Filmmaking for Dummies

Rating:
Summary: Perty Good Book
Review: Hey. Well, I got lade off at the plant, so I got this book. Its a reall good book. Now Im going make a movie about how I used to work at the plant, get me one of them oscars. Next thing, Im moving to hollywood. Or maybe even california!

Do like me ant get this book.

Rating:
Summary: Perty Good Book
Review: Hey. Well, I got lade off at the plant, so I got this book. Its a reall good book. Now Im going make a movie about how I used to work at the plant, get me one of them oscars. Next thing, Im moving to hollywood. Or maybe even california!

Do like me ant get this book.

Rating:
Summary: The Best Filmmaking Course on a Budget!
Review: I always love to learn about subjects that interest me, and even though I may have read through dozens of books on a subject to gain the maximum know-how about it, it's always a thrill to pick up a read that is truly superb. Bryan M. Stoller, the author of Filmmaking for Dummies, has accomplished one of the best jobs on this subject matter that I've found so far over the years. He's categorical and precise and I'd call it the best Filmmaking Course on a budget. The reader can learn in this inexpensive book just as much as in many 8-week filmmaking courses that often cost thousands of dollars and the good part is that with this book you already have the notes printed in front of you. The author offers a volume of resources discussing the differences of using actual film vs. video and new 24fps digital camcorders like the Panasonic AG-DVX100 Cinema Camera. He has excellent chapters on lighting, sound and camera filters, as well as on the commercial aspect of idependent film distribution and film festivals, etc. This is a very practical, right-to-the point book and it's an enormous resource from a qualified guy who's been interested in filmmaking for a long time and who has at least 20 years of on-hand in-the-field experience. Stoller also offers very helpful Website addresses for further information, even where to buy or rent equipment, etc., etc. Every aspiring and even professional filmmaker will definitely benefit from this book. Amazingly, this book is so updated as if it was just written a few weeks ago including the newest technological developments regarding digital film formats.

Rating:
Summary: Well written, but content is misguided
Review: I read this book, as well as others, because I'm taking a stab at filming a screenplay with some other people. I have enjoyed some of the other dummies books, but I thought this one was off target. It is very high level. For example, in the first or second chapter, he goes over what the job roles are for the production assistant, and ten other job titles you might see at the end of a Hollywood movie, and I'm thinking to myself, am I really going to have a full-time grip on my movie? I was hoping this book would focus on the nuts and bolts of making a small-budget / zero-budget film, but it talked about numbers that apply to people who aren't going to be reading a dummies book. On the whole, I thought it was a real surface look at independent filmmaking, and would be appropriate for someone who wanted to learn about it, but not do it. You would be better off buying IFILM Filmmakers Handbook and some individual books on lighting and sound if you really want information about how to make your own film. A lot of the information in this book can be found on the web, also.

Rating:
Summary: Well written, but content is misguided
Review: I read this book, as well as others, because I'm taking a stab at filming a screenplay with some other people. I have enjoyed some of the other dummies books, but I thought this one was off target. It is very high level. For example, in the first or second chapter, he goes over what the job roles are for the production assistant, and ten other job titles you might see at the end of a Hollywood movie, and I'm thinking to myself, am I really going to have a full-time grip on my movie? I was hoping this book would focus on the nuts and bolts of making a small-budget / zero-budget film, but it talked about numbers that apply to people who aren't going to be reading a dummies book. On the whole, I thought it was a real surface look at independent filmmaking, and would be appropriate for someone who wanted to learn about it, but not do it. You would be better off buying IFILM Filmmakers Handbook and some individual books on lighting and sound if you really want information about how to make your own film. A lot of the information in this book can be found on the web, also.

Rating:
Summary: Not Helpful for Aspiring Hack Filmmaker
Review: My good friend Charles Mruz read this book like 50 times and still can't make a decent film. Perhaps he was trying to perform too many Blumpkins or Rimmys whilst reading the book.

Rating:
Summary: EXCELLENT READ!!!!!
Review: THIS BOOK HAS IT ALL, FROM SCRIPT TO POST PRODUCTION, BRYAN STOLLER FLUIDLY GUIDES YOU STEP BY STEP THROUGH THE PROCESS OF FILM MAKING. YOUNG, OLD, PROFESSIONAL, OR AMATEUR FILM MAKERS WILL BE GLAD TO HAVE THIS BOOK ON THEIR COFFEE TABLE. IT TELLS YOU EVERYTHING, INCLUDING HOW TO GET INTO FILM FESIVALS, GETTING INVESTORS, AND EVEN PROVIDES THE ADDRESSES TO VARIOUS FILM ORGANIZATIONS!!! BELIEVE ME, ANYONE INTERESTED IN FILM WILL LOVE THIS BOOK!!!