Suggested Reading

Well, the Flip DVD is out and selling quite well. Thanks to everybody who has picked up a copy! Now begins a weekly(ish) segment on the Flip Blog: Articles and Such. In every Article (and Such) we'll discuss the various aspects of filmmaking. This weeks Article is Suggested Reading. This is a list of great books that any filmmaker should own, or at least have read. Starting in no particular order with...

1) Rebel Without A Crew:
Robert Rodriguez' personal diary during the production of his first feature, El Mariachi. This book is, without a doubt, the best "on set diary" I have ever read. It covers not only how he financed, shot, edited, and distributed the movie, but also how he did it for under $7,000. It's full of great tid-bits and helpful information for filmmakers, and is an entertaining read even if you don't care about filmmaking. I always tend to read this book before I start a new project. It gets me enthused about the project. (Once you have read Rebel, check out David Carradine's similar, but much less technical, Kill Bill Diary)

2) The ScreenWriter's Problem Solver:
This book, by master-of-screenwriting
-books Syd Field, is a catalogued reference book for screenwriters. If you are in the middle of a script and come to a roadblock, simply flip to your specific problem in the index and follow the directions prescribed. Examples of the types of problems (and solutions) offered: "Talking Heads", "Something's Missing", "Enter Late, Get Out Early", etc. This is a wonderful reference and it doesn't get too philosophical. It treats screenwriting almost like an alchemy, which is essentially what it is (no matter what anyone says).

3) Extreme DV :
Rick Schmidt has created a wonderful "How-To" book with Extreme DV. The "How-To" in question is how-to write, direct, shoot, edit and produce a DV feature for under $3,000. Over the course of some 300 or so pages, Rick diagrams how exactly this is all possible. Of course, in the interests of making his book cover seem as attractive as possible, the aforementioned $3,000 assumes you already posses a nice video camera or are willing to buy a $400 1 chip camera. The rest of the information is very solid, and he backs it all up with his own feature experiences. This book may not portray the most realistic way to spend $3,000 but it certainly gives the reader a lot of good "cost-cutting" ideas.

4) Directing Actors :
Author/ Director Judith Weston has given her readers the ultimate resource with her book Directing Actors. It should really be called "Understanding Actors" because it goes in-depth as to what the actors are really thinking when you are directing them. The book gives many good examples of counter productive techniques, such as "I need you to be angrier" and then gives ways to correct that kind of direction. She also offers examples of notable actors and goes in-depth into their processes. This book can save you a year of directing classes at film school.