Customer Reviews

Indie Producers Handbook : Creative Producing From A to Z

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I bought this book because it had cool art work and boy was I surprised. I was a student at NYU Tish School of the Arts majoring in Film Producing and this book taught me more about producing than the years I spent at NYU. I read the book from cover to cover in one sitting and then I decided that I would re-read a little each night before going to sleep. So I keep it at my bedside. Every night I learn more and more about the creative side of producing...and discovering that it is as much an art form as directing or writing. This book has really opened my eyes. I don't know who Myrl Schreibman is except that he is on the faculty of UCLA but I wish I had taken courses from him if he is anything like his book. This is a book that I will refer to alot. Thanks

Finally, a book that is actually useful! This book let's the serious producer and director approach the process in a realistic and effective way. It is both comprehensive and inspiring. It covers the issues no one wants to talk about, such as, if you want to make a film and you have the money there are actual steps you need to take. There's no mystery or B.S. here, but there's plenty of insight and knowledge. Great read!

I bought this book, "THE INDIE PRODUCERS HANDBOOK, Creative Producing from A - Z" about two weeks ago when I saw a friend of mine reading it one day at a coffee shop in the Village. It looked kind of interesting since I want to go into the film and television business in some way using my background in finance on Wall Street. Even though my friend had experience and said that the book was basically for people who knew about making movies, this book made it so simple for me (a layman) to understand that it got me excited about the possibility of producing in some way. Until I read this book, I thought a producer was just the guy who supplied the money. Now I know it is much more than that. Somewhere in the book the author reminds us the importance of the producer by pointing out that it is the producer who gets the Oscar for Best Movie. When I read that, everything hit home to me. This book not only provides the info but the practical experiences that the author had and from many people which enhances the value it offered to me. I haven't looked at many other books on producing...but I know that this is one I will hold on to when (and if) I go into the business...(which I probably will!)I think I will use it to find answers that may come up.

What Myrl Schreibman has done is no small achievement. Producers are some of the most misunderstood creatures in the filmmaking kingdom. As a producer, I can attest to that. Schreibman has illuminated some of the larger contributions producers of all types make to the creative process of filmmaking. But he doesn't stop there--he also explores the details of the work the producer must undertake to insure the success of any production. This insight and the balance he strikes between the creative and administrative (imbued with Myrl's years of experience as a producer), is a great gift. This is the best book of its type available and deserves to be on the bookshelf of every film student and every lover of movies.

There is a reason that AFI, NYU, and other major film schools are using Schreibman's book. It lives up to its title - it really covers things from A to Z. Whether you want to understand the union rules for key grips, do's and dont's of scheduling the first day of shooting on an indie feature, tips on working with a composer, where to find the money to produce a film, how to budget, or a hundred other producing topics - this book is the place to go. If you are going to try and make an indie film - this is certainly one of the must read books.

If you are looking for a practical, REALISTIC book on how to begin and finish the production process, this is the book for you. I began my very extensive hunt for a book that would spell out the production process from A-Z. This book delivered on what it said. Very often in this industry it can be smoke and mirrors...not here my friend. Myrl speaks from experience and gives it to you straight. You WILL understand the production process from start to finish after reading this book.

As an added note, I was so impressed with the book that I contacted Myrl to consult with me on a recent project. He delivered on his promises and helped me guide my project to a successful finish. A five-star book and a five-star person.

This book is the producer's version of Gray's "Anatomy of the Human Body." Without a doubt, Schreibman's text is the blueprint for any successful indie film and should be read and thoroughly consulted by every creative producer - experienced or otherwise. Furthermore, this book that can be extremely useful to directors and screenwriters because it provides a real understanding of what the producer does and how the other creative entities can best collaborate with the producer for creative and practical synergy. In short, this book is a must for anyone who wants to make movies.

I recently finished producing my own independent film and found this book right at the beginning of my post-production period.

I wish I had found it earlier. It is full of no-nonsense advice and information that is practically bullet-proof, and I ended up agreeing with about all of it. Schreibman, who apparently has a long history of producing films for t.v. and theatrical market, has paid his dues, done his homework, and knows another "feel-good" you-can-do-it book isn't necessary.

He tells you like it is, doesn't pull any punches, and helps you avoid the most common mistakes, both legally and aesthetically. Writing and directing are generally the more "arty" positions in film production - the Producer is supposed to keep the ship moving forward and avoiding any fatal mistakes. This book directs you in the right direction.

My film was a "micro-budget" film, and this book may ultimately be more useful for "larger" independent features, including ones with SAG deals, distribution in place, and budgets closer to 7 figures. While all the advice here applies to everyone making a movie, it's the attitude Myrl conveys that I really appreciated and believed in, more than some of his nuts-and-bolts info. The contract samples at the end were also very helpful when I went out and began looking for more help finding money to finish my film (which I eventually did).

Now I'm dreaming of using the rest of the info here for my next film!

I saw a copy of this book in my attorney's office and was attracted by the artwork on the front of the cover. I asked her why she had it and she said that she had a client (not me of course!) who was about to embark on independent filmmaking who gave her the copy to read. So I immediately bought one for myself since my next step in the profession was to be a producer and produce my own written material rather than write for other producers. Well, let me tell you...when I sat down to read this book I was astounded to see all the information that was there...and written so clearly since other books on producing have always been so dry and difficult to understand. There is a logic and structure and the theories of producing that Schreibman speaks to make absolute sense (although I am sure that many producers dont know about them!). When I researched this author I found that in his career he has produced the big and the small and for the stage and screens (of all types). Its no wonder that he teaches at UCLA. I wanted to know more about who he was, so I called UCLA and spoke to him. He was just terrific to talk to and he told me that the book was now translated into Chinese by a publishing house equal to Yale University Press. It goes without saying that as a writer I was indeed impressed with this credential.
This is indeed a book that I will leaf through many times and now that I am working on my new screenplay (soon to be seen in a theater near you in 2005) the information in this book will be in my mind as I write the story and its characters. If you dont have it now....get it...in English or in Chinese.....it couldn't hurt...only help.

I must say ...I have been producing for film and television for almost twenty years now. My wife bought this book for my daughter after she saw it in the office of a well known film director and producer and I picked it up to read it. I was astounded.....the information in this book is accurate and sensational. Chock full of information that only a seasoned producer could know. Not only that, it is presented clearly with a pleasant style to the writing. Many of the ideas of producing I have used for years but I have never read anything that so clearly presents the techniques of producing so well. I agree with the author that a producer should be a little bit of a mother, a father, a teacher, a negotiator, a mediator, a creative visionary and a whole slew of other roles to succeed in the business.
One of the best things about this book is the clear explaination of what post production means to production and the various paths that post production can take compared to those of twenty years ago. This book knows its stuff. I would not be surprised if this didn't become the book on producing for any new student of film...some industry producers should read it too..it wouldn't hurt. It might make them better producers (and keep their budgets in line)