Best Film & Television Books of 2025

The Science of Interstellar by Kip Thorne takes readers on a journey through the scientific concepts behind Christopher Nolan's award-winning film. Thorne, a Nobel Prize-winning physicist and executive producer of the movie, provides insights into the physical laws that govern our universe and the phenomena that those laws make possible. The book is filled with stunning illustrations and fascinating explanations of wormholes, black holes, and interstellar travel. Overall, The Science of Interstellar is a unique and compelling read that bridges the gap between science and entertainment.

This 4th edition of "Cinematography: Theory and Practice" by Blain Brown provides a comprehensive guide for both cinematographers and directors. The book covers the technical aspects of cinematography, including the latest lighting and camera equipment and shooting on a budget, as well as visual storytelling and the cinematographer's role in pre-production. The companion website offers additional material, including lighting demonstrations and methods of shooting a scene. Overall, this book is a valuable resource for anyone in the filmmaking industry, from students to experienced professionals.

The Filmmaker's Eye: Learning (and Breaking) the Rules of Cinematic Composition 2nd edition is an essential resource for anyone interested in motion media and cinematic storytelling. This book provides readers with the necessary skills and technical know-how to create polished and narratively eloquent images, using a unique approach that combines an analytical, technical, and aesthetic understanding of the essential visual grammar of the shot. The book is updated to reflect the latest developments in filmmaking technology and practices, including the DSLR revolution, mirrorless and compact cinema cameras, improvements in CMOS sensor performance, the introduction of 4K and higher video resolutions, and drone cinematography. Overall, this book is an excellent resource for filmmakers of all levels, from students to seasoned practitioners.

The Business of Television by Ken Basin offers a comprehensive overview of the U.S. television industry, including its business, financial, and legal structures, as well as deal-making norms. It is an excellent reference source for anyone studying or engaging in professional activities related to television production and distribution for all media platforms. The book includes breakdowns after each chapter summarizing deal points and points of negotiation, a glossary, a list of referenced cases, and real-world examples to help readers put the material into context. Overall, this book is highly readable, forward-looking, and practical, making it an essential guide for anyone in the entertainment industry.

Looking at Movies: An Introduction to Film is a comprehensive guide for students to understand and analyze what they see on the screen. The book's media program features new and refreshed video, assessment, and interactive media, making it more assignable and gradable than ever before. Written by Dave Monahan and Richard Barsam, both experienced professors of film studies, the book covers movie history and criticism. Overall, this book is an excellent resource for anyone interested in film, providing both theoretical and practical knowledge.

The Protagonist's Journey: An Introduction to Character-Driven Screenwriting and Storytelling is an essential guide for aspiring writers looking to develop their skills in character-driven screenwriting. The book focuses on the principle that character drives plot and offers practical advice on how to create a well-written narrative through engaging characters. Scott Myers takes readers through the protagonist's journey and their transformation process, highlighting the importance of a family of characters that surrounds the protagonist. With activities to help writers develop their stories, this book is a must-have for both undergraduate and graduate screenwriting students. Overall, The Protagonist's Journey is a compelling and practical tutorial that deserves a place among the classics of screenwriting literature.

The Visual Story is an updated edition of a best-selling classic that teaches readers how to structure their visuals as carefully as a writer structures a story or composers structure their music. With over 700 color illustrations, author Bruce Block explains how to design and control the structure of your production using the basic visual components of space, line, shape, tone, color, movement, and rhythm. This book is an ideal blend of theory and practice, and the concepts and examples in this new edition will benefit students learning cinematic production, as well as professionals working in visual media. Overall, The Visual Story is a must-read for anyone who wants to improve their visual storytelling skills.

The Basics of Filmmaking is an introductory textbook tailored to the needs of beginning and intermediate film students and independent filmmakers that expertly guides you through the entirety of the craft, from screenwriting all the way through to editing, with detailed chapters covering each department involved in the filmmaking process.The book takes a behind-the-scenes look at every aspect of the filmmaking process: writing the screenplay (and getting it critiqued by a professional), pre-production, cinematography, lighting, the shooting process, getting good audio, editing, and even going to a pitch meeting to sell it. It addresses the real fundamentals, the mechanics and the basic concepts of how to write, produce, direct, shoot, record, and edit your movie.. Written by Blain Brown, a seasoned expert who has worked professionally as a cinematographer, screenwriter, director, producer, line producer, assistant director, gaffer, grip, and editor; this is a must have resource for any filmmaking student.Featuring an accompanying companion website with video examples of scene directing methods, continuity and coverage, working with the camera, lighting, audio, and editing, and downloadable production forms you can fill out and use for your projects.

Music for Prime Time: A History of American Television Themes and Scoring is the most comprehensive history of television scoring to date. The book covers every genre of series, from crime to comedy, and examines the many neglected and underrated orchestral and jazz compositions for television dating back to the late 1940s. Based on more than 450 interviews with composers, orchestrators, producers, editors, and musicians active in the field, it is the first serious and journalistic history of music for American television. This book is a must-read for anyone interested in the intersection of music and television.

The Set Lighting Technician's Handbook is a comprehensive guide to lighting in motion picture and television production. The fifth edition includes new sections on controlling LED lights, wireless systems, and modern set protocol. The book combines practical detail with a big-picture understanding of lighting, technology, safety, and professionalism, making it an ideal text for professional lighting technicians and film and television production students. The author, Harry C. Box, draws on his years of practical experience in the industry to provide technical know-how with a much-needed sense of humor. The revamped companion website includes supplementary resources, forms, checklists, and images. Overall, this book is an essential resource for anyone involved in motion picture lighting.