Listmania!
Seminal Filmmaking Texts
The Guerilla Film Makers HandbookThe Guerilla Film Makers Handbook by Chris Jones
Buy new: £20.74 / Used from: £18.32
Good introduction to the filmmaking process. Lots of interviews with industry professionals. Some opinions you may want to take with a pinch of salt though (in particular the own authors.)
Camera Assistant, The: A Complete Professional HandbookCamera Assistant, The: A Complete Professional Handbook by Douglas Hart
Buy new: £34.73 / Used from: £25.75
Maintaining and operating professional 16mm/35mm film equipment. Great account of the Camera Assistant's responsibilities.
The Grip BookThe Grip Book by Michael Uva
Buy new: £28.50 / Used from: £20.73
Excellent guide to the role of the Grip. Covers all his responsibilities, equipment and working practices.
Set Lighting Technician's Handbook: Film Lighting Equipment, Practice and Electrical DistributionSet Lighting Technician's Handbook: Film Lighting Equipment, Practice and Electrical Distribution by Harry C. Box
Buy new: £30.82 / Used from: £26.99
Well respected guide and reference to film lighting technology, electricity distribution and set etiquette. America-centric.
Lighting Technology: A Guide for the Entertainment IndustryLighting Technology: A Guide for the Entertainment Industry by BRIAN FITT
Buy new: £40.85 / Used from: £50.82
Very detailed text, explaining how lights are actually designed. Applicable to both stage and screen. A very useful British companion to the book above.
Sound for Film and TelevisionSound for Film and Television by Tomlinson Holman
Buy new: £35.42 / Used from: £22.96
Written by the creator of the THX sound standard. Great introduction to recorded sound and its use on film.
Guide to Postproduction for TV and Film: Managing the ProcessGuide to Postproduction for TV and Film: Managing the Process by Barbara Clark
Buy new: £27.80 / Used from: £14.00
A map of the professional post-production process.
The Complete Film Production HandbookThe Complete Film Production Handbook by Eve Light Honthaner
Buy new: £25.63 / Used from: £23.07
Nuts and bolts guide to running a professional production. Lots of concrete know-how that can help inform smaller productions.
The UK Film Finance Handbook: How to Fund Your FilmThe UK Film Finance Handbook: How to Fund Your Film by Adam P. Davies
Buy used from: £18.13
Where to find UK film finance.
The Insider's Guide to Film FinanceThe Insider's Guide to Film Finance by Philip Alberstat
Buy new: £17.93 / Used from: £17.01
The film business from an accountant's perspective.
Dealmaking in the Film and Television Industry: From Negotiations to Final ContractsDealmaking in the Film and Television Industry: From Negotiations to Final Contracts by Mark Litwak
Buy used from: £14.08
The film business from a lawyer's perspective.
The Writer's JourneyThe Writer's Journey by Christopher Vogler
Buy used from: £29.00
One of the most respected, time-tested guides to story telling. A very thoughtful, open minded treatment of the subject.
Directing Actors: Creating Memorable Performances for Film and TelevisionDirecting Actors: Creating Memorable Performances for Film and Television by Judith Weston
Buy new: £9.87 / Used from: £6.49
Great book on working with actors.
Applied Photographic Optics: Lenses and Optical Systems for Photography, Film, Video and Digital ImagingApplied Photographic Optics: Lenses and Optical Systems for Photography, Film, Video and Digital Imaging by Sidney Ray BSc MSc ASIS HonFBIPP FMPA HonFRPS
Buy new: £126.35 / Used from: £151.42
Regarded by many cinematographers as the authoritive textbook on optics. Studying this tome will help you appreciate the differences between various lenses on a very deep level.