Books on Film Making

[TaseCopterStudios]

My grandma, who loves to get me books, just asked my mom what kind of books I would like, and I decided i should find some books on film making that people recommend.
I already have The DV Rebels Guide and Rebel Without a Crew
and I put down 30 dollar film school, Digital Filmmaking 101: An Essential Guide to Producing Low Budget Movies, and Save The Cat! The Last Book on Screenwriting You'll Ever Need, based on reviews from amazon, but I'd like to find out what your recommendations are. So what are some of your favorite books on film making?

[Mugla]

I know this is very typical, but the best filmmaking book I've read is "Filmmaking for Dummies"; can't go wrong with the Dummies books.

[Scott]

I already have The DV Rebels Guide and Rebel Without a Crew


Can't go wrong with those two. Those are really the only ones you need.

[SyxxGage]

I second Muglas recomendation on Filmmaking For Dummies. I also suggest Make Your Own Damn Movie(and the accompying DVD set) by Lloyd Kaufman.

[Pablo585]

I wouldn't really suggest $30 film school, because it wasn't very helpful to me (plus the author is all DIY or Die, after all, he made a documentary called that), but hey, if you really want it, go for it.

I would also suggest Filmmaking for Teens: Pulling off Your Shorts. It's all about the proper way of writing a movie, getting ideas, finding a cast and crew, holding auditions, managing your crew, getting good pictures (and sound), and editing and premiering it. It is really informative about almost everything you need to know to make a short movie.

[TaseCopterStudios]

cool, thank you everybody

[dailyproductions]

I would suggest:
The Filmmaker's Handbook: A Comprehensive Guide for the Digital Age by Steven Ascher and Edward Pincus

For sound aspects I would go with Jay Rose's books (might also want to check out his website):
Producing Great Sound for Film and Video, Third Edition (DV Expert Series) by Jay Rose
Audio Postproduction for Digital Video by Jay Rose

And lastly another good book for documentary/live filming:
Making Documentary Films and Reality Videos: A Practical Guide to Planning, Filming, and Editing Documentaries of Real Events by Barry Hampe

[michaelbak]

I'll just tell you my books...

"Cinematography" i found this at Half Price books. It's from the 80s and focuses on film but the lighting and stuff is good.

"Shut up and shoot: Documentary guide" This is a great book written in a very laid back way. It has a DVD with some bonus content like "Warm Cards" and a "How not to get camera jacked" page that you can pin up around the studio. it also has little mini tutorials that help like "How not to blow a circuit breaker" and "How to clean your lens" and the infamous "How not to get Camera Jacked" tutorial.

"Nuts and Bolts Filmmaking" This is a DIY film gear book and has good info like "DIY C Stands"` and "DIY Barndoors" that you can throw up on a Work light.

"The Art of Storyboard" Meh...

"Setting up your Shots: Great camera moves every great filmmaker should know" Good for new filmmakers explaining the shots and the movies you can see them in. It also helps make you better knowing the name of effect shots or camera moves.

"Special Effects: How to create a Hollywood film look o a home studio budget" It's good has some stuff you could find right here on Indymogul and other sites but has really good info on stuff like Site Reviews , digital effects in Photoshop tutorials , how to make sound effects , and how to start a home studio.

"Filmmaking for Teens: Pulling off your shorts" This was my first book and i have to say... a complete buy for a any starting out filmmaker of any age. A thing i always like to say about this book is that it "Opened my Eyes" to filmmaking and i now know my true skills. It also has a little humor here and there which keeps you from not reading it. i think i have read it about seven times now. Buy it! Buy it! Buy it!!!

"The DV Rebel's Guide: An all digital approach to making KILLER ACTION MOVIES on the cheap" Great book , seams to be getting all the publicity on this forum and it is a great book and deserves it. It also has a DVD which has After Effects files so you can have everything set up right in After Effects and follow along with the book to effects. Buy it! Buy it! Buy it!!!

"Teach Yourself Filmmaking" A part of the "Teach Yourself" series This is a great little book but to tell you the truth... it bored me to death. i did get some information but with "Filmmaking for Teens" and "DV Rebel's Guide" i couldn't keep my eyes off them but this i read a few chapter and threw it up on the shelf (I'll go back to reading "Filmmaking for Teens" thank you).

If your starting off buy "Filmmaking for Teens: Pulling off your shorts" & "The DV Rebel's Guide: An all digital approach to making KILLER ACTION MOVIES on the cheap" and your pretty much set but i would also ask that you buy "Nuts and Bolts Filmmaking" & "Shut up and shoot: Documentary guide" later on when you get more in to filmmaking.

Happy Filming.

[michaelbak]

I wouldn't really suggest $30 film school, because it wasn't very helpful to me (plus the author is all DIY or Die, after all, he made a documentary called that), but hey, if you really want it, go for it.

I would also suggest Filmmaking for Teens: Pulling off Your Shorts. It's all about the proper way of writing a movie, getting ideas, finding a cast and crew, holding auditions, managing your crew, getting good pictures (and sound), and editing and premiering it. It is really informative about almost everything you need to know to make a short movie.

Amen to "Filmmaking for Teens" broda.

It was my first film book!

[TaseCopterStudios]

ok, thanks everybody

[KMProductions]

The Filmmakers handbook is like the Bible for filmmaking. It's awesome. Shut up and shoot is really good too.

However I hated $30 film school. The guy it "too DIY". I think DIY is good but there is line that he crossed where he lost all professionalism.

Also I did not like Filmmaking for teens. I read quite a bit of it in a bookstore once (I've never owned it so keep that in mind) and I just though it made it sound like teens could only make a semi good short film. Not anything that's worth watching.

Just my 3.5 cents.

[google550]

I also suggest Make Your Own Damn Movie(and the accompying DVD set) by Lloyd Kaufman.

I would strongly... STRONGLY advise not. Especially if your grandma is going to ask you about the books.

[TaseCopterStudios]

I would strongly... STRONGLY advise not. Especially if your grandma is going to ask you about the books.

hahahhaahahahaha


nice

it seems like theres some mixed reviews out there.

[Scott]

hahahhaahahahaha


nice

it seems like theres some mixed reviews out there.

You power of observation serves you well.

[SyxxGage]

hahahhaahahahaha


nice

it seems like theres some mixed reviews out there.

I should have mentioned there is alot of strong language used in that book. It IS a Troma publication afterall. It's still a good read, but maybe best bought on your own and not by Grandma.

[TaseCopterStudios]

I should have mentioned there is alot of strong language used in that book. It IS a Troma publication afterall. It's still a good read, but maybe best bought on your own and not by Grandma.

ok i'll do that

[Pablo585]

Amen to "Filmmaking for Teens" broda.

It was my first film book!
It's my first book too! I am probably gonna get more for my b-day though!

[theN]

I'll just tell you my books...

"Filmmaking for Teens: Pulling off your shorts" This was my first book and i have to say... a complete buy for a any starting out filmmaker of any age. A thing i always like to say about this book is that it "Opened my Eyes" to filmmaking and i now know my true skills. It also has a little humor here and there which keeps you from not reading it. i think i have read it about seven times now. Buy it! Buy it! Buy it!!!



Amazing book for when your starting out :ben:!

[michaelbak]

Amazing book for when your starting out :ben:!

Very true. And by the way i lurv dat cat.