
-Film-Time
-Compression
-Elaboration
-Familiar Image
Chapter 2
Introduction to the Dramatic Elements Embedded in the Screenplay
-Spine
-Whose film is it?
-Character
-Circumstance
-Dynamic Relationship
-Wants
-Expectations
-Actions
-Activity
-Acting Beats
-Dramatic Blocks
-Narrative Beats
-Fulcrum
Chapter 3
Organizing Action in a Dramatic Scene
-Dramatic Elements in NOTORIOUS Patio Scene
-NOTORIOUS Patio Scene Annotated
Chapter 4
Staging
-Main Functions
-Patterns of Dramatic Movement
-Changing the Stage within a Scene
-Staging as Part of a Film's Design
-Working with a Location Floor Plan
-Floor Plan and Staging for NOTORIOUS Patio Scene
Chapter 5
Camera
-The Camera as Narrator
-Reveal
-Entrances
-Objective Camera
-Subjective Camera
-Where Do I Put It?
-Visual Design
-Style
-Coverage
-Camera Height
-Lenses
-Composition
-Where To Begin?
-Working Toward Specificity in Visualization
-Looking for Order
-Dramatic Blocks and Camera
-Shot List, Storyboards, and Camera Setups
-The Prose Storyboard
Chapter 6
Camera in NOTORIOUS Patio Scene
Part Two
MAKING YOUR FILM
Chapter 7
Detective Work On Scripts
-Reading Your Screenplay
-The Piece of Apple Pie Screenplay
-Whose Film Is It?
-Character
-Circumstance
-Spines for The Piece Of Apple Pie
-Dynamic Relationships
-Wants
-Actions
-Acting Beats
-Activity
-Tone for The Piece Of Apple Pie
-Breaking The Piece Of Apple Pie Into Actions
-Designing a Scene
-Visualization
-Identifying the Fulcrum and Dramatic Blocks
-Supplying Narrative Beats to The Piece Of Apple Pie
-Director's Notebook
Chapter 8
Staging and Camera For The Piece Of Apple Pie
-Staging The Piece Of Apple Pie
-Camera for The Piece Of Apple Pie
Chapter 9
Marking Shooting Script With Camera Setups
Chapter 10
Work With Actors
-Casting
-First Read-Through
-Directing During Rehearsals
-Directing Actors on the Set
Chapter 11
Managerial Responsibilities of the Director
-Delegating Authority While Accepting Responsibility
-The Producer
-The Assistant Director
-A Realistic Shooting Schedule
-Working with the Crew
-Working with the Director of Photography
Chapter 12
Postproduction
-Editing
-Music and Sound
-Locking Picture, or, How Do You Know When It's Over?
Part Three
ORGANIZING ACTION IN AN ACTION SCENE
Chapter 13
Staging and Camera for Over Easy Action Scene
Part Four
ORGANIZING ACTION IN A NARRATIVE SCENE
Chapter 14
Staging and Camera for Wanda Narrative Scene
Part Five
LEARNING THE CRAFT THROUGH FILM ANALYSIS
Chapter 15
Alfred Hitchcock's Notorious
-Overview of Style and Design
-First Act
-Second Act
-Third Act
-Summary
Chapter 16
Peter Weir's The Truman Show
-Overview of Style and Design
-First Act
-Second Act
-Third Act
-Summary
Chapter 17
Federico Fellini's 8 1/2
-A Masterpiece?
-The Director as Auteur
-Dramatic Construction
-Overview of Style and Design
-What Are We Watching for in This Film?
-Detective Work
-First Act
-Second Act
-Third Act
-Summary
Chapter 18
Styles And Dramatic Structures
-Style
-Narrative, Dramatic, and Poetic Visual Styles
-The Variety of Dramatic Structures
-Tokyo Story, Yasujiro Ozu (1935, Japan)
-Some Like It Hot, Billy Wilder (1959)
-The Battle of Algiers, Gillo Pontecorvo (1965, France)
-Red, Krzysztof Kieslowski (1994, Poland, France, Switzerland)
-sex, lies and videotape, Steven Soderbergh (1989)
-Shall We Dance, Masayuki Suo (1996, Japan)
-The Celebration, Thomas -Vinterberg (1998, Denmark)
-The Insider, Michael Mann (1999)
-The Thin Red Line, Terrence Malick (1998)
-In the Mood for Love, (Kar-wai Wong , 2001, Chinese)
-Little Children (Todd Field, 2006)
Chapter 19
-What's Next?
-Building Directorial Muscles
-Writing For The Director
-Begin Thinking About Your Story
-Concocting Your Feature Screenplay
-"Writing? Scenes With Actors
-Shooting Your Film Before You Finish Writing It
-The Final Script
-Shooting Without A Screenplay?
-Questions Directors Should Ask
-About Their Screenplays
-Building Directorial Muscles
-Conclusion