Before You Shoot: A Guide to Low Budget Film Production

by Helen Garvy

Book Overview

Practical guide for independent filmmakers on all aspects of film & video production -- including planning, budgeting, scheduling, casting, production logistics, post-production, distribution, and... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0918828171
• ISBN13: 9780918828170
• Release Date: January 1995
• Publisher: Shire Press
• Length: 297 Pages
• Weight: 0.80 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 5.5" x 8.5"

Customer Reviews

Very Important for Beginners

I agree with the others reviewers that most of the information is is a checklist of don't forgets and filled with information that is "common: sense, but I still think that it is a very valuable book. I am a film student and I have worked on an indy feature film and a commercial and I believe that both of those projects could have gone much better had the producers/directors had this information. This book is perfect for the person who has no knowledge of film, but needs an overview of the process in order to get teir feet wet. The book also contains all the necessary forms for each phase of making a film.

A Great, Comprehensive Book

This is a sorely underappreciated book. I've owned a copy for years, and it's provided wonderful ideas and sound advice for beginning movie-makers. It even goes into detail on such subjects as casting, choosing 16mm or 35mm film, finding props, and location shooting.I highly recommend this one.

I have owned a copy of this book since 1985, one of the best

Dan Bessie came to an SFSU Film Student Union, meeting in 1985, with his then fist ed. of this book. I still have my copy. I have been teaching production for the last 10 years (in LA) where everyone wants to direct. I tell them to read this book first. If you do your homework as outlined in this book (on your low or high budget film) you will be able to focus on getting the image on film. Production of a film or video project requiers skills that many people need to work on. This book helps to outline the steps that must first be taken. There is no better outline I have found.

Marvelous for those of us staring from scratch.

My sister gave me this book in November of last year and I have to say as someone with ABSOLUTELY NO film experience I found "Before You Shoot" invaluable. Just learning things that would be considered basic to a seasoned filmmaker (like shooting ratios) made it possible to communicate with potential vendors and crew without sounding like as if I didn't have a clue. If one is starting from nothing this book is fabulous. Presently I am 2 months from the principal photography date for my first feature film.