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World War Z: The Art of the Film
World War Z is the eagerly awaited film starring Brad Pitt. The story revolves around United Nations employee Gerry Lane (Pitt), who traverses the world in a race against time to stop a pandemic that is toppling armies and governments and threatening to annihilate humanity itself.
World War Z: The Art of the Film is the official illustrated companion to the movie, and features a wealth of stunning production art, design sketches and storyboards, alongside the full shooting script.
(TM) & © 2013 Paramount Pictures. All Rights Reserved.
World War Z: The Art of the Film is the official illustrated companion to the movie, and features a wealth of stunning production art, design sketches and storyboards, alongside the full shooting script.
(TM) & © 2013 Paramount Pictures. All Rights Reserved.
160 pages, Paperback
First published June 18, 2013
4 people are currently reading
172 people want to read
About the author
Titan Books
59 books44 followersTitan Publishing Group is an independently owned British publishing company, established in 1981. It’s base at offices in London’s Bankside area,
The books division has two main areas of publishing: film and television tie-ins and cinema reference books; and graphic novels and comics récentes and art titles.
The books division has two main areas of publishing: film and television tie-ins and cinema reference books; and graphic novels and comics récentes and art titles.
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
August 6, 2019
Taken at face value, World War Z: The Art of the Film, is a beautiful collection of concept art, production stills, storyboards and images of computer modeling. The book is divided into twelve sections that follow the action chronologically and offer glimpses of several key set-pieces from the final film. There is a nice section devoted to the elaborate design work that went into creating hundreds of zombies with individual characteristics. Also on hand is a look at the process of filming effects sequences on a green screen set and a final glimpse at the tools assembled for fighting zombies.
You can read ZigZag's full review at Horror DNA by clicking here.
You can read ZigZag's full review at Horror DNA by clicking here.
June 26, 2013
World War Z: The Art of the Film is a great souvenir for anyone who sees this film and even slightly enjoys it. It's packed full of concept art and images of final frames, and it also includes select storyboards and numerous quotes from the filmmakers. I saw the film this week and thoroughly enjoyed it, and I'm glad I have such a well-presented book to give me a peek behind the scenes.
The main part of this book (and the reason I was so looking forward to it) is the full shooting script (correct version at time of printing). It's presented here in its entirety and gives the reader a complete insight into the film, including all dialogue, exposition and direction. This book is very similar in style to that of The Cabin in the Woods: The Official Visual Companion (Titan Books, 2012), which also features a full screenplay and hundreds of production images. If you liked that one, you'll definitely like this!
As with any script there are very slight differences, but nothing too major. My personal favourite reason for reading a film or TV script is to better understand missed dialogue and get a deeper understanding of the plot, along with discovering more facts and details from the people at the helm of the project. This book provides all that and more, though it is one huge spoiler. You have been warned - don't read this until you've seen the film!
At the end of the screenplay, there are several small sections of art focusing on the Zs and their design (and creepy eyeballs), the tools/weapons used and shooting green screen. The zombies look fantastic close-up, with their design and development being the main focus. I was interested to learn that ever zombie you see has a specific design to it, rather than one big generic look. It's this attention to detail that you don't get by simply just watching a film and leaving it at that!
World War Z: The Art of the Film is a brilliant companion to the summer's blockbuster zombie film, and really it has everything I was hoping for. I would have liked a bit more text detailing different aspects of the production, but this is a book that showcases art and the screenplay rather than going into depth about casting and costumes. World War Z is visually spectacular at times, and this book does justice to that element of its storytelling. Casual cinemagoers and film aficionados will both enjoy this one, whether it be through an interest in reading the script or studying concept art and zombie design. It's a win-win situation!
The main part of this book (and the reason I was so looking forward to it) is the full shooting script (correct version at time of printing). It's presented here in its entirety and gives the reader a complete insight into the film, including all dialogue, exposition and direction. This book is very similar in style to that of The Cabin in the Woods: The Official Visual Companion (Titan Books, 2012), which also features a full screenplay and hundreds of production images. If you liked that one, you'll definitely like this!
As with any script there are very slight differences, but nothing too major. My personal favourite reason for reading a film or TV script is to better understand missed dialogue and get a deeper understanding of the plot, along with discovering more facts and details from the people at the helm of the project. This book provides all that and more, though it is one huge spoiler. You have been warned - don't read this until you've seen the film!
At the end of the screenplay, there are several small sections of art focusing on the Zs and their design (and creepy eyeballs), the tools/weapons used and shooting green screen. The zombies look fantastic close-up, with their design and development being the main focus. I was interested to learn that ever zombie you see has a specific design to it, rather than one big generic look. It's this attention to detail that you don't get by simply just watching a film and leaving it at that!
World War Z: The Art of the Film is a brilliant companion to the summer's blockbuster zombie film, and really it has everything I was hoping for. I would have liked a bit more text detailing different aspects of the production, but this is a book that showcases art and the screenplay rather than going into depth about casting and costumes. World War Z is visually spectacular at times, and this book does justice to that element of its storytelling. Casual cinemagoers and film aficionados will both enjoy this one, whether it be through an interest in reading the script or studying concept art and zombie design. It's a win-win situation!
July 20, 2013
The biggest draw of this book, for me, was the incredible artwork and photography that documents the making of the movie, World War Z. The book includes the screenplay with action shots and illustrations backing up the story.
Those who read this looking for shiny pictures of Brad Pitt, the movie’s star, will find them. Even better, however, you will find drawings that came before the photographs and comments from the cast and crew that add depth and dimension.
For a movie fan, this is a great way to take a behind the scenes look. In particular, the close up variations of the zombies and the use of the green screen is worth a study. I was more interested in these than nearly anything else, as the detail is amazing. I wish there had been more of this, as it is concentrated in the end of the book.
The book is marketed as a movie companion but as it contains the entire screenplay it seems more than that. Recommended for World War Z, zombie and movie fans.
Those who read this looking for shiny pictures of Brad Pitt, the movie’s star, will find them. Even better, however, you will find drawings that came before the photographs and comments from the cast and crew that add depth and dimension.
For a movie fan, this is a great way to take a behind the scenes look. In particular, the close up variations of the zombies and the use of the green screen is worth a study. I was more interested in these than nearly anything else, as the detail is amazing. I wish there had been more of this, as it is concentrated in the end of the book.
The book is marketed as a movie companion but as it contains the entire screenplay it seems more than that. Recommended for World War Z, zombie and movie fans.
May 19, 2025
Cool art but most of the book is actually the script.
March 28, 2014
This is a strange art book. To be honest, its even hard to call it an “art book”. This is basically the movie script with some concept art and a few movie stills. That's not to say this is not an interesting read. If you enjoyed the movie, like I did, its entertaining reading the script and seeing that there were quite a few changes from the writing to the screen. The movie followed the overall structure of the script, but the feeling when reading many scenes is that the movie is far less savage and gloomy than what was originally planned. Still, I suppose this, while providing a neat insight into the making of the movie, is not what you would expect from a book called “The Art of the Film”.
Its not that there´s no visual component in the book. There are many excellent concept art examples and some very cool stills from scenes in the movie. The concept art provides a vision that unfortunately did not make it fully into the movie. This art portrays epic scenes, of grand scope of zombie battles, destruction and a frightening apocalypse. This art promised an amazing and brutal movie instead of the entertaining but ultimately “safe” summer blockbuster we got. There are also a few pages, at the end of the book, all about the “design” of the zombies which were very interesting and a few concepts about weapons, mainly “the lobo” which once again did not make it to the movie but were also amazingly cool to see.
Still its obvious to anyone that the “art” is not the main focus of the book. There are pages and pages of text with only a small picture and its both surprising and baffling the choice to put the spotlight on the written word, to “fill” the book instead of providing some visual material which I am sure there was plenty of to choose from the pre-production of the movie.
This was still an interesting and amusing read. I enjoyed the script, learning about the changes to the screen and the art provided is exceptional.
Its not a great art book but its a nice companion to the movie and highly recommended to its fans. Only to its fan, though.
Its not that there´s no visual component in the book. There are many excellent concept art examples and some very cool stills from scenes in the movie. The concept art provides a vision that unfortunately did not make it fully into the movie. This art portrays epic scenes, of grand scope of zombie battles, destruction and a frightening apocalypse. This art promised an amazing and brutal movie instead of the entertaining but ultimately “safe” summer blockbuster we got. There are also a few pages, at the end of the book, all about the “design” of the zombies which were very interesting and a few concepts about weapons, mainly “the lobo” which once again did not make it to the movie but were also amazingly cool to see.
Still its obvious to anyone that the “art” is not the main focus of the book. There are pages and pages of text with only a small picture and its both surprising and baffling the choice to put the spotlight on the written word, to “fill” the book instead of providing some visual material which I am sure there was plenty of to choose from the pre-production of the movie.
This was still an interesting and amusing read. I enjoyed the script, learning about the changes to the screen and the art provided is exceptional.
Its not a great art book but its a nice companion to the movie and highly recommended to its fans. Only to its fan, though.
July 1, 2013
If you kept up with the hype building up around the World War Z film then you would know that it differed from the book by Max Brooks, which was written as more of a written account of what was happening around the globe when the outbreak occurred and the resistance that followed. The film follows one man, Gerry Lane (Brad Pitt) in his attempt to find out where it all began and how it can be stopped. The movie gives us another facet to the world created by Max Brooks and it’s not necessarily better or worse, just different.
World War Z: The Art of the Film continues to add even a little more depth. But not a whole lot. It would be better to have been titled “The Art and The Film” because surrounding all the concept art and still shots from the movie are the scenes in their script form, which is a treat. It’s not until the last 30 pages that the book even starts to go into the thought process of making the zombies or filming with the green screen, and I’m generous to give it those 30 pages. It’s very few words a lots of art.
It connects back to the novel, the way the movie didn’t, with the mention of the “lobo” which is a specialized tool from the novel. In World War Z: The Art of the Film they do go through the concept art for their version, which is a nice little shout out to fans of the book.
The art is great and it is very interesting to see the different stages of decay and to see layering the zombies into the action shots. It’s all very interesting and disgusting. There is one picture in particular of an arm that’s almost completely separated itself from its owner except for a few threads. It’s an image that sticks with you.
The book goes great as an accompanying piece to the film. It would be spoilery to anyone who hadn’t seen the movie. I would have liked a little more commentary from the artists in better balance with the script but overall it’s a pretty neat book.
I give World War Z: The Art of the Film Four out of Five Stars
World War Z: The Art of the Film continues to add even a little more depth. But not a whole lot. It would be better to have been titled “The Art and The Film” because surrounding all the concept art and still shots from the movie are the scenes in their script form, which is a treat. It’s not until the last 30 pages that the book even starts to go into the thought process of making the zombies or filming with the green screen, and I’m generous to give it those 30 pages. It’s very few words a lots of art.
It connects back to the novel, the way the movie didn’t, with the mention of the “lobo” which is a specialized tool from the novel. In World War Z: The Art of the Film they do go through the concept art for their version, which is a nice little shout out to fans of the book.
The art is great and it is very interesting to see the different stages of decay and to see layering the zombies into the action shots. It’s all very interesting and disgusting. There is one picture in particular of an arm that’s almost completely separated itself from its owner except for a few threads. It’s an image that sticks with you.
The book goes great as an accompanying piece to the film. It would be spoilery to anyone who hadn’t seen the movie. I would have liked a little more commentary from the artists in better balance with the script but overall it’s a pretty neat book.
I give World War Z: The Art of the Film Four out of Five Stars
August 14, 2013
(
More pictures on my blog
)I'm underwhelmed by this book. It's actually more of a screenplay book accompanied by pieces of artwork.
About 80 percent of the pages are devoted to the screenplay. On those pages, the screenplay is mixed with concept art illustrations and set photographs. The concept art are of the burning cities, ransacked supermarkets, underground bunkers, deserted buildings and, of course, zombies.
Many of the art pieces look and feel unfinished. They are basically rough impressions for how certain scenes are to look. Few pieces are in the unpleasant collage style of photograph or 3D with art. If you look at the pictures at arms length, they look fine. If you look closer, the details don't hold up. The storyboard sketches are fantastic but there are only a handful of them.
The last few pages feature zombie art. There are some nice textures going on but ultimately the designs are quite safe. They could have been zombies from any other zombie film.
The only form of commentary comes in the form of short quotes from the crew. They aren't very insightful by themselves. There's nothing on how the film was shot which would have been more interesting.
I recommend flipping through the book, see the pages before you buy.
October 9, 2013
3.5 stars
There’s a lot of buzz going around on the World War Z movie and how it lives up to the high expectations set by its fathering book. And though I very much stand by the speculations I made previously about the movie’s credibility, and agree mostly with the swarms of Max Brooks fans outraged with what is basically a run-of-the-mill zombie movie with the title of a (pretty much) unrelated, bestselling book slapped on it, I have to say this: The “making of” book was really, really compelling.
World War Z: The Art of the Film is a gorgeous, glossy guide to the movie. It features the full script, in-depth sketch plans of several recognizable scenes, maps of the zombie infestation densities at certain periods of the war, detailed pictures of the “Z”s, and examples of the green screen production. Regardless of your opinion of the film, it’s hard not to be drawn in, even if there are a few comical shots of Brad Pitt looking harrowed and regretful.
The book is also littered with fun facts about the movie and quotes from the director, cast, and other crew members. Tidbits such as “We crash over 40 different cars [in the first scene]” and “We spent two years blending and animating the Zs” give the reader a bit of insight into the amount of time, effort, and yes, destruction, that go into making such a movie.
Complete review: http://www.paperdroids.com/2013/07/18...
There’s a lot of buzz going around on the World War Z movie and how it lives up to the high expectations set by its fathering book. And though I very much stand by the speculations I made previously about the movie’s credibility, and agree mostly with the swarms of Max Brooks fans outraged with what is basically a run-of-the-mill zombie movie with the title of a (pretty much) unrelated, bestselling book slapped on it, I have to say this: The “making of” book was really, really compelling.
World War Z: The Art of the Film is a gorgeous, glossy guide to the movie. It features the full script, in-depth sketch plans of several recognizable scenes, maps of the zombie infestation densities at certain periods of the war, detailed pictures of the “Z”s, and examples of the green screen production. Regardless of your opinion of the film, it’s hard not to be drawn in, even if there are a few comical shots of Brad Pitt looking harrowed and regretful.
The book is also littered with fun facts about the movie and quotes from the director, cast, and other crew members. Tidbits such as “We crash over 40 different cars [in the first scene]” and “We spent two years blending and animating the Zs” give the reader a bit of insight into the amount of time, effort, and yes, destruction, that go into making such a movie.
Complete review: http://www.paperdroids.com/2013/07/18...
March 6, 2014
So I received another delivery of books - Sorry couldn't resist. Anyway here is the first and to be honest I was a little disappointed - there are more script excerpts than there is artwork and apart from a number of CGI renders the majority of the art is general visualisations rather than specific images lifted from the film. There are comments and insights in to the film but they are quotes and to be honest it has the whole feel of a companion book rather than concept art.
Now I know the history behind the film and its somewhat shaky road to the cinema - with this in mind I got the feeling that the book was realised to entice and support the film and encourage interest in it rather than to enhance the experience of the reader. Though I have no proof I could almost suggest the book came out before the film and they weren't sure what was and was not going to get to the screen.
With that in mind I would say that for some this book will be a disappointment for others it will be a book that goes along side a great film - for me I am disappointed there was not more artwork but still impressed with what I saw.
Now I know the history behind the film and its somewhat shaky road to the cinema - with this in mind I got the feeling that the book was realised to entice and support the film and encourage interest in it rather than to enhance the experience of the reader. Though I have no proof I could almost suggest the book came out before the film and they weren't sure what was and was not going to get to the screen.
With that in mind I would say that for some this book will be a disappointment for others it will be a book that goes along side a great film - for me I am disappointed there was not more artwork but still impressed with what I saw.
June 22, 2013
This is a softcover binding of the close as possible at press-time shooting script for the feature film adaptation of World War Z. Sufficed to say, the script has little in common with the book and most of the artwork is either some matte paintings or computer storyboards. Aside from a few quotes by the filmmakers, there are no notes relates to the art. Instead the book feels more like an mix of a movie program and an advertisement than an art book. The pages are glossy and easy to read with the art and script text throughout. The last section shows a few makeup and pre visualization shots as well as green screen shots, but little else. The soft cover is laminated and the book feels like a quality pressing. For fans and the curious, this might be worth a look, but don't expect Max Brooks' novel because as noted above, there is little in common with it.
August 12, 2014
Movies are one of the most viewed types of artwork, yet the final product that we see is far from the complex process it undergoes before hitting the big screen. With people demanding realism, a lot of what we see within a movie has been digitized and actors are seeing more filming in front of a green screen.
This is the most unique sequential art book I have read. Mingled between the camera shots, storyboards, and 3D modeling is the entire shooting film script. The flow is timed precisely with the script to transition between the cities in the film and show the varying degree of deterioration the Zs are in, dependent upon zone and length of infection.
Read the full review at http://www.musingwithcrayolakym.com/b...
This is the most unique sequential art book I have read. Mingled between the camera shots, storyboards, and 3D modeling is the entire shooting film script. The flow is timed precisely with the script to transition between the cities in the film and show the varying degree of deterioration the Zs are in, dependent upon zone and length of infection.
Read the full review at http://www.musingwithcrayolakym.com/b...
June 29, 2013
A companion book to the 'World War Z' movie starring Brad Pitt that's based on the novel by Max Brooks but is it worth picking up?
Well, yes in a very resounding way. We don't have a normal pictures and a little bit of writing style here. Instead we have the full screen play, concept art and quotes / info from the cast and crew.
To see if it's worth picking up or leaving behind as zombie fodder please click the link to see my review
http://curiosityofasocialmisfit.blogs...
Well, yes in a very resounding way. We don't have a normal pictures and a little bit of writing style here. Instead we have the full screen play, concept art and quotes / info from the cast and crew.
To see if it's worth picking up or leaving behind as zombie fodder please click the link to see my review
http://curiosityofasocialmisfit.blogs...
December 31, 2014
An incredible book filled to the brim with gorgeous art work and an excellent screenplay (which was wonderfully executed on film).
Although I am completely in love with the artwork and script, I would have loved to see some more information on what happens behind the scenes. Other than that, I recommend it to anyone who enjoys movie art.
4 out of 5 stars!
Although I am completely in love with the artwork and script, I would have loved to see some more information on what happens behind the scenes. Other than that, I recommend it to anyone who enjoys movie art.
4 out of 5 stars!
July 31, 2013
"From annotated concept art to visual effect mock ups, ‘World War Z: The Art of the Film’ is a pictorial feast that can only add to the excitement that was the film itself."
See the full review on PopMythology.com
See the full review on PopMythology.com
December 9, 2015
This was good. From the artwork, background sketches, behind the scenes, etc. Heard the book is good. I like books like this where they go into the making of the movie, art concepts etc. Love the cover.
August 23, 2013
I didn't really like this book and I rate is only two stars because I didn't really understand the plot and I thought that the story was all over the place.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews