The book uses extensive illustrations to explain how to create extended sequence shots, elaborate moving camera choreography, and tracking shots with multiple story points.
, this book tackles specific problems of staging cinematic scenes. How should directors shoot scenes in confined spaces, such as small rooms or the interior of a car, in large open spaces, or with a number of characters involved in busy dialogue? As in his previous book, Katz addresses these problems by storyboarding hypothetical scenes for the camera, laying out a drawing of each shot in the sequence for readers to study. As a bonus, the book is peppered with interviews about creating shot sequences that Katz conducted with a number of professional filmmakers, including Allen Daviau, Ralph Singleton, and John Sayles.
Customer Reviews
Average Customer Review
Great book, October 9, 2008
By
James M. Deaton (Atlanta, GA USA)
This book is great, anyone who would like to shoot a decent video should read it.
Must read for every budding film maker, June 18, 2008
By
Sudhir Kadam (Mountain View, CA United States)
This is an amazing piece of work that addresses the staging aspect of a film very comprehensively. Most of the books treat this subject with a lot of words, but Steven Katz has chosen to explain the nuances of staging in a visual form - demystifying the entire art behind it. If you are budding movie maker - read this before you stage your first shot.
Great stuff!, April 21, 2008
By
J. CoyleThis book is great. Very informative, clear and concise. A must read for all aspiring directors or director/writer hyphenates.
A Workshop in a Book!, July 12, 2004
By
E. English (Boulder, Colorado USA)
Cinematic Motion, by Steven Katz, published by Michael Wiese Productions, is another one of those absolutely must-have books for serious filmmakers. The subtitle, A Workshop for Staging Scenes, is just what this valuable resource and reference manual is...a workshop in a book! It's unique in that it is written from the film director's viewpoint. The focus of the book is on creative visual staging of each scene, and the storyboards and diagrams are clear, consistent and workable. Katz shows you how to choreograph scenes and create illusions, as needed, through blocking, camera movement, moving an actor or actors in a scene, and staging, in scenes with confined spaces up to large spaces, interiors and exteriors. The interviews with director John Sayles (The Secret of Roan Inish; Passion Fish; City of Hope) and production manager Ralph Singleton (Pet Sematary II; Clear and Present Danger; Last Man Standing) are very informative and helpful for the beginning filmmaker and the experienced filmmaker alike.
Including interactive online 3D storyboards, June 6, 2004
By
Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA)
Now in an updated second edition, Film Directing Cinematic Motion is an extensive how-to manual especially for aspiring and practicing directors to fine-tuning the art of creating a personal camera style, piecing together extended sequence shots, make the most of digital technology for visualization and script breakdown, and much more. Including interactive online 3D storyboards for hands-on practice, Film Directing Cinematic Motion is extremely down-to-earth in its presentation, offering direct Q & A with an expert, extremely detailed situational examples, frame-by-frame diagrams to illustrate complex points, and much more. Highly recommended for anyone involved in the field, whether amateur or professional.
