The Filmmaker's Handbook: A Comprehensive Guide for the Digital Age: Fifth Edition

Has all the information a filmmaker will need. I absolutely recommend you get this.

Hour son loves it He makes movies so he say this has good information for Hime to use

Very nice reading

This book is extraordinarily broad in its approach, covering everything about the filmmaking process from the early planning stages through distribution of the finished product. It manages to maintain this broad scope despite no shortage of detailed discussions of highly technical aspects of filmmaking. Of course, no single book can say everything. It's certainly true that technology develops so rapidly these days that no book could ever hope to remain completely up to date. Indeed, in the time it takes to merely print a book, some new technology might be marketed. It's also true that one could read entire books (sometimes entire libraries) dedicated to any one of the topics covered here.However, this book manages to remain both relatively up to date (minor technological details may change, but the underlying theory largely remains the same, so adapting this book's content to new hardware or software should be relatively easy) and relatively complete.It can also be something of an overwhelming read. The number of elements that must come together in the production of even a relatively simple film is astounding. The beginning hobbyist or amateur would be forgiven for, upon reading this book, throwing up his arms in despair. In fact, if you are a complete beginner with no prior knowledge, this is not the book I would recommend for you. Though it covers virtually every aspect of the filmmaking process, it is not a step-by-step guidebook for the complete novice. Even someone with a bit more experience might be overwhelmed by the prospect of mastering everything at once. Yes, I did read the book straight through, cover-to-cover, but I don't really recommend it. Rather, I recommend reading it chapter by chapter as you prepare to embark upon each separate task. Treated more like a reference book than something you'd read in one go, its value becomes immediately clear. If you're not sure how to perform some task, there's a good chance this book either contains the answer or will at least give you enough knowledge to frame the question well enough to find the answer elsewhere.

This is a dense textbook for those wishing to learn the technical skills required to be a filmmaker. It's designed to be used by anyone -- professionals in the film industry right down to a family making a home video. And you can read and understand this highly technical manual even as a complete beginner, like me, who doesn't even know what the buttons on a camera do.The format seemed random at first, but is actually organized in a way that builds constantly on previously learned information. This means the learning is guided in such a way that is easier than researching online, which often simply defines something without building on previous concepts. It starts out with the basics: the phases of film production, how digital cameras and strips of film capture light, the various functions within a camera, sound equipment, job positions on a film crew, and much more. This builds up gradually to the point where you can read very complicated technical information and understand it very clearly. Excellent all-source book for anyone who wants to make movies.

This may not be the most in-depth filmmaking guide in the world, but it certainly must be the most broad. The sheer breadth of well-explained concepts and principles makes this handbook the most useful practical guidebook I've ever read.There's a ton of material in here that will probably not apply to you. Not working with film? You could probably skip "The Film Camera" and "The Film Image." Or if you're handing your footage off to another editor, skip the sections on editing. But I would suggest another direction: Read it all, from cover to cover. The text is all interesting, well-written, and absolutely packed with great information. Even if you never touch a roll of 16 or 35mm film in your life, understanding where we came from and why we've adopted certain standards is knowledge well worth having.I had been making short films and videos for years before picking up this book, and I was amazed at how much I learned. I realized how many things I had been doing wrong - I was unaware of so many best practices and techniques that my next few films were notably more polished and better executed.In short, the book won't make you a professional, but it will make you MORE professional.

This manual is incredible. I'm so happy I bought it. I wanted to do a crash course into filmmaking, but this is not a book you can "crash" into, not that it is overly convoluted or difficult to understand, it is simply extremely comprehensive. It leaves no area in the film making process untouched, and seamlessly incorporates elements of cinematic history that make it a reference guide for devolving into notable films that changed the art form. My favorite thing about the handbook is that it does not exclude traditional and analog filmmaking processes, but rather places it in context alongside digital image making, and revels how the former influenced the latter. It even goes as far back as photography and how understanding that is crucial to making films no matter what format you want to use. Definitely get this if you are looking to become a serious filmmaker, and I'm sure even established ones would find enormous value.