Additional Reading (Television Production Guide)

The following list represents sources that, for the most part, are more specialized or more technical than the treatment in Television Production Guide. Following each annotated listing, there is an indication (in parentheses) of the section, or sections, in Television Production Guide to which the given book is particularly applicable.

Banathy, Bela H. Instructional Systems. Belmont, Calif.: Fearon Publishers, 1968. Clear introduction to basic instructional systems. Useful as a guide for systems design in television production. (Section: 14)

Bay, Howard. Stage Design. New York: Drama Book Specialists, 1974. Good reference for all types of stage design. Useful for large-scale television productions.

(Section: 12)

Bermingham, Alan, and others. The Small TV Studio: Equipment and Facilities. New York: Hastings House, 1975.

As stated in the title, the book deals with basic small television studio equipment and production facilities.

Useful reference. (Sections: 2, 6, 8, 17)

Bliss, Edward, Jr., and John M. Peterson. Writing News for Broadcast. New York: Columbia University Press, 1971. Points up the special writing requirements of broadcast news. Gives good examples. (Sections: 15, 16)

Blumenberg, Richard M. Critical Focus: An Introduction to Film. Belmont, Calif.: Wadsworth Publishing Co., 1975.

A comprehensive coverage of grammar, history, theory, and criticism of narrative, documentary, and experimental film. Also includes a brief section on filmmaking activities. (Section: 9)

Bobker, Lee R. Making Movies: From Script to Screen. New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1973. A good, solid text on how a motion picture evolves, from idea to screen experience. Many parts are equally valid for television production. (Sections: 9, 10, 14, 15)

Burder, John. 16mm Film Cutting. New York: Hastings House, 1976. A useful, though rather basic, how-to-do approach to film cutting. (Section: 10)

Burder, John. The Technique of Editing 16mm Films, rev. ed.

New York: Hastings House, 1971. A rather comprehensive text on 16mm film editing and cutting. (Section: 10)

Burroughs, Lou. Microphones: Design and Application. Plainview, N.Y.: Sagamore Publishing Co., 1973. A good, though rather technical treatment of how the different types of microphones function, and how they can be optimally used. (Section: 7)

Chester, Giraud, Garnet R. Garrison, and Edgar E. Willis. Television and Radio, 4th ed. New York: Appleton-Century-Crofts, 1971. Presents a good overview of television production, usually from a network point-of-view. (Sections: 1, 2, 8, 12, 14, 15)

Churchill, Hugh B. Film Editing Handbook: Technique of 16mm Film Editing. Belmont, Calif.: Wadsworth Publishing Co., 1972. A very practical, concise text on how to make editing decisions and how to go about cutting 16 mm film. Especially suited to editing 16mm news footage. (Section: 10)

Costa, Sylvia Allen. How to Prepare a Production Budget for Film and Video Tape. Blue Ridge Summit, Pa.: Tab Books, 1973. A useful guide for producers who have to prepare budgets. (Section: 14)

Davis, Desmond. The Grammar of Television Production.

London: Barrie and Rockliff, 1960. Although quite old, this little book contains a wealth of valid information on how to stage a variety of events for the television screen. (Sections: 4, 15)

Dean, Alexander, and Lawrence Carra. Fundamentals of Play Directing, 3rd ed. New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1974. An extremely useful guide on play directing for the stage. Many of the principles also apply to the television screen. (Section: 15)

Editors of BM/E Magazine. Interpreting FCC Broadcast Rules and Regulations, Vols. 1-3. Blue Ridge Summit, Pa.: Tab Books, 1968-1972. Extremely useful summaries of the most important FCC rulings, with hints on how these rulings apply in actual station operation. (Sections: 14, 15)

Editors of Time-Life Books. The Camera. New York: Time-Life Books [Life Library of Photography], 1970. Excellent discussion on the basic principles of the camera and photography in general. Must reading for anyone engaged in television production. (Sections: 2, 3, 15)

Fang, Irving W. Television News, 2nd ed. New York: Hastings House, 1972. A comprehensive treatment of most aspects of modern electronic journalism. Many illustrations and examples. (Sections: 10, 14, 15, 16)

Fell, John. Film: An Introduction. New York: Praeger Publishers, 1975. Treatment of basic points of understanding motion pictures, such as film elements, how films are made, film theory, and film criticism. (Section: 9)

Green, Maury. Television News: Anatomy and Process. Belmont, Calif.: Wadsworth Publishing Co., 1969. Although some of the information is now out of date, the basic principles for covering news on television are still very valuable and still very much in use. (Sections 10, 14, 15, 16)

Grey, David L. The Writing Process. Belmont, Calif.: Wadsworth Publishing Co., 1972. A brief book on how to approach writing and, hopefully, how to become a better writer. The book stresses process, not too dissimilar from that of television production. (Sections: 14, 15)

Head, Sydney W. Broadcasting in America, 3rd ed. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co., 1976. An excellent survey of all major aspects of American television and radio operations. Covers the basic technical, programming, and legal aspects of broadcasting. (Sections: 1, 14)

Heighton, Elizabeth J., and Don R. Cunningham. Advertising in the Broadcast Media. Belmont, Calif.: Wadsworth Publishing Co., 1976. Comprehensive coverage of theoretical, practical, and social aspects of broadcast advertising. (Sections: 12, 13, 14, 15)

Hilliard, Robert L. Writing for Television and Radio, 3rd ed.

New York: Hastings House, 1976. A helpful guide to television writing. Many script samples and hints on writing precise broadcast language. (Sections: 14, 15)

Hurrell, Ron. Van Nostrand Reinhold Manual of Television Graphics. New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold, 1974. One of the few useful books on television graphics. (Section: 12)

Hyde, Stuart W. Television and Radio Announcing, 2nd ed.

Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co., 1971. An excellent, comprehensive book on television announcing and performing. Stresses correct pronunciation and the notation of foreign language pronunciation. Many useful exercises. (Sections: 7, 13, 15)

Jones, Gary William. Electronic Film/Tape Post-Production Handbook. Edmonton, Alberta, Canada: Jones Family Reunion, 1974. An excellent little booklet, containing all major aspects of videotape editing, such as computer-assisted on and off-line systems. Contains useful addresses of major postproduction companies in the United States. (Sections: 9, 10)

Jones, Peter. The Technique of the Television Cameraman, rev. ed. London: Focal Press, 1968. A somewhat outdated book on basic camera operation, but still useful in some respects. (Sections: 2, 3, 4, 15)

Kehoe, Vincent J.-R. The Technique of Film and Television Make-Up, rev. ed. New York: Hastings House, 1969.

Fairly thorough treatment of film and television makeup materials and procedures. Deals with corrective and character makeup for film and television. Many diagrams, several in color. (Section: 13)

Klein, Maxine. Time, Space, and Designs for Actors. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co., 1975. Some of the newer concepts of acting put together in a stimulating book.

Deals with such aspects as the body commanding space, the body acting centers, and transformation to character. Especially valuable to the television actor whose job it is to live the character rather than to act it out. (Sections: 13, 15)

Levitan, Eli L. An Alphabetical Guide to Motion Picture, Television and Videotape Production. New York: McGraw-Hill Book Co., 1970. A very useful dictionary with clear explanations of the major production equipment and procedures. Motion picture oriented. Many useful diagrams. (Sections: 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 11, 12)

Lewis, Colby. The TV Director/Interpreter. New York: Hastings House, 1968. Though slightly out-of-date, most of the basic principles discussed are still valid in modern television production. Many useful diagrams. (Section: 15)

Mager, Robert F. Preparing Instructional Objectives. Belmont, Calif.: Fearon Publishers, 1962. Although this little book deals with educational principles, the process of preparing instructional objectives is very useful to the television producer who would like to reach the television audience with optimal effectiveness. (Section: 14)

Marsh, Ken. Independent Video. San Francisco: Straight Arrow Books, 1974. A useful guide to how the major small-format television equipment operates. Though fairly technical, the explanations are usually simple.

Many diagrams. (Sections: 2, 3, 10, 11, 17)

Mascelli, Joseph V. The Five Cs of Cinematography. Hollywood: Cine/Grafic Publications, 1965. A richly illustrated book, in which the five "C's" of cinematography are discussed: camera angles, continuity, cutting, closeups, and composition. Many principles are adaptable for television. (Sections: 12, 15)

Mattingly, Grayson, and Welby Smith. Introducing the Single-Camera VTR System. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1973. A rather simple, yet useful introductory text to small-format television operation. Does not include small-format color. (Section: 17)

Millerson, Gerald. Basic TV Staging. New York: Hastings House, 1974. A simplified text, including some of the principles of television staging, as elaborated upon in Millerson's Technique of Television Production. (Section: 12)

Millerson, Gerald. The Technique of Lighting for Television and Motion Pictures. New York: Hastings House, 1974. A comprehensive treatment of film and television lighting. Many diagrams and photographs. (Sections: 5, 6)

Millerson, Gerald. The Technique of Television Production, 9th ed. New York: Hastings House, 1972. A comprehensive treatment of all aspects of television production. The discussion of equipment and some of the production techniques is somewhat outdated. (Sections: 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 10, 11, 12)

Millerson, Gerald. TV Camera Operation. New York: Hastings House, 1974. A small, simple, yet useful guide to the beginner of television production. Contains many diagrams. (Sections: 2, 3, 4)

Millerson, Gerald. TV Lighting Methods. New York: Hastings House, 1975. A simple version of Millerson's TV and film lighting book for the beginner. Contains many diagrams. (Section: 6)

Nisbett, Alec. The Technique of the Sound Studio, 3rd ed.

New York: Hastings House, 1972. A comprehensive treatment of equipment and basic operations of the sound studio. Many diagrams. (Section: 7)

Nisbett, Alec. The Use of Microphones. New York: Hastings House, 1974. A very useful guide to the various types of microphones and how they are best used in the recording and television studios. Many diagrams.

(Section: 7)

Quaal, Ward L., and James A. Brown. Broadcast Management, 2nd. ed. New York: Hastings House, 1976. Discusses the major aspects of managing a station. Especially useful to the producer who would like to learn the management's point of view. (Sections: 14, 15)

Robinson, Richard. The Video Primer. New York: Links Books, 1974. An excellent, comprehensive discussion of small-format television equipment and its operation.

Also includes basic production concepts. Many useful diagrams and a useful glossary. (Sections: 2, 3, 7, 9, 17)

Rondthaler, Edward, and Photo-Lettering Inc. staff (eds.). Alphabet Thesaurus: A Treasury of Letter Design. New York: Reinhold Publishing Corp., 1971. Comprehensive collection of letters and styles of printing from every culture for every use. Good illustrations. (Section: 12)

Spottiswood, Raymond (ed.). The Focal Encyclopedia of Film and Television: Techniques. New York: Hastings House, 1968. Defines and describes major equipment and production techniques in dictionary form. Many diagrams.

(Sections: 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11)

Stanislavski, Constantin. An Actor Prepares. New York: Theatre Arts Books, 1956. A classic on acting. Many principles are especially useful to the television actor.

(Sections: 13, 15)

Toohey, Daniel W., Richard D. Marks, and Arnold P. Lutzker. Legal Problems in Broadcasting. Lincoln, Neb.: Great Plains Instructional Television Library, 1974.

Contains major aspects of legal problems in television broadcasting. (Sections: 14, 15)

Trapnell, Coles. An Introduction to Television Writing, rev. ed. New York: Hawthorn Books, 1974. A useful book with many good hints on writing for television. Most of the examples are limited to the writing for television film. (Sections: 14, 15)

Videofreex. The Spaghetti City Video Manual. New York: Praeger Publishers, 1973. Despite the far-out title, the book contains conventional, useful information on small-format television equipment and operation techniques. (Section: 17)

Zakia, Richard D., and Hollis N. Todd. Color Primer I and IL New York: Morgan & Morgan, 1974. A basic color theory book, arranged for programmed learning. Good introductory material. Color plates and diagrams.

(Sections: 6, 12)

Zettl, Herbert. Sight-Sound-Motion: Applied Media Aesthetics.

Belmont, Calif.: Wadsworth Publishing Co., 1973. A comprehensive treatment of the basic image elements of television and film: light, space, time-motion, and sound, and their use in television and film production.

Many diagrams and photos. (Sections: 6, 7, 10, 12, 15)

For the latest information on television equipment, you should consult the current catalogs of the equipment manufacturers.

Generally, the following magazine' and journals carry useful and fairly up-to-date information on all aspects of television equipment and occasionally on specific production problems: American Cinematographer BM/E Magazine Broadcasting Broadcast Engineering db Educational Broadcasting Educational and Industrial Television Journal of Broadcasting Journal of the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (often called the SMPTE Journal)

Public Telecommunications Review (PTR) Video Player