The Digital Filmmaking Handbook Book

The Digital Filmmaking Handbook's title is something of an oxymoron, since this very thorough book covers everything you ever needed to know about filmmaking production, from concept to screening. The only missing element is film itself. Film and video production is in transition. Film and analog videotape are rapidly approaching the end of their technological life, being replaced by digital videotape and digital cameras. You can buy computers that connect to DV cameras and edit DV tape just about anywhere, and they cost only slightly more than an entry-level computer. So The Digital Filmmaking Handbook is for anyone buying into the DV revolution who wants to do more than shoot home movies of the kids. It's for filmmakers young and old, pro and hobbyist, who want to learn to shoot, edit and make great movies. Unlike traditional filmmaking books, in which only the camera and some audio and editing equipment are addressed, part of this book approaches the medium from a computer hardware and software perspective. Numerous hardware issues such as choosing the components for an editing workstation, the kind of digital video camera to use, selecting editing and audio software, and various output formats are discussed. Also, there are chapters on effects, making video look like film and digital titling. The book never strays from speaking to filmmakers rather than filmmaking gear buyers. Everything from preproduction tasks such as scripting, storyboarding and budgeting, to production tasks such as set preparation, lighting, filming (sans film) and sound recording, through final editing, colour correction, titles and output is explained. Filmmaking is heavily dependent on technology, and each of these subjects is well covered. Chapters on audio, for example, include selecting microphone types, the differences between mic types, how to connect them to a DV camera or synchronise the audio in post production, how to control sound levels and so on. The chapter on editing reflects the experience of the authors. Films are understood through their own language, and how scenes are edited determines the dialect of that language. Techniques such as matching screen position, matching emotion and tone, matching action, when to use pauses and overlapping edits, and the effect of pauses and pull-ups (shortening a scene) are defined and justified. If you can't get into NYU's film school, or even if you can, The Digital Filmmaking Handbook is a worthy reference to keep at your fingertips. --Mike Caputo, Amazon.com Read More