A colorful book cover with illustrations of cartoon people and animals making a film

Action! Professor Know It All's Guide to Film and Video

by Bill Brown Author

Have you ever wanted to make your own movies, documentaries, music videos, or vlogs? In this easy-to-read and magnificently illustrated volume, you will learn why movies move; how film and video cameras work; how to light and expose your shots to get the best results; how to create eye-pleasing compositions; and how to record crystal clear sounds. It's a do-it-yourself guidebook for film and video makers of all ages and experience levels.


Whether you've got a phone and a YouTube account, an old Super-8 handheld camera, or a fancy, state of the art motion picture studio, you still need a good idea and a good knowledge of the basics. Bill Brown, aka "Professor Know-It-All," with his cast of helpful animal assistants, give you all the technical knowledge you need so that you can stop worrying about your gear and your settings and let your ideas come to life.

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Comments & Reviews

5/21/2013

"For anyone tired of taking all the wrong shots or just trying to figure things out, this is a great learner’s permit."

Jamais Jochim - The Portland Book Review
http://portlandbookreview.com/action-professor-know-it-alls-illustrated-guide-to-film-video-making/

10/11/2012

"Who needs film school when there's a manual simultaneously erudite and approachable, leavened with wit and charm aplenty; a wealth of practical knowledge presented in a concise manner without unnecessary academic obfuscation."

-Brent Coughenour, professor of film and video, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee

10/11/2012

"Brown brings the ease and warmth of his movie narration and Dream Whip writings and drawings to the nuts and bolts of working with movie film [...] Bill acts as your generous guide and fellow traveler, keeping things straight forward and practical."

-Thomas Comerford, professor of film, School of the Art Institute of Chicago

10/11/2012

"No one else makes aspect ratios and depth of field more fun to learn. [...] Many of my students read it cover-to-cover even when I only assign one chapter!"

-Sabine Gruffat, professor, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill