Filmmaking for Teens: Pulling Off Your Shorts

Book Description

This funny and irreverent how to takes young would be filmmakers fromt he moment of inspiration to a finished short film amd beyond.

Customer Reviews:

A Must Have for the Young Filmmaker.......2007-03-28

I bought this for my 13-year-old step son and he loves it! I read through it and discovered that it is very inspiring to young filmmakers. There are some great references in the back.
I bought him a small digital all-in-one video camera and he has done some very clever things with it after reading through the book. His best one was a little stop motion video about two rocks that had a fight with each other. One winner. One loser. Pretty funny.
I appreciate authors like Troy Lanier who can hold a teenage attention span for a couple hundred pages.

Young filmmakers will relish the opportunity to turn their dreams into reality .......2006-07-25

Young filmmakers will relish the opportunity to turn their dreams into reality - the reality of a finished short film - using the tips and insights of FILMMAKING FOR TEENS: PULLING OFF YOUR SHORTS. Chapter packed with insights on everything from brainstorming a solid, workable plot and setting to producing a first film, scheduling, shooting, and then marketing the finished results. Teens - and many a post-teen - will find all the passion of the new filmmaker translated into a series of practical chapters covering all aspects of one's first film endeavor - and should make this book a 'bible' of introductory steps to turning such a dream into reality.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

THIS BOOK IS AWESOME.......2006-06-21

This book is, by far, the best teen filmmaking book out there. It was so helpful to me I read it in 2 days and it was so interesting, that I read it again, then went back and took every bit of advice the authors gave me. Thank you so much Troy and Clay!

A Must-Read For Beginners of All Ages!.......2006-06-01

This is the only review I've ever bothered to write, so pay attention:

This is an absolutely fantastic book for anybody who wants to start filmmaking, regardless of what age you are. It's not for experienced filmmakers necessarily, I doubt you'll learn much here, but for somebody who has teetered on the edge of possibly making a movie, this book will give you that push you need.

The general purpose of the book is to help you make that step out of home video and into a more professional field. One of my favorite chapters is the one that discusses equipment, detailing exactly what you really need to make a good movie, what is useful, and what you don't necessarily need to worry about. And by "good", they mean "not home video". Just the basic necessities such as a reflector, a tv monitor, a good microphone, etc. It becomes surprisingly simple to make a good movie on a tight budget, although they are also clear where your budget might need to be stretched (such as with the microphone).

Another thing I love about this book is how they approach the reader as a true, budding filmmaker. The authors know that most of the people reading this book have huge ambitions, and really want to make their movie as fantastic as possible. The authors then provide just the perfect amount of both encouragement to pursue your dreams, and realism as to what is truly possible. Above all, they continually stress for the reader to get up off their seat and go make a movie! As I said before, it was just the push I needed, and I love this book for it.

I could go on, but I've said all the necessary stuff, I think. BUY THIS BOOK! You will love it.

Filmmaking for Teens.......2006-03-17

For anyone even remotely interested in making their own movie this book is for you. The authors are high school teachers in Austin, TX, and are in constant contact with teens, so they have the views and ideas that will work best for this age group. But don't let this stop you if you are no longer a teen. It will help anyone because of its easy going flow and entertaining writing style.
Troy Lanier and Clay Nichols start off suggesting to get organized and follow the steps outlined even though they might be a little tedious. It turns out their suggestions are right on! I followed their approach for the script and it is working great. They also suggested limiting the length of your first film to 5-6 minutes on the premise that if you can follow through and complete all the steps of script writing, auditions, gathering your crew, filming and editing you can make a longer film in the future.
I have bought some other books but none have been so through in the step by step process of filmmaking from beginning to end.
Overall a great book!

Book Description

The word 'music' in the early 21st century means many things. It means Mozart in the elevator, 50s pop songs on TV adverts, Finnish folk songs on Nokia 'phones. It means inflammatory Serbian nationalist song, ancient Coptic Church chant, Berlin electronica, Wynton Marsalis.

Given this bewildering abundance, how we can speak of a single thing called 'music'? This book will argue that we can. More than that, it will argue that a vast area of cultural practice is at risk of vanishing behind the deafening roar of all those dead simulations of music that fill the airwaves.

In this passionately argued and convincing book Ivan Hewett re-claims the unique place of music should have in our culture in its own right.

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Music: Healing the Rift
Ivan Hewett
Manufacturer: NY
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000MUFH74

Book Description

365 FUN, CREATIVE ACTIVITIES TO STIMULATE YOUR PRESCHOOLER EVERY DAY OF THE YEAR

This book contains 365 activities (one for each day of the year) for three- to six-year-olds using things found around the home. It shows parents and day-care providers how to:

Save money by making your own paints, playdough, craft clays, glue, paste, and other arts and crafts supplies.
Prevent boredom during even the longest stretches of indoor weather with ideas for indoor play, kitchen activities, and arts and crafts projects.
Stimulate a child's natural curiosity with fun reading, math, and science activities.
Encourage a child's physical, mental, and emotional growth with ideas for music, dance, drama, and outdoor play.
Celebrate holidays and other occasions with special projects and activities.
Keep children occupied during long trips or cross-town errands.

The Preschooler's Busy Book is written with warmth and sprinkled with humor and insight. It should be required reading for anyone raising or teaching preschool-age children.

Customer Reviews:

LOVE this book.......2007-09-26

This book was a sanity saver for a mom with 3 year old twins. How neat to have a resource to turn to on rainy days, snowed in days or days when things are going chaotic. This book is full of all kinds of activities and suggestions on how to occupy your little ones. I love it!! The activities are so easy to do and they are so creative. There are recipes, games and instructions to make homemade toys. These are just a few of the many materials covered. I recommend this book for anyone who has young children!

Fabulous Idea Book.......2007-06-11

I bought this book for my husband and I to come up with simple activities for our 3 1/2 year old. We have tried several activities and my daughter loves them. They are simple, use common, everyday household stuff and are inexpensive to do. It is a great basic activity book.

it was okay.......2007-05-30

there are better ones out there to spend your money on.It did get here on time and in conditon.

great ideas for preschool aged kids.......2007-02-20

this is a great idea book...some repetition and basic ideas...but, sometimes you just need a simple project and you and your kids can make it your own.

preschooler's busy book.......2006-08-30

This is a great book. I have a busy 5 year old and it can be a challange to keep her busy. She loves the activities, mom is cool again:)

Book Description

Based on the classic History of Broadcasting in the United States, Tube of Plenty represents the fruit of several decades' labor. When Erik Barnouw--premier chronicler of American broadcasting and a participant in the industry for fifty years--first undertook the project of recording its history, many viewed it as a light-weight literary task concerned mainly with "entertainment" trivia. Indeed, trivia such as that found in quiz programs do appear in the book, but Barnouw views them as part of a complex social tapestry that increasingly defines our era. To understand our century, we must fully comprehend the evolution of television and its newest extraordinary offshoots. With this fact in mind, Barnouw's new edition of Tube of Plenty explores the development and impact of the latest dramatic phases of the communications revolution. Since the first publication of this invaluable history of television and how it has shaped, and been shaped by, American culture and society, many significant changes have occurred. Assessing the importance of these developments in a new chapter, Barnouw specifically covers the decline of the three major networks, the expansion of cable and satellite television and film channels such as HBO (Home Box Office), the success of channels catering to special audiences such as ESPN (Entertainment and Sports Programming Network) and MTV (Music Television), and the arrival of VCRs in America's living rooms. He also includes an appendix entitled "questions for a new millennium," which will challenge readers not only to examine the shape of television today, but also to envision its future.

Customer Reviews:

Essential for understanding the development of TV as a business and technology.......2006-08-09

This is a generous single-volume condensation of Erik Barnouw's seminal three-volume HISTORY OF BROADCASTING IN THE UNITED STATES. It is not a perfect book--took much is left out for that--but it does provide any student of American TV with an essential overview of many aspects in the birth and development of the medium. Despite the great length of the book, even in the single-volume abridgment, there are some curious omissions, but the strong points of the book are very strong indeed and make the book one of the crucial volumes for any personal library on television.

Barnouw tells in wonderful (and wonderfully entertaining) detail the development of the technologies that allowed the existence of radio and television, as well as the economic realities that turned it into the massive business that it has long been. He also explores the political aspects of the medium, both in terms of serving as part of the Fourth Estate by providing oversight to government actions and policies, and the erosion of that role as right wing groups have undermined that role (Barnouw anticipates the ultimate melding of right wing politics and corporate owned media, while at the same time crying crocodile tears over the mythical liberal media). He is also exceptional at detailing what kinds of shows arose at what time and what the constituent factors were. Even if one has a pretty decent idea of what was happening on TV at what time, Barnouw will both broaden and deepen one's understanding of the medium.

Nonetheless, while this is an outstanding book, one can't help but be struck by what was left out. For instance, there is no mention of a large number of seminal television shows. Although one of the most popular shows on TV in the fifties, THE PHIL SILVERS SHOW with Silvers as Sgt. Bilko got no mention at all. THE TWILIGHT ZONE was one of the best-written and iconic shows of all time, yet it is not discussed at all. Though I was never a fan of GILLIGAN'S ISLAND, it was nearly as popular as THE BEVERLY HILLBILLIES, which receives extensive notice. One recognizes that there are time restrictions, but these omissions are significant. There is also an amazing neglect of British Television shows. SECRET AGENT MAN aka DANGER MAN received no mention nor did the massively influential MONTY PYTHON'S FLYING CIRCUS.

This all highlights the book's strength. It is far weaker in discussing the aesthetics of TV than examining it as an industry and as a technology. The cut off point for the book is the late eighties, yet not a single word deals with the enormous growth of television as an art form in that decade. The most important show that decade by far was HILL STREET BLUES. Virtually every series (what Barnouw would call a telefilm) in the history of prime time television prior to HILL STREET BLUES adhered to the episodic format, each series consisting of a series of self-contained segments that would resolve all of that week's action and then be forgotten by the next week and the next episode. Some prime time soap operas did use the serial format, with the action spilling over from week to week, but none of these enjoyed any critical acclaim and were at best contained rather simplistic plots. HILL STREET BLUES, on the other hand, though it tried to resolve one story arc each week, contained multiple story arcs and possessed a remarkably complex narrative style. This revolutionized television narrative and made possible subsequent shows as various as ST. ELSEWHERE, THE X-FILES, BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER, 24, THE GILMORE GIRLS, FARSCAPE, ER, THE SOPRANOS, SIX FEET UNDER, LOST, and VERONICA MARS (the list could go on and on and on). In other words, almost everything good on TV can be said to have evolved out of what HILL STREET BLUES wrought. Yet, Barnouw does not mention HILL STREET BLUES even once. The development of the multiple story arc series was the greatest aesthetic development not merely of the eighties, but one of the two or three most important developments ever, yet Barnouw simply doesn't notice.

But for understanding the history of television as a business and the technology it is rooted in, Barnouw's book stands alone. Most people imagine the story of television beginning in the fifties or perhaps the late forties, but Barnouw begins in the late 19th century with Marconi. This isn't just a book that any more-than-casual student of TV ought to read; it is one they MUST read.

This is an exceptional telling of the story of television........1998-09-30

Erik Barnouw tells the story of television from the beginning. It does not begin with Uncle Miltie and I Love Lucy, in fact Milton Berle doesn't appear until page 117. This is a story of television which begins seven decades earlier, when the first piece of the puzzle which would become television was unveiled: the telephone. This, Barnouw recognizes, is the birth of television, because it fired the imaginations of scientists and engineers, artists and entrepreneurs, and, perhaps most importantly, boys plowing fields with their horse teams.

The stories of the young geniuses like Marconi and Farnsworth capture the imagination, and Barnouw highlights these heros' struggles in the wars waged by RCA against each of them. Greater attention is due Edwin Howard Armstrong, another young genius who was crushed by the monstrous corporation, but Barnouw gives Armstrong more than most. By the time RCA premieres television service in 1939, the reader understands that television has already had a tremendous impact on America.

Television's greatest moments are here, and Barnouw does a excellent job of devoting appropriate amounts of time to each. The author recognizes how interwoven television has become in our society and some chapter breaks are measured by historical events, rather than by eras of television. The end of World War II and the assassination of JFK not only marked shifts in our nation's history, but in television as well. What followed were not historical events, as before TV, but media events.

Amazon.com

Claiming inspiration from Lawrence Krauss's The Physics of Star Trek, the Jenkinses focus on the biological logic (or illogic) behind the alien ecologies in Star Trek--the original TV series and all of its sequels and movie spinoffs. The best parts are the biological bloopers, even though only a fan will truly appreciate them. For instance, how did the Klingons evolve forehead ridges between the original and the new series ... and why do all the planets look like California?

The science in the book helps the authors hypothesize about how humanoid life might have evolved throughout the universe (panspermia revisited). They offer simple evolutionary theories to explain the various head shapes and behaviors of fictional alien species. An entertaining read for a Star Trek science nerd. --Therese Littleton

Book Description

It's a routine mission. The Enterprise-D is in synchronous orbit over a Class-M planet to be surveyed for possible colonization. Commander Riker calls the life science team to its station, then Captain Picard orders a "search for life signs." As the principal investigator on this mission, you're up.

What do you do now? With Life Signs: The Biology of Star Trek, you'll know exactly what to do. In this vastly entertaining and informative volume, a research geneticist at a world-renowned medical center and a noted psychiatrist investigate the myriad questions Star Trek raises about "new life and new civilizations." They draw surprising conclusions about everything from the likelihood that any humanoid could be blue in color to the climate on the Vulcan homeworld to what caused the dramatic physiological changes in the Klingon race between the twenty-third and twenty-fourth centuries (something even Klingons themselves avoid discussing).

Life Signs: The Biology of Star Trek pays special attention to the Federation's astonishing technological advances, probing the accuracy and effects of these developments. How might the food replicators work? (And how would replicated food taste?) Is there any scientific basis for all that hyper-high-tech equipment in sickbay? Will it ever be possible to genetically enhance intelligence (the way Dr. Bashir's wits were sharpened when he was a boy)?

The Jenkinses also chart the remarkable parallels between the Star Trek universe and our own. They find earthly analogues to the Pon farr that puts Vulcans in heat every seven years. They hunt down common creatures reminiscent of the "crystalline entity" and the silicon-based Horta. They even introduce us to the billions of life-forms residing in our own bodies and induce us to wonder whether Jadzia Dax's Trill symbiont is really such a far-fetched notion after all.

Throughout, this engaging and authoritative book bristles with insights on the cutting edge of contemporary biology. Discover how close we are to cloning humans. Examine implants and prosthetics that might make the Borg proud. Watch NASA wrestle with the perils of extended space travel as it plans for a three-year-long manned mission to Mars. And learn where no one has gone before or ever will go as the Jenkinses highlight some of Star Trek's more notable biological bloopers.

Whether you run your own genetics lab or you ran screaming from high-school biology class, Life Signs: The Biology of Star Trek will heighten your appreciation for the mind-expanding magic of Star Trek.

Customer Reviews:

Much Better.......2007-01-20

If you read To Seek Out New Life, I'm sorry. There Andreadis claims to love Star Trek, and spends most of the book proving how false the science of the show is. She forgets the cardinal rule of a Trekkie- apologize for the show. Yes, it has problems in physics. Yes, there are continuity errors. Yes, the biology isn't always up to snuff. But you love the show, so you try to make it work. You try to find a work-around. And then, if you absolutely can't, you admit there was a mistake.

This is the tradition the Jenkinses boldly go with. They use Star Trek to have fun with biology, and understand more about new life. What would Horta psychology be like? Why do Gorgons make us uncomfortable? Where do we find Trill-like species here on Earth? The Jenkinses use Trek to help us understand more about life, in the process fully explaining the biology, but not in such detail to bore the unscientific reader. This is what was great about the show. It entertained, yes, but it took us beyond. It made us struggle with philosophy, history, anthropology, and science. It made us think about new possibilities, and use our imaginations to understand the world around us. It is in this tradition that the Jenkinses lead us.

A solid, worthy book, even for non-Trekkers.......2000-06-26

The doctors Jenkins may not have Dr. Lawrence Krauss's easy way of turning hard science into a page-turner, but their work is an entertaining, informative, accessible book.

The book covers topics from a wide range of biological study, including how the structure of faces affect psychology, why 'silicon-based life' is a possibility while 'aluminum-based life' is not, practical applications of gene therapy, and the traditional chapter of bloopers committed by the Star Trek writers (including the intriguing question of why it is that Captain Picard is the only member of the Enterprise bridge crew who can't seem to grow his own hair back). The single chapter on the biology of love and romance covers such wide-ranging topics as the possible mating customs of various Star Trek races, the biology of inter-species reproduction (including the surprising revelation that you may turn out differently depending on whether your mother or your father was the Vulcan), and the distinctions between biological, psychological, and sociological concepts of gender.

If you're looking for a book heavy on information and light on gushing asides about how wonderful it would be if we all lived in the Star Trek universe, you'll enjoy this book.

Fantastic travel : Star Trek's beings, biological vision.......1998-11-30

A fantastic, professional written book, focusing on the most unbelievable (and unthought) aspects of the Star Trek's beings. Now you can understand the most different behaviors and acts of some aliens of ST universe, once believed illogical and strange for you. And you can see it through the eyes of two medical doctors, which give you complete and comprehensive explanation. Recomended for the Star Trek fans (Old Series, New Generation, Deep Space 9, etc.) and everyone who's interest for understanding more how our Terran lifeforms are and how theoretical (????) ET's would be.

Thinking about getting this book? Make it so!.......1998-10-04

This latest entry in the "Science of Star Trek" series examines several important concepts in the field of biology, with an emphasis on genetics. While including many references to various Star Trek episodes, the book's primary mission is to educate the reader, particularly in regard to cutting-edge research and theories. The authors do a great job in presenting this information in a manner that is easily understood, and all Trek fans will be delighted that many glaring "bloopers" (such as, why do so many aliens look so similar to humans? And what exactly happened to the Klingons?) are thoughtfully addressed. In short, this book is a worthy addition to a Star Trek fan's library.

Fascinating!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.......1998-09-03

This was not the ultra-heavy science book I'd been lead to believe by the title, but it was very a informative and fascinating look at the different humanoids of Star Trek and what really constitutes a life. Definitely for the science fan, the Sci-fi fan, and the Star Trek fan. I don't know that non-Trekkers would like it because they may or may not get it. But definitely a good read.

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The Evolution of American Television
George Comstock
Manufacturer: Sage Publications, Inc
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Television | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

Communication | Words & Language | Reference | Subjects | Books

General | Foreign Languages | Reference | Subjects | Books

History | Large Print | Formats | Books
ASIN: 0803935528

Book Description

American television has undergone many changes during the last decade -- a continually declining network share of audience, even while the audience for television as a whole increased; an escalation in network competition; and the increasing popularity of cable television and videocassette recorders. What have these changes meant for our most powerful mass medium?

In The Evolution of American Television George Comstock goes beyond his seminal work Television in America to explore the vast changes in television in recent years. Comstock examines television as not simply entertainment nor information, but an institution that is some of both at all times, and an enormous influence on American lives.

`an elegant and impressive work...' -- Everette Dennis, Columbia University

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Tube Of Plenty The Evolution Of American Television
Barnouw
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000JCBDVY

Average customer rating:
Tube of Plenty: The Evolution of American Television
Erik Barnouw
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000K1V6GQ

Average customer rating:
Tube of Plenty the Evolution of American Television
Erik Barnouw
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OKA96Q

Average customer rating:
Tube of Plenty: Evolution of American Television: The Evolution of American Television
Erik Barnouw
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OKIYUO

Average customer rating:
Tube of Plenty: The Evolution of American Television
Erik Barnouw
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OKJCNW

Average customer rating:
Tube of Plenty: The Evolution of American Television
Erik Barnouw
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OKEID6

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