Book Review: 101 Things I Learned In Film School

Spend thousands of dollars of going to UCLA for Film School or pick up 101 Things I learned in Film School for $15.00. I’m cheap so I choose the latter.

Written by Neil Landau, whose credits include Melrose Place, Doogie Howser MD,”MTV’s Undressed, and Don’t Tell Mom the Babysitter’s Dead, it’s a quick, enjoyable read.

It starts like every film project should, with the script. Setting a scene, creating characters, how to start a scene (Hint: Start Late!) and then goes through the evolution of how a film gets made.

What’s the best camera angle? What are the technical terms when you’re on a set? What are the signs of a novice filmmaker? Why reading a script out loud helps you find out the flow of the story.

The best parts of the book were the acting portions (obviously). “Don’t cast solely on looks,” he writes. Any actor reading this is saying, “Duh!” But since this is mostly a book for filmmakers, anytime that bit of information gets in a new directors head is a point for us regular-looking people (Not me of course. Joking!)

This is basically a book for a budding filmmaker but from an acting stand point, it gives you a great overview of the process. All the basic questions are answered in a no-nonsense book about the inner workings of the film industry.

Want to win this book? Go to my Facebook page and put your name in the running!