Film School is a Box- the new book - DV Filmmaking - From Start to Finish by Ian David Aronson is an excellent introduction to everything you need to know in order o plan, shoot, edit and create digital video based productions. If you plan on distributing via the internet, via DVD, via video cassette, this is an excellent book to get you started.
Presented in an very easy to read manner, with lot of graphics and illustrations, the book includes a cornucopia of tips and how to instructions that will be of value to any aspiring video or film maker. The opening chapters cover the basics of digital cinematography, shot composition, lighting and shooting for effects. It also covers how to mount a camcorder to use for moving shots, and general overview of audio production and recording,
The next sections cover editing - from the basics of nonlinear editing to how to set up your editing facility to build composites, titles and effects. It also covers color correction, sound design, creating DVDs and release prints - and maybe most importantly, ends up with good discussion of how to to make money by making video.
----------------------
Thanks to the digital revolution, film artists now have a spectacular array of powerful, new, inexpensive tools for creative expression through digital film. The once powerful studios can no longer stifle an artist's creativity. With the power of the Internet, film artists are finding once unimaginable ways to distribute their creations worldwide. Most how to books don't cover the realities of doing business - very good ideas and case studies of real world successes. Personally, I'd like to see even more of these.
However general, we are very impressed. If you are just starting out in video, or if you have been doing it for a while, you are sure to pick up some great tips and ideas from this book.
DV Filmmaking: From Start to Finish covers all aspects of the new digital video frontier, for amateurs and professionals alike--from the nuts and bolts of timecode and aspect ratio; to framing, lighting, and sound recording; as well as editing, special effects creation, and distribution.
The book is written for filmmakers at varying experience levels--taking an integrated approach to media production, and emphasizing the ways different aspects of the process work together to create a vital work of digital art:
Hands-on detailed examination of the artistic aspects of film and video production
Extensive examples use comprehensive step-by-step exercises for advanced editing techniques
Scenes from successful films illustrate techniques used by professionals
Includes a collection of professionally shot video clips, so the user can read and follow along with sets of structured exercises
Develops a highly refined repertoire of advanced skills in editing, effects creation, title design, and more
Inspires advanced readers to work with the included clips on their own and experiment with new ideas
Written for both Mac and PC users and covers advanced uses of both Final Cut Pro and Adobe After Effects
Written in an engaging, accessible style, DV Filmmaking provides a solid foundation of tremendous value to a beginner, while addressing the fine points of filmmaking with a level of sophistication, detail, and insight that even the most worldly director or educator can appreciate. The author draws upon his years of experience teaching at the college and graduate level, his extensive professional background as a media producer, and his unmistakable love of cinema to create a text that's not only easy to learn from, but also fun to read.
