Cinematography

The Essential Guide to the Cameraman's Craft

Since its initial publication in 1973, Cinematography has become the guidebook for filmmakers. Based on their combined fifty years in the film and television industry, authors Kris Malkiewicz and M. David Mullen lay clear and concise groundwork for basic film techniques, focusing squarely on the cameraman's craft. Readers will then learn step-by-step how to master more advanced techniques in postproduction, digital editing, and overall film production.

This completely revised third edition, with more than 200 new illustrations, will provide a detailed look at:

• How expert camera operation can produce consistent, high-quality results
• How to choose film stocks for the appearance and style of the finished film
• How to measure light in studio and location shooting for the desired appearance
• How to coordinate visual and audio elements to produce high-quality sound tracks

Whether the final product is a major motion picture, an independent film, or simply a home video, Cinematography can help any filmmaker translate his or her vision into a quality film.

Library Journal

Written by two veteran cinematographers, this third edition of a classic text (first published in 1973) may be the definitive guide to cinematography for filmmakers, students, and teachers. In addition to updated coverage of equipment essential to shooting a film, various film stocks, lighting, and different tools that can help enhance the look of a film (e.g., camera filters), the book delves into nuanced techniques of cinematography such as "pushing" (trying to derive more light out of exposed film than was actually available). Most interesting are the examples from popular films that demonstrate the more sophisticated methods-Stanley Kubrick, for example, illuminated a scene in Barry Lyndon using only candlelight and extremely "fast" lenses. Digital cinematography receives only cursory treatment; the mastery of this work is limited to the art of shooting and developing actual film stocks. The authors, however, do discuss the integration of film with the digital medium: filmmakers may shoot in film, finish in digital video, and then print back to film for a variety of technical, financial, and sometimes aesthetic reasons. This book is recommended for most general collections and essential for film schools and schools with extensive arts collections.-Michael Tierno, New York Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.

M. David Mullen, ASC, graduated from UCLA and the California Institute of the Arts graduate film program. He has photographed nearly thirty films over the past decade and has earned two IFP/Independent Spirit nominations for best cinematography.