What a Producer Does: The Art of Moviemaking (Not the Business)

Rating:
Summary: A Valuable Learning Tool
Review: I certainly wouldn't recommend using this book to replace a thorough education, but if you're strapped for cash and just want to know how it's done, "What a Producer Does" by Buck Houghton can pave the way. I bought this book because I'm going to film school in the fall, and I wanted to know a little about what I'm getting into. I tried to pick up painting once... I was unpleasantly surprised by all the details involved in something as simple as color selection! Any art requires a good deal of technical knowledge before the artist can actually produce masterful works, but filmmaking is simply too expensive to "try out"! Buck Houghton has offered us practical applications of his craft to show the aspiring producer the do's and don'ts without the confusing technical jargon. Mostly the book deals with the how-to's of dealing with the various artists involved in making a film or TV show. He puts the producer in his place, telling him when to crack down and when to let the experts do their work. This is years of experience put into a simple to understand book. The only reason I gave it four instead of five stars is because I ((opinion!)) prefer books that are more manual-like in their structure (bulleting, charts/graphs, etc.). So if that isn't your bag, ignore the four and make it a five!

Rating:
Summary: A Valuable Learning Tool
Review: I certainly wouldn't recommend using this book to replace a thorough education, but if you're strapped for cash and just want to know how it's done, "What a Producer Does" by Buck Houghton can pave the way. I bought this book because I'm going to film school in the fall, and I wanted to know a little about what I'm getting into. I tried to pick up painting once... I was unpleasantly surprised by all the details involved in something as simple as color selection! Any art requires a good deal of technical knowledge before the artist can actually produce masterful works, but filmmaking is simply too expensive to "try out"! Buck Houghton has offered us practical applications of his craft to show the aspiring producer the do's and don'ts without the confusing technical jargon. Mostly the book deals with the how-to's of dealing with the various artists involved in making a film or TV show. He puts the producer in his place, telling him when to crack down and when to let the experts do their work. This is years of experience put into a simple to understand book. The only reason I gave it four instead of five stars is because I ((opinion!)) prefer books that are more manual-like in their structure (bulleting, charts/graphs, etc.). So if that isn't your bag, ignore the four and make it a five!

Rating:
Summary: Not just for students; great for anyone who loves movies!
Review: Of all the books I've read on filmmaking, lighting for film, etc., Buck Houghton's is the most pleasant and interesting! This book is concise, non-critical, and informative. I really appreciated the stories he told from his years in "The Twilight Zone," plus other anecdotes and examples he sprinkled throughout the book. As noted earlier, it's not just good for film students; anyone who has ever watched the credits after a movie and wondered, "What does a Foley operator do?" "What's a gaffer?" should read this book. You won't ever take good movies, or those involved in the making of, for granted again.

Rating:
Summary: Not just for students; great for anyone who loves movies!
Review: The title of this book explains exactly the content of it. It deliveres what it promises.

Rating:
Summary: It deliveres what it promises
Review: The title of this book explains exactly the content of it. It deliveres what it promises.