Film Directing Fundamentals
See Your Film Before Shooting
- 3rd Edition - July 3, 2008
- Imprint: Focal Press
- Author: Nicholas Proferes
- Language: English
- eBook ISBN:9 7 8 - 0 - 0 8 - 0 9 2 7 5 4 - 1
Film Directing Fundamentals gives the novice director an organic methodology for realizing on the screen the full dramatic possibility of a screenplay. Unique among direct… Read more
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Request a sales quoteFilm 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.
* Unique, focused approach to film directing that shows how to use the screenplay as a blueprint for rendering the script to the screen
* Features new sections on “Organizing Action in an Action Scene”, and “Organizing Action in a Narrative Scene”, to complement the first two edition’s emphasis on Dramatic Scenes
* Written by an author with 25+ years experience teaching directing and who has worked extensively in the film industry as a director, cameraman, editor, and producer in both documentary and dramatic/narrative films
* Features new sections on “Organizing Action in an Action Scene”, and “Organizing Action in a Narrative Scene”, to complement the first two edition’s emphasis on Dramatic Scenes
* Written by an author with 25+ years experience teaching directing and who has worked extensively in the film industry as a director, cameraman, editor, and producer in both documentary and dramatic/narrative films
Beginning and aspiring film directors; film students
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
- Edition: 3
- Published: July 3, 2008
- Imprint: Focal Press
- No. of pages: 336
- Language: English
- eBook ISBN: 9780080927541
NP
Nicholas Proferes
Affiliations and expertise
Professor of Film at the Film Division, School of the Arts, Columbia University where he has taught directing for more than 25 years. He has worked extensively in the film industry as a director, cameraman, editor, and producer in both documentary and dramatic/narrative films.Read Film Directing Fundamentals on ScienceDirect