Rating: 
Summary: Fresh New Talent
Review: Chris Blasingame, Traci Carroll, Chad Etchison, Jennifer Farmer, Ali Selim, Michael Shoob and David Zeiger. Never heard of them? You will. I was really impressed by the creativity, perserverence and resilience that these filmmakers displayed in getting their projects completed --most of whom have not been to film school. I've been working in the entertainment business for years and it's always inspiring to read stories about talented and enthusiastic newcomers. If there is anyone out there looking for fresh new talent, I'd get in touch with these folks before someone else beats you to them.
Rating: 
Summary: "Must" reading for all aspiring film makers.
Review: Filmmakers offer their advice on how to avoid setbacks and produce an independent film on a budget in this handbook, which combines such interviews with tips on how to locate talent and make a film. Practical insights make for an important coverage packed with film and business tips.
Rating:
Summary: Fresh New Talent
Review: I found this book was both informative and inspiring. For anyone contemplating making their first film I would call it a "jump-starter." For readers who have "been there" you will recognize these experiences and cheer for the filmmakers who overcame the odds. From the pros and cons of attending film schools to the art of selecting the right festivals, this book can be a step by step guide. It includes budgeted films like Michael Shoob's "Driven," (under one million) whose straight ahead discussion of raising money is exceptional, as well as other filmmakers, whose creativity in making a movie with no money at all, seems to be endless. It will allow you to select the right path for you or at least discover what path you will be taking out of necessity, and give you plenty of immediately applicable advice. On the set practicality runs from "you can never have too many clothes pins" to how to negotiate for better deals with equipment rental houses. It includes how to deepen the loyalty of your crew, and encourage people to believe in your project enough to help you get it shot. Advice like that is priceless. The authors allowed the filmmakers to tell their stories in their own words and that was a great decision. You can feel the pain, as well as the joy of triumph, straight from those who experienced it, yet seamless editing gets the point across briefly and intensely. Congratulations to the authors and their subjects for blazing a trail that will make this tough journey easier for those that follow. Larry Benedict Author: The Video Demo Tape
Rating:
Summary: A Jump-Starter
Review: I found this book was both informative and inspiring. For anyone contemplating making their first film I would call it a "jump-starter." For readers who have "been there" you will recognize these experiences and cheer for the filmmakers who overcame the odds. From the pros and cons of attending film schools to the art of selecting the right festivals, this book can be a step by step guide. It includes budgeted films like Michael Shoob's "Driven," (under one million) whose straight ahead discussion of raising money is exceptional, as well as other filmmakers, whose creativity in making a movie with no money at all, seems to be endless. It will allow you to select the right path for you or at least discover what path you will be taking out of necessity, and give you plenty of immediately applicable advice. On the set practicality runs from "you can never have too many clothes pins" to how to negotiate for better deals with equipment rental houses. It includes how to deepen the loyalty of your crew, and encourage people to believe in your project enough to help you get it shot. Advice like that is priceless. The authors allowed the filmmakers to tell their stories in their own words and that was a great decision. You can feel the pain, as well as the joy of triumph, straight from those who experienced it, yet seamless editing gets the point across briefly and intensely. Congratulations to the authors and their subjects for blazing a trail that will make this tough journey easier for those that follow. Larry Benedict Author: The Video Demo Tape
Rating: 
Summary: Maybe I expected more
Review: I had a hard time with this book as soon as I read the first chapter. How can these "filmmaking experts" be considered as such if the majority of them had only made one film each? And most of them hadn't even done a feature! If these are experts, go to any school that offers a filmmaking major and pick seven students. They seem about as qualified as the people who were discussed in the book.
Rating:
Summary: Response to above:
Review: I think the book was great in that it gave the low down on making a first film. This is something that books of this type commonly miss. For someone planning their directorial debut, this stuff is invaluable and interesting to read. 2 Thumbs up!
Rating:
Summary: Helpful to film students and new filmmakers
Review: I'm a film student in New York and I felt like this book was really encouraging. I think reading these true life dramas would be interesting to other filmmakers as well as anyone who's interested in films or how films get made. I liked how the people in the book were real independent filmmakers (meaning still unknown and still struggling). I liked reading their stories and felt good that some of these people had similar experiences to my own. I also liked reading about some of the mistakes that these filmmakers had made and I'm glad they were willing to share them so others might be able to avoid making the same ones. All of the people interviewed seemed intelligent and dedicated and I hope their persistance will oneday pay off for them. Thanks also to the authors for including a couple of women in the book!
Rating:
Summary: Chapters are packed with practical ideas
Review: Making Independent Films reveals the new filmmaker's journey through his first production, from the basic decision on whether or not to attend film school to financing a film, finding deals on equipment, and getting a finished product publicized. Chapters are packed with practical ideas for producing independent films, and follows the careers of seven independent filmmakers on their journey to success.
Rating:
Summary: A "must" for all aspiring independent filmmakers!
Review: Making Independent Films: Advice From The Filmmakers is both an invaluable "how to" guide for aspiring filmmakers, and a riveting expose of the behind-the-scenes realities of filmmaking today. Making Independent Films takes the reader from first pitch to final cut, chronicling the first-time filmmaker's quest through training, financing, preproduction, the shoot, post-production, film festivals, distribution, and more. If you are seeking to write, produce, or direct your own movie, from documentary to feature film, begin with a careful reading of Liz Stubbs and Richard Rodrigues' Making Independent Film.
Rating:
Summary: A "must" for all aspiring independent filmmakers!
Review: Making Independent Films: Advice From The Filmmakers is both an invaluable "how to" guide for aspiring filmmakers, and a riveting expose of the behind-the-scenes realities of filmmaking today. Making Independent Films takes the reader from first pitch to final cut, chronicling the first-time filmmaker's quest through training, financing, preproduction, the shoot, post-production, film festivals, distribution, and more. If you are seeking to write, produce, or direct your own movie, from documentary to feature film, begin with a careful reading of Liz Stubbs and Richard Rodrigues' Making Independent Film.
| 
