Digital Moviemaking: The Filmmaker's Guide to the 21st Century (Paperback)

by Scott Billups (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
Scott Billups writes an in-your-face, no-holds barred book about making movies using digital technology. Hands down, he's America's answer to every digital video filmmaker prayers. From features to special effects, Billups has done it all and shares what he's learned.

This book gets you standing, walking, and up and running in no time, cutting through confusion and the blind alleys so frequently encountered with the cutting-edge technologies.

Billups' breakthrough, head-twisting book is your fast-lane ticket to becoming tomorrow's hot filmmaker. In this -- the most-fun-to-read film book you've ever had in your hands -- you'll learn exactly what you need (and don't need) to make your own digital movie on whatever you can. From selecting camera formats and desktop editing software through digital production and Internet distribution, Billups is about to make your life a whole lot easier.

Hollywood, pay attention, and step aside! The old paradigms are crumbling! Billups gives away the keys to the digital filmmaking kingdom to a new wave of digital moviemakers who are making the kinds of films they want; on whatever budgets they have, in every corner of the country.

Scott Billups is the "first postmodern effects cowboy" (Premiere) and "one of the most-accomplished, most-sought-after digital effects artists in Hollywood" (Wired). Based in Los Angeles, he is an internationally known filmmaker and writer on media and technology who has writes, directs and produces award-wining films, videos, and special effects from his home-based studio. His resume is awesome.

KEY FEATURES:
* A pixel-twisting vision of the digital future
* Provides technical information, practical knowledge & creative enthusiasm
* Full of charts, graphs & photos

Product Details

• Paperback: 200 pages
• Publisher: Michael Wiese Productions; 2nd edition (December 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0941188302
• ISBN-13: 978-0941188302
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars See all reviews (21 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,514,922 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I resisted, but he was right., April 26, 2001

By A Customer

I'm a right-brainer, and not usually that fond of technical discussions, but I bought this book out of sheer necessity, and read every word. Billups laid it on the line: turn off the auto-everything features, and just use the camera. My footage sucked for a while, and then started to look professional once I actually learned what was going on.

He also would have saved me a FORTUNE if I had read this book first, since he has great recommendations for used equipment. I didn't need to spend thousands on the camera. Oh well. This book has an occasionally world- weary tone, and the layout is quirky (the best info comes late in the book), but once you go with it and get used to his style, he'll save you money, time, and headaches. I'd put it in the must-read list *before* you go equipment shopping.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great reference for video-to-film, January 1, 2002

By	Jamie R. Wilson (Brooklyn, New York) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Scott Billups draws up his extensive experience in the film industry and in using cutting edge technology in the film industry.

This book is an excellent reference for digital filmmakers who want to produce industry-quality films using digital equipment. Billups primary goal with the book is to help filmmakers produce high-quality video that can be converted to film without looking like it was shot on video. Experienced filmmakers will understand that this is not a simple process. Even if your goal is not to go from video to film, the techniques Billups shares in this book will undoubtedly help you improve the quality of your films.

Billups pulls no punches when it comes to his thoughts on Hollywood, the movie industry in general, technology and what you should and should not be doing or using in the production of your films. High quality filmmaking is technical and though Billups attempts to make it understandable, individuals not familar with basic filmmaking methods and equipment may find themselves lost from time to time.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who uses or plans to use video for filmmaking. Without a doubt, Billups knows from experience what he's talking about -- he shot the entire first day of filming of "Barb Wire" using a MiniDV camcorder. And that's just a fragment of his experience in this arena.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Experience Counts, February 10, 2001

By	"homerjaysimpson" (Los Angeles, CA United States) - See all my reviews

Working in the world of film & tv editing and post-production, I pride myself on being a bit of a techno-geek. However, this book goes into areas and ideas that, frankly, never even crossed my mind. Billups is like a favorite uncle recounting his experiences in the trenches, making the book very hard to put down. His enthusiasm definitely comes across, and the information stays with you because of the way it is presented. This is not a simple regurgitation of facts and technical specs. There's even a website where you can download charts and other goods for your foray into the digital film world. Definitely check it out.