Grammar of the Film Language

I picked this book up some time ago knowing nothing about it really. Since then (as a film maker) I have looked at it for inspiration and confirmation about how and where to place a camera. It's been said else where but I agree, if I lost this book I would 100% get another one.

The book is technical and complex, and unless you are planning an epic, or have to tell a complicated story from multi changing camera angles I wouldn't bother.

If you are serious about the craft of camera work, and I mean serious, then get a copy for your shelf.

O'h one word of warning, the illustration are a bit non PC and outrageous at times. You would't get them published if you wrote the book today(this book was published 1st in 1976), but don't let that put you off too much.

Totally the best filmmaking book there is (10/11 people found this helpful)

Whilst flawed, this is the only fully comprehensive book on how to place the camera. It gives exhaustive examples on all sorts, e.g. two person dialogue, three person conversation, four or more person , editing patterns for static dialogue scenes, screen motion, motion inside the screen, motion into and out of shot, player a moves towards player b, using master shots to cover motions on the screen, players move together, other types of motion (e.g. circular, vertical, dynamic stops), panning camera, travelling camera, cranes, zooms, action scenes, using zones of action, film punctuation. It's only flaw is that the diagrams were made by someone who sometimes prefered drawing unclothed women in totally unprovocative scenes next to clothed men. If you can get past the thing that this book is not politically correct, and you want to make films and TOTALLY want to understand camera blocking - you ABSOLUTELY cannot find a better book. This is the ONLY filmmaking book i would buy again if i lost it.

A tour de force....An amateur directors Elyssium. (10/10 people found this helpful)

This book is an extremely comprehensive, yet straight forward piece of work. As a teacher in Further education my experience tells me that no one book can be definitive in facilitating learning, however, to use a well work phrase "if you only ever buy one book on directing...buy this publication"!

I have bought a number of books on the art of film making, most are jumbled and incomplete in their advice. Mr Arijon's book is superb, in most areas he profers the reader with a myriad of filming techniques accompanied with good clear diagrams.

This is the only book I have read that offers clear intricate diagrams that actually help you stage shots, both simple and difficult.

The advice is clear and useful. My advice for the amateur and seasoned filmaker is to have a copy of this book on your shelf along with "setting up your shots" by Jeremy Vinyard. This demonstrates camera moves which are also very important and useful to underrstanding the art of directing and editing.I am not an easy person to please. So get yourself a copy of this book and Go make a film!

Very thorough and earnest with a lot of diagrams (4/7 people found this helpful)

Covers every possible camera setup and editing technique. Not every bit is top notch, but the book is 600 pages and so there is a lot to be gained. Recommended.

The best technical and creative book on blocking and shots. (12/12 people found this helpful)

Unequivocally the best reference for shots and blocking. Strickly for the professional director and cinematographer; this is a highly technical book. I refer to this book during my prep for each film, and no matter how many times I have read it, I am always reminded of something dynamic and valuable. Each page has storyboard drawings that show camera position, screen direction, and sequence of cuts. Also shown are dolly moves and character movement. These diagrams are accompanied by clear and detailed commentary. The book is organized with the most basic coverage at the beginning, and each chapter thereafter presents increasing complexity of blocking. The shots presented are all from actual films, a factor that gives the material and the book an aliveness and vitality. Some of these films are complete unknowns, others are classics. Yet the source is inconsequential; what is amazing is that Mr. Arijon has essentially put into this book every possible combination of camera placement and character arrangement that has ever been done in cinema. Every director I have shown this book to has immediately gone out and gotten their own copy for reference. Anyone planning to direct or shoot a film will find this book an invaluable contribution to their ideas and creativity.

Grammar of the Film Language

Daniel Arijon

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