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 The best indie film-making book I've ever read February 10, 2008
Hywel Phillips (Reading, Berkshire, UK)
Stu Maschwitz is a tech-head film-maker who quit ILM to start his own production house, The Orphanage. You can see their work in Robert Rodriguez' Sin City.
The DV Rebel is Stu passing on a decade of wringing the ultimate results from consumer digital video equipment in order to make exciting and ambitious action movies on a micro-budget. It covers all aspects of the film making process in an accessible, entertaining way, but also contains the technical asides to make you understand WHY you need things like a true 24p or 25p mode on your camera.
If you are attempting any sort of Indie film-making on a small budget, I'd throughly recommend it, even if you are shooting a slow historical romance on 16mm film. If you are trying to make an action movie with a digitial video you just HAVE to read it! Maschwitz' hard won tips will save you many hours of work and improve the end quality of your film in pretty much every aspect.
I wish I'd had the book when I shot my first short film a few years ago. I'd independently reached many of the same conculsions as Stu, but there was still a great idea, a cool insight or a funny anecdote on almost every page. It is a little heavy on After Effects in places but the principles are so well explained that you can easily apply it to any film-making workflow.
If you only buy one book on low-budget film-making, this should be it.
5 stars, hands down January 3, 2008
Alfonso Gomez Jordana (Alicante, Spain)
I just bought this book, and, what can I say that others haven't... It's absolutely fantastic.
It has more than 300 pages covering all that involves making a movie- doesn't have to be an action one- at home, by using DV cameras and PC.
It has lots of key ideas, hundreds of tips and tricks... everything is covered. Although maybe for completely starters, it might be confusing as it doesn't explain the obvious basics of filmmaking (and I mean just obvious things, such as how to capture your video on PC, or how to turn on your camera :P ). Anyone who's owned a home camera can easily get on with the book.
And it also includes a DVD with his own example movies, and with many very useful and professional projects, presets and scripts for After FX, which will make you're life easier (especially adding VFX and color correcting). And also 50 or 100 pages in pdf documents, expanding the books' own ideas.
One point, though. As the book says, it is almost impossible to make a film with 0 budget. You should almost obligatorily buy After FX (7 or greater will be better) and a DV camera (200 euro at least, mayeb Canon MVX 460 will be the minimum). If you're not willing to spend that money (500-600 euro) then, my friend, many things in this book won't serve you.
When you read it, you'll understand why you need a minimum money to spend.
Jump in and become a DV Rebel.
Excellent December 1, 2007
David Packer
I expected a book like so many others, full of theory with very little actual useful, practical information. It was the opposite, with many tips, tricks and terminology for the aspiring director.
It has a focus on After Effects for post production work but is good as a general guide to filming action movies too. It would also be pretty useful for film making in general, with sections on grading, camera work and editing
Highly recommended
Inspirational!!! June 22, 2007
JM (UK)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
This incredibly readable book is written in a straightforward, conversational, occasionally irreverant way but is always offering ideas and inspiration with a very "can do" approach to filmaking and effects. There is a DVD included with the book which contains additional chapters which you really should read when prompted and Stu Maschwitz has created a forum dedicated to the book where you get the opportunity to ask questions or swap experiences.
Amazing April 2, 2007
Da Vazquez Paluch
5 out of 5 found this review helpful
I normally buy books with high hopes and then feel let down when they are not mind-boggingly brilliant. This is one of those few books that hasn't only not let me down but has in fact exceeded my expectations. It's absolutely brilliant.
It's written in a nice humourous tone which doesn't come across as forced and stupid and there's a wealth of extremely useful information on all aspects of filmmaking. Most topics are covered briefly, but not so briefly that you they pass you by, and not so extensive that you get bored by them. It's a film that shows you what you need to do, makes you want to do those things, makes you want to make films by any means necesary, with whatever you have at your disposal. And it makes you feel that even if you only use 10% of the techniques discussed in the book you can still make a pretty good film.
As I said, amazing.
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