Cinematography Book Review

Cinematography: Image Making for Cinematographers, Directors, and Videographers
by Blain Brown

Well, I've made it all the way through. Will I remember everything the book talked about? Probably not even half. Which is a good thing. That means it is packed with useful information... too much to digest with one read through.

The book offers a nice balance of theoretical and technical information that can be applied directly to your zero budget project... or... gives you a good overview of things you are likely to run into if you somehow end up on a set with a larger budget.

The parts of the book that I found particularly useful are on light and color theory. Blain gives a decent amount of detail without completely turning off the non-technical reader. Also, Blain's coverage of blocking and dealing with the "line" is fairly comprehensive and worth the price of the book.

There does seem to be a bit of filler in the lighting section but some may find lists and definitions fun to read.

Overall, I recommend this book for anyone NOT going to film school.