Rabiger & Hurbis-Cherrier, Directing: Film Techniques and Aesthetics, 6th ed.
RECOMMENDED READING This recommended reading list is laid out in approximate order of the production phases and in alphabetical order by title.
Also, we have intentionally left off the dates of publication for these books because film books in general, and especially those that are technical in their content, are regularly updated and re-published in new editions. To get the most current information and perspective, you should always seek the most recent edition available.
*Asterisked works are ones we’ve found particularly useful.
GENERAL FILM STUDY Film Style and Technology: History and Analysis by Barry Salt; Starword.
Looking at Movies: An Introduction to Film by Richard M. Barsam and Dave Monahan; W.W. Norton and Co.
The Cinema Book by Pam Cooke and Mieke Bernink; British Film Institute Publishing.
The Film Experience, The by Timothy Corrigan and Patricia White; Palgrave Macmillan.
GENERAL FILM PRODUCTION OVERVIEWS (SOUP-TO-NUTS) The Filmmaker’s Handbook by Steven Ascher and Edward Pincus; Plume.
* Voice & Vision: A Creative Approach to Narrative Filmmaking 3ed by Mick Hurbis-Cherrier; Routledge / Focal Press
SCREENWRITING AND ADAPTATION *Alternative Scriptwriting: Writing Beyond the Rules by Ken Dancyger and Jeff Rush; Focal Press
*Crafting Short Screenplays that Connect by Claudia Hunter Johnson; Focal Press.
Creating Unforgettable Characters by Linda Seger; Owl Books
*Creative Filmmaking from the Inside Out: Five Keys to Making Inspired Movies and Television by Jed Dannenbaum, Carroll Hodge, and Doe Meyer; Fireside
*Developing Story Ideas by Rabiger, Michael; Focal Press.
*Four Stories by Ingmar Bergman by Ingmar Bergman; Doubleday.
Rabiger & Hurbis-Cherrier, Directing: Film Techniques and Aesthetics, 6th ed.
*Made into Movies: From Literature to Film by Stuart Y McDougal; Harcourt Brace Jovanovich.
*Making a Good Script Great by Linda Seger; Samuel French
*Novels into Film by George Bluestone; University of California Press.
Principles of Adaptation for Film and Television by Ben Brady; University of Texas Press.
*Rushmore by Wes Anderson and Owen Wilson; Faber and Faber.
Screenplay: The Foundations of Screenwriting by Field, Syd; Delta.
The Screenwriter’s Manual: A Complete Reference of Format & Style by Stephen E. Bowles, Ronald Mangravite, Peter A. Zorn; Allyn & Bacon.
*The Shooting Script Series ; New Market Press. Especially:
– (500) Days of Summer by Scott Neustadter and Michael Weber – Erin Brockovich by Susannah Grant – Pieces of April by Peter Hedges – Sense and Sensibility by Emma Thompson – Sideways by Alexander Payne and Jim Taylor – The Hurt Locker by Mark Boal – The King’s Speech by David Seidler – The Savages by Tamara Jenkins – The Squid and the Whale by Noah Baumbach
*The Writer’s Journey by Christopher Vogler; Michael Wiese Productions
Writing for the Second Act: Building Conflict and Tension by Michael Halperin; Michael Wiese Productions.
Writing the Character-Centered Screenplay by Andrew Horton; University of California Press.
Writing the Character-Centered Screenplay by Andrew Horton; University of California Press.
Writing the Killer Treatment: Selling Your Story Without a Script by Michael Halperin; Michael Wiese Productions.
*Writing the Short Film by Pat Cooper and Ken Dancyger; Focal Press.
Writing Treatments That Sell: How to Create and Market Your Story Ideas to the Motion Picture and TV Industry by Kenneth Atchity and Chi-Li Wong; Owl Books.
PRODUCTION MANAGEMENT Rabiger & Hurbis-Cherrier, Directing: Film Techniques and Aesthetics, 6th ed.
Film Production Management by Bastian Cleve; Focal Press
Film Production Management: The Ultimate Guide for Film and Television Production Management and Coordination by Deborah S Patz; Michael Wiese Productions.
The Complete Film Production Handbook, by Eve Hofhaner; Focal Press.
ACTING Acting for the Camera, by Tony Barr; Harper Paperbacks.
Acting in Film: An Actor’s Take on Moviemaking by Michael Caine; Applause Theatre Book Publishers.
Improvisation by John Hodgson and Ernest Richards; Grove Press.
*Improvisation for the Theatre by Viola Spolin; Northwestern University Press.
*No Acting Please by Eric Morris, Joan Hotchkis, and Jack Nicholson; Ermor Enterprises.
*Respect for Acting by Uta Hagen and Haskel Frankel; Wiley.
The Actor at Work, by Robert Benedetti; Allyn & Bacon.
*The Actor in You: Sixteen Simple Steps to Understanding the Art of Acting by Robert Benedetti; Allyn & Bacon.
*The Art of Being: Towards a Theory of Acting by Charles Marowitz; Taplinger.
*The Stanislavski System by Sonia Moore; Viking Press.
DIRECTING *A Sense of Directing: Some Observations on the Art of Directing by William Ball; Drama Publishers. (Theatrical directing, but much good advice that applies to film.)
*Changing Direction: A Practical Approach to Directing Actors in Film and Theatre. By Lenore DeKoven; Focal Press.
*Directing Actors: Creating Memorable Performances for Film and Television by Judith Weston; Michael Wiese Productions.
Directing Feature Films: The Creative Collaboration between Director, Writers, and Actors by Mark W. Travis; Michael Wiese Productions.
Directing Single Camera Drama by Mike Crisp; Focal Press.
Film Directing Fundamentals: See Your Film Before Shooting, by Nicholas Proferes; Rabiger & Hurbis-Cherrier, Directing: Film Techniques and Aesthetics, 6th ed.
Focal Press.
*Film Directing Shot by Shot by Steven D. Katz; Michael Wiese Productions.
*On Directing by Harold Clurman; Fireside. (Theatrical directing, but much good advice that applies to film.)
The Film Director’s Intuition: Script Analysis and Rehearsal Techniques by Judith Weston; Michael Wiese Productions.
FILMMAKERS ON FILMMAKING Catching the Big Fish by David Lynch; Tarcher/Penguin.
Digital Filmmaking by Mike Figgis; Faber & Faber.
Directors Close Up 2 by Jeremy Kagan; Scarecrow Press.
Directors Close Up by Jeremy Kagan; Scarecrow Press.
*Hitchcock by Helen Scott and François Truffaut; Simon & Schuster.
*Making Movies by Sidney Lumet; Vintage.
*Moviemakers' Master Class: Private Lessons from the World's Foremost Directors by Laurent Tirard; Faber and Faber.
*Notes on the Cinematographer by Robert Bresson; Green Integer.
*On Directing Film by David Mamet; Penguin.
*On Filmmaking: An Introduction to the Craft of the Director by Alexander Mackendrick (Paul Cronin ed.); Faber and Faber.
On Screen Directing by Edward Dmytryk; Routledge Press
On Screen Writing by Edward Dmytryk; Routledge Press
Who the Devil Made It: Conversations with Legendary Film Directors by Peter Bogdanovich; Ballantine Books.
CINEMATOGRAPHY AND LIGHTING *American Cinematographer Handbook. Fred Detmers, ed.; American Society of Cinematographers.
*Cinematography by Kris J. Malkiewicz and M. David Mullen; Fireside.
Cinematography by Peter Ettedgui; Focal Press. Rabiger & Hurbis-Cherrier, Directing: Film Techniques and Aesthetics, 6th ed.
*Cinematography for Directors: A Guide for Creative Collaboration by Jacqueline Frost; Michael Wiese Productions.
Contemporary Cinematographers on Their Art by Pauline B. Rogers; Focal Press.
Every Frame a Rembrandt: Art and Practice of Cinematography by Andrew Laszlo and Andrew Quicke; Focal Press.
Film Lighting: Talks with Hollywood’s Cinematographers and Gaffers by Kris Malkiewicz; Fireside.
Filmcraft: Cinematography by Mike Goodrich and Tim Grierson; Focal Press.
High Definition Cinematography by Paul Wheeler; Focal Press.
Lighting for Film and Electronic Cinematography by Dave Viera and Maria Viera; Wadsworth.
Masters of Light: Conversations with Contemporary Cinematographers by Dennis Schaefer and Larry Salvato; University of California Press.
Matters of Light & Depth by Ross Lowell; Lowell Light Mfg. Co.
*New Cinematographers by Alex Ballinger; Collins Design.
Placing Shadows: Lighting Techniques of Video Production by Chuck Gloman and Tom LeTourneau; Focal Press.
Principal Photography: Interviews with Feature Film Cinematographers by Vincent Lobrutto; Greenwood.
*The Filmmaker's Eye by Gustavo Mercado; Focal Press.
The Filmmaker’s Guide to Digital Imaging by Blain Brown; Focal Press.
The Five C’s of Cinematography: Motion Picture Filming Technique by Joseph Mascelli; Silman-James.
The Green Screen Handbook by Jeff Foster; Focal Press.
*The Language of the Lens by Gustavo Mercado; Focal Press.
The Set Lighting Technician’s Handbook: Film Lighting Equipment, Practice, and Electrical Distribution, by Harry Box; Focal Press.
*Voice & Vision: A Creative Approach to Narrative Filmmaking 3ed by Mick Hurbis-Cherrier; Routledge / Focal Press
Rabiger & Hurbis-Cherrier, Directing: Film Techniques and Aesthetics, 6th ed.
PRODUCTION DESIGN (ART DIRECTION, WARDROBE AND MAKEUP) Designs on Film: A Century of Hollywood Art Direction by Cathy Whitlock; It Books.
Men, Makeup, and Monsters: Hollywood’s Masters of Illusion and FX by Anthony Timpone; St. Martin’s Press.
Production Design and Art Direction. Ettedgui, Peter. Focal Press.
Production Design for Screen: Visual Storytelling in Film and Television by Jane Barnwell; Bloomsbury Visual Arts
The Art Direction Handbook for Film by Michael Rizzo; Focal Press.
The Complete Makeup Artist: Working in Film, Television, and Theatre by Penny Delamar; Northwestern University Press.
The Costume Designer’s Handbook: A Complete Guide for Amateur and Professional Costume Designers by Rosemary Ingham and Liz Covey; Heinemann.
The Filmmaker’s Guide to Production Design by Vincent Lobrutto; Allworth Press.
Understanding Design in Film Production: Using Art, Light & Locations to Tell Your Story by Barbara Freedman Doyle; Routledge/Focal Press
SCRIPT SUPERVISING, CONTINUITY AND STORYBOARDING Beyond Continuity: Script Supervision for the Modern Filmmaker by Mary Cybulski; Routledge
Directing the Story: Professional Storytelling and Storyboarding Techniques for Live Action and Animation by Francis Glebas; Focal Press
*Script Supervising and Film Continuity by Pat Miller; Focal Press.
Storyboarding Essentials by David Harland Rousseau and Benjamin Reid Phillips; Watson-Guptill
The Continuity Supervisor, by Avril Rowlands; Focal Press.
LOCATION AUDIO RECORDING, SOUND DESIGN, AUDIO POST *Audio-Vision by Michel Chion; Columbia University Press.
*Practical Art of Motion Picture Sound by David Yewdall; Focal Press.
Practical Recording Techniques, by Bruce Bartlett and Jenny Bartlett; Focal Press.
Producing Great Sound for Film and Video: Expert Tips from Preproduction to Final Mix by Jay Rose; Routledge.
Rabiger & Hurbis-Cherrier, Directing: Film Techniques and Aesthetics, 6th ed.
Production Sound Mixing: The Art and Craft of Sound Recording for the Moving Image by John Jay Murphy; Bloomsbury Academic.
Sound for Film and Television by Tomlinson Holman; Focal Press.
The Location Sound Bible: How to Record Professional Dialog for Film and TV by Rick Viers; Michael Wiese Productions.
EDITING AND COLOR GRADING Art of the Cut by Steve Hullfish; Routledge.
Color Correction Handbook: Professional Techniques for Video and Cinema by Alexis Van Hurkman; Peachpit Press.
Color Correction Look Book: Creative Grading Techniques for Film and Video by Alexis Van Hurkman; Peachpit Press
Cutting Rhythms by Karen Pearlman; Routledge
Film and Video Editing Theory by Michael Frierson; Routledge
First Cut: Conversations with Film Editors By Gabriella Oldham; University of California Press.
* In the Blink of an Eye: A Perspective on Film Editing by Walter Murch and Francis Ford Coppola; Silman-James.
*Modern Post: Workflows and Techniques for Digital Filmmakers by Scott Arundale and Tashi Trieu; Focal Press
On Film Editing by Edward Dmytryk; Focal Press.
*The Technique of Film and Video Editing: Theory and Practice, by Ken Dancyger; Focal Press.
*When the Shooting Stops, the Cutting Begins by Ralph Rosenblum and Robert Karen; Da Capo.
MUSIC Film Music by Mark Russell and James Young; Focal Press.
On the Track by Fred Karlin; Routledge
Scoring the Screen: The Secret Language of Film Music by Andy Hill; Hal Leonard
FINANCE, PRODUCTION, AND DISTRIBUTION Rabiger & Hurbis-Cherrier, Directing: Film Techniques and Aesthetics, 6th ed.
*A Killer Life by Christine Vachon (w/ Austin Bunn); Limelight Editions.
*Clearance and Copyright: Everything the Independent Filmmaker Needs to Know by Michael C. Donaldson; Silman-James.
*Contracts for the Film & Television Industry by Mark Litwak; Silman-James Press.
Dealmaking in the Film and Television Industry from Negotiations to Final Contracts by Mark Litwak; Silman-James.
Film Scheduling: or How Long Will it Take to Shoot Your Movie? By Ralph Singleton; Sold by Amazon Digital Services.
Filmmakers and Financing: Business Plans for Independents by Louise Levison; Focal Press.
IFP/Los Angeles Independent Filmmaker's Manual by Eden H. Wurmfeld and Nicole Laloggia; Focal Press.
Independent Film Producing: How to Produce a Low-Budget Feature Film by Paul Battista; Allworth
Producer to Producer: A Step-by-Step Guide to Low-Budget Independent Film Producing by Maureen Ryan; Michael Wiese Productions.
The Complete Film Production Handbook by Eve Light Honthaner; Focal Press.
The Independent Producer’s Survival Guide: A Business and Legal Sourcebook by Gunnar Erickson, Harris Tulchin, and Mark Halloran; Schirmer Trade Books.
*The SHORT! Guide to Producing: The Practical Essentials of Producing Short Films By Charles Merzbacher; Routledge.