
The Visual Story
Seeing the Structure of Film, TV and New Media
- 1st Edition - April 23, 2001
- Imprint: Focal Press
- Author: Bruce Block
- Language: English
- eBook ISBN:9 7 8 - 0 - 0 8 - 0 5 2 0 7 3 - 5
The Visual Story offers students and professionals in cinematography, production design, directing and screenwriting a clear view of the relationship between the story/script… Read more

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Request a sales quoteThe Visual Story offers students and professionals in cinematography, production design, directing and screenwriting a clear view of the relationship between the story/script structure and the visual structure of a film or video. An understanding of the visual components will serve as the guide in the selection of locations, set dressing, props, wardrobe, lenses, camera positions, lighting, actor staging, and editorial choices.
The Visual Story divides what is seen on screen into tangible sections: contrast and affinity, space, line and shape, tone, color, movement, and rhythm. The vocabulary as well as the insight is provided to purposefully control the given components to create the ultimate visual story. For example: know that a saturated yellow will always attract a viewer's eye first; decide to avoid abrupt editing by mastering continuum of movement; and benefit from the suggested list of films to study rhythmic control. The Visual Story shatters the wall between theory and practice, bringing these two aspects of the craft together in an essential connection for all those creating visual stories.
The Visual Story divides what is seen on screen into tangible sections: contrast and affinity, space, line and shape, tone, color, movement, and rhythm. The vocabulary as well as the insight is provided to purposefully control the given components to create the ultimate visual story. For example: know that a saturated yellow will always attract a viewer's eye first; decide to avoid abrupt editing by mastering continuum of movement; and benefit from the suggested list of films to study rhythmic control. The Visual Story shatters the wall between theory and practice, bringing these two aspects of the craft together in an essential connection for all those creating visual stories.
*Encourages the filmmaker to develop a "visual vocabulary"
*Shows the filmmaker how to structure visuals, communicating moods and emotions with style and variety
*Shows the filmmaker how to structure visuals, communicating moods and emotions with style and variety
Working professionals in film and television, web site and video game designers; animators and students of animation
Undergraduate and graduate students and professionals in film and video production, and student in film studies courses, particularly visualization and aesthetics This would be Focal Press's first contribution to the film studies area.
Undergraduate and graduate students and professionals in film and video production, and student in film studies courses, particularly visualization and aesthetics This would be Focal Press's first contribution to the film studies area.
The Visual Components; Contrast & Affinity; Space Part One; Space Part Two; Line & Shape; Tone; Color; Movement; Rhythm; Story & Visual Structure; Practice, Not Theory; Appendix; Bibliography; Index
- Edition: 1
- Published: April 23, 2001
- Imprint: Focal Press
- No. of pages: 288
- Language: English
- eBook ISBN: 9780080520735
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Bruce Block
Bruce Block has worked in a creative capacity on dozens of feature films, television shows commercials and animated films. His feature film producing credits include Something's Gotta Give, What Women Want, America's Sweethearts, The Parent Trap, and Father of the Bride I & II. He served as creative consultant on Spanglish, As Good As It Gets, Stuart Little and many other feature films and television productions. He is an adjunct Professor at the USC School of Cinema & Television and teaches classes in visual structure at the American Film Institute, PIXAR Studios, Walt Disney Feature and Television Animation, Dreamworks Animation, Nickelodeon Animation Studios, Industrial Light & Magic and a variety of film schools in Europe. Mr. Block also consults with video game designers and software companies creating new interactive media. He can be reached at www.bruceblock.com.
Affiliations and expertise
Bruce Block has worked in a creative capacity on dozens of feature films, television shows commercials and animated films. His feature film producing credits include Something's Gotta Give, What Women Want, America's Sweethearts, The Parent Trap, and Father of the Bride I & II. He served as creative consultant on Spanglish, As Good As It Gets, Stuart Little and many other feature films and television productions. He is an adjunct Professor at the USC School of Cinema & Television