Book Description

For amateurs, students, or professionals, master carpenter Andy Wilson offers an expert guide to making theatrical props, featuring 200 photographs and diagrams. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

A must for any wannabe or working director
I have just finished reading this hefty book and it is an awesome tool for any director, beginner or "experienced." I must admit I have done one of her directing classes and also read prior to this Judith's previous "bible #1" on acting and directing: "Directing Actors" which I also highly reccommend, so I'm somewhat biased, if you want to call it that. She is a spirited highly developed actress/ teacher of the craft of acting and directing. This book is well crafted, and written, deep and accessible, so full of amazing stuff it's a bible #2 (after her first book) to keep with you and refer back to at any time, especially if you're struggling with an actor or a scene as a director. To me she's THE authority and teacher on directing.

Must Have in Your Library
The Film Director's Intuition, Script Analysis and Rehearsal Techniques
By Judith Weston
2003 Michael Wiese Productions 364 pgs.

Together with Directing Actors (1996, Michael Wiese Productions,) Judith Weston has created a strong, comprehensive course on directing. She provides insight into the actors minds through quotes of actors. She also uses quotes from directors to provide tips for directing actors. This book is an incredible resource in developing and maintaining rapport with actors. She has incorporated and utilized the techniques and lessons of renowned acting teachers, including; Stella Adler, Uta Hagen, Sanford Meisner, and Constantin Stanislavsky. I have included her name alongside the aforementioned when referring directors on what to study.
The book is divided into three parts, related to the title: Intuition, Ideas, and Imagination; Script Analysis and The Lost Art of Rehearsal. It is 23 chapters long.
The baisc premise of the book is that through preparation, a director can rely on intuition during shooting and rehearsing.
A problem I had with the book was the neglect of improvisation. Although there is a chapter on improvisation, it seems as though she could've explored it more thoroughly. Improv guru Viola Spolin wasn't even mentioned, nor were any of her exercises.

An in-depth study of the professional craft of directing
Expertly written by Judith Weston (the teacher of the successful Acting for Directors workshop, which has been presented for fifteen years in the U.S., Canada, and Europe), The Film Director's Intuition: Script Analysis And Rehearsal Techniques is an in-depth study of the professional craft of directing at a deeper level than simply following the blocking. From learning to read and internalize the impulses and feelings of the actors; making the most of a director's imagination and instinct; to maximizing creativity on both sides of the camera, and so much more, The Film Director's Intuition is a truly excellent guide which is especially recommended for both the novice director as well as experienced directors seeking to advance and realize their film making, story-telling potential.

The One Book You Absolutely Need
For the professional, the amateur and the first-time director, "The Film Director's Intuition: Script Analysis and Rehearsal Rechniques", by Judith Weston, is the one single book you absolutely need. Covering virtually all you'll realize you needed to know to direct a successful film, this inventive, comprehensive volume takes the place of a library shelf of other books on the subject. In essence, this is three books in one: Intuition, script analysis and rehearsal techniques are covered in user-friendly detail. The Table of Contents alone is amazing in listing the variety of subjects the book explains. Buy and read this book before you select your next script to produce as a film!

Elizabeth English
Founder and Executive Director
Moondance International Film Festival
www.moondancefilmfestival.com

A New Approach - Fascinating
Judith Weston knows her stuff. She's been in the film and theater business for many years and brings her wealth of knowledge in a fresh, fasinating way. Directors, actors and writers will find her take new and invigorating. This book is for anyone who want a much fuller, more rounded understanding of the process of filmmaking. I learned a lot and I think others will as well. Highly recommended.

Christopher Keane ... Read more

Book Description

A classic in its field since its original publication, The Technique of the Professional Make-Up Artist is now revised, updated and paperback for a new generation of professionals.This encyclopedic resource covers all of the current studio make-up methods and lab techniques, with text and art contributions from some of the leading experts in the industry.

The author explains clearly and precisely the differing approaches to stage-lit, audience-attended television taping; studio-lit, no-audience taping; live television with natural outdoor lighting; live stage make-up ; and the innumerable techniques and methods of film make-up. In addition to detailing the basic, day-to-day 'paint and powder' procedures that are the bulk of any professional make-up artist's work. He also describes exciting new visual effects that can be achieved using puppetry, digital computing, and electronic coloration.Included in this paperback edition are:
* Revised make-up charts for men and women
* New special effects make-up photographs
* New information on contact lenses and dental work
* Updated information on film types
* Revised appendices.

Vincent J R Kehoe has been working in the professional make-up field since 1940.He has been in charge of make-up for more than 3000 major television, film, and stage productions, and was head of the make-up departments for CBS-TV in New York and the NBC Hallmark Hall of Fame series.His previous books include Special Make-Up Effects (Focal Press), The Technique of Film and Television Make-Up, and Photographic Make-Up for Stills and Movies, and he has written several articles on advanced make-up research for the Journal of the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (SMPTE).As president and director of the Research Council of Make-Up Artists since 1963, Mr Kehoe designed and produced the entire Color Process line of RMCA Professional Products.He lives in Somis, CA.

A classic text updated for the next generation of make-up artists.
Covers all studio methods and lab techniques.
Contains information on many types of exciting new visual effects. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

For the established Professional
This book is for a more established professional, and not for one interested in the fashion industy. It was very hard to understand to me since I am a novice at applying makeup. This book is not worth the price.

Thie book is more for the stage artist.
This book had excellent tips on lighting and the angles of the face, but I didn't find enough information on application of makeup for daily wear. I was looking for a book that would help me with tips - much like a professional makeup artist that was doing your makeup for a special event. The book contained period makeup and total transformation character makeup information. I liked Kevin Aucoin's Face Forward and Making Faces better.

One of the Three Best Books for Any Make-Up Artist
Mr.Kehoe presents his work in a pricise format. He covers just about anything you want to know in the art of make-up application, not just the trend in fashion/beauty. All the topics are covered: Lighting, character make-up, age, period, monster, bald caps, lab techniques, special effects, hair and beard laying, just to name a few. This book contains lots of illustrations and photos. Even for the make-up artist who only wants to persue a career in the fashion industry this book is a must read.

FOR PROFESSIONAL MAKEUP ARTIST
THIS IS THE BIBLE FOR PROFESSIONAL

Quite Artificial
This isn't the exact look in a book that I was looking at, though it was quite fine just not my style. Buy MAKING FACES by Kevyn Aucoin! ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Clear up your mistaken ideas about acting!
The Stanislavski System: The Professional Training of an Actor has been the soul of my acting teaching for 30 years. It is based on the later evolved vision of the great master teacher, as revealed to Eugene Vakhtangov and also to Sonia Moore, herself a master teacher. The approach here is clear and usable, and de-mystifies American pre-occupation with emotional substitution techniques dominant since Lee Strasberg's distortions based only upon Stanislavski's early work. This approach is accessible for young actors and is encouraging to the nurturing of their talent and development. It encourages emotional honesty without being improperly invasive, so it is good resource material for public school acting teachers and advanced students, as well as acting students from college to conservatory to proprietary school.

Time to act!
This is a great book- much more simplified than any I've seen! It concentrates a lot on physical action, a definite necessity for budding actors (or old fogies trying to get back into it!). A pleasurable read!

A good book for the method actor.
This book is made and talks about the teachings of the great Konstantin Stanislavski, a name you should know if you are an actor. It has chapters outlining the Method, and it'll help your acting abilities galore ... Read more

Book Description

An updated and expanded edition of Wilson and Goldfarb's Living Theater: A History. The authors combine an engaging narrative style with impeccable scholarship to present the history of theater from ancient Greece to Rome to the present day. Rather than resorting to dry, encyclopedic coverage, Wilson and Goldfarb demonstrate the liveliness, vitality, and distinctiveness of theater as it has unfolded through the ages. Along the way the authors emphasize the constantly changing nature of theater as well as the threads that are woven through several eras and countries. They also demonstrate that the heritage of theater can be found in the productions we see today. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

An excellent resource for any person studying theater.
This is a [must have] for anyone who desires to study theater outside of high school and into college. Throughout my studies in college, I constantly referred back to this piece for references. It is an expensive book, but trust me. You will get your money's worth out of this one.

very informative
This has been the only textbook I have enjoyed in 4 years of university. Great pics. Very well done. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

An essential book for serious actors
A very interesting book!

The Chuck Jones' method is efficient, very effective, and clear. An expressive voice can be developed doing the exercises just 10 minutes a day.

He has coached many actors including Edie Falco, Keanu Reeves, Jennifer Jason Leigh, William Hurt, Stanley Tucci, Jeff Daniels, Wesley Snipes, and Parker Posey.

A "must have" for every serious actor!
This small book, only 141 pages in length, offers a most refreshing, lively and accessible guide to practical voice training written for actors and voice students who strive for honest performances using a voice that responds naturally to their inner selves. Chuck Jones, a remarkable teacher, has pioneered his voice training practices through many years of acting and teaching experience, guiding innumerable voice students and performing arts professionals to integrate fully expressive voices into their work.
Jones' approach to vocal training is unique since he clearly and very convincingly focuses on the relationship between vocal training and acting, thereby supporting American actor training in which actors are encouraged to draw on their own emotional lives and resources. Jones explains that "....voice training does more than solve vocal problems: Voice training allows actors to extend their range, develop power, and create that mysterious quality known as presence....helps put actors in touch with their deepest emotional states and allows them to connect to their roles in a profound way....helps actors to develop the capacity to reveal the full range of their inner lives." (page 23)
In the first half of the book Jones examines fundamental acting issues that relate specifically to the vocal instrument such as, being heard, character choices, and vocal power. In the second half of the book, Jones introduces a very specific, logical sequence of exercises as part of a daily vocal workout that release, stretch, strengthen, increase the expressive range, resonance and flexibility of the vocal anatomy and physical instrument leading to a heightened physical and emotional awareness.
Jones brings the book to a close by defining how to connect the voice to the emotional life, breathing as part of acting, and finally, how to get used to the new sound that results from his vocal training practices; thus Jones addresses practically the full integration of the expressive voice into acting work based on an honest connection that includes the physiological, the physical and the emotional aspects of the actor's instrument eliminating the "mystery" from voice training.
I first met Chuck Jones about 15 years ago when I attended his voice class as a student and his work and who he is as a teacher changed my life and my work as an actress! He took the "mystery" out of voice production for me as an actress and he is my inspiration for becoming the voice teacher I am today.

Knew the book was for me after reading this.
FORWORD by Caymichael Patten, Director, the Caymichael Patten Studio.

I first met Chuck Jones when I was a young director coaching an actress for an audition for The Actor's Studio. The scene was from "The Country Girl." Her partner was Chuck. Both of them were more experienced than I was, so I was nervous, but I blossomed working with Chuck. He may not have known it, but he was teaching even then. That was when I was first exposed to the way he could put his whole concentration on someone, with open attention, without judgment, listening for the essential. Guess what? My notes to these actors got better, because I could pick out what was germane in what I was trying to say-because that's what Chuck was responding to.

I've seen that kind of attention when he was talking to a new student, who had come to class complaining, "I've never been able to breathe right and act at the same time." Chuck zeroed in on this fellow and said, "What is breathing right? There's no special voice-class breathing or proper acting breathing. One of the ways we know what's happening with people is how they take a breath."

I could see the actor's face soften as it dawned on him that Chuck's work wasn't going to be the typical voice-class hokum, that it emphasized connecting the actor's voice to his or her emotional life. That's what we all recognize as truthfulness.

So I've sent him many students over the years, saying to them, "If you think this work has nothing to do with your acting, you're wrong. Do the exercises, and your acting will get better." And it does. They come away from his work more in touch with themselves, more relaxed, more deeply connected emotionally, more responsive to their core acting selves.

I hope I'm communicating what a terrific teacher he is and what a boon his work is to the actor. If you can't study with him directly, or if you have worked with him and need a reminder, this book is for you.

Great Book
Make Your Voice Heard is a useful book for actors interested in increasing their vocal power and range. The exercises are simple, concise and easy to follow. And they really work! Actors who use these exercises notice improvement almost immediately. We use this book as the text for the beginning voice classes at the Atlantic Theater.

excellent book
this book is very good for teaching the actor to use their voice, and make it stronger. i recommend it to everyone who wants to make their voices stronger and more powerfull. ... Read more

Book Description

This volume completes, with An Actor Prepares and Building a Character, the trilogy in which Stanislavski set down his life's accomplishment.
Creating a Role describes the elaborate preparation that precedes actual performance. Stanislavski here relates the techniques he describes in his preceding books to analyzing specific plays and their roles. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Good
There is nothing "simple" about acting & this wordy, detailed book will prove it. Though written in so much deep detail that it can be off-putting to some, if you are serious about acting you will learn so much necessary skill from this book.

More Than Acting!
I Think that this book is wonderful!it is a book you should get if you are seriouse about acting!...however i don't agree with the review above saying that acting is simple,of course all you need to do is remenber an emotion and act it,but it would depend on how good and deep your performance is,it's like saying singing is just about opening your mouth and putting a sound out,you need techniques to sing very good,same thing for acting...

One Of The BEST!
This book shocked me. In buying it I had envisioned receiving an "okay" book. I was so wrong. This book is incredible. I found myself highlighting/making notes/and never letting the book close. This book helps the actor who really, really needs help. It sounds odd, but this book can make you an incredible actor. True, it can't start you in Hollywood! However it provides insight on how to be a great actor, no matter if Hollywood becons. Buy the book, you won't be disappointed! I promise ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Shalom Aleichem
Shalom Aleichem was for modern Jewish literature what Mark Twain was for American literature. In one for instance, Aleichem like Twain was the writer's own appropriation. Mark Twain originally was a sounding phrase used by riverboat operators. Shalom Aleichem -- also a sounding phrase -- is used in Jewish communities to welcome eachother and in congregation the bride of the sabbath itself. Both Twain and Aleichem created indelible unforgettable stories with indelible unforgettable characters...like Tevye. And whether you found Tevye through Topol, Mostel or Shalom Aleichem's turn of the century stories themselves, you saw not only a mirror held to the Jewish Everyman but a template for the better inside us all. I like to think that Shalom Aleichem, who died in 1916 would have gladly approved of the appropriation of his character Tevye in this wonderful celebration of life. In my opinion what makes this particular story such a great celebration of life is not that it shrinks from depicting life's sometimes harsh realities, but rather one's ability to overcome them through faith, family and a recognition of the inherent beauty of life. After seeing Tevye in action, his simple eloquence, his love for his family, his courage, his humanness, you can't rightly help yourself from feeling a shared sense of appreciation for life.
La chaim, to life. In all languages, hope sounds just as good.

TRADITION!
The first thing you have to realize is that this book is better performed than read. The amazing writing style makes you want to read it to the end. I recommend this book 100% to anybody that is interested in reading about a crazy village, a crazy family, a crazy man, an ofcourse a crazy tradition.

Fiddler Offers a Quality Theatre Experience
I loved the play. It it written with an ease and style that is not only pleasing to read, but also very smooth to perform. It is an eloquent statement about families and, of course, tradition. It offers us a view of the necessity of change and the importance that it has in society, not only then, but now as well. I would recomend that anyone interested in the Jewish way of life in the 20s and 30s in Europe, American musicals or simply in families, read this play; it will be well worth your while! ... Read more

Book Description

Shaw radically reworks Ovid's tale with a feminist twist: while Henry Higgins successfully teaches Eliza Doolittle to speak and act like a duchess, she adamantly refuses to be his creation. First produced in 1914, it remains one of Shaw's most popular plays.

The Definitive Text under the editorial supervision of Dan H. Laurence
With an Introduction by Nicholas Grene ... Read more

Reviews (4)

The guttersnipe who becomes a lady
Even if all of George Bernard Shaw's other works are some day forgotten, this play will live on down the ages as an imperishable classic of drama. This is the story of a man who takes a poor simple flower-girl and turns her into a sophisticated darling of high society. I think this story has been so popular with theatre audiences because of how its sharp wit cuts right through the artificiality of class distinctions. Shaw compels us to see beyond surfaces to recognize the human potential and worth that lies underneath.

David Rehak
author of "A Young Girl's Crimes"

A bit didactic but full of fun, gaiety, humor & Shavian wit
Published as a play in 1916, 'Pygmalion' is one of Shah's play
not heavy on philosophy. I, personally feel that his plays heavy
on philosophy are his best - 'Man and Superman', 'St.
Joan', 'Androcles and the Lion' et al. Among his plays of 'not
heavy on philosophy' genre, I rate 'Pygmalion' as one of the
best. It is full of fun, gaiety, humor, Shavian wit and is a wee
bit didactic. As Shaw wrote in the preface of 'Man and
Superman', that all good, great writing should be didactic. So,
even in the mildly didactic 'Pygmalion', Shaw had more than one
axe to grind so to say.

The central theme of Pygmalion is the gift of speech in human
beings. Shaw has tried to depict as to how a person speaks
affects their own personality and the people around. As a
corollary to this theme, Shaw hoped to popularize the science of
phonetics. In the short preface of the play, Shaw also makes a
plea for enhancement of the English alphabet (with it's too few
vowels and few consonants) to make English reading pronunciation
rational. Both his wishes of popularizing phonetics and getting
the English alphabet enlarged remain unfulfilled even today,
perhaps a measure of how much ahead of the times he was or still
is!

The locale is London's Covent Garden vegetable market. The time
is late night. It is pouring heavily, everybody is seeking the
shelter of a church's portico. Among the shelter seekers is an
impoverished, bedraggled flower girl Liza with a terrible
cockney accent. Liza is trying to peddle her flowers to the
crowd of shelter seekers. A middle- aged gentleman, professor
Higgins is taking down her speech (in Bells Visible Speech) in
his notebook. Professor Higgins is an eccentric phonetician,
expert on London accents and can place a person by their accent
to the street they originate from. One other shelter seeker is
an ex-military man, Colonel Pickering (also middle aged) with a
deep interest in phonetics. As professor Higgins Colonel
Pickering get talking, Higgins bemoans the terrible accent of
Liza (most depressing and disgusting sounds) and boasts that if
given a chance to teach and train her to speak for three months,
he could pass her off as a duchess on the basis of her fine way
of speaking! It comes about that Colonel Pickering is willing to
bear the expense of teaching Liza to speak by Higgins. The rest
of the play is about Liza 'the live doll' learning to speak like
a Duchess from two confirmed bachelors Higgins and Pickering and
whether they are able to pass her off as a duchess.

The woman protagonist character of the play Liza like all Shaw's
woman protagonist character is strong willed and assertive.
Having to endure during her learning the overbearing ways,
domineering mien, downright bullying from a socially superior
Higgins her teacher, she manages to hold her own. In the latter
stages of the play, she even manages to get the better of him
and Higgins has to tamely acknowledge that he has made a 'woman'
of her after all. (a lame defence) Although there is a romantic
angle, (Liza and Freddy) the relationship between Liza vis-à-vis
Higgins and Pickering are pivotal, focal relationships of the
play. The Liza, Freddy romance is a relegated affair. I feel
only Shaw could do this i.e. make a non-romantic relationship so
interesting over the other. But then Shaw loved debunking
popular notions. All in all a much readable play.

Pygmalion
Another treasure. I received this book in excellent condition and just as it was promised/advertised. I would definately purchase other books and merchandise through this seller and through Amazon. The combination makes buying books a real pleasure. I would and will do it again.

Great Insight
I purchased this book through a popoular book store. It was hysterical and a great remake of the original mythological story, Pygmalion. It was a great story with great choices of vocabulary. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

THE book to buy for novices & pro's
I recommend this book to anyone looking to get into this biz. Even if you are already IN this biz, you can never know too much. Susan keeps on track and winds you through the proper elements of building a career and knowing "how to" when it comes to the basics, demo tapes, agents, auditions and more. Susan & Molly also list many contacts with agencies, workshops, etc.

A must have guide to voice work!

Johnny George
VO guy

www.johnnygeorge.com

Chapter Two ALONE Is Worth 100 Times the Price of the Book
Here in Los Angeles the streets are lined with people who can "read copy," but the choice voiceover assignments go to the select few who add something more to the work - believability, personality, and a strong one-on-one connection with the audience. "A camera does not lie," say the authors, "and neither does a microphone."

That's why this book is so valuable. Although trying to teach voiceover skills through a book is inherently challenging -- sort of like trying to teach driving, or violin-playing, that way -- this book is the most successful one I am aware of. It is without doubt the best single resource on voiceover work in print today.

The key is the authors' relentless focus on the internal process of creating great readings, which they call "The Basic Process."

"Ad copy is more than just a bunch of words strung together to promote a product," they write in Chapter 2. "It is very much like a miniature play, with a beginning, a middle, and an end. One or more characters are involved, and it takes place at a particular time and place. You need to discover all those elements and more to act out the copy."

To get in touch with the reality of the copy, the authors detail their Basic Process: "Focus - Visualize - Commit." Using this process "allows you to make the copy your own little drama or comedy with its own life and vitality." Without it, "all your readings will sound alike -- and that sound will be mechanical and lacking in conviction." I don't know how anyone could lay out this crucial principle more clearly. The detailed suggestions for how to follow the Basic Process are both helpful and understandable.

The book offers a wealth of other information as well, including discussions about refining your reads, developing other voices and characters, preparing for animation work, producing a demo tape, finding an agent, handling auditions, and promoting yourself in your market. Throughout the book, voice actors, casting directors, advertising writers, and other industry experts are quoted extensively with helpful advice and entertaining war stories. Practice copy in various genres is provided. And the appendices contain numerous listings of workshops, agencies, and other resources of interest to voice talent. Every chapter offers tremendous value, all of it written with charm, elegance, and a sense of humor.

Anyone serious about a voiceover career should get this book and devour it.

A must for anyone starting (or keeping) a voice-over career!
I always recommend this book. Susan Blu has the credentials: she's an accomplished voice talent, a casting director and a voice acting teacher. Along with tips and tricks, there's a great regional listing of agencies, schools and studios with addresses and phone numbers. She knows her stuff and you'd be doing yourself a favor by following her advice in this book.

Excellent book, especially with the companion audio cassette
This is an excellent reference and manual for voice-over artists. It's a particularly good buy when combined with the companion audio casette. ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (3)

Blood Wedding
This is going to short, but I found the play below standards set by the author. There is weak imagery combined by poor, ineffective dialogue, yet there are nice character settings. There is a nice story line combining fire and passion in Leonardo's case with love for the bride, yet it is let down by the poor use of language. It is good for reading before bed, but other than that, I'd say "NO", like the "Just Say NO" drug ads.

Sex, Violence, and Horses
Lorca is often called the 20th century's greatest Spanish dramatist, and his skill with poetry in images of knives, sex, love, blood, horses and the moon illuminates this English translation. While my knowledge of Spanish is limited, the conflict of a Bride longing for but yet resisting another man who has already fathered a child by his Wife is poignantly portrayed in this version. The other man (Leonardo) rides a horse nearly to death, and rides like mad to see his about-to-be-married love beyond the peering eyes of others. His driven horse stands "down there stretched out, with his eyeballs bulging, heaving as if he'd just come back from the end of the world." The conflicts of love and the Bridegroom's Mother, who has lost her husband and her other son to violence, and the building passion, hate, love and the continual imagery of the wild horse--representing Leonardo himself?--build in poetic images and language that begins in the real and subtly transforms to surrealistic images of the moon who exposes the hidden shadows, then returns to the poetically real. In some aspects, the images of horse and rider hint at the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, but a knowledge of them is unnecessary to experience the passion of this play written by a friend of the then young Salvador Dali. The play is worth reading for its visual imagery alone, but it also encompasses a powerful story of passion, betrayal, hate, violence and love.

Chose to perform
This will be a very brief review, but basically we have chosen this book to perform for or theatre studies cat. It is a really good play, and I recomend it to anyone who likes reading plays. ... Read more

Book Description

Heavily revised and with a new-co-author, A History of Film, is a comprehensive international survey of the narrative fiction film from its beginnings to the present. In this book, the contributions of major film-producing countries, significant filmmakers, and their films are highlighted within social, artistic, economic, and technological contexts. This fifth edition constitutes a major revision and update - over half the book is new! The new edition updates the book's historical coverage while considerably expanding it to incorporate women and minority filmmakers and audiences, avant-garde and documentary traditions, and the wide array of global filmmaking practices.Illustrations from frame enlargements appear throughout.For film enthusiasts, or anyone interested in the history of film. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Not perfect, but provides a good overview
Though less formal than a typical textbook, this book practically functions as one.The reading is quick, though the author tends to get carried away on personal tangents.Nevertheless, it provides an impressive overview of cinematic history, from its modest start in the 1890s until the 1990s. One negative aspect is that many films and directors are left out, owing to space constraints, I assume.(the book is over 400 pages!) Still,one great aspect of this book is a list of recommended (historically- and aesthetically-relevant) films at the end of each chapter, sorted by director and year.Also, though America and Hollywood occupy a substantial part of the text, the author makes a concerted effort to give equal historical credence to international movements. A worthy resource for film buffs and students, as well as anyone else interested in the development of cinema. ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (3)

A Master Playwright
Every time I pick up this collection, I find myself sitting and reading for hours. Something about Stoppard's command of the language, his own personal calling card, is undeniably riveting.

And though there are times (especially in Day & Night) where it seems that characters are too clever for their own good, his sense of timing and his love for delivering a smart, believable group of people amazes me.

This collection is wonderful in its scope, including everything from the frequently produced "Hapgood" to the more recent treasure "Indian Ink." It's a must-have.

A Fantastic Collection
This is a great collection of Tom Stoppard plays, and includes some of his best works.

Arcadia is one of Stoppard's greatest plays - a bizarre combination of physics, mathematics, poetry, a good old-fashioned academic stoush and romance (or lust) to boot. A fantastic play to see, but very good to read also.

The Real Thing, Hapgood and Indian Ink are also among Stoppard's more mature and better plays, and nicely round out this collection. These are some of Stoppard's better known plays (and you can read reviews of them on their own pages) but I'll just summarise by saying that I think they are fantastic.

Night and Day is an earlier Stoppard play and maybe not quite as good - it is concerned with journalism in war-torn Africa and does take a deep look at issues faced by a journalist in that situation. However, in comparison to the other plays in this volume, it just doesn't seem quite as good - however it is still a fine play in its own right and does make for interesting reading nonetheless.

Overall, I definitely reccomend this volume, particularly since it's cheaper than buying each of the plays individually.

A magnificent collection
After seeing Stoppard's "The Real Thing" in London, I was blown away. I purchased this collection to have "The Real Thing," and was blown away but all 5 of Stoppard's masterpieces. He writes convincingly of love, redemption and what it means to exist and to live. I cannot recommend this collection (or anything by Stoppard) enough. ... Read more

Book Description

An insiders look into the voice-over industry and how to break into it. Learn unique marketing strategies and voice-over techniques for the beginner and seasoned actor. Tips from some of the top casting directors in Los Angeles. Learn how to find an agent, how to audition and interpret copy. Find out what goes on in a commercial, promo, and animation recording session. ... Read more

Reviews (12)

Excellent for the voice-over novice
Saulsberry is an excellent teacher and lays out step by step the actions to take to successfully get into the voice over business. He tells it like it is and at the same time is very encouraging. A must have guidebook for anybody considering entering the voice-over industry.

Buy It, Read It!
I bought this book to learn about the voice over industry, and I am very happy with the way this book is written, the amount of information it contains, the variety of information as well as the variety of sources giving the information. I like the appendix with the practice materials. You need not hesitate - buy it, and read it! Let's learn this profession!

Mr. Saulsberry Delivers the Secret Details
As a creative director and copywriter of advertising & promo spots --the very ones that voice over artists read in the studio -- I know that Mr. Saulsberry has deliverd the secret details.Often times in guide publications on "how to" start in a business --essential secrets are left out.Perhaps this allows the writer of the publication to "retain an edge" even after he's written what is supposed to be the definitive book.Mr. Saulsberry, on the other hand, has given his weatlh of knowledge openly.The end result is a book that's part business plan - part motivational tool, opening doors, not leaving out important elements --so that an individual who actually has the passion to do this absolutely, unequivicolly CAN.A great read or listen (CD) for anyone in ANY business.The marketing elements are razor sharp and can burst a myriad of different kinds of business to the next level.

Don Reed - reediculous media - creative director/senior copywriter

Make your dreams a reality!
You Can Bank On Your Voice is a book that I wish I had while a communications major in college. I would have chosen a very different career that aligns with my natural love of talking and entertaining. But better late than never right? You Can Bank On Your Voice is thorough, concise and inspiring. After reading it you will be many steps closer to making your dream of being professional voice talent a reality. It covers everything you can think of. Consider it your bible--read it often, apply what it says and you will save time, energy, effort AND have a great edge over the competion.

Success in the voice over industry awaits you. Seize this book and seize the day!

Reviewed by M. Lorraine for www.goodgirlbookclubonline.com and The GOOD GIRL Book Club

Inspirational, Informative and Easy to Read
This is why I love this book and have referred it to others, both established and aspiring voice talent:1. Quick and easy to read.2. Provides comprehensive overview of the ENTIRE gamut of voice work possibilites (there's a whole new world of opportunities out there).3. Gives you useful tips for sharpening your skills and for managing your business.4. Lists valuable resources you can access immediately.5. Mr. Saulsberry's enthusiasm and passion for his art are infectuous.I was truly inspired by his energy. ... Read more

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A Romp Through Georgian London
This book is of interest to anyone who cares about 18th century England but it also could work well for someone looking for an introduction to those extraordinary days.The struggle to survive has never been more acutely portrayed than in this remarkable and yet true story of a daughter spurned by a famous but cold hearted father.You will laugh and cry with and about Charlotte but you cannot come away from this book without a deep appreciation for just how easy our lives are today. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Is the fundamental relationship between an actor and an audience an equal and active one, or is it a situation that encourages passivity and division? This is the question at the heart of Augusto Boal's revolutionary Theatre of the Oppressed, originally published in 1979. Boal, a Brazilian artist and activist, has written a work that challenges the very premise of Western theater, starting with Aristotle and the first dramatists, and explores what social constructs lie behind the traditional theater form. Then, having explained such often invoked (but rarely scrutinized) terms as imitation, tragedy, and justice, he puts forward a new type of drama that bridges the long-existing gap between theater and politics. Central to his thesis is an attempt to bring spectators into an active role with the drama, encouraging them to comment on the social situations they see presented and suggest potentials for change. Other chapters explore the writings of Hegel and Brecht, along with a lengthy analysis of one of the most profound political thinkers to ever pen a play, Machiavelli and his bitter comedy Mandragola. Boal's book is a challenging one for American actors often politically naive and heavily schooled in the traditions of Stanislavsky-based "naturalism," but this text is vital reading for activists, progressives, and all artists trying to effect social change. --John Longenbaugh ... Read more

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Inspiration for the Artist
Perhaps the pursuit of art in this world of massive economic, social and legal inequality is simply privileged playing and bemusement? Perhaps art has no valued, but as marketable, profitable entertainment? Or, perhaps art (and specifically theatre) can actually change the world? Boal is not the first to speak of theater's revolutionary quality, but unlike his predecessors he takes to the street with his theory. Tracing the relationship between the producers of theatre and its audience, Boal exposes the historical oppression imposed by the dramatic machine/conventions of the past. In its place he offers theoretical and practical examples of his "People's theatre" (i.e., paratheatre or interactive theatre). For all seriously minded artist this is a must read. Especially if you wish to understand your role in artistic production and also wish to make a difference with you work. ... Read more

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An elegant guidebook for performers on every stage and screen, from the long-time mentor to many of today's biggest names in acting.

"Letters to a Young Actor is full of Brustein's first-hand, hands-on wisdom combined with his wonderful good nature and generous spirit. This all-around man of the theater loves actors." (Christopher Walken)

"Robert Brustein's writing on the theater has always combined an unabashed love of the subject with unblinking analytical clarity and an often fierce moral urgency. It is no surprise, then, that his Letters To A Young Actor is both passionate and cautionary: Brustein embraces the exhilaration of the actor's expression (and the attendant applause) while never losing sight of the great responsibility that goes with it. This is essential reading for all actors who are as serious about their craft as they are about their careers." (Rocco Landesman)

The founder and director of the Yale Repertory Theater, as well as Harvard's American Repertory Theater, and the drama critic for The New Republic for going on thirty years, Robert Brustein is a living legend in theatrical circles. In Letters to a Young Actor, he not only seeks to inspire the multitudes of struggling dramatists out pounding the pavement, but also to reinvigorate the very state of the art of acting itself.

Brustein is a man of strong opinions and formidable intellect. Stocked with a wealth of stories about the now rich and famous (he has at various points in his career cultivated such talent as actors Meryl Streep, Marisa Tomei, Cherry Jones, Debra Winger, Sigourney Weaver, Christopher Walken, Tony Shalhoub, Henry Winkler, Christopher Lloyd, Claire Bloom, and many, many more), he brings both passion and a peerless authority to his subject. His telling anecdotes from decades of experience help explain how and why those who made it big are the successes they are today-and what struggles they faced along the way. From why Method acting is not the answer, to the critical importance of paying attention in English Lit. classes, Brustein's advice is clear, persuasive, and inspiring. ... Read more

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Potent and empowering voice exercises by the master teachers who devised them! One of the constants that any actor, director or theatre teacher needs is a strong vocal warmup. This valuable, first-of-its-kind resource contains 75 exercises for both solo and group work, contributed by some of the best professionals in the world. There is a brief description of the history and purpose of each exercise followed by the exercise itself. The Voice and Speech Workout comes with a training CD that will be especially helpful to the student or theatre professional working alone. Here master teachers run through each exercise in real time (leaving enough time for response). Among the contributors are such important voice teachers as: Frankie Armstrong, Mary Corrigan, Marian Hampton and Dorothy Runk Mennen. The exercises are divided into nine different areas: Getting to Know Your Voice; Stretching, Centering, Releasing, Aligning; Breathing and Supporting; Making Sound (Resonance and Articulation); Exploring Pitch; Projecting and Calling; Integrating Voice, Breath and Text; Integrating Voice and Movement; Exploring Character Voices and Dialects. Editor Janet Rodgers is past president of the Voice and Speech Trainers Association and an associate professor of theatre at Virginia Commonwealth University. ... Read more

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A "textbook" that is not a traditional textbook.
This book is my most favorite "textbook" since I returned to school to get my AA. This book is not like the traditional textbook-it doesn't put you to sleep after the first 3 pages. Each chapter starts off with a short story that applies to the concepts taught in the chapter. Very amusing stories. After the concept is introduced, the information is broken down into subtopics that are reasonably short. I think this helps the flow of the book. Models are included in the text so if your instructor wants an outline, for example, you have one in the text to refer to. The reading of this book is smooth and easy. I sold my original copy back to my school's bookstore and now I am regretting it. For someone who is working on an AA in speech communication, I'm looking to buy this book again to help me prepare future speeches. ... Read more