Movie making Course: Principles, Practice, And Techniques : the Ultimate Guide for the Aspiring Filmmaker

by Chris Patmore

Book by Patmore, Chris

144 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 2005

Reviews

[Michael Storch · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good, but pretty basic. Read if you're just getting started. Look elsewhere for advanced stuff.

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

Along with a good DIY recipe for fake blood, this is a great book to get acquainted with the basics of lo/no budget filmmaking. The Brits published it in 2005, and I am worried that some of the tech info might be outdated or different from the American stuff. Still, Movie Making Course offers tons of great advice for anyone who is dabbling in film. Mainly, we film connoisseurs need to read a lot, watch a lot, and write a lot! Studying director commentary on DVDs is a great place to start. Further, the author suggests, "As you start putting together your ideas, don't worry if they seem derivative. There isn't much that hasn't already been done; it will be up to your interpretation and vision to create something unique. The important thing is to get started, learn as you go, and above all be ruthlessly self-critical." The self-critical part is a must; no one wants to watch another crumby, half-hearted attempt to create a film. It's more annoying than a mediocre photographer. Try, take your work seriously while also having fun if possible, but don't make friends and family suffer unless they offer, and don't set your sights on Best Picture nominations.

The technical shooting suggestions, such as using the progressive scan to make digital video seem more like film, and the project ideas are also great features in the book.

[Daniel Sadicario · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a perfect book for a beginning filmmaker who wants to start making short films or music videos. Lots of great pictures to give a good sense of how it's done and what it looks like when it's being done.
That said, it's so hard (if not impossible) to make a tutorial book on filmmaking that talks about what technology to use; addressing "current" technology is a death sentence.