Media : Film-making

Who was Hitchcock? A fat man who played practical jokes on people? A control freak who humiliated others to make himself look better? A little boy afraid of the dark? One of the greatest storytellers of the century? He was all of these and more - twenty years after his death, he is still a household name; most people in the Western world have seen his film, and he popularised the action movie format we see every week on the cinema screen. He was both a great artist and dynamite at the box office. What's in this Pocket Essential guide? As well as an introductory essay, each of Hitchcock's films is individually reviewed and analysed. In addition, the effect he has had on the industry is explained - virtually every big action movie of the past three decades has been influenced by his work. And there's a handy multimedia reference guide. more...

Price: $9.99

Animation covers everything from Tex Avery’s split-second slapstick and The Simpsons’ knowing digs at pop culture, to Hayao Miyasaki’s strong-willed heroines and Yuri Norstein’s delicately rendered folktales. Often dismissed by the uninitiated as ‘kid’s stuff’, any detailed look at animation reveals a technically complex, sophisticated and endlessly inventive medium. Intended both as a guide and an introduction to this fascinating field, the Pocket Essential Animation examines and celebrates this genre in its many forms. It explores the careers, techniques and key films of many of the major animators. It begins with pioneers such as Winsor McCay, the Fleischer brothers and Walt Disney when the ‘House of Mouse’ was only a twinkle in his eye. Then brings you right up to date with Nick Park’s claymation and the slick CGI comedies of John Lasseter’s Pixar studio. In between, it takes in the innovations of Norman McLaren, the sexual obsessions of Bob Godfrey and the agit-prop surrealism of Jan Švankmajer. Kid’s stuff, indeed. more...

Price: $7.99

Filmmaker and film scholar Tejaswini Ganti provides a guide to the cultural, social and political significance of Hindi cinema, outlining the history and structure of the Bombay film industry, and its impact on global popular culture. more...

Price: $29.95

What’s in it? Every film examined in detail, with full cast and crew listing, key scenes and dialogue gems, and an informed critique; brief biographies of the major players, TV shows and theatre plays; appendices that include an exhaustive bibliography and an overview of the best Carry On websites around; all rounded off with a fiendish quiz on all things Carry On. more...

Price: $7.99

This book provides you with the material you need to make a wise purchasing decision and then to make use of digital photography technology. It quickly describes desirable features in equipment, what to expect at a given price level, and what ?hidden? costs are to be expected for accessories and related software. It also explains how to correct problems common to digital images. Finally, it provides the essential information for making images Web-ready. more...

Price: $8.99