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Rating: 
Summary: Wonderful Collection of Stories
Review: "My First Movie" is a collection of interviews edited by Stephen Lowenstein with 20 of the independent world's most celebrated directors. Like any collection, some interviews are more informative than others. Nevertheless, I found this book to be entirely entertaining as I was brought into the world of other directors' first experiences. Throughout all of the interviews, I found the same recurring theme of panic surface. I was particularly impressed with the interview with Ang Lee where he discusses his quick success out of NYU and then 7 years of drought, as well as James Mangold's rocket to stardom taken down by his snide remarks to Katzenberg. This book is probably more properly titled "Self Help" book for anyone that wants to make a movie, as you realize that the directors featured in this book are really no different from anyone else. In a few cases (I'll refrain from telling you), I actually found myself saying, "Why WOULD anyone have ever let this person direct a film." Thus, the reader will be comforted to know that if he or she keeps pushing, eventually they will get their project made. Overall, the book is a wonderfully delightful read. My recommendation is to read a chapter a day, and then watch the director's movie... this will maximize the pleasure and reading experience.
Rating:
Summary: Wonderful Collection of Stories
Review: "My First Movie" is a collection of interviews edited by Stephen Lowenstein with 20 of the independent world's most celebrated directors. Like any collection, some interviews are more informative than others. Nevertheless, I found this book to be entirely entertaining as I was brought into the world of other directors' first experiences. Throughout all of the interviews, I found the same recurring theme of panic surface. I was particularly impressed with the interview with Ang Lee where he discusses his quick success out of NYU and then 7 years of drought, as well as James Mangold's rocket to stardom taken down by his snide remarks to Katzenberg. This book is probably more properly titled "Self Help" book for anyone that wants to make a movie, as you realize that the directors featured in this book are really no different from anyone else. In a few cases (I'll refrain from telling you), I actually found myself saying, "Why WOULD anyone have ever let this person direct a film." Thus, the reader will be comforted to know that if he or she keeps pushing, eventually they will get their project made. Overall, the book is a wonderfully delightful read. My recommendation is to read a chapter a day, and then watch the director's movie... this will maximize the pleasure and reading experience.
Rating:
Summary: MY FIRST READING of this book
Review: hey filmmakers out there..if your feeling down on your luck and that your movie is not going anywhere and neither is you career, then pick up this book and you'll know that your not alone. Its an easy read, just questions and answers but, its filled with aspiring stories of current directors (Kevin Smith of Clerks, Ang Lee of...some movie about a Hiding Dragon) It tells of how they got into the film business, and how there first movie made it..faults and all. For movie lovers or anyone who is interested in film making this book is worth checking out
Rating:
Summary: MY FIRST READING of this book
Review: hey filmmakers out there..if your feeling down on your luck and that your movie is not going anywhere and neither is you career, then pick up this book and you'll know that your not alone. Its an easy read, just questions and answers but, its filled with aspiring stories of current directors (Kevin Smith of Clerks, Ang Lee of...some movie about a Hiding Dragon) It tells of how they got into the film business, and how there first movie made it..faults and all. For movie lovers or anyone who is interested in film making this book is worth checking out
Rating: 
Summary: This is edu-tainmen! (Or should that be 'enter-cation'?)
Review: I'm only a hundred pages into 'My First Movie' (so my review is not exactly a complete one), but by what I've read so far, this is an educational and entertaining book of insights into the filmmaking world. I think that each separate interview had at least one pearl of wisdom that aspiring film-makers (both in the highest and lowest senses) can take from this book. And for those who aren't necessairily interested in a career in the movies, this book still has plenty of intrigue and gossip in it's pages to enjoy.
I got this as a Christmas present, and I hope that a sequel is in the works.
CIAO!
Rating:
Summary: This is edu-tainmen! (Or should that be 'enter-cation'?)
Review: It is all too rare an occurrance to actually find out anything about the PERSON who makes a movie. Most "behind-the-scenes" documentaries and interviews end up being thinly-disguised promotional trailers for movies. Luckily, filmmaker Stephen Lowenstein interviewed 20 filmmakers of various origin, style, and age to bring us this collection of interviews about the experience of making a first film. Each interview is different, just as each filmmaker's first moviemaking experience was different. Every interview is illuminating and serves to broaden the reader's view of filmmaking, as well as increase appreciation for the sheer hard work and endurance required to get a movie to the point of completion. I found myself riveted by each director's account of their first movies, of the experience of getting the film to the point of being made, to the casting, to the pre-production, to the first day of filming, to editing and then trying to find a place to screen the darn thing. It was very interesting to get to know each filmmaker, the places they were in the beginning stages of their careers, and the places their films took them to. I appreciated reading interviews with filmmakers I greatly admire (the Coen brothers), to those I am familiar with and jealous of (Kevin Smith), and especially the interviews with female filmmakers such as Allison Anders and Mira Nair (since I myself am female). Some other interviews I particularly enjoyed: P.J. Hogan ("Muriel's Wedding"), James Mangold ("Heavy"), and Ang Lee ("Pushing Hands"). If you like this book, I highly recommend "Rebel Without a Crew" by Robert Rodriguez, as it is a complete diary of the entire process of the making of his first feature film.
Rating:
Summary: Very interesting
Review: It is all too rare an occurrance to actually find out anything about the PERSON who makes a movie. Most "behind-the-scenes" documentaries and interviews end up being thinly-disguised promotional trailers for movies. Luckily, filmmaker Stephen Lowenstein interviewed 20 filmmakers of various origin, style, and age to bring us this collection of interviews about the experience of making a first film. Each interview is different, just as each filmmaker's first moviemaking experience was different. Every interview is illuminating and serves to broaden the reader's view of filmmaking, as well as increase appreciation for the sheer hard work and endurance required to get a movie to the point of completion. I found myself riveted by each director's account of their first movies, of the experience of getting the film to the point of being made, to the casting, to the pre-production, to the first day of filming, to editing and then trying to find a place to screen the darn thing. It was very interesting to get to know each filmmaker, the places they were in the beginning stages of their careers, and the places their films took them to. I appreciated reading interviews with filmmakers I greatly admire (the Coen brothers), to those I am familiar with and jealous of (Kevin Smith), and especially the interviews with female filmmakers such as Allison Anders and Mira Nair (since I myself am female). Some other interviews I particularly enjoyed: P.J. Hogan ("Muriel's Wedding"), James Mangold ("Heavy"), and Ang Lee ("Pushing Hands"). If you like this book, I highly recommend "Rebel Without a Crew" by Robert Rodriguez, as it is a complete diary of the entire process of the making of his first feature film.
Rating:
Summary: Very interesting
Review: It is all too rare an occurrance to actually find out anything about the PERSON who makes a movie. Most "behind-the-scenes" documentaries and interviews end up being thinly-disguised promotional trailers for movies. Luckily, filmmaker Stephen Lowenstein interviewed 20 filmmakers of various origin, style, and age to bring us this collection of interviews about the experience of making a first film. Each interview is different, just as each filmmaker's first moviemaking experience was different. Every interview is illuminating and serves to broaden the reader's view of filmmaking, as well as increase appreciation for the sheer hard work and endurance required to get a movie to the point of completion. I found myself riveted by each director's account of their first movies, of the experience of getting the film to the point of being made, to the casting, to the pre-production, to the first day of filming, to editing and then trying to find a place to screen the darn thing. It was very interesting to get to know each filmmaker, the places they were in the beginning stages of their careers, and the places their films took them to. I appreciated reading interviews with filmmakers I greatly admire (the Coen brothers), to those I am familiar with and jealous of (Kevin Smith), and especially the interviews with female filmmakers such as Allison Anders and Mira Nair (since I myself am female). Some other interviews I particularly enjoyed: P.J. Hogan ("Muriel's Wedding"), James Mangold ("Heavy"), and Ang Lee ("Pushing Hands"). If you like this book, I highly recommend "Rebel Without a Crew" by Robert Rodriguez, as it is a complete diary of the entire process of the making of his first feature film.
Rating: 
Summary: 75% fat
Review: Most of this book is wasted on pointless anecdotes with filmmakers who forgot the purpose of the interview: to describe how their first film got made. The best interviews are the first and last: the Coen brothers and James Mangold. Allison Anders comes across as very sweet and smart. Steve Buscemi's story is interesting IF you've seen Trees Lounge. The rest of the interviews fall flat. I had no idea what Bertrand Tavernier was talking about. Or Gary Oldman. Or Mike Figgis, Mike Leigh, Ken Loach... Save your money and read those "FamousDirector on FamousDirector" books instead.
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