Resources / Filmmakers Library  

All film books have merit. My recommendations, by subject, for a basic filmmakers library are

SCREENWRITING

• Story by Robert McKee
• Adventures in the Screen Trade by William Goldman
• Screenplay by Syd Field
• The Writer's Journey by Christopher Vogler
• The Screenwriter's Bible by David Trottier
• The Complete Guide to Standard Script Formats by Hillis R. Cole
• Secrets of Screenplay Structure by Linda J. Cowgill
• Making a Good Script Great by Linda Seger

FILMMAKING, PRODUCTION AND CINEMATOGRAPHY

• The Filmmaker's Handbook by Asher & Pincus
• Independent Feature Film Production by Gregory Goodell
• Persistence of Vision by Gaspard & Newton
• The Grip Book by Michael Uva
• The Five C's of Cinematography by Mascelli
• Cinematography by Kris Malkiewicz
• Painting with Light by John Alton
• Film Lighting by Kris Malkiewicz

BUDGETING, SCHEDULING AND PAPERWORK

• Film Scheduling by Ralph Singleton
• Film Budgeting by Ralph Singleton
• Film and Video Budgets by Deke Simon
• The On Production Budget Book by Robert Koster
• The Complete Film Production Handbook & CD-ROM by Eva Honthaner

DIRECTING

• Film Directing Shot by Shot by Steve Katz
• The Film Director A Practical Guide to Motion Picture and Television Techniques by Richard L. Bare
• On Directing by Harold Clurman
• Directing Actors by Judith Weston
• A Sense of Direction Some Observations on the Art of Directing by William Ball
• Grammar of the Film Language by Daniel Arijon
• The Film Director's Team by Silver & Ward
• Art of Storyboarding by John Hart
• Directing your Directing Career by K. Callan
• From Word to Image by Marcie Begleiter
• The Director's Journey by Mark Travis

FINANCING & DEALMAKING

• Contracts for the Film and Television Industry by Mark Litwak
• Dealmaking in the Film and Television Industry by Mark Litwak
• Film and Video Financing by Michael Wiese
• The Movie Business Book by Jason E. Squire
• Filmmakers and Financing by Louise Levison
• This Business of Television by Howard J. Blumenthal
• Movie Money by Daniels, Leedy & Sills
• The Independent Film Producer's Survival Guide by Erickson, Tulchin & Halloran

DIGITAL FILMMAKING

• The Filmmaker's Handbook by Steven Ascher
• The Digital Producer w/CD by Poole & Feldman
• Easy Digital Video w/CD by Scott Slaughter
• Digital Video for Desktop w/CD by Ken Pender
• Digital Filmmaking by Ohanian & Philips
• The AVID Digital Editing Room Handbook by Solomons
• Editing Digital Video The Complete Creative & Technical Guide by Goodman & McGrath
• Digital Moviemaking by Scott Billups
• IFILM's Digital Video Filmmakers Handbook by Maxie Collier

Most, if not all, of these books can be ordered on Amazon or purchased at your local book store.

MAGAZINES
Magazines are also a wonderful source of information and are very topical

SCREENWRITING MAGAZINES

• Creative Screenwriting
• Script
• Written By The Official WGA Magazine
• Screentalk

FILMMAKING

• Filmmaker
• MovieMaker
• Film & Video
• Film Comment

CINEMATOGRAPHY

• American Cinematographer

LOW BUDGET & DIGITAL FILMMAKING

• Independent Film & Video
• Fade In
• Digital Video

DIRECTING

• DGA Magazine

ACTING

• Backstage

BUSINESS

• Variety
• Hollywood Reporter

If you cannot find these magazines at your local newsstand, search for them on the internet to contact them directly.