director

Making Movies

Recommended by the Directors Guild of America, this definitive guide to directing has been read by generations of Hollywood filmmakers. "He made the greatest films that Kubrick never did," highly recommended by renowned directors like Christopher Nolan and Steven Spielberg. The director of 12 Angry Men and Murder on the Orient Express, and an Oscar winner, has penned a 50-year, hands-on guide to 45 films. "Only by making a film yourself can you truly know the truth!"
Editor's Recommendation: Sidney Lumet, born into a stage family, performed on Broadway at a young age and later became a sought-after television director. After accumulating experience in hundreds of TV series, he made his debut in the film industry with a stunning success, winning the Berlin Film Festival Golden Bear for "12 Angry Men." He quickly rose to the top of the Hollywood pyramid, averaging a film per year and continuously creating classics in film history: "Murder on the Orient Express," "Dog Day's Afternoon," "Network"...
In the book "Director", this "artist who sees himself as a craftsman" tells his story and shares his creative experience and work philosophy without reservation - enjoying work, and defending his artistic ideals with all his strength while complying with all business rules.
Since its first publication in 1996, this book has been considered a must-read classic by filmmakers worldwide and remains in the top 1% of Amazon's bestsellers. Nolan cited "The Dark Knight" as an inspiration for this book and Lumet's work, while "Black Swan" director Darren Aronofsky listed it as his number one film book, and Spielberg praised it as a "huge honor for the entire film industry."
 A must-read classic that sells worldwide, a gold medal director's textbook that is popular in art schools, and an enlightenment work for generations of Hollywood filmmakers An Oscar Lifetime Achievement Award winner, with practical notes on 45 films over 50 years, reveals "the truth that only those who have made them know"
A comprehensive guide to filmmaking: "One Take," an immersive journey through the making of a film (including tips for high-quality rush production and money-saving techniques)
 Precious sharing from the "Best Actor and Best Actress Maker" and "Actor's Dream Collaborator":
Paul Newman, Katharine Hepburn, Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, Sean Connery... Throughout his career, Lumet collaborated with perhaps more top-tier actors than any other director. These superstars were willing to work for minimal pay in his films, a testament to his ability to build a deep trust with their actors, often unleashing their own magic and delivering peak performances. In this book, Lumet unabashedly reveals the hidden world of acting, lovingly depicting the courage it takes for actors to "expose themselves," and the heartwarming stories of directors and actors working side-by-side through challenges.
A moving, emotional film-set retelling: Debunking the myth of the "paranoid" director, revealing how gentle leaders foster unity, mutual trust, and mutual achievement, ultimately creating a masterpiece. The writing is candid and warm, radiating kindness, respect, and understanding. Synopsis: What kind of story deserves to be made into a film? How can actors maintain emotional sincerity even after countless repetitions? How can you film a gunfight in downtown New York City, involving hundreds of extras and multiple car collisions? How does a director keep the crew united under immense pressure?
The renowned director Lumet takes us on set, capturing the entire process from first rehearsal to wrap, all in one take. This memoir offers candid recounting of the artist's creative life and stories of working on set with Hollywood's biggest stars (from Katharine Hepburn, Paul Newman, Marlon Brando, to Al Pacino). It's also a comprehensive guidebook for directors, offering clear, efficient, and transferable working methods and the practical wisdom of a seasoned director in facing unexpected situations.
★ Excerpts of wonderful content ○ Only the art form of film uses "people" to record things that are greater than life.
I know there are still many young people in this world who borrow money from relatives or save their own allowances to buy their first camera and create their first student film. Some of them dream of becoming famous and making a fortune. But there are still some who dream of finding what truly matters to them, of being able to say to themselves and anyone who will listen, "I care."
I once asked Akira Kurosawa why he always framed the film in a certain way while shooting Ran. He replied, "If I had panned the camera an inch to the left, we would have filmed the Sony factory. If I had panned it an inch to the right, we would have filmed an airport. Neither of those things should have appeared in this period film." Only those who actually make films understand why they make such decisions, and each decision affects the final film.
○ I am not the kind of believer who has to wait for the so-called "great" script to become a "masterpiece".
Many French directors constantly complain about the lack of screenwriters. It's all because of this ridiculous "auteur theory" that makes directors so omnipotent that most self-respecting screenwriters would naturally refuse to participate in such films.
The instrument an actor uses is himself—his emotions, his look, his sensuality, his tears, his laughter, his anger, his romance, his tenderness, his wickedness—all of which are presented to everyone on the big screen. This is by no means easy; in fact, it's often painful.
I don't want a life that's replicated on the big screen. I want a life that's created. The difference between the two lies in the degree to which the actor exposes himself.
If this kind of self-exposure caused such distress to actors like Paul Newman, imagine how much more distressing it must have been for actresses, who were not only expected to make the same kind of self-exposure but also treated like sexual commodities.
Actors have a right to privacy; I would never deliberately dig into their personal experiences or intrude on their privacy. Some directors do that. There's no right or wrong here... If we can't achieve the look I want technically, then so be it. We'll always find another way that's just as effective.
Many celebrity makeup artists and hairstylists unknowingly erode the stars' willpower, gradually forcing them to become dependent on them. This creates certain dangers: on the one hand, it costs a fortune with virtually no visible effects on the big screen; on the other hand, it creates a powerful sense of entitlement among celebrities, a feeling that even this seemingly meaningless effort can undermine their work.
Brando would secretly test the director within a day or two of filming. He would give you two seemingly identical takes. The only difference was that in one, he would act spontaneously from the heart; in the other, he would just symbolically play "this is the emotion." He would then see which one you chose. If the director chose the wrong one, the one that was "superficial," he would know.
Critics talk about style as something separate from the film because they want it to be obvious. The reason they need to make it obvious is because they don't actually see it.
○ Good style is not the style that is seen directly, but the style that is felt.
No critic could recognize the stylistic aspects of The Prince of the City—it's one of the most stylized films I've ever made. But Kurosawa did. The most thrilling moment of my career was when Kurosawa spoke to me about the "beauty of the camerawork" and "the beauty of the cinematography" of the film.
○ The more limited and specific the choices, the more universal the results will become.
Self-deception is absolutely essential to any kind of creative work. Creative work is so difficult that some degree of self-deception is necessary just to get started.
Only three people know whether an edit is good or bad: the editor, the director, and the cinematographer.
Commercial success has nothing to do with the quality of a film. Good films can be huge hits, and good films can flop. Bad films can make money, and bad films can lose money. The truth is, no one really knows what kind of film will make or lose money.
Filmmaking is all about fighting. I've fought for the script, I've fought for the right actors, I've fought the scorching heat in the middle of the desert, I've fought exhaustion, I've fought British rules for extras. And now I'm fighting over a stupid commercial.
☆ Celebrity Recommendation: Lumet made a great film that Kubrick never did. What amazes me is that his style is so diverse, yet he still has that core of Kubrick.
- Christopher Nolan If every director is required to share his creative process, the definition of film will be taken to a higher level. Today, Sidney Lumet, one of the greatest directors in Hollywood history, is willing to share his views with us so sincerely. It is a great honor for all of us.
—Steven Spielberg When this book came out, I ordered it immediately, in hardcover. I was in film school at the time, a hefty expense for a student (and I was broke). I devoured it over the weekend, digesting the stories about Dog Day Afternoon and 12 Angry Men. Lumet's reflections on his career are astonishingly clear, honest, and precise, with a wealth of wisdom about directing and filmmaking. Even though I had only made a few short student films at the time, I resonated with the challenges he described and applied what he taught.
—Darren Aronofsky Priceless… From time to time, people ask me if there is a book for movie lovers that can help them understand how movies are made and what to look for when watching movies. This is it!
—Roger Ebert Everyone must read this.
—David Bordwell "Sidney is a master of film... His books are like his films—honest, heartfelt, vibrant, and very, very witty. Anyone interested in film should read this."
—David Mamet A master's film bible. It details every step of the filmmaking process. You'll feel like you're on the set. And that's a must.
--Quincy Jones, the most influential musician in Hollywood◎ Media recommendation As an artist, Lumet shows admirable generosity in this book. He never seeks personal honors, but is always a patient collaborator and mentor, very happy to pass on his wisdom to readers - this also gives the book an extremely practical quality, making it an ideal learning tool that filmmakers dream of.
Legendary director Lumet, a member of the Directors Guild of America, didn't view filmmaking as a black art, so he readily shared his secrets. He was not only a visual master but also a master craftsman, believing that clear, efficient control of the set, allowing production to flow seamlessly, enabled the creative team to achieve their best. He conveyed his ideas with a wealth of shot examples, workflows, and practical templates.
——New York Film Academy What Lumet writes in this book is the mystery of the art of narrative itself.
—The New York Times
Absolutely brilliant! Lumet's memoir, like his other works, is both majestic and moving.
—Los Angeles Times
Powerful, passionate, and intelligent... This book is so compelling precisely because Lumet speaks passionately and opinionatedly about things on which he has a right to express his opinions.
—Stanley Kaufman, The New Republic
Lumet has written a captivating memoir that conveys the joy he felt in his own work, the immense pleasure he took in filmmaking… Even though this book offers only a concise and accessible account of how films are made by an experienced craftsman, it is still rich in the technical aspects of filmmaking.
—The Baltimore Sun

2022-03-01

海峡文艺出版社

the new wave

272

9787555025931