Girl Director: A How-to Guide for the First-Time, Flat-Broke Film and Video Maker

by Andrea Richards

Chock-full of fascinating photographs and colorful directives, GIRL DIRECTOR is an instruction manual, history lesson, scrapbook, and celebration of women and film rolled into one. Director and cinephile Andrea Richards all but hands the reader a camera as she raucously paves the way for young women to make their own films. Sharing tales of the coolest femme filmmakers from history and recounting advice from the best women directors now in the business, Richards explains step by step how anyone can make a film using a standard video camera. Covering such topics as screenwriting, storyboards, set design, editing, distribution, Claymation, music videos, film festivals, and the digital revolution, GIRL DIRECTOR is a must-have handbook for the aspiring auteur of any age.A guide to do-it-yourself filmmaking from a female perspective, featuring accessible expert advice and a hip history of women in film.A must-have reference (and an excellent gift) for tweens, teens, adults, or anyone interested in making movies.Includes specifics on the who, what, where, and how of making low-budget videos and films.

128 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 2005

Reviews

[Esther Bell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am the female director on the cover. So, maybe I am a bit biased ;)
When this book came out, it was the first time I was learning about many of the female directors in the book. I also loved that it was fun and just had a wonderful go & do it attitude about making films! Everyone of any gender should read this book and make sure you watch the directors' work that is quoted in the book. Books like this one helped the world start recognizing women directors on a bigger scale. Thankfully the internet has made it a little easier for people to learn about women filmmakers because the film & tv industry typically does not champion, praise or hire women directors as much as male directors. Try looking on http://www.filmfatales.org for more great directors and their work... and let's get a real database of the thousands of women who have been making films since the FIRST true narrative fiction film was made by DIRECTOR Alice Guy-Blaché in 1894. Film schools/books have always claimed the Lumière brothers were the first which is true when it comes to projecting moving pictures but it wasn't till after Alice Guy-Blaché cut together a story with camera angles and a protagonist that the art of actual narrative filmmaking was truly born.

[Selena · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book! It is laid out in a way that inspires the newbie to experienced, female, filmmaker. Every page shares an abundance of information about the history of women filmmakers to present day women in the business. The pages are fun and inviting, so you don't feel like you're reading a book full of words. I like the film strip that comes to life of a girl filming with her camera as you quickly turn the corner pages of the book. The book is a bit outdated, but the basics of film-making is still relevant and you can indeed learn to create your very first film without a huge budget. I revisit this book often for inspiration and as a reference book. It is also an awesome reminder, for me, of all of the women who have come before me, with a desire to be brave, out-of-the-box, storytellers through film-making.

[Natalie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is very dated, but I still found the profiles of women filmmakers to be interesting. It is very basic information, so for a student beginner.