Reddit mentions: The best performing arts reference books

I haven't seen all of Wes Anderson's films but he's definitely not insubstantial.

I loved The Grand Budapest Hotel last year and just finished reading Matt Zoller Seitz' fantastic 250-page book pretty much all about that film. An insubstantial film can not be written about for 250 pages.

There's loads to this film. Inspired by the writings of Stefan Zweig, it can be read as an allegory (as /u/UrNotAMachine says) or just about how History can invade and destroy all of our "normal" lives. And about how stories are passed down and become stories (the framing devices accentuate this). About how we tell stories - some of what would be important plot points in normal films are glossed over because of who is telling the story and in what context.

I mean, The Grand Budapest Hotel is a really dark story... if you just think about it or read a synopsis this is obvious. I think it's incredible on it's own how light and chirpy the film can seem despite the seriousness of it's content.

The film can be seen about the end of illusion... Seitz quotes Sweig here:

>There's a wonderful quote from The World of Yesterday, Zweig's memoir, which he completed and mailed to his editor in 1942, two days before he and his wife took their own lives in Brazil: "The generation of my parents and my grandparents were better off, they lived their lives from one end to the other quietly, in a straight line. All the same, I do not know whether I envy them. For they drowsed their lives away removed from all true bitterness, from malice and the force of destiny... We... for whom comfort has become and old legend, and security a childish dream, have felt tension from pole to pole of our being, the terror of something always new in every fiber. Every hour of our years was linked to the fate of the world. In sorrow and in joy we have lived through time and history far beyond our small lives, while they knew nothing beyond themselves.... Every one of us, therefore, even the least of the human race, knows a thousand times more about reality today than even the wisest of our forebears. But nothing was given to use freely; we paid the price in full".
Anderson has taken the dark sorrow of Stefan Zweig and joined it to his own sly melancholies to make a film that moves us because it is infinitely capable of disarming before it wounds us. In creating an imaginary world to speak about the end of illusion, Anderson court s a kind of literary double jeopardy. As with the best fables, however, his unreality is more emotionally vibrant than the truth.

Long quote, but I think it effectively shows the brilliance of Wes Anderson's vision.

The book also contains pretty in-depth interviews with many members of the cast... it's clear lots of thought was put into every aspect of the film - by Ralph Fiennes in how to portray Gustave H, a character inspired by a mutual friend of Wes Anderson and Hugo Guiness (and visually based on Stefan Zweig himself, to an extent, as also the young and old author is); by Adam Stockhausen in scouting for suitable locations and designing the elaborate sets; by Alexandre Desplat in composing suitable music which effectively gives a European vibe - and so on for everyone who worked on the film.

Honestly I think it's incredibly the amount of shtick Wes Anderson gets simply because of the way he films. He films in a pretty damn unique way, and manages to work around all the limitations of it - developing his own, unique, but highly effective (and highly funny) filming style.

I often see questions like “How do I become a screenwriter?” or "How can I write a screenplay?"

So here’s an answer you can read in five minutes or less.

Read at least two screenwriting “how-to” books

For example, you could try:

• How to Write a Movie in 21 Days
  
• Screenplay (Syd Field)
  
• Story (McKee)
  
• Writing for Emotional Impact
  
• Save the Cat (series)
  
• The Screenwriter’s Bible
  
• My Story Can Beat up Your Story
  
  I think it’s a good idea to read more than one book because you don’t want to get the idea that there’s only one right way to write a screenplay. Different authors have different approaches that you may find more or less useful.
  
  TAKE NOTES ON WHAT YOU LEARN.
  
  

  Read at least five professional scripts
  

  
  You can often find them by googling the name of the movie along with “PDF.”
  
  You can also try Simply Scripts and The Internet Movie Script Database (IMSDb).
  
  Your reading list should include scripts for movies that have been made in the past five years, so you can see what styles are current.
  
  TAKE NOTES ON WHAT YOU LEARN.
  
  One thing you should notice is that professional scripts have certain things in common. For example, they almost all have sluglines that look something like this:
  
  EXT. RAIN FOREST – DAY
  
  Some writers put sluglines in bold (which is a current fashion), and some don’t.
  
  You should also notice that other things are different. For example, some writers use CAPS for objects and sounds a lot more than other writers do. Some writers write long, detailed descriptions of locations; others don’t.
  
  One reason for this exercise is to get a sense of what a professional script looks like – what’s “standard,” and what’s more a matter of individual taste/style.
  
  Another reason to read a lot of scripts (especially award-winning ones) is to get a feel for what “good” looks like.
  
  Think about how these pro scripts follow (or not) the “rules” in the books you’ve read.
  
  

  Follow along in the script as you’re watching the movie
  

  
  Notice how words on a page translate into sights and sounds on the screen.
  
  Notice how much detail is written out by the screenwriter, and how much is left to others (like the costume designer, set designer, or fight choreographer).
  
  

  Come up with a screenplay idea/story
  

  
  A good source for help with developing commercial story ideas is Selling Your Story in 60 Seconds.
  
  Or read this blog: https://lauridonahue.com/fantastic-ideas-and-where-to-find-them-stps-5/
  
  It can be helpful to put your idea into logline form. One basic model for loglines is:
  
  >[Type of person or group] must [do or overcome something] in order to [achieve some goal].
  
  You can also add details about where and when the story takes place, if relevant.
  
  For example:
  
  >A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away, a restless farm-boy must rescue a princess and learn to use his supernatural powers in order to defeat an evil empire.
  
  

  Create a beat-sheet
  

  
  A beat-sheet is a short (1-2 page) outline of what happens in your script.
  
  For example, you can use the famous/infamous Blake Snyder “Save the Cat” Beat Sheet.
  
  The books you’ve read may have other models for this.
  
  Some people don’t like outlining. They just like to jump right into the story and start writing. How you work is up to you. But you may find that having an outline will let you know if you’ve got enough story (or too much), keep you on track, and save you from wasting time.
  
  

  Write a treatment or a scriptment
  

  
  A treatment or scriptment is a longer kind of outline.
  
  Again, you may prefer just to dive in. It’s up to you.
  
  

  Try to write a screenplay
  

  
  It’s a good idea to get script formatting software, like Celtx or Highland or Final Draft. If you try to write a script in Word or another standard word processing program, you may drive yourself nuts dealing with format issues, and the end result may not look professional.
  
  Or, just can write your first draft in a notebook, and do your second draft using formatting software. (I decided I wasn’t going to spend money on Final Draft until I proved to myself I could finish a first draft by hand.)
  
  If you finish, congratulations. You’re now a screenwriter. Most wannabes never make it to that point.
  
  However, your script probably isn’t very good. Most first scripts are awful.
  
  What if you want to be a GOOD screenwriter?
  
  Then you’ve got a lot more work ahead of you.
  
  

  Put the script aside
  

  
  Don’t work on it for at least a week. You want to be able to see it with fresh eyes.
  
  Don’t show it to anyone yet, however much you want people to tell you how awesome it is.
  
  This would be a good time to start working on your next script.
  
  

  Rewrite
  

  
  Look back at your notes from the screenwriting books and scripts you read. Think about what makes a script good.
  
  Compare your script to the professional scripts, in terms of format, structure, dialogue, pacing, description, action, etc.
  
  Re-read the chapters on revisions in the books you read.
  
  Read a book like Making a Good Script Great and apply what it suggests.
  
  Rewrite again and again and again until your script is as good as you think you can make it.
  
  

  Get feedback
  

  
  Do NOT get feedback on your first draft. Get feedback on your BEST draft.
  
  So where do you get feedback?
  
  

• You could try Zoetrope.com for free (swapped) peer feedback or pay a screenwriting consultant (like me, ScriptGal, or Screenplay Mechanic, or check Sites, Services, Software, & Supplies) or put your script on The Black List.
  
• Some screenwriting contests, like the Nicholl and Austin, also offer feedback – but you may have to wait quite a few months to get it.
  
• You could take a screenwriting class – in person or online – and get feedback from your teacher and classmates.
  
• You could form or join a screenwriting feedback co-up and swap notes with fellow writers.
  
  Whatever you do, don’t be a douche about the feedback you get. Accept it with THANKS and graciously, even if you think the reader is an idiot for failing to recognize your genius.
  
  And before you ask anyone for free feedback, read this – and don’t be that guy.
  
  

  Rewrite again and again and again
  

  
  Again, in between rewrites and while you’re waiting for feedback, put your script aside and work on more scripts.
  
  You could experiment with different formats (feature, TV, short, webisode, etc.), genres, and styles. Discover where your strengths and interests lie.
  
  

  Get more feedback; revise; repeat
  

  
  Repeat as needed until people who know what they’re talking about (not your buddies, not your mom) say it’s good, and/or you start placing in contests like the Nicholl and Austin and/or getting 8s and up on The Black List.
  
  Keep in mind that it may take years, and many drafts of many scripts, before you get to this point… if you ever do. (Most people don’t.)
  
  If you do make it that far – congratulations again!  You’re now a pretty good screenwriter.
  
  
  (If you like this, please subscribe to my blog: https://lauridonahue.com/how-to-become-a-screenwriter-in-five-minutes-or-less-stps-4/)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Edit: this isn't mine it's Seshat_the_Scribe but it should help

Hi, throwing in my two cents that the best way to improve your reading/grammar and literary knowledge is to dive deep into anthologies and collections. Think of it as a sampling of the 'best of the best' and you are getting a taste of what is considered to be great. Also don't be afraid to pick up a piece of classic literature and think, "Good god, this was considered awesome?" That's ok. Some people don't like premodern literature. Some people LOVE it. Some people HATE it. Some people are all about cyberpunk angsty lit that's a product of our super modern society. Some love poetry...well, you get the picture. The beauty of an anthology is you can survey the goods -- and if you love something you read, odds are it's only a small selection taken from a much bigger book OR the writer is pretty prolific and if you like his style of writing, odds are you are going to LOVE the rest of his work.

Don't know where to begin? I recommend checking out some classics from overseas (which I use as a required book in my courses):

• Anthology of Japanese Literature compiled by Donald Keene
  This will take you from the world origin myth right up to Tokugawa period (from 794 to 1868) I'm partial to world origin myths and the Kamakura period. It's not easy to read but it's a good way to develop critical thinking skills and will broaden your world view!
  
  http://www.amazon.com/Anthology-Japanese-Literature-Mid-Nineteenth-Representative/dp/0802150586/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1397829264&sr=8-1&keywords=Anthology+of+Japanese+Literature
  
  
• Anything by a Japanese poet named Matsuo Basho. Feeling down in the dumps? Read a haiku.
  
  http://www.amazon.com/Narrow-Travel-Sketches-Penguin-Classics/dp/0140441859/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1397829577&sr=8-2&keywords=Matsuo+Basho
  
  Ok, so I don't like premodern literature? ^Then ^check ^out ^the ^modern ^stuff!
  
  
• Check out this anthology of Modern Japanese Literature:
  
  http://www.amazon.com/Modern-Japanese-Literature-From-Present/dp/0802150950/ref=pd_sim_b_3?ie=UTF8&refRID=04S84RFJ5BQ76B3N06QT
  
  Also, to make yourself super cultured, start reading opera summaries and plays. That's right. Read them. Then go see them.
  
  
• 100 Greatest Operas and their stories is a great place to begin.
  
  Here's a link: http://www.amazon.com/Great-Operas-Their-Stories-Act-/dp/0385054483/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1397830047&sr=1-1&keywords=Operas
  
  
  TL;DR: Start reading! Collections and Anthologies are a great place to start.

Here are some resources I’ve found interesting and/or useful.

Books

There are over 10,000 results for “screenwriting” when you search for books on Amazon.com, and at least one new screenwriting book is published every week.

Here are some “how to” books I recommend:

• How to Write a Movie in 21 Days
  
• Screenplay (Syd Field)
  
• Story (McKee)
  
• Writing for Emotional Impact
  
• Save the Cat (series)
  
• The Screenwriter’s Bible
  
• My Story Can Beat up Your Story
  
  There are also good books about the screenwriting life. Some of my favorites are:
  
  
• What Happens Next: A History of American Screenwriting
  
• Adventures in the Screen Trade: A Personal View of Hollywood and Screenwriting
  
• Which Lie Did I Tell?: More Adventures in the Screen Trade
  
• Just the Funny Parts: … And a Few Hard Truths About Sneaking into the Hollywood Boys’ Club
  
• The First Time I Got Paid For It: Writers’ Tales From The Hollywood Trenches
  
  

  Software
  

  
  Some of the most popular screenwriting format programs include:
  
  

• Celtx (free; upgrades available)
  
• Highland (free, with $49.99 pro upgrade)
  
• Final Draft ($249.99 for Final Draft 11; considered over-priced and widely-loathed, but also the industry standard)
  
• Movie Magic ($99.99 for version 6)
  
  More options are discussed here, and you can find about 40 screenwriting programs at The Writer’s Store.
  
  Most programs have free trials, so you can see which one you like best before you commit.
  
  Having screenwriting software is necessary (IMHO) but not sufficient to write a properly formatted screenplay. The software will let you designate dialogue as V.O. (voice over) or O.S. (off-screen), but it won’t explain when you use which. For that, and for many other things, you need to read something that gets into the details of formatting, like The Screenwriter’s Bible.
  
  Many format programs have lots of bells and whistles including:
  
  
• virtual index cards that can be moved around on virtual cork boards,
  
• text-to-speech (so you can hear robots read your screenplay out loud), and
  
• collaboration functions (which are actually useful if you and your writing partner are in different locations or don’t want to crowd around the same screen).
  
  There are also specialized software programs that supposedly help with plotting and structure, character development, etc., but I’ve never used any.
  
  

  Screenplays
  

  
  You can often find screenplays for produced movies by googling the name of the movie along with “PDF.”
  
  Scott Myers has collected a list of 100+ scripts made available by studios and production companies here.
  
  Scripts often appear online around awards season (roughly the three months before the Oscars) but they may disappear later. So if you find a copy of a script you really want to study, it’s a good idea to download and save it.
  
  You can also try Simply Scripts, The Internet Movie Script Database (IMSDb), and Drew’s Script-O-Rama.
  
  Many libraries and bookstores carry published scripts, but often the format will be somewhat different from the original version.
  
  

1. The SCA is fairly welcoming, however, it's a large group of people and can have all the same problems as any group of people. A lot of people are here to hang out and party as much as anything else.
   
   
2. The SCA has nowhere near the standards you're probably used to for CW/WWII reenacting. It sounds like you'll manage the garb side of things pretty easily. There are some oddities about the tailoring/fit of some of the medieval stuff, but probably nothing you can't handle. There are a few books I recommend (links at the bottom of the post). Plastic armor is fine, but it is generally best to cover it with clothing or similar. Helmets must be steel for safety purposes. Most of the well put-together kits are the result of years of work. There's far less of an expectation that you'll have everything 100% ready to go on day 1 than is typical of reenacting groups.
   
   
3. You need your armor ready to go, but after that, you just need to pass a safety test called an "authorization" to fight. It's pretty much about knowing what targets count, making sure you're safe, etc. You won't become a "knight" in our game for a long time (It's one of the highest awards).
   
   
4. Women are welcome to fight and to wear men's clothing if they like. There are no rules about that.
   
   
5. Armor-wise, the Indian made stuff is generally poorly fitting (as in not made to fit a human body) and too thin to use. There are some decent Czech and Ukrainian armories though. That being said, most people are getting their reproduction shoes from a company in Pakistan (usually indirectly) and a lot of the decent chain mail is coming from India IIRC. It's a mixed bag. It is best to go to practices, find some people who you trust to provide guidance, etc. Unfortunately the result of our far less strict standards on gear/equipment and far wider historical scope also means that we don't have a good set of unit standards or the like to help provide guidance.
   
   Costuming books:
   http://www.amazon.com/Medieval-Tailors-Assistant-2nd-1100-1480/dp/0896762955
   http://www.amazon.com/Tudor-Tailor-Reconstructing-Sixteenth-Century-Dress/dp/0896762556
   http://www.amazon.com/Patterns-Fashion-Construction-Clothes-1560-1620/dp/0896760839
   http://www.amazon.com/Modern-Maker-Mens-Century-Doublets/dp/0692264841
   
   Shoes:
   http://www.vikingleathercrafts.com/
   http://boots-by-bohemond.myshopify.com/
   
   Armour:
   http://armourarchive.org/

There are a lot of great books on film out there. Don't listen to other possible saying watch YouTube or wrote your own screenplay. Well, do those things too, but learn some wisdom from some of the masters while you're at it.

You are going to want to read the following:

Hitchcock by Truffaut (http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0671604295). One of the greatest directors of all time, interviewed by another of the greatest.

In the Blink of an Eye by Walter Murch (http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/1879505622/ref=aw_d_detail?pd=1), one of the greatest editors ever. A pretty great director too.

On Directing Film by David Mamet (http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0140127224). A great book on directing by one of the great writer/directors.

Rebel Without a Crew by Robert Rodriguez (http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0452271878). He wrote this after El Mariachi, before he went on to big budgets. It's one of the most inspiring books you'll ever read-- you'll want to make a film tomorrow. Basically, how to make a movie wit nothing but enthusiasm.

It is a tough industry in many ways, and built around some very specific cities. One decision you should make is what exactly you want to do in film. If you want to be an artist and create your own films, you don't necessarily need to go to film school or even work your way up in the industry. There is lots of cheap gear available. Chances are you have more than enough film making gear right now in your phone and PC, more than you could have dreamed of affording 20+ years ago- when film was film.

So if you want to work in the industry, it will mean 'paying your dues' and might mean never getting to make a film on your own - schools, training programs, etc... are a good idea. You might be poor for awhile, you might have a job so busy and high pressure that at the end of the day more film work (even on your own dream projects) might be the last thing you are interested in doing. Another approach is to come up with a solid day job outside of the industry so that you can pursue your own creative pursuits on the side until such time as they pay off. If you have to count on film making to pay the bills, you would be very fortunate to direct corporate videos and cooking shows and stuff you might not really feel. You will be so close to your dream, but so far away at the same time and that can be frustrating - depending on your goals. If you want to make films on your own terms, you can and should start right away. Don't feel bad if the first 5 or 10 of them are terrible. You are working the bugs out. Read Lumet, a bit of Mamet, and some Rodriguez. Watch a lot of Making of docs on Youtube.

​

Robert Rodriguez wrote El Mariachi with a bit of a brilliant approach. He listed all the interesting ('expensive') things he had access to through his friends (a pit bull, a bus) and incorporated those in his script so it looked a little more big budget. If you write a helicopter landing on a bridge, you would have to pay for it. If your grandma has access to a tennis court and your uncle has a dirt bike - write that instead, and you could pull it off for free. Don't get caught up buying gear, use what you have. You don't need to use lacking gear as an excuse for not making something, and don't need to use buying gear as a replacement for being creative. I have seen that a lot in film, photography, and music. You could hypothetically make a great film for free as a flip book on a pad of paper, and if you do you could show that to people that would help pay for more gear if you need it. Anyway, ramble ramble - free advice is usually worth what you pay for it. Good luck!

I'm not the best person to be giving advice, but I just dropped out of film school last year (I was only there for a year) and have begun making some progress on my own.

First of all, watch a lot of movies. Literally the only thing I miss about school was having access to so many classic films playing in the theater every weekend. Netflix can be just as good, however. But never stop going to the theater.

Secondly, read. Look up some textbooks that film classes use. I really enjoyed Shot By Shot and On Directing Film, since I want to be a director.

Thirdly, and most importantly. Make films. Try to work on projects all the time. Your projects, your friends projects, random web series that post on facebook asking for free crew members.... it doesn't matter. Stay surrounded by film, because that's another one of film school's biggest strengths. It can be difficult to stay motivated when you don't have a GPA looming over your head.

Again, I'm by no means a success so take my advice however you will. Good luck!

Note: Obviously this list is incomplete, if anyone has suggestions please add to this. Also this list is not specifically for kevleemur, but for anyone looking to learn about movie stuffs

Online material is nice, but there are many great and more reliable resources that come in these old fashioned book things.

General

Shot by Shot

MasterShots

The Visual Story


Directing

On Screen Directing
(may be hard to find)

On Directing Film by David Manet

Cinematography/ Lighting/ Camera/ On Set Learning

The ASC Manual (some earlier editions come in one volume which is nice)

Creative Control by Michael Hofstein

The Set Lighting Technicians Handbook

Painting With Light (John Alton's book. A little outdated but still a good read).

Reflections

The Bare Bones Camera Course for Film and Video by Tom Schroeppel (very simple, a good start)

The Grip Book

The Camera Assistant's Manual

Cinematography: Theory and Practice



Producing

Creative Producing From A to Z by Myrl A Schreibman

Scheduling and Budgeting Your Film by Paula Landry

Editing

In the Blink of an Eye by Walter Murch (Sound designer and editor from Apocalypse Now----EXCELLENT)



Screenwriting

Story

Screenplay the Foundations of Screenwriting






ONLINE RESOURCES:


http://www.rondexter.com/

http://cinematography.net/

http://www.rogerdeakins.com/

http://www.arri.com/

http://www.mole.com/

http://www.panavision.com/home

http://www.filmtools.com/

Aside from familiarizing yourself with knowledge and technique the best you can without being involved on set, one of the best things you can do is read up and become as knowledgeable as you can with gear that you will eventually encounter, which is why I listed the last four links. Even if you do plan on going into producing or directing, it is always helpful to understand lighting and camera and why the people working with you need the things they do.


GO LEARN THINGS!

Read more screenplays. You need to get a better sense of how they are written.

Don't even start a action block with INT or EXT. EVER! Slugs and action are two different things - don't mix them (as you did).

You're first descriptive block is just too wordy and unnecessary and as pointed out earlier, includes camera directions (DON'T - unless you're directing or an established writer). You write more like a novelist than a screenwriter, which is fine if you're writing a short story but makes you look like an amateur if you're writing a screenplay. Cut out the fat so it actually moves faster. For ex: "blood drips down his right cheek." Is is significant that it's his right cheek? Is this a major plot point? If not, lose it. You're first descriptive block could read a lot better if it were something like this:

INT. CABIN

A single light barely lights the dark room (I'm going to point out here in your description you have two bright windows and a dark room... eh, which is it: is it a dark room or is it a room lit by two bright windows?). A BLOODIED MAN is bound to a chair, barely conscious. In front of him a table. Otherwise the room is empty. We can't see who he is talking to...

And so on.

Lose the cutesy descriptions: "...each drop hitting the floor like a slow rain." WTF? This is not a novel. A screenplay, simplistically, is to help the actors act and the director direct. While I can appreciate descriptions as much as the next, how does adding this metaphor help that along in any sense. "The blood dripping from his face puddles at his feet" - I don't think it's necessary but at least here you don't have the goofy metaphor.

Your parens have the same problem. Throw that Bruce speaks with an Italian accent in the action, not the parens and drop the "prominent" bit - just say he speaks with an Italian accent.

Those are just a couple things. I could add more but here is the simple truth: you need to read a lot, a lot more screenplays so you have a better understanding of structure. Get this book: http://www.amazon.com/Complete-Guide-Standard-Script-Formats/dp/0929583000/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1323046764&sr=1-2. It looks like it might be out of print but it's one of the best I've seen for format. That's all it's about. Won't help you with things like "whispers in the wind" but it's a start.

Good luck! Always a bit bumpy when you first start out.

To add:

Theodore Barber, one of the two researchers in that paper, made hypnosis a lifelong study. He is credited not with disproving forms of hypnosis, but rather demonstrating that power of suggestion alone can work just as well.

From a posthumous piece on Theodore Barber [New York Times]:

Earlier, in a series of experiments performed door to door, he and other researchers found that they could induce sleepiness by suggestion alone, without the swinging watches or formal protocols used by hypnotists. Power of suggestion worked effectively on about 20 percent of the people tested, although another 25 percent had no reaction.

The results stimulated Dr. Barber's interest in the hypnotic state, and he examined people who could be easily or deeply hypnotized. In the 1970's, he helped identify a small minority - 2 percent to 4 percent of the population - who were especially responsive, and he then studied the group. With other researchers, he found that the people most susceptible to hypnosis included those who were "gifted fantasizers" or "amnesia prone."

The more recent book Hypnosis: Research Developments And Perspectives cites your article and comes to many of the same conclusions, but decides not to try to disprove the "hypnotic" cause of the various measured effects, they merely sought out to re-define the word. They cite Barber's research in many points, even detailing the exact "stage hypnosis" instructions that Meeker and Berber were given when they did their influential 1971 study.

Both the study by Fromm and the lifelong study by Barber come to the same conclusions:

The power of suggestion can have a real effect on people, more so with certain "highly suggestible" people.

"Stage" Hypnotists use their know-how to capitalize on every available opportunity to enhance suggestibility and screen for it. This, more than "hypnosis", is their skill.

Hypnotherapists use suggestion and various other tools and techniques to enhance "suggestibility" but don't always have the option to do screening. They have a different outcome in mind as well - one of healing a patient.

Part of the problem in Hypnosis is its definition is rarely agreed upon. I've been a member of a serious non-reddit hypnosis forum for a few years now, and I have learned not to bring it up. If you want to start a fight amongst a room full of hypnotists, ask one of them to define it.

I define hypnosis as the systematic use of suggestion to elicit a desired result. In this way, I can sit on the fence and say that Yeah, they're both real. Having done and performed hypnosis, I have no problem with what a stage hypnotist does - even though he's essentially "re-branding" screened-for compliance as hypnosis for the sake of suspending an audience's disbelief. This is a necessary evil, and is necessary to be able to handle the randomness and chaos of audience participation. I don't have any doubt that a good "stage" hypnotist would be able to produce real therapeutic results in a one-on-one session, with different techniques, but on stage, with short time, this method is the safest and most reliable.

That said, those interested in really understanding how this works and the various techniques involved should get it right from the source. Jonathan Chase has a long history of successful stage hypnosis, and the book I've linked to details exactly the techniques used. In chapter one he explains presentation, and how it is key that you simply make sure everyone expects you to be "THE Hypnotist!". You must not leave any doubt, and you must follow through on this to the letter. He explains why it won't work on your family or friends, because they won't see you as "THE Hypnotist!", they'll just see you as "my friend", or "my son", or whatever. Most of the book is about seeding expectations and building compliance so that you can suggest further compliance. It's a cycle.

"Remember that everything relies on the volunteers’ belief systems. Stage Hypnosis works because they want it to and believe it can. Therefore once hypnotised they will behave in the way they believe to be correct for the state of mind they believe they are in." -Jonathan Chase

Also of note is fantastic hypnotist James Tripp who has recently just released his class to the public on Youtube. Here's a hypnotist who, in a one-on-one conversation can get people to forget their names, numbers, or become stuck to the floor or unable to move their arms. And he does it without ever putting them into "trance" or with the command to "Sleep!", which you've probably seen in hypnosis videos. His method works. It's just power of suggestion, but it exists in a powerful framework which makes use of the mind's own mechanisms. He doesn't have to look for high suggestibility people, because he is able to inject himself into the mechanisms of their own mind. Cool stuff.

TL;DR Power of suggestion is what it's all about. But we're all constantly bewildered by how powerful it is.

What are you trying to do in film? If you are trying to get into camera or grip/electrics I would check out the local IATSE chapters. IATSE is the union that deals with many film and stage crew, they also have many good trainee programs for people starting out. Another union to check out would be the DGA (Director's Guild of America). If you want to Direct there is not much I can say but go out and do it. There are many books and things that can help with directing, [David Mamet's "On Directing Film"] (http://www.amazon.com/On-Directing-Film-David-Mamet/dp/0140127224) is pretty solid. Also, if you need an editor for any films you work on... wink wink nudge nudge

I am in Canada so I don't really have any contacts for you to call in NYC (sorry man) but I guess the number one thing would be: make sure to love film. This is a very difficult industry to make it in so be sure that it is what you want to do.

Good luck man, I am sure I will see you around mumble. If you have any more question feel free to PM me or chat me up on mumble.

EDIT: I forgot to mention that if you are not sure what you want to do, the try to get on a film as a PA then watch everyone do their jobs, then you can try to see what you like.

I rent out a room in my house to a guy who has been a really solid guy. Quiet, somewhat shy, tidy fellow, big time classic nerd (Room is filled with MTG, Pokemon Cards, Nintendo systems, X30, and a lot of star wars stuff).

Anyhow, money is always somewhat tight, but my gf and I really like this guy. So, we ordered him, The Making of Star Wars, The Definitive Story Behind the Original Film Which is an AMAZING book, probably one of the best of its kind.

But we didn't think that was enough. I figured that I would add on to the star wars theme, and I made him a 6 disc box set of the Star Wars: Despecialized Edition (article about it for those that don't know) I burned both Blu-Ray HD copies, and regular DVD, since he doesn't have an HDTV. I put the two discs for each film in some nice dual disc Blu-Ray boxes, and printed off these wonderful despecialized edition labels I found online as well.

Finally, ever since he moved in during the summer, he has not had a computer. Web browsing for him has been Xbox based, so, my GF talked to her mom about an old laptop/netbook that was laying around at her house. My GF installed ubuntu on it, and we gave it to him as an, "As long as you live here this is yours." type of gift.

I didn't notice any tears, but he was definitely very happy.

)

Glad I could help!

I'm glad you asked about books. Advice from the internet (including mine :)) has its limits. Here is what I recommend [Referral Links]:

• The first book I recommend for beginners is: "[How to Shoot Video That Doesn't Suck] (http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0051NHJFU/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1634&creative=19450&creativeASIN=B0051NHJFU&linkCode=as2&tag=hybrcamerevo-21)". Here is the trailer for the book: http://youtu.be/jF0z9k93Y9Q
  
  
• Since you're most interested in dance video and not cinematic storytelling, the next book I recommend is "[Making Video Dance: A Step-by-Step Guide to Creating Dance for the Screen] (http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/0415379504/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1634&creative=19450&creativeASIN=0415379504&linkCode=as2&tag=hybrcamerevo-21)"
  
  
• If you have time, and really want to get into cinematography, your school library will probably have the standard texts, such as Mascelli's "[Five C's of Cinematography] (http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/187950541X/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1634&creative=19450&creativeASIN=187950541X&linkCode=as2&tag=hybrcamerevo-21)" and Ascher's "[Filmmaker's Handbook] (http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/0452297281/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1634&creative=19450&creativeASIN=0452297281&linkCode=as2&tag=hybrcamerevo-21)"
  
  
• You should also read up on sound - the sound primer I recommend is "[The Location Sound Bible] (http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1615931201/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1634&creative=19450&creativeASIN=1615931201&linkCode=as2&tag=hybrcamerevo-21)"
  
  Again, hope this is helpful and best of luck!
  
  Bill

They were pretty much all books I had to get through our school library, but here's some links to them if anyone wants to find them at your own library, or online. I definitely recommend if animated film history is something that interests you!

The Cartoon Music Book ed by Daniel Goldmark (Specifically the section Classical Music and Hollywood Cartoons)

Tunes for Toons: Music and the Hollywood Cartoon, by Daniel Goldmark

Leonard Maltin's Of Mice and Magic

Those are the three books I remember being really really great for Looney Tunes music information. In fact, here's the paper I wrote, in which I compared/contrasted two Warner Bros cartoons based on the Three Little Pigs - Pigs in a Polka, and The Three Little Bops. One had a classical approach, the other more contemporary music, and they were made a few years apart, so seeing the difference in style is pretty interesting! :3

The question is too monolithic to get you any deep useful information. It's like asking "I don't know how to drive, but do any of you have any tips on how to win the Indy 500?"

http://www.amazon.com/The-Filmmakers-Handbook-Comprehensive-Digital/dp/0452297281 is pretty much the defacto reference guide. Reading it cover to cover will allow you to gain a very shallow baseline knowledge quickly.

There are also producers guides (specific titles escape me at the moment, but I'm sure other redditors will pick up the slack) that will have release forms, information on setting up an LLC, dealing with distribution, general marketing, film festivals, and so on.

Here are two screenwriting books that I really love that don't get a lot of love:

Writing for Emotional Impact and The 101 Habits of Highly Successful Screenwriters by Karl Iglesias. Those two go pretty unnoticed but are really insightful.

I also really enjoy:

Directing Actors: Creating Memorable Performances for Film & Television and The Film Director's Intuition: Script Analysis and Rehearsal Techniques by Judith Weston. It really helped give me an understanding on how actors look to find their performances and has really informed how I write both dialogue and character actions.

Let the Crazy Child Write!: Finding Your Creative Writing Voice by Clive Matson is great for just untethering your inner critic in some ways.

Lastly, a bit of an unexpected one The Definitive Book on Body Language which gives some interesting insight on how people behave.

I agree with a vast amount of what shifty says, but add these differences :

1. Read this book http://www.amazon.com/From-Reel-Deal-Everything-Independent/dp/0446674621/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1370536961&sr=8-1&keywords=dov+simens
   
   
2. create a character driven script using ONE location.
   
   
3. Use free music and free B roll as well!
   
   
4. get as much free help as you can
   
   
5. when you have to pay, try working out deals. Ask for discounts for product placement, or for credits on the film.

This is an incredibly broad question since fashion is changing notable every decade during that time period. If you are looking for a general costume history overview of the pre-modern era I'd start by looking for some books in your local library. They're generally vague and sometimes use outdated ideas, but it's always a good base to start with. Sometimes even Barnes & Noble carries "Fashion", a book covering some of the Kyoto Costume Institutes collection from 18th-20th c. From there, researching original garments on museum collection websites or portraiture and fashion plates can give you a more detailed idea of the styles once you know the garment names and basic shapes. The Met Museum and the V&A have two of the largest online collections. Pinterest is also very helpful for this kind of search, though things are not always well documented and modern reproductions slip in occasionally. There are also many in-depth books on these eras, though none that covers the whole of it in great detail.

The Tudor Tailor, Seventeenth-century Women's Dress Patterns Book One and Book Two, and What Clothes Reveal are some of my often referenced books. There are many more depending on whether you are more interested in the clothing construction side, the high fashion, textiles, or trade and everyday wear.

After you get through all of the basic mixing books and acquire a solid foundation, I highly recommend this one.

Recording Unhinged: Creative and Unconventional Music Recording Techniques

https://www.amazon.com/Recording-Unhinged-Creative-Unconventional-Techniques/dp/1495011275

It's a great coffee table book for the studio, and will basically encourage you to lighten up, get creative and have more fun. A great counterbalance to all the foundational textbooks.

Rock 'n' Roll Twilight: The Rock Age Reaches The End Of The Road

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07LFK4Y17

FREE until February 6th

> A compilation of concert reviews from some of the greatest stars of the rock age. As time passes, fewer and fewer of the greatest stars of popular music will be 'out there' for us all to see and hear.

>This is a testimony to the performances of some of our greatest music stars in their later years. Get your front row ticket now - because when it's gone, it's gone....

If you have the time and money to spend learning by their structure, why not, it'll give you alot of benefits you'll find handy in the future.

I'm not confident saying this but you'll probably find whatever they are teaching there for free on the internet.

I see that they offer courses by Karl Iglesias who wrote The 101 Habits of Highly Successful Screenwriters: Insider Secrets from Hollywood's Top Writers which I remember preordering a long time ago, it included talks with working screenwriters, taught it was a great read.

Ultimately it comes to this:
PROS: Instructor, lectures, fast paced.
CONS: Costs money-you could find what they teach anywhere on the NET/books

For mixing, as already mentioned: Mixing Engineer's Handbook (Bobby Owsinski), Mixing Secrets for the Small Studio (Mike Senior) and also Mixing Audio (Roey Izhaki).

For mastering: Mastering Audio: The Art and the Science (Bob Katz)

And here are some great books that are not strictly about mixing, but which are very insightful about music production in general:

• Here, There and Everywhere: My Life Recording the Music of the Beatles (Geoff Emerick). The story of The Beatles's main engineer during their studio era (1966-1969), fascinating stuff.
  
  
• Recording Unhinged: Creative and Unconventional Music Recording Techniques (Sylvia Massy). If you are not familiar with this awesome lady, look her up.
  
  
• Behind the Glass - Top Record Producers Tell How They Craft the Hits (Howard Massey). A collection of interviews with some of the best record producers.

I saw this video not long ago, and have revisited it since. I wanted to share it as a source of inspiration to you because, while Sylvia is an audio engineer who doesn't focus on EDM styles (though she has photographed Skrillex and others), her contributions to "beyond your comfort zone" creativity are substantial and relevant to electronic genres. Her joy for music is incredible.

For example, some of us are very familiar with how artists like NGHTMRE, Amon Tobin, and NOISIA use "found sounds" from everyday life in their recordings. Whether it's drawers closing, branches snapping, or turning an actual hoover vacuum into a hoover-style bassline, there is (to paraphrase Diego Stocco), music can be mined from the sound all around us.

Sylvia talks about creative ways to build microphones, shape your tone in quirky ways, physically go on travels to inject your music with more energy, and other techniques to preemptively liberate yourself from being blocked. As mentioned, she has a new book out: https://www.amazon.com/Recording-Unhinged-Creative-Unconventional-Techniques/dp/1495011275

For exhibit labels (text and graphics that accompany exhibits), try Serrell's Exhibit Labels. ADA, or your local equivalent, is either required or strongly advised; beyond that The Smithsonian has published a guide for Accessible Exhibition Design.

​

For environmental control for collection care, it depends on multiple factors, especially the type of collections housed. For example, The Art Collector's Handbook by Rozell works best for general art objects, while you would probably want to read something like Ogden's Caring for American Indian Objects for objects of similar materials and make. I've seen Nitrate Won't Wait by Slide, and A Light Affliction by Binder on the shelves of my friend who works in film preservation. Otherwise, as far as I know, there aren't any "standards" like the CE or ANSI for collections preservation.

​

Hope this helps.

Here is "A Critical History and Filmography of Toho's Godzilla Series" by David Kalat. It's a good read that may help out a bit with you research.

As for my personal thoughts? Godzilla is a character which can be applied to a variety of metaphorical situations in which Humans are shown not to be as in control of their environment as they'd like to believe. It lends itself well to films on the human condition. People love stories about the weird, unusual, and monstrous, while also subtly analyzing the inherit complexities of what is means to live in conjunction with our environment. As such, Godzilla films have the ability to tick those boxes. People love to watch monsters fight eachother. It gives them the adrenaline rush and allows them to feel like something bigger than themselves is on their side. So that box also gets ticked pretty frequently.

My SO got me a hitachi magic wand which I'm pretty fucking excited about, but tied really close with that was the Wes Anderson Collection: The Grand Budapest Hotel book he gave me, which is a full-color hardback with behind the scenes photos, interviews, essays, etc. about the movie, which is one of my all-time favorites. He was super on point with his gifts this year.

Happy Birthday Kramdiw

I rather enjoy Mr. Bukowski, so this book would be something that I would enjoy adding to my wishlist.

From your website, this Lil Bigfoot is awesomely adorable!

Thanks for the contest!

Hey man. I agree with you on the 'more meaningful way' bit. I definitely got heated. Might have something to do with sleep deprivation and the marathon of HIMYM I'm currently on.

Regardless, excuses aside. Sorry man, shouldn't have been that harsh.

I would LOVE to go into detail about every single one of your shots and what I would've done and what I thought needed work. But to be honest. It's all subjective. It's an art. You might like something that I hate.

THAT BEING SAID, there are some basics you should really avoid. And there are are things you need to learn in order to accurately pull that idea out of your head and successfully get it into film.

Instead of yelling at you. I'm gonna gather up some resources for you that I really hope you take the time to learn from.

Now, you asked to see some of my work. Linking you stuff would just throw away the point of the 'throwaway' account since my first comment was so god damn harsh and to the point. Now I stated that

"You wasted 2:45 seconds. A lot of short films can make a grown man weep in that time"

I would just like to show you an example of what 2:42 seconds can do.

Here's the list:

QUICK VIDEOZ UP IN DIS BITCH:

Hands on lecture about Cinematography


Get out of AUTO mode! Some quick tips on shooting with a DSLR. I assume you're using a DSLR because that's what I started with. Regardless of camera this is great advice to start with

Wise words from my man Kevin Smith on independent filmmaking

Intro lecture on pre-production, script writing, and filmmaking in general

More DSLR tips and tricks


READING MATERIALS YO, READ DIS SHIT:

http://www.amazon.ca/The-Filmmakers-Eye-Cinematic-Composition/dp/0240812174

http://www.amazon.ca/The-Filmmakers-Handbook-Comprehensive-Digital/dp/0452297281



Now I understand if you can't afford to buy the books. When I was in highschool I was lucky enough to be able to beg my friends to borrow their camcorders in order to film my shorts. It's how I got started.

That being said I don't want to break rule #2 of this subreddit that I fucking love.

THAT BEING SAID.

LET'S JUST SAY.... THAT A CERTAIN BEARDED PIRATE.... IS CHILLING AT A CERTAIN BAY... AND IF YOU JUST GO TO HIM AND SAY THE WORDS "The Filmmaker" I'M SURE HE COULD HOOK A BROTHA UP WITH SOME OF DEM KNOWLEDGE PAPERS YA DIG?


Anyways brother/sister. I'm sorry about being harsh on your film. I wish you the best of luck in the future. All the stuff I've thrown your way you don't have to go through it all in one sitting. Just delve into some of them on your freetime every now and then.

Peace bitch. (I mean bitch in the nicestest most Aaron Paul way possible)

I've never done shooting plans and storyboards before my latest short film and it simply would have been impossible to schedule anything without storyboards and shooting plans. It also helped a lot in post, because of the size of the project. So I'd definitely start using those tools. It doesn't have to be pretty or anything, just so you remember how you wanted it it to be and to show the crew/cast how you want them to act. Here is a teaser for my short film just to show how big it is http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=60ApmSNvhQA ..... BTW. It's also quite satisfying to look at your footage in post and it looks just like you imagined it in your storyboard. Also, I'd recommend you to read this book by Mamet. http://www.amazon.com/On-Directing-Film-David-Mamet/dp/0140127224 It's very good!

It's a pretty great book. I used it to remind myself of things while my best friend read the series for the first time.

https://www.amazon.com/Dark-Tower-Companion-Stephen-Fantasy/dp/0451237994

If you're looking for a scholarly/academic take on metal, then you honestly cannot go wrong with Extreme Metal: Music and Culture on the Edge by Keith Kahn-Harris and Heavy Metal: Controversies and Counterculture (Studies in Popular Music). Both are excellent reading, and as they're academic studies can be quite in-depth. Definitely worth a look if you can find them.

What area do you want to focus on? Film theory or production? There are a lot of good books on both, and it my opinion that you should brush up on both. But, you don't necessarily need books on either as there are plenty of on-line resources on both. But here are some good books for beginning film making.

http://www.amazon.com/Looking-Movies-Introduction-Film-4th/dp/0393913023/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1372746403&sr=1-1&keywords=looking+at+movies+4th+edition

You can find better prices by getting earlier editions of the book. These are all books that I've had in film school and you can learn a lot from them.

http://www.amazon.com/Film-Art-Introduction-David-Bordwell/dp/0078007879/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1372746555&sr=1-1&keywords=film+art+an+introduction

http://www.amazon.com/Filmmakers-Handbook-Comprehensive-Guide-Digital/dp/0452297281/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1372746624&sr=1-1&keywords=the+filmmakers+handbook

But check out http://vimeo.com/videoschool

I hope this helps.

Hooboy. If you pull this off make sure you write a screenplay about it.

Okay, so we'd all be here for weeks trying to teach you everything you need to know. Google tutorials on your 5D, on your lenses, on the GoPros, whatever. You need to know those the most first. If you're shooting the "making of" of the commercial, you're probably not going to be using your own lights except for when you're shooting interviews, so look up lighting techniques on lighting interviews.

Read this book. It's massive. It's a text book, but it's a great book to learn from. You aren't going to be able to read the book in a week, so focus on the chapters about cameras and lenses and such. Read the rest before you accept any other jobs.

Honestly, man, my conservative mind is saying to see if it isn't too late to turn the job down. Just say something comes up and you won't be able to make it. If you screw this up, then it may be a bigger humiliation than just backing out.

My liberal mind says get used to coffee and don't sleep until this shoot is done. I'm still in amateur status myself, so I get the whole you gotta start somewhere thing. Learn everything you can through google and that book if you can swing 1 day shipping and just keep it BASIC. Don't try anything fancy or shit.

Good luck.

If you're interested in going down the rabbit hole, the "Making of Star Wars" series of books by JW Rinzler are a tremendously good read.

There's a book for each Original Trilogy movie.

Sweet collection! You should look into JW Rinzler's extensive making of books. Here's the first one: http://www.amazon.com/Making-Star-Wars-Definitive-Original/dp/0345494768 They are treasure troves of amazingly detailed behind the scenes info, photos, stories, interviews and just about anything and everything you could ever want to know about these movies. They will absolutely blow your mind. Highly recommended!

I don't know if this is in the direction you're looking, but I really enjoyed "On Directing Film" from David Mamet. It's a pretty quick read, too.

The Filmmaker's Handbook is a great read that covers all aspects of film making

Cinematography: Theory and Practice We had to read this book in film school. I can honestly say I learned more from this than I did any of my teachers lectures.

Rebel Without a Crew Is more inspirational and entertaining that informative, but it's worth a read. Written by Robert Rodriguez during the making of his first uber-low-budget feature film.

I haven't gotten to the bit on editing yet but as a general tool for all around filmmaking, I've found this book to be amazing so far. Really well written and extremely detailed.

This.

I am currently working on building somewhere between 50-60 full (skin out) outfits, male and female, from this era, for an A Song of Ice and Fire themed feast-viewing party for the first episode of next season. It's quite awhile off, true, but putting these together is a lot of work and fairly time consuming. On top of that, I'm also teaching my younger sister how to sew... she's cutting her teeth on this project. I refer to this as "being tossed into the deep end to learn to swim".

My build references right now are limited to a couple of books (only one of which is any good, and it's a recent acquisition), and what I can find on the internet (and wrestling my laptop while wrestling with fabric is never fun), as my previous person I went to for advice and help for Tudor/Elizabethan garb is no longer around. This book I've heard nothing by good things about. :) It is on my most wanted list, and is something I will likely be picking up myself within a couple months.

Oh, and Hi!

Not free, but worth it - I would start with The Filmmaker's Handbook (https://www.amazon.com/Filmmakers-Handbook-2013-Steven-Ascher/dp/0452297281).

It has detailed and extensive knowledge on almost every aspect of independent and industry filmmaking. Excellent book if you're trying to get a grasp on filmmaking as a practice. It was a good starting point for me.

Here are all the local Amazon links I could find:


amazon.co.uk

amazon.ca

amazon.com.au

amazon.in

amazon.com.mx

amazon.de

amazon.it

amazon.es

amazon.com.br

amazon.nl

amazon.co.jp

amazon.fr

Beep bloop. I'm a bot to convert Amazon ebook links to local Amazon sites.
I currently look here: amazon.com, amazon.co.uk, amazon.ca, amazon.com.au, amazon.in, amazon.com.mx, amazon.de, amazon.it, amazon.es, amazon.com.br, amazon.nl, amazon.co.jp, amazon.fr, if you would like your local version of Amazon adding please contact my creator.

I asked King how old Roland was in my interview in The Dark Tower Companion.

His answer: I don’t know any of these things. Your guess is as good as mine, really. My assumption is that something happened to Roland after Gilead fell and it has to do with the Beams and time getting funny and that he really has lived a more or less normal life, that it’s time itself that’s gone off the rails. That’s all I know. The only other thing that I can say is that my concept of the book when I started, when I was very young, like 22 years old, probably mutated to something that was a little less mythic as time went by.

I find black metal interesting for a wide variety of reasons. First of all, I am attracted to its sonic aesthetic, like you have been. It's immersive and cathartic, and I think its suited to express a certain set of emotions in a way no other style can. In addition, I think it is a shining example of the post-modern condition. It fits seamlessly into models of modernity from many social theorists. It is the rejection of Lyotard's metanarrative (casting aside "traditional heritage" (music, religion, you name it), expressing distrust for community/national leaders, etc.). It is the result of Durkheim's 'anomie' and an example of Simmel's urban subculture predictions. People all over the world are using this music as a vehicle to express misanthropy, hopelessness, anxiety, hate, and a profound frustration with the modern condition, yet are connecting with one another in carving out this subcultural niche. And it's not all about hate! A lot of black metal is about more than just rejecting or retreating, it's about offering up alternative philosophies/advocating people go decide what matters to them, and stressing personal responsibility.

Beyond that, as with every globalized musical style, space still plays an important role, and it is interesting to note idiosyncrasies. Local/regional folklore plays into black metal a lot, especially with NSBM (not unlike German Volkskunde), and it is interesting to see this co-opted (***note: I'm not an NSBM fan!)

I also just want to study it because it's an opportunity to connect with people who share something with me, however arbitrary what we share may be.

If you're interested, there have been a number of great recent publications on heavy metal. Check out this, this, this, this, this

Edit: grammar

If you want to see what it is to truly break down action into its smallest and most concise bits, you need to read this book:

http://www.amazon.com/Directing-Film-David-Mamet/dp/0140127224

You need to decide what the impact of the action is. WHY does he need to shown deciding to head for bed? Once you have that answer, you'll have the action which best correlates to displaying that decision.

Watch FilmmakerIQ, DSLRguide, D4Darious, Basic Filmmaker, Film Riot, Every Frame a Painting, LightsFilmSchool, nofilmschool and etc. similar channels that you discover on your own

Watch a fuckton of movies.

Make your own projects--write, shoot, direct, light, etc. just create stuff and learn about what specific parts of the process intrigue you the most, and focus on those.

Read this book and also this book.

Get on set, that's how you'll gain most of your experience. Start as a PA in the production department and you can work your way up from there to another department. Get on as many sets as you can in the beginning, like indie shorts and web series and student films, and make friends with the people you meet. BE A NICE PERSON AND STAY IN TOUCH WITH PEOPLE.

Be open to all the possibilities and don't assume you know what all the jobs are and what they involve, because you don't. You never know what you'll end up being interested in--as an aspiring writer/director I really wanted to learn cinematography (I dropped out of school) by working in camera department and tried to transition to being a 2nd AC or camera PA from just a regular PA on a student thesis so I could learn the ins and outs of how cameras work, however I ended up being assigned to G&E (grip and electric) which I wasn't thrilled about. However I ended really enjoying it and a year later it's still what I do.

You'll go through bouts of discouragement and experience lots of ups and downs, and it'll be easy to lose hope quickly, but the only way you'll know for sure that you'll fail is if you give up, so don't ever give up if this is really what you want to do.

https://www.amazon.com/Film-Directing-Shot-Visualizing-Productions/dp/0941188108

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0054RVNTQ/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_hsch_vapi_tkin_p1_i1

Both of those will do you a world of good for learning a lot of the basics and ways to look at things. The Filmmaker's Handbook that someone else mentions is also great.

Yes that's her. Her book is "Recording Unhinged" for those interested :
https://www.amazon.com/Recording-Unhinged-Creative-Unconventional-Techniques/dp/1495011275

And yeah, she completely rocks.

This started out as a blog series and became a book. It goes into incredible depth on how Star Wars came to be and many of the lesser-known factors that played into its numerous drafts and what it ultimately became.

The original website is gone, but the Internet Archive still has several snapshots of it, including an earlier version of the book from 2008 and this articles page from 2015. (After early 2015, the domain appears to have been taken over by squatters.)

I found it to be a great companion to the authorized Making of Star Wars by Rinzler.

The very TLDR? Marcia Lucas. Award-winning editor and George's wife at the time of A New Hope, who more or less saved the film in the editing process.

You can pretty much sum it up with this line in the Wikipedia article from George about Marcia's role on Jedi:

> When asked of her contributions to the film, George described the scenes in which she helped edit as the emotional "dying and crying" scenes.

http://www.amazon.com/The-Filmmakers-Handbook-Comprehensive-Digital/dp/0452297281

Filmmakers handbook. I read this after film school. I could have saved myself a years with of school if I just read this and invested the film school money into making films..


Has pretty much everything

https://www.amazon.com/Ishiro-Honda-Life-Godzilla-Kurosawa-ebook/dp/B0788KLDK9/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1538082752&sr=1-1

https://www.amazon.com/Eiji-Tsuburaya-Monsters-Defending-Ultraman/dp/1452135398/ref=sr_1_4?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1538082718&sr=1-4

https://www.amazon.com/Critical-History-Filmography-Tohos-Godzilla/dp/1476672946/ref=sr_1_10?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1538082718&sr=1-10

https://www.amazon.com/Japans-Favorite-Mon-Star-Unauthorized-Biography/dp/1550223488/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1538082734&sr=1-2

These are basically the best books on the series that are easily available, although the Tsuburaya book is really about the effects. As for the 3 films that really capture the original theme of the series, I'd say the original, Mothra vs Godzilla, and GMK are the ones that really hold the most important messages. All three of these were made by pacifist directors who renounce war and the actions of imperial Japan. The original Godzilla is an anti-war film, period. Mothra vs Godzilla is about harmony between nations. GMK is about keeping the past military actions in mind, in a modern Japan which is whitewashing it's war crimes out of history. Some people might say Godzilla 1984 and Shin Godzilla carry similar messages, but 1984 is more about the height of the cold war and Japan's place in it while Shin is about the need for a stronger, fast-acting independent government. Similar themes, but they're not really tied to the original as much as Mothra vs Godzilla or GMK.

On Directing Film is a very short and easy read, and it will answer soooo many questions about 'show don't tell', 'exposition vs. drama' etc. I can't recommend it enough, especially if you often have difficulty understanding why these sage-like mantras are so often repeated.

Yes it's about directing, I guess, but it's really about story telling and it definitely helped my writing immensely.

If you loved this movie you might enjoy the book about the making of it by the actual drunk it's based on.

Check out this and this book if you want to know more about his influences. He talks about them at great length.

Making Movies, by Sidney Lumet
(http://www.amazon.com/Making-Movies-Sidney-Lumet/dp/0679756604/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1394078386&sr=1-1&keywords=making+movies+sidney+lumet)

On Directing Film, by David Mamet
(http://www.amazon.com/Directing-Film-David-Mamet/dp/0140127224/ref=la_B000APXE7Q_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1394078307&sr=1-1)


Film Directing Shot by Shot, by Steven D. Katz
(http://www.amazon.com/Film-Directing-Shot-Visualizing-Productions/dp/0941188108/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1394078422&sr=1-1&keywords=film+direction+shot+by+shot)

They're the highest regarded movie making books. They're extremely practical without losing a sense of wonder or passion about movie making.

I just got this book the other week. It's outstanding, and has a ton of stuff I hadn't seen before.

He wrote a damn instructive book. He does you a favor by not sugar coating anything. He even admits he's not great at making movies, but he's good at teaching people about making movies. He has a way of explaining things thoroughly and in a way anyone can understand.

http://www.amazon.com/From-Reel-Deal-Everything-Independent/dp/0446674621

This one and Rogue One need a "making of" book like these.

If access was given on that level, we might find out the truth.

Sylvia Massey's Book is a great resource for strange recording ideas

http://www.amazon.com/books/dp/0896762556 the Tudor Tailor, one of my favorite, have made so many of these outfits

Here's a short book that might help you with starting your stage show

I love this book. Link for the lazy:

http://www.amazon.com/On-Directing-Film-David-Mamet/dp/0140127224/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1406345072&sr=8-1&keywords=on+directing+film

This might help your journey: https://www.amazon.com/Dark-Tower-Companion-Stephen-Fantasy/dp/0451237994/ref=nodl_

the filmmakers handbook

This might help.

My top choice, always: "On Directing Film" by David Mamet

http://www.amazon.com/On-Directing-Film-David-Mamet/dp/0140127224/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1345657124&sr=8-4&keywords=david+mamet

This is old (2003 and focused on film), but I liked it's explanation for the range of prices for each line item (inflation adjusted, the figures, other than film, are probably still useful):

https://www.amazon.com/dp/0446674621/

I approach projects by deciding how much money I think I can raise, then develop a budget to fit within that amount. And don't forget post (particularly editing) and distribution!

Just a fair warning: you need to expect that you'll lose all that money. Except for horror, basically no movie made under $2-3 million stands any chance of a distribution deal, and distribution is where you have a realistic chance to make your budget back. And horror is no guarantee, just that it's been successful vastly more often than any other genre.

Read this book before going any further. It will explain the nuts and bolts of the process.

Also, hire someone experienced to read the script and tell you whether it's good enough to get financed.

Besides all of these lovely quotes from fellow metalheads, another source you could use is this book, which describes the culture surrounding the various forms of extreme metal, which is what most people think of when they think about the negative side of metal. I read it, and while for me it was preaching to the choir, it might be exactly what you're looking for.

http://www.amazon.com/The-Dark-Tower-Companion-Stephen/dp/0451237994

This one?

https://www.amazon.com/Making-Star-Wars-Definitive-Original/dp/0345494768

Source:http://www.amazon.com/Making-Star-Wars-Definitive-Original/dp/0345494768/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1452051119&sr=8-1&keywords=making+of+star+wars

Well, I can't tell you that these are essential reads by any means since I wouldn't consider myself well-versed in film literature, but here are some books that I really enjoyed:

Stanley Kubrick: Interviews - this is part of a whole series of books of compiled interviews of well-known directors, including David Fincher, Quentin Tarantino, Steven Spielberg, etc.

Myth & the Movies - deconstructs the classic "hero's journey" storytelling trope and how it's commonly used as the structure for screenplays.

Good Scripts, Bad Scripts - breaks down traditional storytelling rules and evaluates movies which have followed the rules and broken them, whether for better or worse.

The Filmmaker's Handbook - a comprehensive breakdown of the technical areas of film and video production, from how film cameras work, to digital video editing, to distribution. Basically a textbook, this is considered by some to the the "bible" of film and video production.

This book is expensive, but pretty exhaustive about George Lucas rewriting and making STAR WARS.

I got the new lego Falcon, the topps trading card SW book, a long sleeve raglan tee with the first order trooper helmet on it (can't find a link, they have it at Target), and the making of Star Wars coffee table book.

Estudei cinema em 2010, na época um dos livros indicados no curso era o Power Filmmaking Kit, o livro é um overview de toda produção cinematográfica, eu recomendo. Um mais recente que segue a mesma linha, e mais bem avaliado na amazon é o The Filmmaker's Handbook, porém esse eu não li.

Sobre roteiro, um dos mais indicados é o Story do Robert Mackee, o cara tem cacife em Hollywood, tem uma cena no Adaptation, onde o personagem do Nicolas Cage está com writer's block e vai numa palestra do Robert Mackee pra tentar resolver o problema, é um dos meus filmes favoritos, recomendo tanto quanto o livro. Tem também os livros do Sid Field, que também são bem influentes quanto a roteiros.

Sobre edição, In the Blink of an Eye: A Perspective on Film Editing, do Walter Murch.

Sobre atuação e direção, da uma lida sobre o Stanislavski, que desenvolveu o Método(já ouviu falar em atores metódicos? foi daqui que saiu), Stella Adler que estudou com o Stanislavski e escreu sobre atuação/direção também.