Reading Film and Video Makers

'Directing on Camera - a checklist of Video and Film Technique'
written by Harris Watts and published by Aavo Media 8 Edis Street London NW1 8LG [ISBN -0-9507582-2-1] started as a checklist for people on directing courses in the BBC's production training department.

A quote by John Schlesinger says " This book should be handed out to all film students and. possibly, to all film directors to keep beside them at all times. It is thorough, concise, well laid out and, surprisingly for a handbook, its a good read! I wish he had written it when I first started on my career"

I could not agree more. At £9.99 a copy I think every RFVM member should have one!
The book is divided in to five main sections, PLAN - SHOOT TO EDIT - EDIT - INTERVIEWS - SHOOT FOR VIEWERS.

Very kindly, the author has agreed to let us include the snippets from his book in our 'In Focus Magazine' I hope that this will give you a flavour and encourage you to buy a copy of the book yourself.
The following opening extract from the book talks about "what is a good programme". Whilst its prime focus is television programmes it is equally valid for our club member film and videos.

EXTRACT:
"What is a good programme? The best answer I can think of is a programme that offers the viewer an experience: entertaining, enlightening, or (at the very least) diverting. The more moving the experience, the better: interesting, amusing, funny, fascinating, alarming, thrilling, mind-blowing, extraordinary, total - anything but boring. The test is: do people talk about your programme the next day?

'Did you see that programme about...?'
'Yes, wasn't' it .....?

Any comment (other than condemnation) and you have scored. You have shared an experience with the viewer The intensity of the experience measures the success.

The way to make a good programme is to plan. The best programmes look effortless; they seem to have fallen into place. You can't think of a way of changing them, they feel right, they just are. But don 't be fooled: their art is to conceal their art. Their strengths come not from good luck but from hard work and planning. Luck comes into it, but luck follows hard work and planning - its not a substitute for them.

So the first thing you have to do is when you are making your programme is plan."

Sound common sense stuff, but how many of us just go out with a camera, little or no prior thought, gather what we can, and then try to make it fit into a interesting story afterwards only to find we have little or no cut aways!

So go on put the book on your Christmas list to Santa Claus!

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