Voice & Vision: A Creative Approach to Narrative Filmmaking

Develop your creative voice whilst acquiring the practical skills and confidence to use it with this new and fully updated edition of Mick Hurbis-Cherrier’s filmmaking bible, Voice & Vision. Providing a solid grounding in the tools, techniques, and processes of narrative film, this comprehensive manual covers all the essentials whilst foregrounding artistic vision throughout. Gustavo Mercado joins Hurbis-Cherrier to walk the reader through every step of the process - from the transformation of an idea into a cinematic story, to the intricacies of promotion and distribution.

Key features include:

• Comprehensive technical information on video production and postproduction tools, allowing filmmakers to express themselves with any camera, in any format, and on any budget
• An emphasis on the collaborative filmmaking process, including the responsibilities and creative contributions of every principal member of the crew and cast
• A focus on learning to work successfully with available resources (time, equipment, budget, personnel, etc.) in order to turn limitations into opportunities
• Updated digital filmmaking workflow breakdowns for Rec. 709 HD, Log Format, and D-Cinema productions
• Substantial coverage of the sound tools and techniques used in film production and the creative impact of postproduction sound design
• An extensive discussion of digital cinematography fundamentals, including essential lighting and exposure control tools, common gamma profiles, the use of LUTs, and the role of color grading
• Abundant examples referencing contemporary and classic films from around the world
• Indispensible information on production safety, team etiquette, and set procedures
• A robust companion website that includes eight award-winning example short films; interactive and high-resolution figures; extra tachnical chapters; forms and logs for preproduction, production, and postproduction; video examples that illustrate key concepts found within the book, and more

The fourth edition has been fully revised and includes updates to video formats, camera technology, and lighting tools; expanded sections on multi-camera shooting, smartphone filmmaking, and drone cinematography; a new example short film for streaming and analysis; discussions on emerging AI applications for film production; additional information and resources on film set safety including best practices for intimacy scenes; and updates to contemporary funding, and distribution strategies.

Whether using it in the classroom or looking for a comprehensive reference, Voice & Vision details all that’s needed to know about the filmmaking process, delivered in an accessible and reader-friendly format.

Mick Hurbis-Cherrier has been teaching all levels of film production at Hunter College in New York City for well over a decade. He works professionally in both film and video and has performed a wide range of duties, including producing, writing, directing, cinematography, and editing. His films have been shown around the country and have garnered prizes at a number of festivals. He is also the co-author of Directing: Film Techniques and Aesthetics (2020), now in its sixth edition.

Gustavo Mercado is an award-winning independent filmmaker with well over a decade of experience as a writer, director, and cinematographer of narrative films. The first edition of The Filmmaker’s Eye: Learning (and Breaking) the Rules of Cinematic Composition, was translated into French, Spanish, Chinese, Polish, Turkish, Portuguese, Japanese, and Korean, and is being used by film programs at colleges and universities worldwide. His second title in the Filmmaker’s Eye film book series, The Language of the Lens: The Power of Lenses and The Expressive Cinematic Image was translated into Turkish, Spanish, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and Ukranian. He teaches cinematography, editing, screenwriting, and film production at Hunter College’s Film & Media Studies Department in New York City.