Thinking in Pictures: The Making of the Movie Matewan
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Book Overview
What choices--creative, practical, and technical--make a movie what it is? Here a gifted writer and filmmaker takes us behind the camera and provides a full description of the movie-making process.When John Sayles turned from writing fiction to making movies, he did so with little help from Hollywood: Return of the Secaucus Seven, Sayles's first movie as director and writer, was produced with 60,000 of his own money. Many films later, he still works outside the studio system and guides every phase of his productions.Now Sayles has written an illuminating book about the complex choices that lie at the heart of every movie. Using the making of his film Matewan as an example, he offers chapters on screenwriting, directing, editing, sound, and more. Photographs, sketches, and the complete shooting script illustrate this engaging account of how Sayles's curiosity about a coal miners' strike in the town of Matewan, West Virginia, became a screenplay--and then a movie.
Format:Paperback
Language:English
ISBN:0306812665
ISBN13:9780306812668
Release Date:July 2003
Publisher:Da Capo
Length:336 Pages
Weight:1.02 lbs.
Dimensions:0.9" x 5.9" x 9.0"
Customer Reviews
4 ratings
Movies as History
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 14 years ago
I teach American History and Film, my goal being how to get students to critically evaluate American history as portrayed by Hollywood. I have used John Sayles'"Matewan" about the West Virginia coal field wars and learned much from his discussion of how he created the film. It is possible to learn about history from films, but it must be done with a critical eye, and Sayles helps explain how one does that--as a film maker and as a viewer.
Creative compromises
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 24 years ago
This book really gives an insight on the world of struggling independent film-makers. Following every compromise Sayles is forced to make between his creative ideas and the options that are actually feasible, one can realise the impact of every cent in the budget on every choice and consequentially on the finished film.
An well-written snapshot of independent film making
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 25 years ago
"Thinking in Pictures" is a very good guide to the processes involved in making movies. Sayles writes about the germination of the movie and then the myriad decisions and compromises and joys that went into realising it on screen. If you've ever wondered about the tensions between the creative and the logistic and financial, here's a book that lays out, with wit and detail, the ups and downs of an interesting small production. It's also relatively ego free. "Matewan" was an interesting small film, but this book is a gem.
excellent book about making movies
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 25 years ago
I thought this book was very effective in taking me on the journey that John Sayles took while making the movie Matewan. I love movies and was fascinated with this book. Other books of this kind that I have enjoyed are Robert Rodriguez's Rebel Without a Crew.
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