Synopses & Reviews
How does a film come to look the way it does? And what influence does the look of a film have on our reaction to it? The role of cinematography, as both a science and an art, is often forgotten in the chatter about acting, directing, and budgets. The successful cinematographer must have a keen creative eye, as well as expert knowledge about the constantly expanding array of new camera, film, and lighting technologies. Without these skills at a directorandrsquo;s disposal, most movies quickly fade from memory.
Cinematography focuses on the highlights of this art and provides the first comprehensive overview of how the field has rapidly evolved, from the early silent film era to the digital imagery of today.
The essays in this volume introduce us to the visual conventions of the Hollywood style, explaining how these first arose and how they have subsequently been challenged by alternative aesthetics. In order to frame this fascinating history, the contributors employ a series of questions about technology (how did new technology shape cinematography?), authorship (can a cinematographer develop styles and themes over the course of a career?), and classicism (how should cinematographers use new technology in light of past practice?). Taking us from the hand-cranked cameras of the silent era to the digital devices used today, the collection of original essays explores how the art of cinematography has been influenced not only by technological advances, but also by trends in the movie industry, from the rise of big-budget blockbusters to the spread of indie films.
The book also reveals the people behind the camera, profiling numerous acclaimed cinematographers from James Wong Howe to Roger Deakins. Lavishly illustrated with over 50 indelible images from landmark films, Cinematography offers a provocative behind-the-scenes look at the profession and a stirring celebration of the art form. Anyone who reads this history will come away with a fresh eye for what appears on the screen because of what happens behind it.
Review
andldquo;From filmandrsquo;s beginnings, with the freedom of one man hand cranking his camera, to hundreds of digital technicians slaving at work stations today, the story of cinematography is explored in riveting, close-up detail.andrdquo;
Review
andquot;This terrific book depicts the production design of movies so that it is actually 'seeable.' Always reflecting the enormous changes in technology, the audience and the industry, the continuity of the art form comes to the foreground.andrdquo;
Review
andquot;This illuminating study of design in film examines the evolution of an often-overlooked role and the chemistry of knowledge, skill, and collaboration required to create visually compelling cinema.andquot;
Review
andquot;Thoroughly researched and revelatory, this book is an essentialand#160;resource for sound and cinema studies. Again and again, theand#160;contributors to this excellent volume showed me how much I still haveand#160;to learn about cinema sound.andquot;
Review
andquot;A complete history of the use and development of sound in movies from silent films until today. Interesting reading for professionals and also for anyone interested in moviemaking.andquot;
Review
andquot;Spence and Navarro create a beautiful, accessible synthesis of the ideas underpinning documentary thinking, the key scholars addressing these ideas, and a diverse filmography representing those texts. It sets the foundation for understanding the form as it has developed so far and provides a starting point for understanding the form as it will evolve in the future.andquot;
Review
andquot;Highly recommended. Perhaps mandatory for students of film, mass communication, and journalism.andquot;
Review
andquot;Crafting Truth delivers an intelligent and inspiring introduction to documentary studies through an original framework that powerfully attends to the complex politics, aesthetics, ideas, and forms at the heart of the genre.andquot;
Review
andquot;Crafting Truth introduces readers to some of the basic questions guiding contemporary discussions of the documentary. Authors Louise Spence and Vinicius Navarro structure their book around thoughtful considerations of general concepts like authenticity, evidence, and responsibility; structural organization of rhetoric and argument; and formal techniques like editing, camerawork, and sound in order to ask: how do documentaries proclaim themselves authentic?andquot;
Review
andquot;Crafting Truth addresses all the main issues involved in studying the documentary, cleverly illustrated by recent examples while not forgetting necessary consideration of the canonandmdash;a very valuable account.andquot;
Review
andquot;A novel and illuminating introduction to key concepts in documentary. The distinctive cast to the book makes it an extremely welcome contribution to the field.andquot;
Review
andquot;From Samuel Arkoff to Adolph Zukor, Producing gives us a model for examining this most misunderstood position in the movie hierarchy, and for analyzing the history and historiography of executive labor in Hollywood.andquot;
Review
andquot;Producing is an invaluable contribution to film studies andndash; and to American film history andndash; that sheds some serious light on the single most undervalued and misunderstood role in Hollywood filmmaking.andquot;
Synopsis
and#160;The first book to provide a comprehensive chronicle of the art of cinematography, from the 1890s to the present day, this collection introduces readers to the people behind the camera, the roles they play, the equipment they use, and the indelible images they have created. Including over 50 film stills,
Cinematography vividly illustrates how the cinematographerandrsquo;s art has evolved in tandem with major technological and economic shifts in the film industry.and#160;
Synopsis
It is impossible to imagine filmmaking without an understanding of the contributions of art direction and production design. In Art Direction and Production Design, six outstanding scholars survey the careers of notable art directors, the influence of specific design styles, the key roles played by particular studios and films in shaping the field, the effect of technological changes on production design, and the shifts in industrial modes of organization.and#160;
Synopsis
How is the look of a film achieved? Inand#160;
Art Direction and Production Design, six outstanding scholars survey the careers of notable art directors, the influence of specific design styles, the key roles played by particular studios and films in shaping the field, the effect of technological changes on production design, and the shifts in industrial modes of organization.and#160;
The craftandrsquo;s purpose is to produce an overall pictorial andldquo;visionandrdquo; for films, and in 1924 a group of designers formed the Cinemagundi Clubandmdash;their skills encompassed set design, painting, decoration, construction, and budgeting. A few years later, in recognition of their contributions to filmmaking, the first Academy Awards for art direction were given, a clear indication of just how essential the oversight of production design had become to the so-called majors. The original essays presented inand#160;Art Direction and Production Designand#160;trace the trajectory from Thomas Edisonandrsquo;s primitive studio, the Black Maria, to the growth of the Hollywood andldquo;studio system,andrdquo; to the influence of sound, to a discussion of the andldquo;auteur theory,andrdquo; and to contemporary Hollywood in which computer-generated imagery has become common. By 2000, the Society of Motion Picture Art Directors became the Art Directors Guild, emphasizing the significance of the contributions of art direction and production design to filmmaking.and#160;
Art Direction and Production Designand#160;is a volume in the Behind the Silver Screen seriesandmdash;other titles in the series includeand#160;Acting, Animation, Cinematography, Directing, Editing and Special/Visual Effects, Producers, Screenwriting, andand#160;Sound.and#160;
Synopsis
Sound introduces key concepts, seminal moments, and pivotal figures in the development of cinematic sound, revealing the unseen work of film composers, Foley artists, elocution coaches, and many more. Each of the bookandrsquo;s six chapters cover a different era in the history of Hollywood, from silent films to the digital age, and each is written by an expert in that period. After you read Sound, youandrsquo;ll never seeandmdash;or hearandmdash;movies in quite the same way.and#160;and#160;
Synopsis
Sound has always been an integral component of the moviegoing experience. Even during the so-called andldquo;silent era,andrdquo; motion pictures were regularly accompanied by live music, lectures, and sound effects. Today, whether we listen to movies in booming Dolby theaters or on tiny laptop speakers, sonic elements hold our attention and guide our emotional responses. Yet few of us are fully aware of the tremendous collaborative work, involving both artistry and technical wizardry, required to create that cinematic soundscape.and#160;
and#160;Sound, the latest book in the Behind the Silver Screen series, introduces key concepts, seminal moments, and pivotal figures in the development of cinematic sound. Each of the bookandrsquo;s six chapters cover a different era in the history of Hollywood, from silent films to the digital age, and each is written by an expert in that period. Together, the bookandrsquo;s contributors are able to explore a remarkable range of past and present film industry practices, from the hiring of elocution coaches to the marketing of soundtrack records. and#160;
and#160;Not only does the collection highlight the achievements of renowned sound designers and film composers like Ben Burtt and John Williams, it also honors the unsung workers whose inventions, artistry, and performances have shaped the soundscapes of many notable movies. After you read Sound, youandrsquo;ll never seeandmdash;or hearandmdash;movies in quite the same way.and#160;
and#160;Sound is a volume in the Behind the Silver Screen seriesandmdash;other titles in the series include Acting; Animation; Art Direction and Production Design; Cinematography; Costume, Makeup, and Hair; Directing; Editing and Special Visual Effects; Producing; and Screenwriting.and#160;and#160;and#160;
Synopsis
The chapters in
Acting provide a fascinating, in-depth look at the history of film acting, from its inception in 1895 when spectators thrilled at the sight of vaudeville performers, wild-west stars, and athletes captured in motion to the present when audiences marvel at the seamless blend of human actors with CGI. In six original essays, the contributors to this volume illuminate the dynamic role of acting in the creation and evolving practices of the American film industry. and#160;and#160;
Synopsis
Screen performances entertain and delight us but we rarely stop to consider actorsandrsquo; reliance on their craft to create memorable characters. Although film acting may appear effortless, a host of techniques, artistic conventions, and social factors shape the construction of each role. and#160;
The chapters in Acting provide a fascinating, in-depth look at the history of film acting, from its inception in 1895 when spectators thrilled at the sight of vaudeville performers, Wild West stars, and athletes captured in motion, to the present when audiences marvel at the seamless blend of human actors with CGI. Experts in the field take readers behind the silver screen to learn about the craft of film acting in six eras: the silent screen (1895andndash;1928), classical Hollywood (1928andndash;1946), postwar Hollywood (1947andndash;1967), the auteur renaissance (1968andndash;1980), the New Hollywood (1981andndash;1999), and the modern entertainment marketplace (2000andndash;present). The contributors pay special attention to definitive performances by notable film stars, including Lillian Gish, Dick Powell, Ginger Rogers, Beulah Bondi, Marilyn Monroe, Marlon Brando, Jack Nicholson, Robert De Niro, Nicholas Cage, Denzel Washington, and Andy Serkis.
and#160;In six original essays, the contributors to this volume illuminate the dynamic role of acting in the creation and evolving practices of the American film industry. and#160;
and#160;Acting is a volume in the Behind the Silver Screen seriesandmdash;other titles in the series include Animation; Art Direction and Production Design; Cinematography; Costume, Makeup, and Hair; Directing; Editing and Special/Visual Effects; Producing; Screenwriting; and Sound.and#160;
and#160;and#160;and#160;
Synopsis
A documentary's sounds and images are always the product of selection and choice, and often underscore points the filmmaker wishes to make. Crafting Truth illuminates the ways these films tell their stories; how they use the camera, editing, sound, and performance; what rhetorical devices they employ; and what the theoretical, practical, and ethical implications of these choices are. Complex documentary concepts are presented through easily accessible language, images, and a discussion of a wide range of films and videos to encourage new ways of thinking about and seeing nonfiction film.
Synopsis
Documentaries such as Zana Briski and Ross Kauffman's
Born into Brothels, Michael Moore's
Fahrenheit 9/11, Jeffrey Blitz's
Spellbound, along with
March of the Penguins and
An Inconvenient Truth have achieved critical as well as popular success. Although nonfiction film may have captured imaginations, many viewers enter and leave theaters with a nanve concept of "truth" and "reality"-for them, documentaries are information sources. But is truth or reality readily available, easily acquired, or undisputed? Or do documentaries convey illusions of truth and reality? What aesthetic means are used to build these illusions?
A documentary's sounds and images are always the product of selection and choice, and often underscore points the filmmaker wishes to make. Crafting Truth illuminates the ways these films tell their stories; how they use the camera, editing, sound, and performance; what rhetorical devices they employ; and what the theoretical, practical, and ethical implications of these choices are. Complex documentary concepts are presented through easily accessible language, images, and a discussion of a wide range of films and videos to encourage new ways of thinking about and seeing nonfiction film.
Synopsis
Producing is the first book to provide a comprehensive overview of the myriad roles that producers have played in Hollywood, from the dawn of the twentieth century to the present day. It introduces readers to the colorful figures who helped to define and reimagine the producerandrsquo;s role, including inventors like Thomas Edison, entrepreneurs like Walt Disney, and mavericks like Roger Corman. Along the way, we get an illuminating picture of the creative, managerial, and financial decisions that producers make.and#160;
Synopsis
Of all the job titles listed in the opening and closing screen credits, producer is certainly the most amorphous. There are businessmen (and women)-producers, writer-director- and movie-star-producers; producers who work for the studio; executive producers whose reputation and industry clout alone gets a project financed (though their day-to-day participation in the project may be negligible). The job title, regardless of the actual work involved, warrants a great deal of prestige in the film business; it is the credited producers, after all, who collect the Oscar for Best Picture. But what producers do and what they donandrsquo;t or wonandrsquo;t do varies from project to project.and#160;Producing is the first book to provide a comprehensive overview of the roles that producers have played in Hollywood, from the dawn of the twentieth century to the present day. It introduces readers to the colorful figures who helped to define and reimagine the producerandrsquo;s role, including inventors like Thomas Edison, moguls like Darryl F. Zanuck, entrepreneurs like Walt Disney, and mavericks like Roger Corman. Readers also get an inside look at the less glamorous jobs producers have often performed: shepherding projects through many years of development, securing financial backers, and supervising movie shoots. and#160;and#160;The latest book in the acclaimed Behind the Silver Screen series, Producing includes essays written by seven film scholars, each an expert in a different period of cinema history. Together, they give readers a full picture of how the art and business of producing films has changed over timeandmdash;and how the producerandrsquo;s myriad job duties continue to evolve in the digital era.and#160;and#160;
About the Author
CLAUDIA SPRINGER is in the English department at Framingham State University where she teaches film studies. She is the author ofand#160;
Electronic Eros: Bodies and Desire in the Postindustrial Ageand#160;andand#160;
James Dean Transfigured: The Many Faces of Rebel Iconography.and#160;
JULIE LEVINSON is a professor of film at Babson College. She is the author of The American Success Myth on Film, and the editor of Alexander Payne: Interviews.
Table of Contents
Introduction
Lucy Fischer
1. The Silent Screen, 1895andndash;1928
Lucy Fischer
2. Classical Hollywood, 1928andndash;1946
Mark Shiel
3. Postwar Hollywood, 1947andndash;1967
Merrill Schleier
4. The Auteur Renaissance, 1968andndash;1980
Charles Tashiro
5. The New Hollywood, 1981andndash;1999
J. D. Connor
6. The Modern Entertainment Marketplace, 2000-Present
Stephen Prince
Academy Awards for Best Art Direction
Notes
Selected Bibliography
Notes on Contributors
Index