The Camera Smart Actor

by Richard Brestoff, Deborah Stevenson (Illustrator), Olympia Dukakis (Introduction)

This is it! The real story of what goes on behind the scenes. Camera Smart provides actors with an exclusive and much needed look at the inner workings of a film set. By following an actor on his first day of work you encounter the jargon, the situations, the people, the failures and successes of a real world camera job. It's the next best thing to being there. This book, written with a rare combination of humor and insight covers all aspects of the camera actor's world including a fascinating look at how the new technologies of video games, CD-ROM movies, interactive multi-media and the 500 channel universe will affect that world. Become camera smart yourself so that when you get the job you'll be ready.

Genres: Theatre

239 pages, Paperback

First published August 1, 1994

Reviews

[Miguel Coias · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very useful book. Great reference for a working actor. It explains set etiquette and professional behavior when on a shoot.

[Yisrael Dubov · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book should have been called "being on set" or something, because that's all it was about! It had almost nothing to do with acting on camera! I expected more, especially from a theatre actor! I expected talk about things the camera picks up, relationships with the camera, volume, energy, etc.

I give it 3 stars for the content, but take off 2 for the misrepresentation of the title!

[Sara Stuckey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Apparently, the author of this book is a friend of one of my former college professors, so of course it was required reading. Can't say as I FINISHED the book, but it's still in my collection and is a quick reference if I need it before showing up to set.

The interesting thing about this book is that it reads kind of like a script. Not bad for actors!!!

[Matt · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had to read this one for my acting for the camera class and I have to say it just didn't do it for me. In large part I know it was because the book covers the basics, and if you, like me, know the basics of working on a set, this book will be ground already covered. The best part of the read for me was the bomb exercise at the very end of the book.

[Maria]

More classroom fodder. I'll have more to say about it when Amazon delivers it.