Filmmaking For Dummies

Everything you ever wanted to know about making a movie but were afraid to ask… Lights, camera, action! We all have at least one movie in us, and the amazing and affordable advances in digital technology makes it increasingly easy to make your dream a reality and share it with the world. Filmmaking for Dummies is your definitive guide to bringing a project to life, from the comedy antics of loveable pets to the deepest, most meaningful independent film. Bryan Michael Stoller is your friend and guide, sharing his knowledge gained over 100 productions (directing and working with Dan Aykroyd, James Earl-Jones, Barbra Streisand and Drew Barrymore, among others) to show you how to take your movie from the planning and storyboarding stage, through shooting and editing, to making it available to your adoring audiences through television broadcast, streaming online or in movie theaters. For the do-it-your-selfer, the book includes tips on how to finance your project, a look at the latest software and apps, including advancements in digital technology, and for the passionate director, advice on how to hire and work with your cast and crew and find great scenic locations. Whether you want to become a professional filmmaker or just create great YouTube videos or nostalgic home movies, shooting with your smartphone or with consumer or pro-gear, this practical guide has it all. Learn how to compose your shots and when to move the camera Make the perfect pitch to sell your story Take advantage of helpful contacts and tons of new resources Get up-to-date on the latest and greatest digital technology Find the right distributor, or learn how you can be your own distributor! So, you really have no excuses to make your masterpiece. Get rolling with a copy of Filmmaking for Dummies today and start shooting for the stars!

Everything you ever wanted to know about making a movie but were afraid to ask... Lights, camera, action! We all have at least one movie in us, and the amazing and affordable advances in digital technology makes it increasingly easy to make your dream a reality and share it with the world. Filmmaking for Dummies is your definitive guide to bringing a project to life, from the comedy antics of loveable pets to the deepest, most meaningful independent film. Bryan Michael Stoller is your friend and guide, sharing his knowledge gained over 100 productions (directing and working with Dan Aykroyd, James Earl-Jones, Barbra Streisand and Drew Barrymore, among others) to show you how to take your movie from the planning and storyboarding stage, through shooting and editing, to making it available to your adoring audiences through television broadcast, streaming online or in movie theaters. For the do-it-your-selfer, the book includes tips on how to finance your project, a look at the latest software and apps, including advancements in digital technology, and for the passionate director, advice on how to hire and work with your cast and crew and find great scenic locations. Whether you want to become a professional filmmaker or just create great YouTube videos or nostalgic home movies, shooting with your smartphone or with consumer or pro-gear, this practical guide has it all. Learn how to compose your shots and when to move the camera Make the perfect pitch to sell your story Take advantage of helpful contacts and tons of new resources Get up-to-date on the latest and greatest digital technology Find the right distributor, or learn how you can be your own distributor! So, you really have no excuses to make your masterpiece. Get rolling with a copy of Filmmaking for Dummies today and start shooting for the stars!

The easy way for kids to get started with filmmaking If you've been bitten by the filmmaking bug—even if youdon't have a background in video or access to fancyequipment—Digital Filmmaking For Kids makes it easy toget up and running with digital filmmaking! This fun and friendlyguide walks you through a ton of cool projects that introduce youto all stages of filmmaking. Packed with full-color photos,easy-to-follow instruction, and simple examples, it shows you howto write a script, create a storyboard, pick a set, light a scene,master top-quality sound, frame and shoot, edit, add specialeffects, and share your finished product with friends or a globalaudience. Anyone can take a selfie or upload a silly video toYouTube—but it takes practice and skill to shootprofessional-looking frames and make your own short film. Writtenby a film and video professional who has taught hundreds ofstudents, this kid-accessible guide provides you with hands-onprojects that make it fun to learn all aspects of video production,from planning to scripting to filming to editing. Plus, it includesaccess to videos that highlight and demonstrate skills covered inthe book, making learning even easier and less intimidating tograsp. Create a film using the tools at hand Plan, script, light and shoot your video Edit and share your film Plan a video project from start to finish If you're a student aged 7–16 with an interest in creatingand sharing your self-made video, this friendly guide lights theway for your start in digital filmmaking.

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.

Step-by-step guide for using your digital SLR to make quality video With digital SLR cameras becoming more and more popular as replacements for standalone video cameras, this book helps photographers become better videographers and shows videographers how to incorporate DSLRs into their work. The book includes an overview of the DSLR video tools and process and shows how to establish camera settings for effective capture, light a scene, get sound, and achieve the film look. The book also offers the basics on editing footage into a final product using common video editing tools. Offers everything needed to shoot, produce, and edit a professional looking videos using DSLR video equipment Written for both professional photographers and videographers and those just starting out Includes the steps for applying information to a film project, including developing a screenplay, approaching shooting like a cinematographer, and directing Contains a walkthrough of common video projects including making a music video, a wedding video, and video greeting card Digital SLR Video and Filmmaking for Dummies is designed to help photographers ramp up their video skills, videographers add DSLRs to their toolkits, and amateurs begin shooting their own short films and videos.

Discover how to create professional-quality digital videos--faster than you can say "lights, camera, action" Digital video cameras are everywhere--even on our phones! But cameras don't make great movies; filmmakers do. Written by a seasoned pro with 40 years of teaching experience, Digital Filmmaking for Beginners is your fully illustrated introduction to all technical aspects of digital filmmaking. Featuring clear, concise instruction--accompanied by online video demonstrations--this comprehensive guide covers the best methods and techniques to plan and script projects; set up lighting, microphones, and cameras; and shoot, edit, and apply postproduction effects and other finishing touches. Whether you're an amateur film buff or an aspiring professional videographer, this is the source for everything you need to bring your ideas from the page to the screen. Coverage includes: Best practices to ensure smooth operations in all project phases, from planning to post production Recommendations on selecting and purchasing cameras, filming gear, and the best editing and effects software to fit your budget and needs Advice on planning, shooting, editing, and other technical elements Fully illustrated tutorials on composition, framing, and other visual storytelling techniques Exclusive bonus online content, including finished video demonstrations of key filmmaking techniques and informative articles

So you have a camcorder and visions of being the next Spielberg. But how do you progress from shooting so-so footage to showing your own finished movie? Digital Video For Dummies, 4th Edition gives you the know-how and the show-how! Find out how to shoot and edit great movies, using iMovie, Windows Movie Maker, or Adobe Premiere Elements to add the finishing touches like special effects and your own soundtrack. With the latest information and lots of illustrations and screen shots, this friendly guide walks you through: Getting your computer ready to work with digital video (complete with information about FireWire) Choosing a camcorder, including features to look for and features that are useless Digitizing old VHS videotapes to preserve memories Purchasing other movie making gear, including audio and lighting equipment Shooting better video, with tips on lighting, panning, using the zoom, and recording better audio Creating your own sound effects such as footsteps, bones breaking, fire, thunder, insects buzzing, and more Capturing digital video using iMovie, Windows Movie Marker, or Premiere Elements Editing, including understanding timecode, organizing and previewing clips, and assembling clips in Storyboard and Timeline Adding transitions, titles, and special effects Importing and integrating video from phones and digital cameras Using audio rubberbands in iMovie, Premiere Elements, and other editing programs Adding narration, importing and working with CD audio, and adding a music soundtrack Keith Underdahl has extensive professional video production experience developing kiosk and marketing videos for Ages Software. Realizing that you’ll want to polish and premiere your movie, he includes information on: More advanced video editing, including animating video clips, improving light and color, compositing video (bluescreen or greenscreen), and more 13 categories of video effects, ranging from blur and sharpen to transform Working with still photos and graphics Sharing your video online using QuickTime (/QT), RealMedia (.RM), or Windows Media Video (.WMV) Making tapes or burning DVDs in 9 steps With a handy cheat sheet of keyboard shortcuts, a chart comparing 10 video editing programs, a glossary, and more, with this guide you’ll soon be saying “Lights, camera, action” and producing your own movie attraction.

Film Studies From Hollywood to Bollywood, explore the fantastic world of film Whether you’re preparing to study film at university or you simply have a passion for cinema, you’re bound to enjoy this book. Here’s where you’ll learn how people communicate ideas in films, how the industry works and who’s on the team, the impact of film on popular culture, the different genres and styles, film theory, the joys of animation and so much more. Explore far-reaching effects – examine the narrative, artistic, cultural, economic and political implications of cinema Compare and contrast film and reality – explore conceptual frameworks for a film’s relationship to reality Find out just how they do it – discover how stories are developed in movies and how a storyline is related to broader issues in society Work out what it’s all about – get to grips with avant-garde cinema and find out what such films really offer Take the incredible world tour – sample the unique styles of cinema in Europe, Japan, India and other countries Go larger than life – learn about greats in the industry, venture into film analysis and look at the transitions into 21st century cinema Open the book and find: How people tell stories in film Ways film is used to explore current issues and attitudes Responsibilities of cinema tographers and producers The mysteries of mise-en-scene All about digital-age animation Auteurs from the 1930s to today What poststructuralism and postmodernism really mean Ten must-watch movies