$30 Film School: How to write, direct, produce, shoot, edit, distribute, tour with, and sell your own no-budget DIGITAL movie (Power!) (Paperback)

~ Michael W. Dean (Author) "You don't need big bucks to make great stuff..." (more)
Key Phrases: backing from others, fiscal sponsorship, exporting audio, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Sound Forge (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review

One of the most important tools available to an a artist. -- Alt.culture.guide™, Keith Gordon, 2004

Product Description

We’re entering a new era. Mini-DV filmmaking is the new folk, the new punk rock, the new medium where anyone can tell his story. "$30 Film School" is an alternative to spending four years and a hundred thousand dollars to learn the trade. It is influenced by punk rock’s Do-It-Yourself spirit of just learning the basics and then jumping up on a stage and making a point, and by the American work ethic back when it was pure, before it became all about corporations crushing the little guy. Throw in the hacker idea that information wants to be free (or at least very cheap) and you’ve got our deal. Inside you’ll find many interviews from insightful independent filmmakers and artists, as well as a host of practical advice, knowledge, and resources.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 528 pages
• Publisher: Course Technology PTR; 1 edition (May 13, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1592000673
• ISBN-13: 978-1592000678
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 7.3 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (123 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #536,344 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Really bad, August 3, 2006

By	R. Walling (Los Angeles, CA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Dean spends most of the book talking about how great he is, whether it be as a filmmaker or a musician. He drops names no one's ever heard of, and spouts off about how cool he is. Of course, I've never heard of any of his films or bands, but he'd probably say that he's so "DIY" (do it yourself), that only the hardcore folks have heard of him.

Dean winds up rambling about making films for nearly 500 pages, but doesn't say much that will help a new filmmaker hone his/her craft. He makes flippant comments about how Hollywood's approach to filmmaking is wrong, and points out that his method is way better, but he doesn't give any convincing reasons why his method is better. In the end the reader is left $30 poorer with film tips they could pick up from someone's MySpace page.

12 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars It coulda been a contender, July 12, 2004

By	David G Snyder (Everett, Washington) - See all my reviews

Having decided to film and produce a series of life history interviews with my grandmother before she passes, I figured it was high time the quality of my productions moved beyond elementary home movies. I purchased this book knowing full well that it was targeted towards the indie filmmaker rather than the serious hobbiest, so I expected portions of it to be irrelevant to me. Even with that expectation, I was disappointed with this book.

There is some information in this book that could be very helpful. The author includes several example letters, contracts, release forms, and the like; however, the good parts are often lost in the jungle of his socio-economic views, anti-establishment diatribes, and self-promotion of his previous works. (If 'DYI or DIE' was intended to go hand in hand with the book, why not include the DVD and call it the '$35 Film School?') Furthermore, the author goes on at length on subjects better left to others while neglecting in-depth discussion in the areas where his experience is useful. For example, he devotes 150+ pages (nearly 1/3 of the book!) instructing the reader on how to do various things in Premiere, cinestream, Vegas, Acid, Soundforge, and MyDVD. Yet, when it comes to the actual camera work, lighting setups, audio engineering, or editing, too often he instructs the reader to "study films and figure out why they did that."

I'm sitting here having just finished the book after several hours of reading, trying to think of the good sections. The only part that stands out is the very first chapter on writing screenplays. Sadly, the good part ends on page 14... that's where he devotes 1 3/4 pages telling the reader how to bind the screenplay with brads. I'm sure that 1 3/4 pages of "treeware" (his eco-friendly term) could have been used in a much more effective way.

I also felt that the author spent far too much time (especially in the first 100 pages) justifying his actions and solitary working behavior. If he doesn't want to work with interns, that's okay. There is no need to write pages and pages on the inadequacies of film school students, interns, and volunteers who don't follow through. Make your point and move on.

You might wonder why I spent several hours reading a book that I found so disappointing. I actually found the book fairly interesting (minus the software tutorials), just not particularly helpful. There are a few good things in there if you dig for them, but this book would have been much better and just as informative if it had been 100 pages instead of 465 pages.

If you're looking for a book to teach you the technical aspects of filmmaking, move along. This book isn't it. If you're looking for a book to motivate you to finish that indie film that has been sitting in your attic for the past 9 years, this might be right up your alley.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Buy This Book!!!, November 15, 2006

By	Mimi B. (SLC, Ut) - See all my reviews

$30 Film School is an absolute jewel of a book to have in your possession , as is covers every aspect of filmmaking from conception to distribution in a writing style that that is as straight forward and plebian as it is witty and concise. Michael Dean takes an approach to instructional writing that makes it seem like you are in the same room with him having a conversation. I read it straight through the first day I bought it out of sheer enjoyment and I have been referring to it on various projects ever since. Every question I have had about filmmaking has been answered and utilized in this book. I have used Dean's sage advice to attain fiscal sponsorship, to totally master my camera, to find cheap and professional ways around lighting and sound.

As I have read all of the reviews posted here, let me just state, if anyone has an issue spending 30$ on this book, they are not reading it the way it was intended. There are no quick fixes in like and you could read a whole library of books and never achieve what you want to. You have to get off your behind and do it. That is what Michael Dean is saying. If your intent is to become Michael Bey, I guess you should save your money. This is not a how to guide to becoming a Hollywood Mogul. If your intent is to figure out a feasible way to do what you love, to make art, this book will show you the way. I own at least twenty different books on the subject. THIS ONE IS THE BEST!