How Movies Work

by Bruce F. Kawin

How Movies Work , offers the filmgoer an engaging and informative guide to the appreciation and evaluation of films. It provides a comprehensive consideration of movies from idea to script, casting, financing, shooting and distribution. Bruce Kawin addresses the book not just to students of film but to any filmgoer curious to know more about the process of the conception and creation of our favorite entertainment and art form.

Genres: Film, Nonfiction, Reference

Paperback

First published February 1, 1987

Reviews

[Jeremy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read this book because I wanted guidance on how to evaluate the quality of a director. I still don't have an answer. Actually, this book is kind of vague as to what a director does, though I do have a little more information than before.

It is a pretty detailed description of movies both the people involved in making them and some of the ideas. I learned many things that I wasn't expecting to learn. For example, costuming and sound editing are much more complicated than I gave them credit for.

It does have a lot of information, but the book certainly feels dated (it was written in the early 90s I believe). Therefore I would recommend trying to find a more recent book that covers similar material. If there isn't one, then this is a good book for filling in a lot of details as to movie-making.

[George · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you want to ddeepen your appreciation of movies, go beyond being a passive viewer, and have the backstory of how movies come about, this book and Kawin's Short History of the Movies are the place to go.