5 comments about The Film Director Prepares: A Complete Guide to Directing for Film and TV.

1. This unique book is one of the best Film and Television Directing books that promises satisfaction and truth. Myrl A. Schreibman is an authentic and creative author that incorporates wisdom throughout the book rather than regurgitating his knowledge. Experience is another thing that this book offers which creates a pragmatic platform for the reader that ultimately functions as motivation and inspiration. This book is a powerful tool for any beginning, intermediate, and even advanced student or professional of Film and Television Directing.



2. The Film Director Prepares: A Complete Guide to Directing for Film and TV is a great text and resource for the beginner looking at the construct of filmmaking and the director's role as well as great advice and insight for those at intermediate and experienced levels. The added CD from Frame Forge is outstanding and invaluable for storyboarding your project. Overall an excelent resource!



3. I just finished a feature length screenplay that will soon become a feature length film. To prepare for production I decided to purchase two books: Creative Producing A to Z, and, A Film Director Prepares, both by Myrl Schreibman. Having just finished reading them both, I now know I could not have made two better choices. Buy them both, read them both, then read them both again! I promise, your film career will be well served.



4. Practical and easy-to-grasp, this book breaks down directing to its most essential elements: the philosophy and the process. The book is a great starting guide for the newbie. Use it to learn just the fundamental principles of filmmaking, and then go out and discover your own principles.



5. This book is an entirely interactive book as it contains a CD-rom that has a 3d storyboarding software that makes it absolutely remarkable in being able to manipulate the images in the book to experiment with concepts and precepts that the author is knowingly speaking about. The Directors Guild of America calls this book the definitive book for directors and encourages not only those who are learning to direct but those who already direct to hacve this book in their library. It is told from a very easy and understandable perspective and full of practical stuff about telling stories, saving production time during production, working with talent, directing various forms of television and most of all what it means to do coverage to tell stories. This is one book that you must have!

5 comments about Seeing Is Forgetting the Name of the Thing One Sees: A Life of Contemporary Artist Robert Irwin.

1. Robert Irwin has lived his life as both a solitary creator and unrelenting seeker to the same consummate degree that only Dante Alighieri, Agnes Martin, Meister Eckhart, Lao Tsu, and a handful of others have sought. If you haven't heard of him, you should read this anyway. Remember, it even took Bach two centuries to get his proper due. Regardless, this book changed a lot for me. I am forever grateful.
   
   Weschler's prose is Irwin's lighting. His book good as this biography junkie has ever read, and he does it in only 203 pages. As I write this, you can buy this book used for the price of a Domino's pizza - that's all i'm saying.



2. If you're an artist, you need this book. Even if you don't like Irwin's work (or never heard of him.) Remarkably, this biography of the most minimal of minimal artists contains no abstruse language, no mysteriously self-important pronouncements, nor even a single reference to any French esthetic theorist. Not only is this written in clean, straightforward prose; you can hardly put it down. It also raises critical, fascinating questions about the nature of art, and of the way we see. I've recommended this book to several people. It's never what they expect. They've always thanked me.



3. *
   
   I am fascinated by the creative process. I am fascinated by physical manifestations born from the spark of an idea. I am fascinated by the complex psychology, rigorous philosophy and simple backbone evinced by those devotees of method. And I am blown-away by Robert Irwin.
   
   My first contact with Robert Irwin's work came in graduate school when a few friends and I drove from Philadelphia to Manhattan to visit the Dia Center for the Arts. There on an upper floor I encountered a truly shocking, yet subduing, experience. Irwin had taken over the entire level and divided into rooms demarcated with translucent scrim. I walked slowly, from space to space, enclosed but not, silent in presence yet bursting with internal applause, and in awe. I marveled at the solidity of light that slid through the Dia's industrial steel windows, tracing its way across two layers of the thin white fabric and gently landing on the concrete floor. My eyes were tickled by the subtlety of color emanating from the vertical fluorescent lights wrapped in gels. There must have been thirty others there at the same time, meandering like ghosts whitened by one, two, three layers of scrim, yet the space was absolutely quiet. This was the first time that I truly understood the word ?perception.? It came in a space filled with exacted simplicity.
   
   Since then I have tried to follow Irwin's work, both past and present, only to find that it is rarely photographed, as the medium cannot do the work justice. However, Lawrence Weschler's biography on the artist is a tremendous piece of writing that will give you much more appreciation for Irwin than any catalog ever could. Weschler spent years interviewing the artist, tracking down collaborators and researching the works. He exhibits an amazing understanding of Irwin's intentions and adds much needed commentary to keep the story straight while tracing the complex and highly personal evolution of the man and his art. From descriptions of Irwin's self-imposed eight month exile in Ibiza, to his two year long rigorous exercise (and again, exile) to create what amounted to twenty lines, Weschler gives us an in depth look at the zen-like disposition of the artist in his search for the perceptual (and hence, not conceptual). Irwin's diligence and rigor will stupefy even those most devoted to their process, and discussion of his material experimentation will act to spur imaginations. Robert Irwin supplies the majority of storytelling, however, and lets the reader in on often humorous tales of the art world from the point of view of a very personable and highly influential artist.
   
   In short, I highly recommend that anyone devoted to design, be it fine art or architecture, read this book. I also recommend that you travel to San Diego to see the first major exhibition of Irwin?s work since 1993, "Robert Irwin: Primaries and Secondaries" at the MCASD through February 23rd.
   
   Note: The installation at the Dia Center was reviewed thoroughly, with an included history of the artist?s work, in an article entitled "Robert Irwin?s Doors of Perception" by Carol Diehl in Art in America magazine, December, 1999, findarticles.com



4. This is simply the best book about art I have ever read. Like other reviewers, I can say that this book permanently altered the way I see the world (and art). Irwin did it and he still does it.



5. I picked up this book in 1984 because it was on a reading list for an Art History class I was taking at Oberlin College. I stayed up all night in the library that night. I couldn't put it down. My mind has never been the same.
   
   I still often think of it,tell stories from it and give it as a gift. I always say "skip the first chapter-it gets much better." If I remember right, the book begins with a description of Irwin's perfectionism when cleaning the engine of his car. I figure that will bore my friends.
   
   I tell my students about Irwin's many years attempt to make the perfect line, to his wife's chagrin and his painting the back side of his paintings because it matters to him. They like the story of the riots that occured in South America due to the disorientation of his discs-concave and convex-the viewers couldn't tell where the wall started and the disc stopped. I have given the book as a graduation present.
   
   I thought about this book at the mechanic the other day. My engine is very, very dirty.
   
   I will never forget,forgetting. Great book.

5 comments about Natural Fashion: Tribal Decoration from Africa.

1. This is an amazing book. I am a painter and it made me want to get in my studio and start paintings, the textures, the patterns and then now and then the sad contrast of weapons and Natures beauty, brings you right back to "real" world.I can't stop looking at the pictures, they draw you in. It is truly a beautiful people. The first time I saw it ,was at a friends house and I just had to go get it for myself. My friend offered to loan it to me, but that just wasn't enough. Thank you Hans Silvester for creating this book. Lone Hansen, Bainbridge Island , WA



2. I own most of the African Coffeetable Photos Books printed and this is by far the most beautiful Book I have ever seen!



3. As a visual artist I can tell you that when I first picked this book up in my local library, the fantastic and surprising images nearly took my breath away!! I took it over to another artist's house and we looked through it together. Deciding right then to get our own copies. The wild painting on the beautiful black skin is very similar to the free and easy strokes in my own paintings. I am considering getting the other African related book my the same author.



4. This book transcends fashion. The inventiveness of those pictured is breathtaking. I showed it to a friend and it made him cry! It's that powerful.



5. I do not (yet) own this book, but I spent half an hour at the Metropolitan Museum of Art gift shop recently in an absolute trance paging through it. The sole review here trashing this beautiful book struck me as so unfair that I feel compelled to write a rebuttal.
   
   The reviewer is concerned that this collection of photographs does not represent the daily lives and cultural practices of the people it represents. That in fact the attention these people are getting from tourists and photographers is encouraging them to show off and thus changing their cultural practices from what they were in isolation. All that may be true. But none of it obscures or in any way detracts from the undeniable truth that these are some of the most beautiful, creative, and uniquely adorned people in the world. To page through this book is to be transported momentarily into a world of sensual beauty that few of us even dare to imagine exists. The viewer who is open minded enough to appreciate it is gifted with an insight into the beauty of a people he/she might not have known even existed. Is that a bad thing? I don't think so.
   
   Does photographing these people and the attention that ensues change them? Probably. Is that a bad thing? I don't know. But I do know it is up to the people being photographed to decide that. It is up to them to decide whether or not, and in what manner, they want to be photographed, not some outsider who believes their culture should be left intact. In a globalizing world, I can think of many types of attention from the outside world that would not be quite so benign. If it was done without compulsion, which appears to be the case, then I think that broadcasting the beauty of a people for the world to see is a good thing. Change is inevitable. Hopefully this sort of attention will help ensure that the change is positive.

No comments about Invasion 68.

5 comments about The Photoshop Elements 5 Book for Digital Photographers (VOICES).

1. This is my fifth photo shop elements user guide.
   I wish I bought the Scott Kelby book first- it is by far the best and the only one I use.



2. Thank you to Scott Kelby for making this book. Even an "adult" could use it. If you are tired of kids being able to use a computer better than you, you will want this book for Photoshop!



3. MR. KELBY DID AN EXCELLENT LOB WITH THIS BOOK, I HAVE BEEN USING IT FOR ABOUT A MONTH. I HAVE LEARNED A LOT. VERY EASY TO FOLLOW.
   
   HOWEVER THE QUALITY OF THE BINDING ON THE BOOK IS THE WORSE I HAVE FOUND. I OWN ABOUT 12 BOOKS ON ELEMENTS. THIS BOOK IS FALLING APART AFTER 1 MONTH. I AM NOT HARD ON BOOKS. I AM GOING TO HAVE TO TAKE THE BOOK APART AND PUT IN A LOOSE LEAF BINDER. I ALMOST THREW IT AWAY. I WILL THINK TWICE BEFORE I BUY ANOTHER ONE FROM THIS COMPANY.



4. In the short time I have had this book I have found it not only to answer my questions but give me clear and concise information.



5. I had Photoshop Elements for about a year - until this book I was unable to use it effectively. Scott Kelby does a great job walking through the myriad features and functionality! Instructions are clear and easy to follow. Would definitely buy again!

1 comments about What the World Eats.

1. What the World Eats may have a simple premise, but its images and lessons are as sophisticated as they are influential. As its premise, the book offers a glimpse of the food expenditures and eating habits of twenty-five households in twenty-one countries of different degrees of economic development around the world. Menzel and D'Aluisio photographed and observed each household as it acquired one week's worth of food and prepared meals. The book clearly communicates the extent to which families in lower-income countries rely mostly on grains and produce, while higher incomes lead to the addition of meats, dairy, sugar, fats, and processed foods and beverages to the diet. Accompanying these dietary changes along the income scale are large increases in the incidence of obesity, diabetes, and heart disease.
   
   The stunning photographs, detailed text descriptions, informative charts, and strategic visual displays all contribute to important lessons that are thoroughly integrated into a format that will engross adults and children alike. The reader is left better informed not only about the enormous variation among the world's people in what they eat, but also in their use of time and in their overall standard of living. This knowledge can make us better equipped to improve our food choices, reduce food waste, and think about productive ways to fight hunger globally.

1 comments about Shoes Gallery Calendar 2009 (Page a Day Gallery Calendar).

1. I personally received this calendar as a gift in 2007 and 2008 (and I am sure I will get 2009!). I purchased the 2009 for a gift for someone who had seen mine and they LOVED it!! If you like shoes, this is it!

5 comments about Instamatic Karma: Photographs of John Lennon.

1. This is a wonderful Book with Great Pictures of John and the stories behind them! May Pang period of Johns life away from Yoko, well for a little while anyway. Highly recommended!



2. Nikkormatic Kam-ra
   
   May Pang used two cameras to make the incredible photos in this book:
   Her hastily packed 35 mm Nikkormat and a Polaroid SX-70 instant camera Lennon bought for her later. The SX-70 is in the cover photo. Sadly not a blurry Kodak Flashcube Instamatic photo in sight.
   
   The title "Instamatic Karma" is an homage to Lennon's famous song "Instant Karma".
   
   Imagine being a young woman working as John's personal assistant, and having your boss's wife tell you to date her husband. That's how May Pang's 18 month "Lost Weekend" started. You almost wonder if Yoko Ono picked May Pang so she would be able to hip-check her and reconcile with Lennon later on.
   
   Life in L.A., New York City, and Long Island are all chronicled here with bluish fuzzy Polaroid Instant photos, and Pang's historic inside views of life with John Lennon.
   
   As the ultimate insider, it is surprising that she took so few photos, or that so few made it into this book. Many of the photos are the same shot from slightly different angles or moments. Surprisingly these are not repetitive, but give a feeling of three-dimensionality or motion.
   
   Lennon always looks the same, glasses or not, clothed or half-clad. Here are photos you will not see anywhere else -- buy it now before this first edition becomes a collector's item.
   
   (ccbysa clumberiler)



3. You'll wish the book was a little bit thicker and with more photos and text, but I guess there will be a volume two. Either way it's great to be able to see any unreleased photos of John Lennon.



4. I absolutely love this book. I've been a collector of books on John, especially photo books for most of my life. What I love about this book is that the pictures are so natural and beautiful. There are hardly any "posed" pictures at all and the ones that are posed are more like family photos than something done for a publicity package. It's John looking healthy and happy and I adore it. Thanks, May!



5. You can breeze through this book in less than an hour-the written parts are short and succinct. May Pang's photos vary in quality from blurry to excellent, and reveal a happy ex-Beatle during a musically productive period of his life that he later dismissed as his "lost weekend". He looks anything but lost. This is clearly a labor of love from Pang, and it shows.

1 comments about New Epson Complete Guide to Digital Printing (A Lark Photography Book).

1. If you are looking for the intricacies of the different Epson Printers and their output, like I was, this is not the book. For Beginners in Ink jet printers it is good.

5 comments about Chanel: Collections and Creations.

1. Ultimate in beauty style and class.
   Everybody loves Coco.
   A great book.
   And it smells wonderful.
   Style, my friends,
   always look for that style!



2. A great book for all CHANEL FANS! I love it. I love the pictures in it. The way the subjects are treated is very interesting and the pictures are great in it too.



3. Of course, Gabrielle, Gaby, Coco...all Paris is here. The couture, the perfumes, the hats, le style. Many colors and many memories. I love this book.



4. The book is even better than what I thought.
   Amazing, worth every penny!



5. do NOT buy this book for this price. barnes and noble sells it for $40!