Filed under: Top Ten Film Books | Tags: apu trilogy, Asian cinema, B.D.Garga, cinematography, film books, film education, film workshop, Filmmakers master class, filmmaking, Gustavo Mercado, Hitchcock, indian cinema, Lagos Egri, Laurent Tirard, oorvazi irani, Robert Mckee, satyajit ray, Sidney Lumet, Story, Truffaut
Would like to share with you my list of Top Ten Film books which are a must read for filmmakers
1. MAKING MOVIES By Sidney Lumet
The book is from experiences as a filmmaker and not dry theory
Easy and enjoyable read .
2. MOVIE MAKER’S MASTER CLASS By Laurent Tirard
Reveals unique working styles and techniques used by international contemporary directors.
Brief chapter for each director but insightful.
3. STORY By Robert Mckee
Gives an insight into understanding different kind of films with the ‘Story Triangle’.
A lot of reference to actual films.
4. THE ART OF DRAMATIC WRITING By Lajos Egri
The chapter on ‘Premise’ is most valuable
A Classic !
5. THE FILMMAKER’S EYE By Gustavo Mercado
The book is more pictorial and is not text heavy
Easy to digest with a lot of references to actual films and deals with basic shot scale but in that simple structure reveals the complex and effective use of basic cinematic grammar by filmmakers.
Not theory but practice.
6. THE FIVE C’S OF CINEMATOGRAPHY By Joseph V. Mascelli
Detailed cinematography aspects explained
Very informative but maybe not a fast and easy read.
A Classic !
7. ASIAN CINEMA By Tom Vick
Published by the Smithsonian Institutte, a good book on Asian cinema, good background information on cultures, politics. But the chapter on Indian cinema is not that insightful.
A good introduction to Asian Cinema.
8. HITCHCOCK By Francois Truffaut (revised edition)
An Interview by one filmmaker to another. Interesting insights on Hitchcock’s technique with detailed references to scenes in his films.
Detailed but insightful.
9. MY YEARS WITH APU By Satyajit Ray
The process of making his first film. The struggle and ecstasy of filmmaking.
A personal and enjoyable journey.
10. SO MANY CINEMAS, THE MOTION PICTURE IN INDIA By B.D. Garga
A big coffee table book which begins with silent cinema and comes into the present times.
A good archive.
by Oorvazi Irani
6 Comments so far
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thanks you for sharing this
Comment by siddhesh April 22, 2012 @ 4:32 pmMy pleasure Siddhesh
Comment by oorvazi April 22, 2012 @ 9:06 pmThank you so much. I have always wondered which books on cinema to pick up. Many have also recommended Ray’s Our Films, Their Films to me.
Comment by Rasik April 22, 2012 @ 9:59 pmGreat
. Yes that is a nice book.
Comment by oorvazi April 23, 2012 @ 12:24 amInfact there is a list of books on each filmmaker specially Ray, but that’s to be read before recommending !
Shot by Shot is a nice book!
Comment by Agastya Kapoor April 27, 2012 @ 1:07 pmDear Agastya, thanks for sharing could you write a line about the book with the book’s author etc
Comment by oorvazi April 29, 2012 @ 1:48 am