Customer Reviews

$30 Film School: How to write, direct, produce, shoot, edit, distribute, tour with, and sell your own no-budget DIGITAL movie (Power!)

5 star:		(86)
4 star:		(15)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(12)

 

 

Dean spends most of the book talking about how great he is, whether it be as a filmmaker or a musician. He drops names no one's ever heard of, and spouts off about how cool he is. Of course, I've never heard of any of his films or bands, but he'd probably say that he's so "DIY" (do it yourself), that only the hardcore folks have heard of him.

Dean winds up rambling about making films for nearly 500 pages, but doesn't say much that will help a new filmmaker hone his/her craft. He makes flippant comments about how Hollywood's approach to filmmaking is wrong, and points out that his method is way better, but he doesn't give any convincing reasons why his method is better. In the end the reader is left $30 poorer with film tips they could pick up from someone's MySpace page.

The bottom line belongs at the top:

If you're at all interested in making your own films, BUY THIS BOOK. Absorb its lessons. Share the lessons with your crew.

Without exaggeration, this is simply one of the best-written and helpful books I have ever read, period.

I first heard of $30 FILM SCHOOL when the guys on an online video-editing forum enthusiastically recommended it to a newbie looking for help. She said: "I want to make films, but I don't know where to start!" Everyone said, "Start with $30 FILM SCHOOL." Mind you, some of those guys are seasoned pros. They could recommend any book. $30 FILM SCHOOL got the nod.

Though a journeyman filmmaker myself, not a beginner, I was intrigued enough to order the book. Of the many thousands of dollars I've spent on filmmaking equipment and education, $30 FILM SCHOOL has given me the best return on investment.

It's worth fifty times what you pay for it. Believe me.

Someone once said, "There can be no real democratization of the filmmaking process until the equipment is affordable by everyone." Well, with the digital video / computer revolution and the advent of affordable gear, the time has come. Now anyone can make a film---even you.

But there's still a steep learning curve. There's a big difference between making a film, and making a GREAT film. $30 FILM SCHOOL walks you through the process of making great films. The book is an encouraging, "You-can-do-it!" celebration of the indie filmmaker lifestyle as much as it is a thorough manual of the nuts and bolts of putting a film together. Don't discount this. You need a strong spirit and a steady smile as much as you need to know which lens to use on a particular shot. More than that, you need to be as willing to help others, as to BE helped. Dean gives more than he gets, and encourages you to do the same thing. That way, everyone grows and some damned good films start getting produced.

Dean leaves no stone unturned. Everything from writing the script, getting funding, producing, working with people and equipment, directing, choosing the right computer and software on which to edit sound and video, the editing process itself, and burning your film to DVD is covered.

But probably the most important part, in my opinion, is the section on promoting and distributing your film. Too many artists concentrate only on the art and not on the marketing. They end up with a nice film no one has ever heard of, much less seen. Dean is a tireless marketer who knows what he's talking about from years of actually doing it the hard way---first as a musician, and now as a filmmaker / author.

There's also a very helpful and complete companion CD included with the book.

I bought $30 FILM SCHOOL with Dean's DVD "D.I.Y. Or Die: How To Survive As An Independent Artist." Though you don't need the DVD to benefit from the wealth of info in the book, I suggest you buy both. Each is a learning experience in its own right but together, they add up to much more than just a book and DVD. It's more like a total immersion into the psychology and methods of effective indie filmmaking.

If you can buy only one book on filmmaking, $30 FILM SCHOOL is the one to buy.

Having decided to film and produce a series of life history interviews with my grandmother before she passes, I figured it was high time the quality of my productions moved beyond elementary home movies. I purchased this book knowing full well that it was targeted towards the indie filmmaker rather than the serious hobbiest, so I expected portions of it to be irrelevant to me. Even with that expectation, I was disappointed with this book.

There is some information in this book that could be very helpful. The author includes several example letters, contracts, release forms, and the like; however, the good parts are often lost in the jungle of his socio-economic views, anti-establishment diatribes, and self-promotion of his previous works. (If 'DYI or DIE' was intended to go hand in hand with the book, why not include the DVD and call it the '$35 Film School?') Furthermore, the author goes on at length on subjects better left to others while neglecting in-depth discussion in the areas where his experience is useful. For example, he devotes 150+ pages (nearly 1/3 of the book!) instructing the reader on how to do various things in Premiere, cinestream, Vegas, Acid, Soundforge, and MyDVD. Yet, when it comes to the actual camera work, lighting setups, audio engineering, or editing, too often he instructs the reader to "study films and figure out why they did that."

I'm sitting here having just finished the book after several hours of reading, trying to think of the good sections. The only part that stands out is the very first chapter on writing screenplays. Sadly, the good part ends on page 14... that's where he devotes 1 3/4 pages telling the reader how to bind the screenplay with brads. I'm sure that 1 3/4 pages of "treeware" (his eco-friendly term) could have been used in a much more effective way.

I also felt that the author spent far too much time (especially in the first 100 pages) justifying his actions and solitary working behavior. If he doesn't want to work with interns, that's okay. There is no need to write pages and pages on the inadequacies of film school students, interns, and volunteers who don't follow through. Make your point and move on.

You might wonder why I spent several hours reading a book that I found so disappointing. I actually found the book fairly interesting (minus the software tutorials), just not particularly helpful. There are a few good things in there if you dig for them, but this book would have been much better and just as informative if it had been 100 pages instead of 465 pages.

If you're looking for a book to teach you the technical aspects of filmmaking, move along. This book isn't it. If you're looking for a book to motivate you to finish that indie film that has been sitting in your attic for the past 9 years, this might be right up your alley.

$30 Film School is an absolute jewel of a book to have in your possession , as is covers every aspect of filmmaking from conception to distribution in a writing style that that is as straight forward and plebian as it is witty and concise. Michael Dean takes an approach to instructional writing that makes it seem like you are in the same room with him having a conversation. I read it straight through the first day I bought it out of sheer enjoyment and I have been referring to it on various projects ever since. Every question I have had about filmmaking has been answered and utilized in this book. I have used Dean's sage advice to attain fiscal sponsorship, to totally master my camera, to find cheap and professional ways around lighting and sound.

As I have read all of the reviews posted here, let me just state, if anyone has an issue spending 30$ on this book, they are not reading it the way it was intended. There are no quick fixes in like and you could read a whole library of books and never achieve what you want to. You have to get off your behind and do it. That is what Michael Dean is saying. If your intent is to become Michael Bey, I guess you should save your money. This is not a how to guide to becoming a Hollywood Mogul. If your intent is to figure out a feasible way to do what you love, to make art, this book will show you the way. I own at least twenty different books on the subject. THIS ONE IS THE BEST!

Michael Dean is a truly inspiring individual. After seeing his excellent documentary on how and why you should do art full-time (instead of having your job take over your creative life), "DIY OR DIE: BURN THIS DVD", I immediately set out to order this book. I am thoroughly pleased.

Michael Dean is a 40-year old punk who has the passion of a 14-year old just discovering great music and great film. He is wise and funny and knows a great deal about his craft. $30 Film School covers every aspect of indie filmmaking on digital video: what cameras to use, why 3-chip is better than 1-chip, how to get authentic film look, why miniDV is so much more cost-effective (and better-looking) than 8mm or 16mm film, angles for shots, lighting, software editing techniques (cuts, dissolves, whips, etc), DVD authoring, guerilla marketing and promotion, how to get people to act in your movie for cheap or free, what's wrong with Hollywood today and why many "indie" films are big-budget-big-star and not truly indie, how to tour with your movie and show it everywhere, plus several interviews with indie filmmakers, including Joshua Leonard of The Blair Witch Project. The interviews alone are worth the price of the book. There is not one part of this book that bores me or makes me skim a little. It is that awesome. Michael really does cover EVERYTHING. And I do mean everything.

In the last half of the book, Michael gets heavily into why art is so perfect and needed in society... art changes people. Art affects people. Music and great stories in films are what we should appreciate and worship. We should not be paying an insane amount of attention to some stupid entertainment magazine with some stuck-up celebrity interview. That is where the DIY ethic comes in... there are a great deal of indie films out there which have the power to touch your heart and make you think in the ways movies like The Fast And The Furious and Triple X never will. Michael stresses the importance of doing art for yourself, because you love it. He calls it "working for the Universe", and it makes perfect sense to anyone passionate enough about their art.

Michael is all about keeping it real... keeping the art of filmmaking, storytelling, music-making.... REAL. The first reviewer of this book mentioned he writes the book like he is talking to a good friend... and that's exactly how it comes across. Michael is a very intelligent, down-to-earth and hard-working person, and it shows clearly in this book, and his documentary "DIY OR DIE".

The CD-ROM that accompanies the book is great, too.. there's a funny goof-around DV movie called "I Left My Pants In San Diego" which explains a lot of techniques used in indie filmmaking and directing, and shows you examples of editing... it's really cool and funny. Michael and his crew totally come across as your good friends in this short film. The CD-ROM also has tons of extra stuff.. like sample contracts and demo software so you can get started right away, in making your own movie and creating your own DVD. Great stuff.

I just want Mr. Dean to know how much he inspires me... ever since finding that DVD and this book, I've been on the right track to getting all my projects done (I do a lot of projects from scoring local indie films to putting out my own poetry books and spoken word albums and much more), and for that I can't thank him enough. I was in a slump for months, not being able to complete any of my art..... getting distracted by the interweb and TV shows and my stupid day job.... then I saw DIY or DIE and bought this book and I'm back in the game. Thanks, Michael.

$30 Film School is the best freaking book on self-promotion and keeping it real and everything related to filmmaking I have ever read. This book is truly, truly a great read. You need to pick it up if you are serious about movies and making your own.. and not just movies, but if you're into doing things yourself when it comes to art, music, etc. (the "DIY" ethic)... this book covers every aspect on how to get out there and known for the art you make. So even if you're not that into film, the info in this book is priceless.

Please, do yourself a favor and buy it. And pick up "DIY OR DIE", the documentary by him. And then GO MAKE YOUR OWN MOVIE! :)

After reading many books on the topic of independent film making I feel this is the worst of them all.

Why it's bad:
- This book has over 150 pages of outdated software screenshots.

- Each topic covererd is covered in only the most rudimentary fashion. If you need to be told that a person that's all white or all black is lit poorly then this book will meet you at your level. If you're wondering how to use the Zebras in your camera then you're already way, way, way beyond this book.

- The actual "on set" film making process is covered from pages 1 to 146.

This author shoots with a low end miniDV camera (under $1k these days). If that's what you're shooting with and you've never had any film making education at all then you may think this book is a bonafide five star ticket to Sundance!

If you're a DVX100, XL1, XL2 or better shooter than you're probably looking for a lot more book than this one.

I think it's critical for the buyer to understand just what the target market for this book is - the TOTAL NOVICE. But even for them I couldn't recommend this book.

In this book Michael does more than demystify the inner workings of film making. In his candid, earthy way he reveals that it's all about ideas, not budgets and technical expertise (although that helps too). We are shown that anyone with a camera, a computer to edit, some friends to act as crew and actors, and some imagination, we can create art. He teaches us how to think like an artist and more importantly why we create art in the first place. He suggests we "Fight for art against adversity like you'd fight for your little sister if she were picked on by bullies." In his often funny and casual way, Michael shares the glory and the minutiae of film making. Whatever the medium, this book shows us how to think outside of the padded box! Anyone who considers themselves an artist and entrepreneur should read this book for the invaluable, streetwise, guerilla marketing, film making and even philanthropic savvy Michael shares. If art makes the world a better place, then keep on creating Michael!

Michael W. Dean's $30 Film School is a testimony to the D.I.Y. attitude and tenacity of true independent filmmaking. Dean encourages readers to take the information herein and make their own movies, corporate interference be damned. This is a book that introduces the various aspects of filmmaking, from initial fundraising to touring with your finished film. Supplementing the book are photographs which illustrate camera angles, slating for the camera, computer software screenshots, etc. The book also includes interviews with filmmakers such as Joshua Leonard, Rusty Nails, and Danny Plotnick. The accompanying CD-ROM includes a trailer for Dean's documentary D.I.Y. or Die and "I Left My Pants in San Diego" (a 22-minute training film), an electronic press kit, software demos, proposals, release forms, etc.

But while Michael Dean discusses such subjects as cameras, directing, producing, lighting, etc., this is not a be-all or end-all book on making movies. No one book could include every aspect of filmmaking (and I mean all aspects, from every single type of movie camera to every movie ever made since film's inception). That would be a book written in volumes. For example, Dean does not go into detail regarding cameras, lenses, f-stops, filters, etc. There are plenty of books on cinematography and videography. And in regard to the reviewer who claimed that a 3-chip camera only gives better colors, they do more than that. The newer 3-chip cameras usually include XLR inputs, a superior microphone to the standard phono mics. Also, a 3-chip camera has more pixels and this determines the sharpness of the picture. Sony VX-1000 has 410,000 pixels per its 3 CCDs. My Sony Digital8 has approximately 290,000 on its one CCD.

Nor does Dean focus on the 180-Degree Rule, Director's Line, or the Action Axis. Again, there are books on directing which discuss those subjects. And here is where I think some people miss the point about this book. $30 Film School is an antithesis to a typical film school. It is, as Michael Dean says in his introduction, "Guerrilla, no-budget, drive-by filmmaking, to be exact." Yes, there are some standard guidelines one should follow regarding such factors as composition and audio, and Michael Dean does discuss those. But what he wants you to do is to make your own movie with whatever you have on hand and not wait for Fate to deal you a winning lottery number. In some respects, he is following the creed of the Quebec-based Kino filmmakers: "Do well with nothing, do better with little, and do it right now!"

What makes Dean's book exemplary, in my opinion, is his discussion regarding the marketing, promoting, touring with, and selling of one's movie. Any book can tell you how to shoot and edit, but his is the first I've read that actually tells you how to take what you've done and show it around your block or across the nation. The key to your success, however, is your willingness to work for it. Not to mention how well you work with others.

Overall, I highly recommend $30 Film School. The tone is casual, even conversational. Michael Dean doesn't talk down to his readers and encourages people to make art for art's sake. While he often talks about his art, I never got the feeling that he thinks he's superior to anyone. In fact, he talks about many artists in this book and even includes the websites for some. After all, what good is art if you don't share it?

Happy filmmaking!

Not only did I find the writer entertaining, but he really did share information on how to write, direct, produce, shoot, edit, distribute, tour with, and sell your own no-budget DIGITAL movie! I am one of those film makers that fall into the the no budget catagory, but I love making movies! This book really taught me a lot about independent film business and came just crammed full of real letters, contracts, etc. that can be adapted and actually used, rather than a lame discription of such! I actually bought this book having only flipped through it for 30 seconds and was so impressed with what was in it I bought it straight away, read in in two weeks and am now putting what I learned into use! I HIGHLY recommend this book!!!

I reviewed this book about a month ago. Michael Dean, the author, emailed me and corrected me for posting that he only made one movie. Well, when he wrote the book he had only made one movie. I judged what was between the covers at the time of publication.

Since then, my review has been removed. So I'm reviewing again. I think the author is lame for removing my review because he felt it was a slam. I re-read the book, and here's the deal: If you need to be inspired or motivated, get this book. If you need cheerleading, get this book. If you feel marginalized and want to be in with the out crowd, get this book.

Now, if you seriously want to make movies and like your teachers to be experts, skip this book. The guy only made one movie when he wrote this, and boasts of this throughout the book. My issue with the book stems from his praise of his design skills, yet the CD rom is as designed as windows file explorer, which is to say no design at all. The CD Rom is missing files he references in the text, if you bother to wade through all the junk on it.

Alas, if you want a role-model who fully embodies the D.I.Y. ethos - which encompasses dissent, Mr. Dean- maybe look to Rodriguez, or Brakhage. Fine authors with a body of work and respect for the craft and all it's practitioners. At least you can say "I want to make movies like Robert Rodriguez, so let me get his Rebel without a crew." Dean blows a lot of smoke about "burn this dvd," but he doesn't include the documentary on the CD. Nope. You get to watch a dull home movie he deems a film. Which is a terrible shame, because everything about that CD-rom undermines everything good in the book.

So if you buy this book, burn the CD. Literally, with your bic lighter or Zippo if you're a hipster. I still own this book, am happy to own it despite it's glaring contradictions.

So the book is a good cheer you up read. I'm not so hype on the author, though. Emailing me is fine- I guess he thought I'd back done. Never replied to my explanation. But to delete an Amazon review? A review that is informing the community? Depriving the consumers from a consumer's experience? For shame, Michael Dean. Just for that, I am throwing away all my Jimmy Dean sausages. Tearing down my James Dean posters. And removing the Howard Dean for Prez 2098 sign from my lawn. But I'll keep the book. But no other Deans in my household! - Anthony [...]