Rizzo M. The Art Direction Handbook for Film

Focal Press, 2005. — 350 p.An updated version of an art direction handbook for film is long overdue. In the past, an aspiring art director could study architecture or theater, learn construction theory or stagecraft, discuss a bit of design theory in film class, and emerge from a four-year program feeling fairly confident with a modicum of hands-on experience. The advent of 3D animation for video games and a related explosion of visual effects for digital filmmaking — in short, a new demand for computer assisted movie making and its inherent speed—has redefined how we do our jobs, given the demands of that technology.
Otherwise, nothing has fundamentally changed. The historical, filmmaking techniques with which some readers are already familiar have been updated and recycled into a more exciting, more believable cinematic product. Not only will this handbook demonstrate that evolution in terms of how an art director’s job has been impacted, but it will also establish a comfort level with state-of-the-art technologies now used in cinema.
As a straightforward manual of how to become or perform the job functions of an art director, this book is perfect for the newcomer. In addition to the fundamental information it provides, the first edition of The Art Direction Handbook for Film has been written to meet the needs of newly graduated students and other aspiring filmmakers eager for some first job experience. Networking within the low budget and Indie filmmaking realm is presented from firsthand experience of art directors established in successful careers by providing various, entry level viewpoints and how-to scenarios. This information derived from direct experience is delivered regularly throughout the book and is invaluable. Sometimes offered as a helpful anecdote or directly as advice, the newcomer can easily put the pieces together and navigate the beginning of a new career.