Book Reviews
The Hidden Women of Animation
In an absorbing new book, women take their place alongside the most famous Disney writers and animators, including the group referred to by Walt Disney as his “Nine Old Men.” […]
Reviews
Columns
Andrew Davis’ ‘The Fugitive’
At my high school, admission to advanced placement (AP) classes was by invitation only. I tried four times to be admitted into AP English. The head of the department, a sour and exhausted woman named Ms. Gallagher, eventually told me, “I wouldn’t feel good about myself if I encouraged you to pursue something at which you won’t succeed.” […]
Book Reviews
A screenwriter walks into an edit suite…
The back cover of Writing for the Cut: Shaping Your Script for Cinema asks the potential reader, “Will you make the cut?” The copy goes on to declare — in a line sure to appeal to anyone working in post-production — “Editing Is What Makes a Movie.” This is not a new idea, but Greg Loftin is the first to write a guide that clearly outlines how a screenwriter, as he sits at the computer, can and should consider what the editor will find when she sits at hers. […]
Columns
Bernardo Bertolucci’s ‘Last Tango In Paris’
I fell in love with Last Tango in Paris in the summer of 1973 when I was 20 years old. But now, decades later, I’m sorry to say I’ve fallen out of love with the film much as one eventually discovers that Old Spice aftershave (and the guy who wore it) wasn’t that cool after all. […]
Book Reviews
Who Were the True Auteurs in Post-Production? Ask the Monitor Man
George Larkin offers a startling premise in the book Post-Production and the Invisible Revolution of Filmmaking: From the Silent Era to Synchronized Sound, one that may delight some readers while offending others. He states the fact that post-production work is critical to all filmmaking but takes that fact further, stressing that post is the major driver of film creation, eclipsing all else. […]
Book Reviews
When the Film Industry Joined the Gig Economy
Virtually every working editor understands that the job is defined as labor as well as creation, craft and, sometimes, art. The Motion Picture Editors Guild ensures that this labor is recognized with credits, respected within the industry and compensated fairly, and ensures that members are not abused by employers nor left destitute in old age. […]
Book Reviews
How to Correctly Raid the Lost Archive of Assets
This compact and clearly written volume considers virtually every type of archival source likely to be used in media production, and offers practical approaches to finding, selecting and licensing it. […]
Columns
Maya Deren’s ‘Meshes of the Afternoon’
One afternoon, they showed Maya Deren’s ‘Meshes of the Afternoon’ (1943), and it amazed me! It’s a short film directed by wife-and-husband team Maya Deren and Alexander Hammid. […]
