The Digital Filmmaking Handbook [With CDROM]

An excellent one stop guide to getting started in digital filmmaking, realizing of course, that there is no film involved. This book starts with selecting the things like the type of camera you need to make digital video. And for good work, a good camera is necessary, and expensive. IThe book is intended for the person who is just getting started. It explains the terms, the basic equipment you will need, and so on. The concept of making a film, no, a video starts with a story. From here you need a script. Then you do a story board to plan your shoot. If this sounds a bit professional, it is. This book presumes that you are serious about making a video. This is a rough cut at what the pros do to make a film. ==From this book alone you probably won't get to the Academy Awards show, but reading and putting into practice what the book says might get you into a commercial or a local indistrial film production. All in all a good summary of getting started in the digital AV business.

So far the best book about digital filmaking I have read so far. There are not too many books on the subject, but this one is the best I have read to date. Very honest opinions and guidance.

I'm impressed with this excellent reference book. I'm not an absolute beginner with video, but there is a lot I don't know, and I am new to digital. Technology changes so fast that you have to learn all the time or you can't keep up. This book seems to cover it all, from choosing a camera and NLE software through basic lighting, filming, audio, and editing, and on to compositing special effects and transfer to film. It's aimed primarily at high-end videographers and no/low budget filmmakers, and it's packed with information that is clearly presented and easy to understand. The book is great for just browsing, or for when you want to find specific information. The CD-rom contains demo versions of a variety of editing and effects applications and support files for the book's tutorials. The associated website is a bit meagre compared with the book, but does have some updates. (And, with the speed of technological advance, this copyright 2000 book is already going out of date...eg, some reviewed camera models are already being replaced...) If you're serious about digital filmmaking, and aren't already an expert, this book deserves a place on your shelf.

This is not a typical book in its field. Two qualities of Long & Schenk's Digital Filmmaking Handbook make it stand out.First, it takes the topic further than any other I have seen, all the way from low-budget production such as a small training department might engage in to theatrical release feature films. This breadth is not achieved at the expense of quality or thoroughness, as the book has exceptionally helpful content on all the topics it covers.Second, the organization and style of the book are exceptionally clear, readable, and delightful. The authors kept the goal of communicating key information clearly in mind during the writing of this book to an unusual extent and effect. Unlike some technical books which are deadly dull and others which use attempted humor in such broad strokes as to be distracting, Long and Schenk's carefully used, precise and delicate wit adds meaning as well as interest.

You know if those Blair Witch guys had read this book it may have helped avoid that horrible home-made look. But seriously this book takes you from the very beginning of filmmaking, those first shakey steps, and gives you all the info to make your own Blair Witch (only better). Although this book looks at the digital filmmaking process, there is tons of really useful info on all aspects of making a movie. The most useful bits have been the nitty gritty aspects of what formats to use for different jobs. NTSC, PAL and HDTV are all covered, along with the different types of tape formats. But the best thing about this book is that it has all the answers. You want to know how to present a script, pitch it, storyboard it, shoot it, edit it and release it, it is all here. It is a goldmine for any aspiring filmmaker, not just film-school hopefuls, but anybody.