Reddit reviews The Five C's of Cinematography: Motion Picture Filming Techniques
We found 22 Reddit comments about The Five C's of Cinematography: Motion Picture Filming Techniques. Here are the top ones, ranked by their Reddit score.
Silman-James Press
Hi u/TopherTheIncel - here are my filmmaking "desert island" books:
Screenwriting
Filmmaking - General
Editing
Limited Resources
Hope this is helpful and good luck on your filmmaking journey!
"The Five C's of Cinematography: Motion Picture Filming Techniques" by Joseph V Mascelli
If you really want to get into it, try reading a book called "The Five C's of Cinematography". It's considered the bible of all things related to cinematography. It explains everything about shooting a scene in a way that's easy to understand.
http://www.amazon.com/The-Five-Cs-Cinematography-Techniques/dp/187950541X
I'd just like to point out that I'm not a film maker in any way shape or form so it would be nice if somebody could verify what I'm about to say.
I've been watching a lot of videos by FilmmakerIQ.com on Vimeo and have learned a lot from them. Anyway, they have a list of recommended books that I haven't checked out yet but would like to. I'll just list them out here:
Painting With Light
Save The Cat! The Last Book on Screenwriting You'll Ever Need
The Hollywood Standard: The Complete and Authoritative Guide to Script Format and Style (Hollywood Standard: The Complete & Authoritative Guide to)
Set Lighting Technician's Handbook: Film Lighting Equipment, Practice, and Electrical Distribution
Master Shots: 100 Advanced Camera Techniques to Get an Expensive Look on Your Low-Budget Movie
Cinematography: Theory and Practice: Image Making for Cinematographers and Directors
The Camera Assistant's Manual
The Makeup Artist Handbook: Techniques for Film, Television, Photography, and Theatre
Special Makeup Effects for Stage and Screen: Making and Applying Prosthetics
Grammar of the Shot (Media Manuals)
Rebel without a Crew: Or How a 23-Year-Old Filmmaker With $7,000 Became a Hollywood Player
Cinematic Storytelling: The 100 Most Powerful Film Conventions Every Filmmaker Must Know
The Five C's of Cinematography: Motion Picture Filming Techniques
The cinematography 'bible' is called "The 5 C's of Cinematography".
http://www.amazon.com/The-Five-Cs-Cinematography-Techniques/dp/187950541X
Be good at as many things as you can. There are 10 people for every 1 paying job in the film/tv industry. The more things you can do, the more jobs you'll get.
Keep up to date. Improve your skills any chance you get. Watch films. Read this book until you have it memorised. Don't succumb to GAS (gear acquisition syndrome) - gear alone does not a good film make.
^completely ^made ^up, ^but ^not ^unrealistic, ^statistic.
Try The Five Cs for the big picture of editing in the context of the movie, trailer, whatever.
The Five C's of Cinematography. It's a little hard to get through, but it's highly informative and does a great job of laying the foundation for proper lighting technique and convention.
Read this first.
I'd have him read something to get himself situated with the filmography and technical aspects of a scene, shot, and film as a whole. This is what distinguishes a good film from other mediums (I'd recommend The 5 C's of Cinematography, which can be found free online, or in print.)
Then just show him films you enjoy. Point out why you enjoy them. Long shots, editing, acting, whatever. Once he finds something he enjoys, he'll go out and find his own favorites and be able to intellectually convey why he believes they are good.
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]:
Again, hope this is helpful and best of luck!
Bill
Where do you live?
If you want to do it, just try and get a job working as a PA on student films or something shooting in your area. You don't need experience, you don't need a degree, and the hardest part will be getting that first job.
I've seen too many of my friends in the business crippled by student loans that were unnecessary and actually counterproductive to their success. The people the did the best in the industry now actually dropped out of school 2 or 3 years in because they saw school was getting in the way of the work they were getting.
I hope you like reading, because while you're trying to get a job you should read these books.
Five C's of Cinematography
(http://www.amazon.com/The-Five-Cs-Cinematography-Techniques/dp/187950541X)
Set Lighting Technicians Handbook
http://www.amazon.com/Set-Lighting-Technicians-Handbook-Distribution/dp/0240810759
Camera Assistants Handbook
http://www.amazon.com/The-Camera-Assistant-Complete-Professional/dp/0240800427
Placing Shadows
http://www.amazon.com/Placing-Shadows-Lighting-Techniques-Production/dp/0240806611
Then watch these DVD's - They're expensive, look for them on eBay or used or something.
http://www.hollywoodcamerawork.com/mc_index.html
Have you made a movie before? If not, start churning them out. They don't have to be good, you just have to finish them. Believe it or not it is quantity, not quality, as the first few movies are going to be filled with the most stupid terrible mistakes you'll ever make, mistakes that will totally prevent you from telling a bearable story.
So if you combine all these...you look for a job, you start working as a PA, you read whatever you can get your hands on, especially those books listed, and you start shooting your own movies and applying what you learn from books and work to those films, you'll be in great shape.
Definitely read "The 5 C's of Cinematography" before anything else. http://www.amazon.com/Five-Cs-Cinematography-Picture-Techniques/dp/187950541X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1367884793&sr=1-1&keywords=5+c%27s+of+cinematography
I love "New Cinematographers" which has been a very inspiring book for me as it reminded me why I love working in the film industry at a time when I was contemplating quitting altogether. http://www.amazon.com/New-Cinematographers-Alex-Ballinger/dp/1856693341
The Eye is Quicker. http://www.amazon.com/Eye-Quicker-Editing-Making-Better/dp/0941188841/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1367884818&sr=1-1&keywords=the+eye+is+quicker
Motion Picture and Video Lighting. http://www.amazon.com/Motion-Picture-Video-Lighting-Blain/dp/0240807634/ref=sr_1_4?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1367884852&sr=1-4&keywords=grip+and+lighting
The Camera Assistant's Manual by David Elkins. http://www.amazon.com/Camera-Assistants-Manual-David-Elkins/dp/0240818687/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1367884939&sr=1-1&keywords=camera+assistant
I work in a gear rental place in London. Mostly you only need high school maths: ratios, proportions etc. But if you know CS you'll have a good handle on the workflow of digital image processing. This can be a lucrative position on big budget shoots. Here they call the role DIT, Red and Alexa cameras are the main ones to know and that can get you in as a PA because on lower budget shoots they often combine the roles.
You're doing the right thing by the way. I see a lot of people come out of film school with big debts only to have to start as PAs anyway. Read books like this and this and this and be prepared to do anything, especially waking up really early.
Good luck.
https://www.amazon.com/Five-Cs-Cinematography-Picture-Techniques/dp/187950541X/
These are just my personal favorites in the last few years. Covers all the filming basics besides sound design. However, if you want the full "survival guide", you'll need a reference for sound design and screenwriting. With lackluster sound and a horrible script, your films aren't going anywhere.
The Five C's of Cinematography: Motion Picture Filming Techniques
Cinematic Storytelling: The 100 Most Powerful Film Conventions Every Filmmaker Must Know
The Art and Technique of Digital Color Correction
I recently discovered Making Movies, written by one of the most innovative American directors of our time, to be a great layperson's walkthrough of the experience (from a director's point of view, from pre- to post-production).
This is a little more technical and specialized, but The Five C's of Cinematography is a great breakdown of how and why cameras affect a movie.
Otherwise, I'd say looking up BTS featurette videos gives some fascinating insights. HBO released one for a very complex sequence in the latest episode of Game of Thrones (spoiler alert, obviously) here
Win.
However to those who expected something substantial, I recommend this book: http://www.amazon.com/The-Five-Cs-Cinematography-Techniques/dp/187950541X
Thanks man :)
You can see where I started if you go back to some of my 2012 videos. One in particular was called "Winter Camping in the Meadow 2012" I was really bad at editing etc. I've also done a lot of studying of film techniques for the past few years and it has helped :) I recently found a good book too which I could suggest if you are interested. "5 C's of Cinematography" which applies more to film but you can apply a bit of the techniques...
http://www.amazon.com/Five-Cs-Cinematography-Picture-Techniques/dp/187950541X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1458232324&sr=8-1&keywords=5+c%27s+of+cinematography
assuming you were talking about filming skill :P Cause i dont consider my bushcraft skill that superb ;) My filming skill needs work still too but I know i've gotten better :D
Buy and read this:
http://www.amazon.com/Five-Cs-Cinematography-Picture-Techniques/dp/187950541X/
I'm in film school right now, and most of my production classes are good because they give me a chance to use pretty good equipment to make films. You can't really teach people how to come up with stories, and that's what a filmmaker really is: a story teller. So, just keep writing and making films with whatever equipment you can. Keep practicing and working on your craft. Here are some books I've found helpful: This book has a lot of information on the technical aspects of filmmaking, from very basic to terribly detailed.
This one is helpful in learning how to format and write scripts as well as treatments and concepts. Here is another book that is full of techniques to shoot better films.
Anyway, I hope this is helpful.
http://www.amazon.com/The-Five-Cs-Cinematography-Techniques/dp/187950541X
This has been my bible.