The Fundamentals of Film Making

by Jane Barnwell

Overview

The Fundamentals of Film-Making provides an overview of the collaborative process of film-making.

The book maps out the practical, technical and creative aspects involved, sets out the division of labour, and explains how each individual role combines to influence the final piece. The three primary stages of film production – pre-production, production and post-production – are covered through chapters dealing with each of the major departments: script; production; direction; production design; cinematography; sound and post-production.

The book concludes with an examination of film analysis, providing context and connections between film theory and practice.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781350405349
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Academic
Publication date:	01/08/2026
Series:	Fundamentals
Pages:	208
Product dimensions:	7.87(w) x 9.05(h) x 1.00(d)

About the Author

Jane Barnwell is Senior Lecturer at London Metropolitan University. After graduating from Leeds University and the Northern School of Film and Television, she began her career at the BBC and has since worked extensively as a designer for film, television and theatre. Jane published a book entitled Production Design: Architects of the Screen in 2004 and was awarded an Arts and Humanities Research Council grant this year for her project London at Home. Jane continues to work in film production and has also branched into exhibition work.

Table of Contents

How to get the most out of this book. Introduction. The team: Overview of the crew; Departments and job descriptions; Collaborating and working as a team. Scriptwriting: Treatments; Screenplay - format and layout; Narrative structures; Protagonists and antagonists; Adaptation; Genre; Loglines. Producing: Production planning for documentary and drama; Documentary proposals; Budgeting; Schedules; Locations; Equipment; Distribution and exhibition. Directing: Shot sizes - meaning and motivation; Camera movements - methods and meaning; Master shots, cutaways, inserts and reactions; Parallel action; Shooting scripts; Storyboards; Working with actors. Production design: Visualising and breaking down the script; Concepts - the look; Space; Light and colour; Period; Process; Special effects; Costume. Cinematography: Format; Picture composition and framing; Lighting; Colour; Lenses. Sound: Audio field production; Microphones; Post-production sound; Music; Sound effects. Post-production: Editing; Continuity; Manipulating time; Montage; Continuous shot. Making meaning: Documentary; Representation; Realism; Genre; Ideology; Auteur theory. Appendix: Essential viewing; Essential resources; Mini interviews. Index. Acknowledgements and credits.

Editorial Reviews

I am very impressed with the quality and content of this publication. It provides a very comprehensive and accessible introductory text on the subject. Both the Fundamentals I have seen follow a pattern of beautifully designed pages, the text is very well considered and reflected in the design.” —Andrew Kulman, Birmingham City University, UK

“The layout is clear, interesting and engaging. The text is to the point, using the images and other graphics to help with the delivery of information. I like the look and feel of the book.” —Robert Richardson, Humber Institute of Technology, Canada

“A number of our students pursue careers in independent and documentary film-making and the book has proved very useful in supporting them through a recent Enterprise and Business module and giving them a grounding in how films are funded.” —Christian Lloyd, Leeds College of Art, UK

“An excellent introduction into film-making, with practical advice and a good amount of technical information.” —Michael Smith, Leeds College of Art, UK

“Excellent book, beautifully laid out and designed, covering concisely and thoroughly the whole film production process.” —Nick Cope, University of Sunderland, UK

“An excellent text for introductory film-making courses.” —Dave Peacock, Seattle Pacific University, USA

“Beautifully designed and executed book that would be ideal for an introductory course in a liberal arts environment.” —Thomas J. Weber, Arts Institute of Pittsburgh, USA

“This title is very relevant to my first year courses and, as from Sept. 2012, I am making it a core text (essential purchase). Dynamic. Informative and clear. Those students to whom I've showed it were enthused.” —Ashley Gaskin, Institute of Technology Tralee, Ireland

“Very relevant, attractive layout with lots of useful information which is not patronising.” —Beth Cowell, Coleg Menai, UK

“I love these books because they are simple, easy to read with a useful index and excellent images.” —-

“Barnwell has written a fine introductory guide to filmmaking. She has managed to condense a lot of information into an easy-to-read reference guide. Film students of today, you never had it so easy.” —Bill Kallay, FromScripttoDVD.com, November 2010

From the Publisher