From Library Journal
Documentary films are directed, not just edited from random shots. They are also planned, as this nine-part book shows, taking the reader through pre- and post-production of a series of documentary projects on both film and videotape. "No one ever got rich making documentaries," Rabiger states, but one can get much satisfaction out of making them. The knowledgeable author gives many helpful hints for the neophyte nonfiction filmmaker, and a good number of photographs, charts, and drawings illustrate the material. Also included in this readable book are an annotated bibliography, a glossary of film terms, some forms and, best of all, information on how to get a job in the documentary field. Recommended for college and public libraries because of its comprehensiveness and usefulness. James L. Limbacher, Jayell Enterprises, Dearborn, Mich.Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc.


Review
'What makes this book so valuable is that the author consistently searches for the philosophical underpinnings of his art and never gets lost in the technical processes of filmmaking.'
- Jonathan Luskin, Flying Moose Pictures, San Francisco

'The book's greatest strength is the emphasis on documentary filmmaking as a creative, storytelling process....It supplies more in the way of an ethical foundation for the young filmmaker than any other title on the market.'
- Phil Hopper, Director, Theatre and Media Arts Program, Marymount College of Fordham University

'Intelligent and artfully written, Directing the Documentary should enjoy a place of prominence in the library of every documentary videomaker.'
- Videomaker magazine


Review
'What makes this book so valuable is that the author consistently searches for the philosophical underpinnings of his art and never gets lost in the technical processes of filmmaking.'
- Jonathan Luskin, Flying Moose Pictures, San Francisco

'The book's greatest strength is the emphasis on documentary filmmaking as a creative, storytelling process....It supplies more in the way of an ethical foundation for the young filmmaker than any other title on the market.'
- Phil Hopper, Director, Theatre and Media Arts Program, Marymount College of Fordham University

'Intelligent and artfully written, Directing the Documentary should enjoy a place of prominence in the library of every documentary videomaker.'
- Videomaker magazine


Book Description
Tens of thousands of readers have benefited from Michael Rabiger's classic text on documentary filmmaking, now updated to reflect the revolutionary switch to digital video equipment and software. You will learn how to research and focus a documentary film or video idea, develop a crew, direct the crew, maintain control during shooting, and oversee postproduction. Practical work is emphasized, with dozens of exercises and questionnaires to help focus your ideas and give you hands-on practice. The documentary is treated as an important genre in its own right, as well as a useful prelude to directing feature films.

The fourth edition is a significant update. The book's emphasis has always been on concrete steps you can take to become a documentary filmmaker, and there are loads of new projects to help, along with assessment tables that allow you to gauge your progress. In addition, there is new material on location sound, the reality TV trend, top documentaries to see, and more.

*The definitive guide to making a documentary
*A hands-on approach with dozens of exercises
*A fully updated 4th edition of the classic textbook


From the Publisher
Up-to-date with examples of significant new films and new projects, it is written in conversational, non-technical language, treating the reader as a colleague in search of clearly explained knowledge. The author, a veteran filmmaker and teacher shares anecdotes from his own professional experience where they usefully illustrate ideas, principles, or pitfalls.

ANNOTATION

Audience: Beginning documentary filmmakers and film students.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

"Tens of thousands of readers have benefited from Michael Rabiger's classic text on documentary filmmaking, now updated to reflect the revolutionary switch to digital video equipment and software. You will learn how to research and focus a documentary film or video idea, develop a crew, direct the crew, maintain control during shooting, and oversee postproduction. Practical work is emphasized, with dozens of exercises and questionnaires to help you focus your ideas and give you hands-on practice. The documentary is treated as an important genre in its own right, as well as a useful prelude to directing feature films." The fourth edition is a significant update. The book's emphasis has always been on concrete steps you can take to become a documentary filmmaker, and there are loads of new projects to help, along with assessment tables that allow you to gauge your progress. In addition, there is new material on location sound, the reality TV trend, top documentaries to see, and more.

SYNOPSIS

New edition of a Focal classic New examples from well-known films and projects Projects guide the reader through all phases of creating a professional-quality documentary. The Third Edition of Directing the Documentary, like the previous two, guides the reader through the process of making a work for the screen. This includes the real problems of researching and focusing a documentary film or video idea, of developing a crew, of directing the crew and participants, and of maintaining control during shooting. It guides the reader through the complex evolutionary process of post-production, when the film's true characteristics can really begin to emerge and assert themselves.

About the Author:

Michael Rabiger has worked in the cutting room in feature films, as an editor and director in documentaries, and as a production and aesthetics educator for many years. He has directed or edited more than 35 films and is director of the documentary center at Columbia College, Chicago. Most recently, he has led a multinational European documentary workshop for the World Consortium of film schools, and has taught narrative writing, directing, and production as Visiting Professor at New York University's Tisch School of the Arts.

FROM THE CRITICS

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