Customer Reviews

Digital Filmmaking

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
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1 star:		(2)

 

 

In regards to an early criticism of Figgis's advice on lighting, one has to understand that Figgis is NOT unique in his suggestion of using "practical," available lighting. Figgis has served as D.P. on his movies, pre-digital. He shot Leaving Los Vegas, which had a national release. Many D.P.s adhere to starting from no kit lights first, which is possible thanks to Kodak coming out with faster and lower grain celluloid stock. So you can hate the ideas of Figgis, but the guy has made studio and independent films, and prefers independent. You can't marginalize him- he directed Internal Affairs, Richard Gere and Andy Garcia's better film.

If you want a job in the industry, this is NOT a book for you. People fail to understand that the film industry is a business of self employment. You want to write and direct? Well, write and direct- make your movie. Someone else won't make the movie for you. If you DO want to make your own movie, Figgis does well to give you the lay of the land, as well as the pitfalls due to the politics of "real" 35mm movies. This is a fast read that'll get you going enough to make your movie. Some pointers may not make much sense until you've had the experience (specifically the scripting flexibility pointers. Simplify and distill the IDEA of the movie, and scenes, and at the very least your movie will carry through. It's easy to spend 10 takes on a dolly move and forget the scene is about one line.) Alright. Gotta get going on my movie. A good read to get you going. Not the end all be all, but a building block to start from. And don't dismiss him. He's worked his way up the filmmaking ladder, and made this CHOICE to remain digital. Why? Freedom.

Mike Figgis's little guide is both inspirational and handy, full of insights into and practical information regarding the nature of the new digital cinema. It can be compared to Sidney Lumet's "Making Movies" for its simple and authoritative reflections, with the difference that Sidney Lumet is a fine spokesperson for the directorial task of injecting personal vision into the old studio system of making movies, while Figgis shows how the realities of the new digital technologies make it possible to bypass some of the well worn traditions and develop new and liberating approaches to making films. What is nice, though, is that Figgis is not interested in novelty for its own sake. Rather than get the latest gear, he advocates finding a camera and tools that work for you and then getting to know them well and customizing them for your own needs. He has excellent advice about lighting, and encourages an approach that explores and takes advantage of the visual potential of digital video rather than attempting to imitate the look of film. He discusses all of the aspects of filmmaking: lighting, sound, directing actors, developing stories, postproduction and editing, distribution, and shows how each of these has changed or ought to change under the influence of digital filmmaking technology. While you can find much of the same advice elsewhere, what makes Figgis's book worth having is the way he ties such insights to his own personal experience and story. It would be hard to come away from the book without capturing his enthusiasm for the potentials of digital cinema. In fact, I find it hard to believe that anyone could read this book without wanting immediately to pick up their own cameras and make something. I know that I will read this book several times, not only to remind myself of his excellent information, but also to recapture his enthusiasm and excitement. This is not one for the bookshelf, but one to be carried around in the backpack or camera bag. A very fine manual and manifesto for a new breed of filmmaker.

I was impressed with this book, a teacher in my low-budget filmmaking class at UCLA listed it as required reading. It reads quickly and the author has some good ideas. Technology is constantly improving so some aspects of it were outdated, but the concepts were still strong. Good book, overall.

I really liked this book. It was very personal and most useful. There are loads of books out there about how to do this and that. What I wanted was some great advice. For starters know your equipment inside out, get a book and write notes about how your settings work, try different combinations. I thought that might be obvious to some but it was inspirational to me. Another great tip was treasure your equipment. Keep it immaculate, really clean especially the lens, otherwise big blobs appear on the big screen! Its got a lot of really good points which I found most useful.

I like the fact that he talks about his work, his passion, his attention to every detail. It's important and very useful. Without passion nothing get done to the highest levels.

I finally managed to get my Beginner Tai Chi DVD Finished. (See my profile for details).

This is a good little pocket sized book for beginner level digital filmmakers. It's written candidly and personally and is a keyhole glimpse into Figgis's views on digital equipment. He also offers up some handy tips and techniques.

Here's a test all film students should consider. If they could step back into the days of silent film could they make something worthwhile or possibly lasting? In this era of increasing technology gains one has to wonder how much we've replaced good story telling with expensive and complicated gimmicks. I've read time and again how often seasoned directors meet film students who haven't made a single film because the students feel the barriers are too high. They seem impeded by the question of how they could possibly make a movie without multi-million dollar backing, a small army of staffers, an assortment of the most advanced and expensive 35mm cameras, not being located in Hollywood, and so and and so forth. Figgis and other directors are quick to point out that these are mere excuses, but Figgis goes further to show what can be done with very limited means and the benefits in doing so.

Figgis's strongest points are efficiency and experience/filmmaking knowledge. He admits his handling of the crew is akin to a great General's strategic buildup before a great seige, but such is necessary to fight the enemy of the wandering budget, lagging shoot schedule and apathy that sabatoges inexpesive attempts at great film. To his credit he's tried enough equipment to conclude he can get his visual point across with much less than most and even argues that the big budget set-up is really a trap that sucks the energy out a production. Any common movie goer can't help but agreee that the 'big release' is a big gamble that doesn't always pay off and has led to a very risk-averse cinematic atmosphere. Who wants to spend $20 at the movies and not get the big explosions/scene changes and who wants to put $100 million in a movie that isn't using the 'latest and greatest' arriflex, kodak, Pixar and others have to offer? Figgis suggests a different route and gives clear directions on how the maverick can get there. One doesn't have to agree with every prescription Figgis offers but one can't help recognize the outstanding results he's achieved using his production techiniques. At the very least, budding directors could take a cue from Figgis when considering any complex device or setup and ask themselves, "Is this really necessary?"

I have found this book to be a great inspiration for me to actually make films rather than dreaming of life behind the biggest camera and largest crowd. This should be on every independent film-maker's 'must-read' list. A big thanks to Mike Figgis for sharing his knowledge with aspiring directors.

"This is the new reality - it's virtual, man, get with it. Cinema is dead, long live cinema." (p.158, 2007, Figgis)

So I'm not a filmmaker, and reading this didn't convince me to become one. He uses a ton of industry-specific technical jargon, which makes for paragraphs of uninteresting information to someone who isn't versed in it. I only read it because it was a requirement for a class.

I was very excited to get this book, it appeared like it would be a great piece on filmmaking and covering all the aspects. But instead what I got was a book so ignorant of legitimate filmmaking techniques that I can't believe this man's in the industry. His views on lighting seem to imply that he thinks digital filmmaking magically removes the need for worrying about lighting and while he does offer some money saving tips, he asks people to sacrifice making a quality film in favor of being lazy when it comes to lighting. I just could not believe the sort of contempt he has for the role of DP and really crafting. He also offers advice based on experiences making films that, according to all reviews I've read, nobody really liked, especially anybody that knows anything about film. In short, avoid this book, it's about lazy, poor filmmaking.