Techniques of the Film Masters

If student filmmakers want to learn how to direct great films, then they should study great film directors. Studying a director close-up will encourage and motivate students of film and provide a role model for them to follow as they continue to mature their own creative artistic elements in filmmaking. In learning about a film director, it is important to analyze their personality, vision of cinema, directing style, creative artistic elements in film, as well as any other aspect of motion picture production that communicates their talents.

"Techniques of the Film Masters" (ISBN: 978-1-4357-4347-2) is a new book recently released by Infinity Films of Williamsburg, Virginia. Tailoring the book to the needs of student filmmakers, Adrian Robbe (author and founder of Infinity Films) gives student filmmakers a unique look at four outstanding masters of film directing -- Steven Spielberg, Martin Scorsese, M. Night Shyamalan, as well as Orson Welles. With the goal of serving as a source of encouragement and valuable reference for beginning as well as seasoned film directors, "Techniques of the Film Masters" was written with that aim in mind.

The introductory chapter of "Techniques of the Film Masters" focuses on the Media Equation Theory popularized by Byron Reeves and Clifford Nass as a valid model and concept of communication. Represented by the expression that Media = Real Life, the author (Adrian Robbe) describes how the Media Equation can be applied to the communication medium of motion picture film; and, in particular, the craft of directing a film. In the remaining chapters of the book, the author explores the directing style of the following masters of film: Orson Welles, M. Night Shyamalan, Martin Scorsese, and Steven Spielberg. After presenting a short biography of each film director, he describes their independent directing styles. Each of the major techniques they utilize as a form of artistic presentation in their role as a motion picture director is examined through several of their landmark films.

In Chapter 2, Mr. Robbe discusses Orson Welles and his movie Citizen Kane (1941) and the various tools of narrative cinema that he implemented in this great Hollywood classic.

Chapter 3 is dedicated to analyzing the directorial style of M. Night Shyamalan in his motion pictures Signs (2002), Unbreakable (2000), and The Sixth Sense (1999).

In Chapter 4, the author examines the artistic style and cinematic techniques of Martin Scorsese in his films Mean Streets (1973), Taxi Driver (1976), Goodfellas (1990), and Gangs of New York (2002).

Chapter 5 is devoted to the Hollywood film industry leader, Steven Spielberg. This final chapter of the book explores a multitude of Steven Spielberg's films from an analytical perspective and reveals foundations of his human compassion and artistic cinematic techniques.

Website: www.lulu.com/infinityfilms