Digital Filmmaking

"This is the new reality - it's virtual, man, get with it. Cinema is dead, long live cinema." (p.158, 2007, Figgis)

I was impressed with this book, a teacher in my low-budget filmmaking class at UCLA listed it as required reading. It reads quickly and the author has some good ideas. Technology is constantly improving so some aspects of it were outdated, but the concepts were still strong. Good book, overall.

I really liked this book. It was very personal and most useful. There are loads of books out there about how to do this and that. What I wanted was some great advice. For starters know your equipment inside out, get a book and write notes about how your settings work, try different combinations. I thought that might be obvious to some but it was inspirational to me. Another great tip was treasure your equipment. Keep it immaculate, really clean especially the lens, otherwise big blobs appear on the big screen! Its got a lot of really good points which I found most useful. I like the fact that he talks about his work, his passion, his attention to every detail. It's important and very useful. Without passion nothing get done to the highest levels. I finally managed to get my Beginner Tai Chi DVD Finished. (See my profile for details).

In regards to an early criticism of Figgis's advice on lighting, one has to understand that Figgis is NOT unique in his suggestion of using "practical," available lighting. Figgis has served as D.P. on his movies, pre-digital. He shot Leaving Los Vegas, which had a national release. Many D.P.s adhere to starting from no kit lights first, which is possible thanks to Kodak coming out with faster and lower grain celluloid stock. So you can hate the ideas of Figgis, but the guy has made studio and independent films, and prefers independent. You can't marginalize him- he directed Internal Affairs, Richard Gere and Andy Garcia's better film. If you want a job in the industry, this is NOT a book for you. People fail to understand that the film industry is a business of self employment. You want to write and direct? Well, write and direct- make your movie. Someone else won't make the movie for you. If you DO want to make your own movie, Figgis does well to give you the lay of the land, as well as the pitfalls due to the politics of "real" 35mm movies. This is a fast read that'll get you going enough to make your movie. Some pointers may not make much sense until you've had the experience (specifically the scripting flexibility pointers. Simplify and distill the IDEA of the movie, and scenes, and at the very least your movie will carry through. It's easy to spend 10 takes on a dolly move and forget the scene is about one line.) Alright. Gotta get going on my movie. A good read to get you going. Not the end all be all, but a building block to start from. And don't dismiss him. He's worked his way up the filmmaking ladder, and made this CHOICE to remain digital. Why? Freedom.

Mike Figgis's little guide is both inspirational and handy, full of insights into and practical information regarding the nature of the new digital cinema. It can be compared to Sidney Lumet's "Making Movies" for its simple and authoritative reflections, with the difference that Sidney Lumet is a fine spokesperson for the directorial task of injecting personal vision into the old studio system of making movies, while Figgis shows how the realities of the new digital technologies make it possible to bypass some of the well worn traditions and develop new and liberating approaches to making films. What is nice, though, is that Figgis is not interested in novelty for its own sake. Rather than get the latest gear, he advocates finding a camera and tools that work for you and then getting to know them well and customizing them for your own needs. He has excellent advice about lighting, and encourages an approach that explores and takes advantage of the visual potential of digital video rather than attempting to imitate the look of film. He discusses all of the aspects of filmmaking: lighting, sound, directing actors, developing stories, postproduction and editing, distribution, and shows how each of these has changed or ought to change under the influence of digital filmmaking technology. While you can find much of the same advice elsewhere, what makes Figgis's book worth having is the way he ties such insights to his own personal experience and story. It would be hard to come away from the book without capturing his enthusiasm for the potentials of digital cinema. In fact, I find it hard to believe that anyone could read this book without wanting immediately to pick up their own cameras and make something. I know that I will read this book several times, not only to remind myself of his excellent information, but also to recapture his enthusiasm and excitement. This is not one for the bookshelf, but one to be carried around in the backpack or camera bag. A very fine manual and manifesto for a new breed of filmmaker.