Directing: Film Techniques and Aesthetics

Directing: Film Techniques and Aesthetics is a comprehensive manual that teaches the essentials of filmmaking from the perspective of the director. Ideal for film production and directing classes, as well as for aspiring and current directors, Directing covers all phases of preproduction and production, from idea development to final cut. Thoroughly covering the basics, Directing guides the reader to professional standards of expression and control, and goes to the heart of what makes a director. The book outlines a great deal of practical work to meet this goal, with projects, exercises. The third edition emphasizes the connection between knowing and doing, with every principle realizable through projects and exercises. Much has been enhanced and expanded, notably: aspects of dramaturgy; beats and dramatic units; pitching stories and selling one's work; the role of the entrepreneurial producer; and the dangers of embedded moral values. Checklists are loaded with practical recommendations for action, and outcomes assessment tables help the reader honestly gauge his or her progress. Entirely new chapters present: preproduction procedures; production design; script breakdown; procedures and etiquette on the set; shooting location sound; continuity; and working with a composer. The entire book is revised to capitalize on the advantages offered by the revolutionary shift to digital filmmaking.

Table of Contents:
Artistic Identity* The Job of the Director* Identifying Your Themes as a Director* Developing Your Story Ideas* Checklist* Screencraft* Screen Grammar* Seeing with a Moviemaker's Eye* Shooting Projects* Checklist* Writing* The Screenplay* The Process of Writing* Adaptation from Art or Life* Story Development Strategies* Scene-Writing Exercises* Checklist* Aesthetics and Authorship* Point of View* Genre, Conflict, and Dialectics* Structure, Plot, and Time* Space, Stylized Environments, and Performances* Form and Style* Checklist* Preproduction* Interpreting the Script* Casting* Directing Actors* Actors' Problems* Improvisation Work to Explore Acting* Exercises with a Text* Rehearsal and Development* Director and Actor Prepare a Scene* Final Rehearsals and Planning Coverage* Checklist* Production* Developing a Crew* Mise en Scene Basics* Getting Ready to Shoot* Directing the Crew* Monitoring Progress* Checklist* Postproduction* Preparing to Edit* Editing the First Assembly* Editing from Rough Cut to Fine Cut* Editing: Finalization* Editing from Fine Cut to Sound Mix* Titles and Acknowledgments* Checklist* Career Track* Planning a Career* Major International Film/Video Schools* Breaking into the Industry* Checklist* Further Information* Glossary* Select Bibliography* Index