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The Preproduction Phase

Web Links

The Preproduction Phase

The Motion Picture Industry - Behind the Scenes
A filmmaking tutorial, with interactive simulations and exercises from the set of a short-film.
( http://library.thinkquest.org/10015/?tqskip1=1&tqtime=0807 )
Cinema: How Are Hollywood Films Made?
An interactive site detailing the responsibilities of producer, writer, director, actor, and editor, with exercises and simulations.
( http://www.learner.org/exhibits/cinema/ )
The Movie Artist
An excellent discussion of auteur theory by David Lavery, discussing the origins in Cahiers du Cinéma and reference to more contemporary auteurist filmmakers.
( http://www.mtsu.edu/~english/367/367Extras/367OnlineAuteurTheory.htm )
Cahiers Back in the Day
An essay by David Kehr on history and origins of the seminal film journal Cahiers du Cinéma, with reference to the filmmakers and critics who began their careers in its pages.
( http://archive.filmlinc.com/fcm/9-10-2001/cahiers.htm )
Cahiers du Cinéma
The Cahiers du Cinéma website, currently under reconstruction.
( http://www.cahiersducinema.com/ )
An Interview with Film Critic Andrew Sarris
Sarris discusses his early years, what led him to film criticism, and the fundamentals of his approach to understanding film.
( http://www.wsws.org/arts/1998/july1998/asin-j01.shtml )
Semiotics for Beginners
An extensive introduction of semiotics and the study of signs, with links, glossaries, and critical considerations of this theory.
( http://www.aber.ac.uk/media/Documents/S4B/ )
Screenwriting
A lecture on screenwriting by Stephen J. Cannell, producer of “The Rockford Files,” “The A-Team,” and “The Commish”. Discussion of how to design characters, how to work with a three-act structure, and other tips and resources.
( http://www.writerswrite.com/screenwriting/lecture.htm )
Drew’s Script-O-Rama
Scripts for hundreds of films, from rough drafts to shooting scripts.
( http://www.script-o-rama.com/index.shtml )
Art Directors of the Hollywood Studio System
A historical discussion of art directors and production designers, with reference to Gibbons, Menzies, Polglase, and Dreier.
( http://www.jdchandler.com/artdirectors.htm )