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Rating: 
Summary: A great way to start your script supervising career!
Review: A good begining to a career in script supervising. I am a PA and am looking into going into Script Supervising and found this book explained a lot of things that I didn't know about in regard to the craft. Although along with reading this book you'll definately have to have real life experience on the set to really get your career going. If you want to take classes in Script Supervising there is this great guy who I am taking classes with (kind of like a private tutor) who does classes in LA and NY. His name is Mark Thomas and can be reached at 310-453-1700 or 212-252-2303. I would recommend taking his class bc he can hook you up with real work too! The book is a little confusing in some ways bc I think it is hard to explain certain concepts if you've never been on set before. But I would definately say this book has to be the best/if not the only comprehensive Script Supervising book out there! It teaches you a lot of thing you otherwise would not even realize is under the responsibility of the Script Supervisor. And if you are reading this Pat...THANKS!
Rating: 
Summary: A Basic Starting Point..
Review: Hi everyone:
I am based in Toronto, Canada and have been script supervising feature films and television series internationally for 12 years now (read my imdb profile if you're interested in my "street cred"). During that time I have had the pleasure of training dozens of working script supervisors in the classroom as well as on set.
I would like to say that I do recommend this book to all my students as a basic starting point - especially for those who never went to film school - mainly because nothing exists out there that is as clearly written and includes much of the basics (thus, the necessity of my Script Supervision 101 and more advanced seminars, and other in-depth courses available in different cities out there). As another user commented, most of what can be learned about script happens either on a film set or in the editing room, not by reading a book.
Further, the limitations of this particular book are that she deals mainly with the old Hollywood studio system and does not account for the present-day realities of technological advances, the more recent varieties of on-set politics and settiquette, and alternative/maverick directing and coverage styles. If this book is all you know about script, you're going to get fairly frustrated fairly quickly.
The complexities of the job do require a certain knowledge base, and learning as much as you can from a working pro before stepping out onto a film set will save you months or years of trial and error down the line.
However, that being said, do give this book a read and augment your learning with great books on the art of coverage and directing (for example, Daniel Arijon's classic "The Grammar of the Film Language" can be very useful to the new script supervisor) - then get out there and shadow a script supervisor directly, or edit a few films for yourself or take an intensive course then jump right into the fire.
I wish you all well in your burgeoning careers!
ciao :)
daniela
mondocinema@ca.inter.net
Rating: 
Summary: Script Supervising - 50 years ago
Review: I have a lot of credit I have to give Pat Miller. For being the legend she is in film, for trail blazing for those of us that came after, for helping found a union that protects us even today. But, alas, writing this book is not one of the things I can praise her for.Having actually worked as a script supervisor on features and TV I can tell you that if you want to learn how the job was done 50 years ago, or how not to do the job of script supervising, read Pat Miller's book. Her techniques and methods are very out of date. Even with current revisions. Also Ms. Miller's book only scratch hes the surface of the job itself. It took me 120 hours of intensive class room work to learn all the facets of script supervision. I doubt you can gleen that from a book. If you want to learn the job I suggest you take a class from Jim Kelly Durgin.
Rating:
Summary: Comments on other Reviewer's comments
Review: I just want to toss my hat in here about the Pat Miller's book on script continuity.
This book was recommended to me last summer when I was on a film shoot. I was cautioned that the book was very old but it was basically the "Bible" for script supervisors. Hey it was published 1998, written maybe 2 years earlier so given it's 2005, that's almost 8 or 9 years ago. I was told to read the book and to use what I wanted from it. The script supervisor who recommended the book was also nice enough to give me her forms that she uses on set.
The problem with reviews by Larry D. Madill Jr. and "a reader" about courses by Jim Kelly Durgin and Mark Thomas is that (1) I don't live in LA (2) I need to come up to speed reasonably fast for 2 small films I am working on (3) if Durgin or Thomas are such 'experts' why haven't they written books on the topic (4) script supervision is something that you learn on the job and not from a course (although a course is sure better than a book and a book better than nothing at all).
Rating:
Summary: It's a great reference...
Review: This book is a great reference when you're starting out to be a Script Supervisor and/or if you need a quick course in screen direction, continuity matching, script breakdown & describing shot sizes. This book should be a recommended textbook when taking a Script Supervising class. Any teacher, who doesn't recommend textbooks of any kind, is lessening that students' growth and knowledge of various information. That is why, I, highly recommend taking Randi Feldman's class either in LA, NY and OK. She would be able to guide you in a structured and detailed class than any other instructor. She will give you the necessary explanations and in depth exercises of being a Script Supervisor.
Rating:
Summary: It's a great reference...
Review: This book is a great reference when you're starting out to be a Script Supervisor and/or if you need a quick course in screen direction, continuity matching, script breakdown & describing shot sizes. This book should be a recommended textbook when taking a Script Supervising class. Any teacher, who doesn't recommend textbooks of any kind, is lessening that students' growth and knowledge of various information. That is why, I, highly recommend taking Randi Feldman's class either in LA, NY and OK. She would be able to guide you in a structured and detailed class than any other instructor. She will give you the necessary explanations and in depth exercises of being a Script Supervisor.
Rating: 
Summary: Great for the newbies and those with experience
Review: This book is a great tool for those with experience as well as those who are just thinking about getting into the business. I carry a copy with me on every set! :)
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