The Filmmaker Says: Quotes, Quips, and Words of Wisdom

by Jamie Thompson Stern (artist)

"No saint, no pope, no general, no sultan, has ever had the power that a filmmaker has—the power to talk to hundreds of millions of people for two hours in the dark." —Frank Capra

Inspiring everything from pop culture earthquakes to popular revolutions, filmmakers have demonstrated an uncanny ability to move the masses. But the drama they project on screen is only half the picture. Stretching back from its earliest days of two-reel silent films to the latest 3-D digital blockbusters, film history provides a cast of characters ready to spill witty bon mots, outrageous pronouncements, and heartfelt reflections. The Filmmaker Says is a colorful compendium of quotations from more than one hundred of history's most influential and opinionated creators of filmed entertainment. Paired like guests at the ultimate filmgeek dinner party—a celebrated filmmaker of today might sit next to a giant from the silent era—the members of this raucous crew puts on a show arguing, complimenting, and disagreeing with each other about every step of the moviemaking process. A perfect gift for working filmmakers, aspiring auteurs, and avid moviegoers, The Filmmaker Says will delight anyone who has dreamed of yelling "action" or just can't wait for the lights to go down and the curtain to go up.

Genres: Film, Nonfiction

160 pages, Paperback

First published September 3, 2013

Reviews

[Carrie Evans · Rating 4 out of 5]

You read something like this as a filmmaker always hoping to hear the voices coming together to give you guidance, but what you almost always find (as you do with this book) that every single person has a differing opinion on literally every aspect of filmmaking and how it should be done. Every other quote in this book is a filmmaker discrediting what the other says. Sort of leaves you feeling either confused, or with the feeling that there really is no "right way" to embark in this art form, but instead, you just have to make it up as you go and do what feels right.

[johanna (jo) · Rating 4 out of 5]

"photography is truth. the cinema is truth twenty-four times per second." - jean-luc godard (1930-)

. . .

"film lies twenty-four times a second." - brian de palma (1940-)

snarky, helpful, polarising, funny, & excellent typographical layout. to be read with a huge spoonful of salt, a sense of humour, and an underlying knowledge that art is completely subjective and none of us are long for this earth.

[Josep Alorda · Rating 1 out of 5]

vaya puta bazofia

[Virginia · Rating 2 out of 5]

Curiosa recopilación de citas de los mejores profesionales de mundo del cine, Palabra de cineasta, te da lo que ofrece. Es decir, un montón de frases más o menos acertadas sobre Hollywood y derivados. Lo mejor de todo es su corta duración y el enorme tamaño de letra que hace que leerlo sea muy fácil y agradable.

Jamie Thompson Stern ha recopilado las citas más adecuadas de personas dentro de este mundillo. Evidentemente no los ha creado ella, por lo que no se puede hacer un análisis literario de como está escrito este libro. Pero si que puedo añadir que las frases están bien escogidas. Unas veces se asemejan y otras veces resultan contradictorias, pero todas ellas te enseñan una perspectiva del séptimo arte.

Como he dicho antes en Palabra de cineasta, solo aparecen citas de personas que trabajaron o trabajan en la industria cinematográfica. Directores, guionistas, actores y directores de fotografía cuentan, sin tapujos, lo que es participar en la creación de una película, ensalzando sus virtudes y siendo despiadados con lo que, en su opinión, no funciona o habría que mejorar. Y ya estaría. No hay nada más que un muestrario de opiniones ajenas. Nada que te permita comprender sus críticas o un contexto que te proporcione las claves para entender porque han dicho eso y no otra cosa. Solo otra colección de frases dicha por gente, la mayoría desconocida para el gran público, a no ser que seas un auténtico fanático del universo del celuloide.

En suma, Palabra de cineasta, hace honor a su nombre ya que, tras una breve introducción, solo aparecen palabras dichas por alguien que se dedica al cine de manera profesional. Y si bien eso no es malo, lo cierto que acaba resultando algo aburrido. Así que si queréis saber lo opinión parcial de los “pesos pesados” de esta industria, acercaros a este libro. Puede que encontréis algo útil o entretenido. Palabra de lectora.

[Jonathan · Rating 3 out of 5]

The content itself is fine and the book is a quick read due to being a collection of quotes, but the author curating these quotes could've picked more. They could have also picked some more in-depth and extended quotes as well.

[Brian Richards · Rating 5 out of 5]

Inspirational quotes.

[Madalyn Knight · Rating 4 out of 5]

A quick read of quotes from filmmakers that I read for a work project. I enjoyed how it was presented, with contrasting viewpoints on a subject often back to back.

[paulbjensen · Rating 4 out of 5]

80

Thanks Soren! 💜

[Trenton McKay · Rating 5 out of 5]

What I really appreciated about this book is that the quotes didn't slant in any single direction. Sometimes conflicting quotes are on opposite side of the same page! It was fun to see filmmakers from different backgrounds weight in honestly on what they love and are frustrated about in filmmaking. It will be a book I come back to again for inspiration!

[Quinn da Matta · Rating 3 out of 5]

A cute little book to grab whenever you need some inspirational words of wisdom...

[Marilynn Farmer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Eh, some real gems in here, but majority of the quotes chosen for this book are pretty forgettable.

[James · Rating 4 out of 5]

As some of my other reviews have mentioned, I enjoy quotes. I also love film. Of course, then, I found myself interested in this little book. While I am by no means a film making expert, I like writing and have started, abandoned, cursed, and struggled to write or co-write a few short films, one made and is seeing some play at festivals. Therein lies the catch - I like writing and not directing. This is a book of director comments, the only "filmmaker" considered. Still, the work sings along - and as one might assume the quotes contradict and play against one another. Capra, Ford, Tarantino, and Hitchcock do not agree as one might assume and that is the joy of this book. Art is best when it is engaged, diverse, and human - which breeds inconsistency and it was great to see this book prove that point as a collection of quotes.

Like film? Check it out. Like quotes? Check it out. Like artists? Worth your time.