SOURCES FOR GOOD ADVICE
By Laurie Joyce
In May 2000 the Club was lucky enough to have an evening with Harris
Watts who worked in television from 1965 as a producer / director,
first in current affairs and then in science programmes for both the
BBC and ITV.
From 1977 to 1979 he was Programme Production Manager in Brunei and
then he worked in training, mainly in the UK as a Senior Instructor
with the BBC's Television Training department, but also abroad.
In 1982 he published a book called On Camera, followed by a series
of On Camera training videotapes, which collected 6 awards in the
UK, US and Australia. Directing On Camera was his second book.
The books are a collection of course notes from the BBC training
college for programme producers. Of course we are not producing for
television but we are making videos and telling our stories to an
audience just the same, all be it a much smaller one than the BBC.
So the principles are exactly the same.
In an ideal world it would be good if the club had a copy of the
Harris Watts / BBC training tapes to study and learn from, but they
are expensive.
Some RFVM club members have bought copies of Directing On Camera
and it is without doubt the best source of simple, practical and invaluable
information that I know of. Certainly it is my bible as far as video
making goes and I often refer to it to refresh my knowledge when going
out on a job. The other book On Camera is much more detailed and goes
into every aspect of television production. So of the two I suggest
Directing On Camera is the first one to go for.
It is not a weighty tome (just 95 pages including the index), nor
is it expensive, (around £9.99 at Amazon UK) so for those members
who have not yet got a copy of Directing On Camera I strongly
suggest you go and get a copy - now!
Directing on Camera by Harris Watts is published by Aavo Media
of 8 Edis Street London NW1 8LG UK. ISBN-0-9507582-2-1.
It tells you in common sense practical language how to Plan, shoot
and edit your productions; how to manage interviews, and most make
your viewers see what you want them to see.
Follow the commonsense guidance and I guarantee your videos will
be even better!
Good Luck.
Editors Note: Is there a filmmakers 'bible' that you swear by?
Why not write a review and send it to me drew@davandi.plus.com.
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