Before You Shoot : A Guide to Low Budget Film and Video Production (3rd edition) (Paperback)

~ (Author) "Before You Shoot will save you time, money, and aggravation when you make your next film..." (more)
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"Outstanding book of concise, no nonsense information essential to anyone considering producing a film." -- Todd Flinchbaugh, Film/Television Instructor, DeAnza College

"Practical, down-to-earth common sense primer for independent filmmakers. Producing is a skill and Garvy lets you eavesdrop on her troubleshooting and problem-solving on a range of film/video projects. Highly recommended." -- Pat Ferrero, Professor of Cinema, San Francisco State University

Product Description

Practical guide for independent filmmakers on all aspects of film & video production -- including planning, budgeting, scheduling, casting, production logistics, post-production, distribution, and much more. Geared for producers or production managers but valuable for anyone connected with the filmmaking process.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 297 pages
• Publisher: Shire Press; 3 edition (August 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0918828171
• ISBN-13: 978-0918828170
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.4 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #344,361 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I have owned a copy of this book since 1985, one of the best, February 17, 1999

By A Customer

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.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Marvelous for those of us staring from scratch., December 14, 1996

By A Customer

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.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very Important for Beginners, April 20, 2004

By A Customer

Amazon Verified Purchase

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.