Master Shots Vol 1, 2nd edition: 100 Advanced Camera Techniques to Get An Expensive Look on your Low Budget Movie Paperback – April 1, 2012

This was a gift for a friend of mine that had been in the film industry for many years, but was starting to get more experience behind the camera. I also went through the book, and noticed plenty of tips and techniques for anyone relatively new to directing or camera work. But there also seems to be a bit that would still be helpful to experienced directors, as well.Did it help my friend? He went from helping with small, shoestring-budget flicks, to directing movies with a decent budget. So I would say that the book definitely served its purpose.

I haven't sat down and read this book straight through yet, but that isn't necessarily the intent either. This is a reference book and actually a quite ingenious tool. It's like training wheels for a new director or DP - when breaking down a script for a story board or shot list, you can simply skim through the book for the type of scene you are doing and find the various shot setups with full descriptions of how they are used and what they do to convey the different emotions you would be going for in the scene. There are pictures everywhere that clearly illustrate the setups, so it is easy to navigate the book and quickly understand the technique. The author recommends buying several copies for crew members and actually using it on set for reference to the look you are building. I don't know if that would work on a lot of sets, but indie projects and student films with inexperienced crews could greatly benefit from that kind of reference point. I'm definitely going to use it liberally in storyboarding an upcoming short film.The bottom line is, I can't think of any reason not to have this book.

I've been a professional photographer for many years and was interested in translating "still" shots into film/digital live motion. I understand the lighting fundamentals and scene set-ups as well as many DOF applications and post photo retouches. Although this book doesn't go into the technical lighting and DOP / shutter speed details of shooting film/digital, it makes up for that by demonstrating camera set-up and movement and how these kinds of shots set certain moods or lead ins for establishing scenes.Considering this, I must say that those that have an understanding of lighting and focal length, shutter speed, etc.(fundamental photo and video theory), will benefit the most from this book. If you're a novice, I recommend carefully looking at the illustrative photos and thinking more about how the lighting and DOP, etc. contribute to "selling" the shot and also pick-up a book on lighting and scene set-up fundamentals.In general, great book that dissects the many camera technique and movements used in MANY if not all movies that we take for granted. Also has great real world examples to convey that technique so you can view it for yourself if you're ambitious enough.

For the beginner or occasional filmmaker, this is a great book. Essentially it is an encyclopedia of master shots, a hundred of them. Most are illustrated with stills from various films and with 3D models created in Poser 7.The author provides details about how the shot is set up, the feeling the shot is intended to convey and pertinent information. Kenworthy deliberately stays away from things like lenses, equipment, lighting and so on.His point is that the shots can be accomplished with any kind of camera. It is the point of view that matters and the action that establishes the meaning of the shot and advances the story.Master Shots is definitely an aid to the beginning filmmaker or those who shoot only occasionally and could you a bit of assistance in visualizing how to tell their story.For a very reasonable cost, you have a hundred classic master shots diagrammed and explained for you. Good deal.Jerry

Very good visual encyclopedia of shots. Hard reccomend.

I got this book a couple days ago together with the Volume 2, and I'm only 20 pages into in so far but it's a very easy read with illustrations for each topic/shot it discusses.. The book gives you little smart tricks and variations you can do with your shots, be it changing an angle, using a certain type of lens, moving the camera or tracking the subject a certain way, or any of the combination to create a certain emotion, discussing the logic behind it. Not a comprehensive guide to film directing, but a good creative visual reference book I'm glad I purchased.I am also thankful to Amazon for quickly shipping a free replacement for my original shipment which never arrived because of the shipping company, and the replacement arrived very fast. Great doing business with them.

This book is amazing. I mostly shoot videos for YouTube, which means I have a budget of $0 on most things. However, I wanted a higher quality look on the shots. An Assistant Director on a film that I was working on suggested this book to me, and it did not let me down. I'm so excited to shoot more scenes like those demo'd in the book. For someone with a degree in filming, this may be old news, but for someone like me that is starting out; I feel like it is an awesome crash course to getting the shots you want.

I enjoyed reading -- studying even -- this book. The diagrams could perhaps be a little more clear, but in general I was able to understand what the author was trying to convey. If you like books that teach by example, you will enjoy this one as that is all that it does -- show examples.