The Five C's of Cinematography: Motion Picture Filming Techniques

The Five C's of Cinematography: Motion Picture Filming Techniques
by Joseph V. Mascelli

The Five C's of Cinematography: Motion Picture Filming Techniques
List Price: $29.95
Our Price: $17.99
You Save: $11.96 (40%)
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Buy Used: from $11.50 (click here)
Category: Book
See more book details and other editions


(Click here)
Buy this book at online book store in your country
Canada | UK | Germany | France

Book Summary Information

Author: Joseph V. Mascelli
Edition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 1998-06
ISBN: 187950541X
Number of pages: 251
Publisher: Silman-James Pr
Product features:
  • ISBN13: 9781879505414
  • Condition: New
  • Notes: BRAND NEW FROM PUBLISHER! 100% Satisfaction Guarantee. Tracking provided on most orders. Buy with Confidence! Millions of books sold!

Book Reviews of The Five C's of Cinematography: Motion Picture Filming Techniques

Book Review: A Bible ? In more ways than one !
Summary: 5 Stars

I've read several reviews on this book and none of them mention the first thing that struck me about it - the dense, convoluted, heavy and generally biblical writing style ! Get to the point, Mascelli ! However, this broad-based and totally off-hand criticism of the entire book hasn't stopped me giving it five stars ! Why ? Because, overall the book is very well structured, and FULL of information. The style is part of his view of the world of film-making and his frequent trips round the houses take us to the many places that we need to visit in getting to know that world. I just wish that all the off-topic information had been broken down into separate chapters and presented as individual reading topics. But then it would be "The 50 Cs" and a very different book from Mascelli's ! No, I rate this book very highly as it is. I picked it up at a time when I couldn't even see a cut-on-action, never mind see why it was used, what the alternatives might have been, etc. I had previously read somewhere that "the camera should depict the action, not become part of it", yet never found a book which taught this as a method. I hoped that an "old-school" book might do that, and the "5 Cs" doesn't disappoint. Through it, I've finally started to "get" what film-making is about and, as I'm sure another reviewer has said, I'll probably never look at films the same way again. Besides, if someone thinks they're interested in film-making, this book is a good test. If they can't make their way through Mascelli's Mountain of Words, they're never going to succeed in getting a film made ! On the other hand, I only read it because I was stuck on a train for long periods of time, so maybe something easier to read would be of value. To a prospective reader, I'd say that this book is invaluable. You may never make a film they way this book describes, but you WILL need to know why not ! Do what I did - read it, then read it again and make notes, lots of them !

Summary of The Five C's of Cinematography: Motion Picture Filming Techniques

The Five C's of Cinematography is one of the three most important books on cinematic technique ever published -- American Cinematographer

Mr. Mascelli provides the attentive reader with the equivalent of a complete course in filmmaking. -- New York Times

The Five C's is the most widely respected book on cinematography ever published. With the aid of hundreds of photographs and diagrams, it clearly and concisely presents al of the essential concepts and techniques of motion picture camera work.

Used copies of this timeless, long-out-of-print volume, which was first published in 1965, have been fetching hundreds of dollars per copy from students and teachers of cinematography and filmmaking. Now it is published for the first time in a paperback edition.

The five C's, and some of the related subjects this book covers, are:

Camera Angles -- Objective, Subjective, Point-of-View, Subject Size, Subject Angle, Camera Height

Continuity -- Cinematic Time and Space, Filming Action, Master Scenes, Screen Direction, Transitional Devices

Cutting -- Types of Editing, Cross-Cutting, Cutting on Action

Close-ups -- Over-the-Shoulder, Cut-in, Cutaway

Composition -- Compositional Rules, Compositional Language, Types of Balance, Attracting or Switching the Center of Interest.

Movies Books

Book Subjects
Most talked about in Movies Books
David Lean: A Biography ImageDavid Lean: A Biography
by Kevin Brownlow
St Martins Pr; Published: 1997-09; Paperback; Book
Best price: $55.00
The New Biographical Dictionary of Film: Fifth Edition, Completely Updated and Expanded ImageThe New Biographical Dictionary of Film: Fifth Edition, Completely Updated and Expanded
by David Thomson
Knopf; Published: 2010-10-26; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $22.46
Price in other shops: $40.00
Placing Shadows, Third Edition: Lighting Techniques for Video Production ImagePlacing Shadows, Third Edition: Lighting Techniques for Video Production
by Chuck Gloman, Tom LeTourneau
Focal Press; Published: 2005-02-21; Paperback; Book
Best price: $36.93
Price in other shops: $46.95
Placing Shadows, Second Edition: Lighting Techniques for Video Production ImagePlacing Shadows, Second Edition: Lighting Techniques for Video Production
by Chuck Gloman, Tom LeTourneau
Focal Press; Published: 2000-04-12; Paperback; Book
Best price: $11.89
Price in other shops: $38.95
Stars in My Eyes ImageStars in My Eyes
by Don Bachardy
University of Wisconsin Press; Published: 2011-02-06; Paperback; Book
Best price: $11.98
Price in other shops: $19.95
Behind the Curtain: Making Music in Mumbai's Film Studios ImageBehind the Curtain: Making Music in Mumbai's Film Studios
by Gregory D. Booth
Oxford University Press, USA; Published: 2008-10-13; Paperback; Book
Best price: $17.71
Price in other shops: $24.95
Time Out Film Guide, 6th Edition ImageTime Out Film Guide, 6th Edition
Time Out; Published: 1998-01-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $10.00
Price in other shops: $22.95
Natasha ImageNatasha
by Suzanne Finstad
Random House; Published: 2002-07-04; Paperback; Book
Best price: $12.44
The Writer Got Screwed (but didn't have to): Guide to the Legal and Business Practices of Writing for the Entertainment Industry ImageThe Writer Got Screwed (but didn't have to): Guide to the Legal and Business Practices of Writing for the Entertainment Industry
by Brooke A. Wharton
Harper Perennial; Published: 1997-03-14; Paperback; Book
Best price: $4.13
Price in other shops: $14.99
JOHN WAYNE: AMERICAN ImageJOHN WAYNE: AMERICAN
by Randy Roberts, James S. Olson
Free Press; Published: 1995-09-11; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $64.99
Similar Books and other products
The Filmmaker's Handbook: A Comprehensive Guide for the Digital Age ImageThe Filmmaker's Handbook: A Comprehensive Guide for the Digital Age
by Steven Ascher, Edward Pincus
Plume; Published: 2007-09-04; Paperback; Book
Best price: $16.41
Price in other shops: $25.00
The Visual Story, Second Edition: Creating the Visual Structure of Film, TV and Digital Media ImageThe Visual Story, Second Edition: Creating the Visual Structure of Film, TV and Digital Media
by Bruce Block
Focal Press; Published: 2007-11-07; Paperback; Book
Best price: $19.96
Price in other shops: $34.95
Motion Picture and Video Lighting, Second Edition ImageMotion Picture and Video Lighting, Second Edition
by Blain Brown
Focal Press; Published: 2007-09-19; Paperback; Book
Best price: $25.04
Price in other shops: $48.95
Film Directing Shot by Shot: Visualizing from Concept to Screen (Michael Wiese Productions) ImageFilm Directing Shot by Shot: Visualizing from Concept to Screen (Michael Wiese Productions)
by Steven D. Katz
Michael Wiese; Published: 1991-08-14; Paperback; Book
Best price: $14.25
Price in other shops: $27.95
Painting With Light ImagePainting With Light
by John Alton
University of California Press; Published: 1995-05-18; Paperback; Book
Best price: $27.99
Price in other shops: $34.95
Cinematic Storytelling: The 100 Most Powerful Film Conventions Every Filmmaker Must Know ImageCinematic Storytelling: The 100 Most Powerful Film Conventions Every Filmmaker Must Know
by Jennifer Van Sijll
Michael Wiese Productions; Published: 2005-08-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $11.30
Price in other shops: $24.95
Master Shots Volume 2: Shooting Great Dialogue Scenes ImageMaster Shots Volume 2: Shooting Great Dialogue Scenes
by Christopher Kenworthy
Michael Wiese Productions; Published: 2011-08-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $16.12
Price in other shops: $26.95
Cinematography: Theory and Practice, Second Edition: Image Making for Cinematographers and Directors ImageCinematography: Theory and Practice, Second Edition: Image Making for Cinematographers and Directors
by Blain Brown
Focal Press; Published: 2011-08-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $29.15
Price in other shops: $49.95
The Filmmaker's Eye: Learning (and Breaking) the Rules of Cinematic Composition ImageThe Filmmaker's Eye: Learning (and Breaking) the Rules of Cinematic Composition
by Gustavo Mercado
Focal Press; Published: 2010-09-15; Paperback; Book
Best price: $17.14
Price in other shops: $27.95
Master Shots: 100 Advanced Camera Techniques to Get an Expensive Look on Your Low-Budget Movie ImageMaster Shots: 100 Advanced Camera Techniques to Get an Expensive Look on Your Low-Budget Movie
by Christopher Kenworthy
Michael Wiese Productions; Published: 2009-01-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $15.79
Price in other shops: $24.95
Book store. Illustrated catalog of books on different categories