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a_little_person's reviews
80 reviews
Making Movies by Sidney Lumet
medium-paced
3.5
For anybody interested in looking into filmmaking and what being a director entails, it is a great and informative read. He goes through making a movie from A to Z explaining everything, adding his grain of salt through the lens of his own films, filled with anecdotes. For anybody being already a bit knowledgeable when it comes to filmmaking, will find some parts uneventful and descriptive. Ultimately, it captures exactly what the titles says. Making movies by Sidney Lumet.
The Ethics of Ambiguity by Simone de Beauvoir
challenging
reflective
slow-paced
3.0
I admittedly disliked the parts which I did not understand, for it seemed to me like slow and tedious passages rumbling full with jargon whose every word needs to be defined beforehand. I do not pretend being an experienced philosophy reader, so that might come into play. But strangely enough, the first part seemed to have eluded my understanding, but the second one was totally the opposite; Beauvoir can write in an understandable way...
Besides my comprehension of the text which is my main shortcoming, I do think there is a lot of wisdom in her words. Although I do not fully agree and prefer absurdists' way of seeing existence, her philosophy has a lot to say (and even more to act upon!). Probably a great read for experienced philosophy readers...
Besides my comprehension of the text which is my main shortcoming, I do think there is a lot of wisdom in her words. Although I do not fully agree and prefer absurdists' way of seeing existence, her philosophy has a lot to say (and even more to act upon!). Probably a great read for experienced philosophy readers...
In the Blink of an Eye: A Perspective on Film Editing by Walter Murch
fast-paced
3.5
The book is at it's strongest when he talks about editing as a technical and philosophical aspect. He brings a somewhat novel way of looking at the cut through eye blinking, giving nice and welcomed advice here and there.
Sadly half of the book hasn't aged well. Though I find it amusing to see his analogue mindset set against the digital age, I think most of his thoughts on the new technologies are already innate by those who dabble themselves in editing ; erecting a list of advantages of digital non linear editing has no value today.
All in all, a nice excerpt of an editor's philosophical views on editing.
Sadly half of the book hasn't aged well. Though I find it amusing to see his analogue mindset set against the digital age, I think most of his thoughts on the new technologies are already innate by those who dabble themselves in editing ; erecting a list of advantages of digital non linear editing has no value today.
All in all, a nice excerpt of an editor's philosophical views on editing.
Invisible Ink: A Practical Guide to Building Stories That Resonate by Brian McDonald
fast-paced
1.0
I think that the commodification of storytelling techniques brings about an array of the same product. This book is filled with "clever" advices, which feel not only superficial, but also very one sided. I don't think it is a "know the rules to break it" type of advice, but more a "if you want to write good stories, you have to...". Only as a pure beginner does want one to dabble in them, and see at the many ways of looking at storytelling.
I have to disagree with the premise that the aim of storytelling is to teach. And find the position of the "teacher" who preaches his morals to the audience rather repulsive. It is a way of looking at film writing philosophy which ultimately doesn't add anything to the seventh art. This book serving mostly for income it seems (since it is not his only book about that subject - with this one not going anywhere deep enough for an understanding of storytelling)
I will not talk about that awfully prehistorical and false view of "feminine/masculine apsects", since it isn't controversial to see this paragraph as anything but enforcing harmful stereotypes.
I have to disagree with the premise that the aim of storytelling is to teach. And find the position of the "teacher" who preaches his morals to the audience rather repulsive. It is a way of looking at film writing philosophy which ultimately doesn't add anything to the seventh art. This book serving mostly for income it seems (since it is not his only book about that subject - with this one not going anywhere deep enough for an understanding of storytelling)
I will not talk about that awfully prehistorical and false view of "feminine/masculine apsects", since it isn't controversial to see this paragraph as anything but enforcing harmful stereotypes.
Sculpting in Time: Reflections on the Cinema by Andrei Tarkovsky
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen by Christopher McDougall
adventurous
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
3.5
He doesn't cite sources, nor has real data on the scientific parts, which are the most interesting in the book. The storytelling parts were a waste for me. I was not engaged nor did I feel them very documentarian and suspect there is a lot of fiction in it (which wasn't what I was looking for). Overall inspiring, and makes one want to become an ultramarathoner, so in the end, quite the nice motivation boost, and a new way to look at running!
If It's Purple, Someone's Gonna Die: The Power of Color in Visual Storytelling by Patti Bellantoni
2.5
It opens the door to noticing and understanding colours in a film. Although the examples were tedious to get through and sometimes far-fetched, I think the overall aim to stop ignoring colour has been achieved. Would have loved more in depth research, and more consice paragraph. Kind of sluggish if you care to read each word.