Customer Reviews

The Five Essential Steps in Digital Video

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Eight-hundred pages divided by thirty bucks is less than 4 cents a page, and it's a rare page that doesn't return its value many times over in this top-notch tour through every major (and many minor) aspect(s) of the filmmaking process.

The breadth of Denise Ohio's knowledge is astonishing--she's clearly had assistance and generously credits key sources--but her ability to boil information down and present it with effervescent wit makes "Five Essential Steps" an invaluable manual for videomakers at all levels who've heard the call to "put on a show."

Whatever your budget or level of expertise (okay, I'd say the ideal reader would be at an intermediate level, with some production experience under the belt) this book provides an overview of the various phases (Development, Pre-Production, Production, Post-Production & Distribution), as well as an 'underview' chock-full of nuggets drawn from the experience of its remarkably versatile author. Even if you never intend to pitch the script, hang the lights, spot the audio, or negotiate the sync license yourself, any digital videomaker in the DIY era owes it to him/herself to understand how the process works from start to finish. For those who do intend to put on that multi-brimmed hat, consider this comprehensive primer/reference first money well-spent.

The inspiration for Five Essential Steps In Digital Video: The Do It Yourself Guide To Shooting And Producing Your Own Video sprang from a theme of five frequently asked questions posed to digital video expert Denise Ohio. The questions she typically receives are based on what she calls Five Steps: Development: Hunting and Gathering; Preproduction: People, Places, and Things; Production: Action!; Postproduction: Directing the Movie; and Selling: How to Keep Your Shirt Five Essential Steps In Digital Video is packed full of information for the novice and will serve as a superb reference for the seasoned producer. Denise Ohio covers the basics of DV technology and choosing the right equipment to planning your budget, digitizing your own music, and acquiring resources online. Selling a project has also been transformed by the Internet and Denise Ohio accessibly surveys and explains which means of distribution would be the best for the reader's project. Highly recommended with User Level classification of: Beginner to Intermediate. 800 pp.

This book is very remarkable in that it covers in ONE VOLUME virtually every aspect involved in digital moviemaking--from how to operate equipment to navigating the business and legal aspects of being a movie producer. If you could only buy one book to learn moviemaking, this would be the book.

This remarkable book manages to deliver a lot of "meat" but in writing that's clear, straightforward, and even entertaining. I love the info on script analysis--finally one of these indie moviemaking books gives as much attention to SCRIPT QUALITY as it does to networking and how to get into festivals. Other books pay lip service to DV possibilities, but "5 Steps" unapologetically takes DV to heart and espouses a style, philosophy, and approach that truly exploits the DV potential. Buy it. Then get off your butt and make your movie.

I just purchased this book and have read the first 8 chapters. It is exactly what I have been looking for. I've wanted to get involved in filmmaking for years, but have never really had a chance. I've done quite a bit of audio engineering and my job is in the computing field. After much soul searching I decided to go ahead and chase my dream. I've been looking for a way for a beginner like me to get a solid education that could give me the basics that I need to get going. This book is exactly what I've been looking for. It is easy to read but rich with practical information.

While some of the instruction in this book is valuable, MOST of the material is terribly dated.

Most of the equipment, computer, and software references are focused on the late 1990's. As a result, much of the instruction is focused on outdated limitations of old cams and NLE software, which have been vastly improved over the last few years.

There are good technique chapters in the book, but since much of THAT material is available in current books, I cannot recommend this one at the price.

This would be a GREAT book if the author were to do a complete rework and update; using material from current trends and equipment.

Technical writing can be boring. Yet Denise Ohio has the very rare knack for imparting very thorough, detailed information in a downright entertaining and conversational style. This is an incredibly thorough resource for filmmakers. The appendix alone (full of template licensing agreements, release and budgeting forms, etc.) is worth its weight in gold.

This book offers a bounty of up-to-date and practical advice on everything from mounting a mic to finding a distributor.

The wide spectrum it covers makes it ideal for burgeoning DV filmmakers, yet the high degree of detail in every section makes it extremely useful for experienced professionals as well.

Should be in every filmmaker's library. And it would make a GREAT gift for anyone who's caught the DV bug.

As a collegue in the film industry I've read some of Ohio's writings and spoken with Her on many pleasurable occasions via telephone; she's a fountain of useful information. I'd highly recommend anything film related that She'd penned, and this book is no exception

If you are a beginner in the world of filmmaking buy this book. If you are a veteran in the world of filmmaking, buy this book. It is packed full of information for the beginner and seasoned vertran of the movie industry.

Definately one to use as a bible of filmmaking.

If you only have one book about Digital Video (DV) or motion picture production and distribution, this is the book to have. It is the most comprensive single text on the subject. Before this book was published, it took many separate books to cover what is covered in this book (I know, I have a bookshelf full of them). The only bad thing about this book is that now that it's out, I won't be able to sell all those other books!