Filmmaking For Dummies

"I found Filmmaking For Dummies a thorough and informative read: a complete A to Z that demystifies not only production, but pre- and post- production as well. Stoller paints a picture of filmmaking so basic that you'd have to be not just a dummy but completely braindead if you're unable to make your own movie after closing the book." (Entertainment Weekly, September 5, 2003) --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

 

Product Description

Now updated--the step-by-step secrets to capturing great moments on film With all the recent advancements in filmmaking technology, more people than ever are trying their hand at filmmaking. Keeping up with the newest information in this booming field, this updated edition of Filmmaking For Dummies features up-to-the-minute coverage of the latest and greatest hardware, software, accessories, and trends--including high-definition technology and new outlets for films such as YouTube and MySpace. It demystifies the nuts-and-bolts of filmmaking, from developing a project and securing financing to hiring a cast and crew, editing, and getting distribution. This new edition also provides new movie examples and updated contacts and resources. Whether people want to become professional filmmakers or simply shoot quality home movies, this practical guide has all the advice and tips needed to succeed.

 

From the Back Cover

Now updated! Your step-by-step guide to turning your filmmaking dreams into reality
So you want to make movies? Whether you're looking to go pro or create quality home movies, renowned filmmaker Bryan Michael Stoller shares his extensive hands-on experience in shooting a successful film. From developing a script and securing financing to editing and working in high definition, he reveals secret tips for capturing great moments on film — even on a tight budget!

• Tell your story — explore the different genres and write (or find) a screenplay
• Gear up and start production — choose the right camera and format, scout a location, and hire the right cast and crew
• Add the finishing touches — edit your scenes, set your movie to music, incorporate sound effects, and more
• Get your film in front of an audience — enter film festivals and find a distributor
• Grasp the latest technology — understand the advancements in digital and HD; upload your movies to such sites as YouTube and MySpace
• Exclusive new interview — gain invaluable insights from Alan Horn, President and COO of Warner Bros.

"From 'Fade In' to 'Fade Out,' from 'Action' to reaction, Bryan Stoller gives us a comprehensive understanding of the art and science of making movies. Filmmaking For Dummies is the smartest book I've read on the subject."
—Peter Saphier, co-producer of Scarface and executive at Paramount Pictures
Open the book and find:

• Filmmaking tips and secrets not found anywhere else
• Expert advice on choosing the best equipment and format to use
• New movie examples, photos, and figures
• The latest on new digital technology, including affordable HD camcorders
• Ways to generate publicity for your film
• Unique Web sites for the independent filmmaker
• Cost-saving tips for film stock and software
• Updated contacts and resources

 

About the Author

Bryan Michael Stoller is an international-award-winning filmmaker who has produced, written, and directed over 80 productions, including short comedy films, half-hour television shows, music videos, commercials, and feature films. He has worked with some of the biggest names in Hollywood, including actors and studio presidents.

DV Filmmaking: From Start to Finish (O'Reilly Digital Studio)

Thanks to the digital revolution, film artists now have a spectacular array of powerful, new, inexpensive tools for creative expression through digital film. The once powerful studios can no longer stifle an artist's creativity. With the power of the Internet, film artists are finding once unimaginable ways to distribute their creations worldwide.

DV Filmmaking: From Start to Finish covers all aspects of the new digital video frontier, for amateurs and professionals alike--from the nuts and bolts of timecode and aspect ratio; to framing, lighting, and sound recording; as well as editing, special effects creation, and distribution.
The book is written for filmmakers at varying experience levels--taking an integrated approach to media production, and emphasizing the ways different aspects of the process work together to create a vital work of digital art:

• Hands-on detailed examination of the artistic aspects of film and video production
• Extensive examples use comprehensive step-by-step exercises for advanced editing techniques
• Scenes from successful films illustrate techniques used by professionals
• Includes a collection of professionally shot video clips, so the user can read and follow along with sets of structured exercises
• Develops a highly refined repertoire of advanced skills in editing, effects creation, title design, and more
• Inspires advanced readers to work with the included clips on their own and experiment with new ideas
• Written for both Mac and PC users and covers advanced uses of both Final Cut Pro and Adobe After Effects

Written in an engaging, accessible style, DV Filmmaking provides a solid foundation of tremendous value to a beginner, while addressing the fine points of filmmaking with a level of sophistication, detail, and insight that even the most worldly director or educator can appreciate. The author draws upon his years of experience teaching at the college and graduate level, his extensive professional background as a media producer, and his unmistakable love of cinema to create a text that's not only easy to learn from, but also fun to read.

About the Author

Ian David Aronson is a media producer and scholar who lives in New York City. He is a 1997 graduate of the Stanford University Master's Program in Documentary Film and Video, and author of O'Reilly's DV Fillmaking: From Start to Finish. Aronson is also the director/producer of digitaldocumentary.org, which produces social issue documentary and educational media in a variety of electronic formats. His current production, Mi Querida America, follows a group of immigrant teens through their first year of high school in Manhattan and is intended for distribution via DVD and broadband Internet. From 2001 to 2004 Aronson served as Assistant Professor of Digital Media at Ramapo College. He is currently earning a doctorate in the highly selective Educational Communication and Technology program at New York University. Before attending Stanford he worked as a public radio producer and a stringer for The New York Times.