Synopses & Reviews
Right now, you're wondering, "Gee, what kind of information is in this cute yet stylish guide?" Sure, there are a bunch of other books that will take you through the filmmaking process, and if your name is Beaver Cleaver, you might be interested in them.
But you should know that filmmaking is a war, and this book will lead you through it like no other. These pages contain information learned from years spent in the filmmaking trenches.
Anyone with a credit card can rent a camera and buy film stock -- but who can:
- Rent a camera for two weeks and pay for only two days?
- Set the exposure on the camera without a light meter?
- Feed a crew of twenty with yesterday's chicken soup?
Not many.
You want more? Then turn the book over and crack her open.
Still here?
Fine -- we'll do it the hard way: This book will tell you how to shoot a sex scene, tell you what a stinger is. And if you need help writing your script, we'll give you some scenes to copy right into your screen-play -- and yes, we even provide the characters.
In short, everything you need to know about filmmaking in the real world is in this book. Everything. We'll even help you select the proper baseball cap so you can look like a big-time director.
Now start reading. Let's make film history.
Synopsis
From the writer and director of the film festival favorite, R2PC (Road To Park City), comes this comprehensive guide for every fledgling director who has the passion but needs expert guidance on making the leap from dreamer to filmmaker. Humorous, practical and indispensable, How to Shoot
a Feature Film for Under $10,000 creates a logical chronology and checklist for intrepid filmmakers.
From the hallowed halls of high schools and colleges, to the cubicles and offices of the corporate world, thousands of dreamers bide their time, scrounging, saving, plotting and scheming, just dying to make their first film. Now, with the expert help of Bret Stern, these enthusiasts will not only be able to shoot their first feature, but they can do it for under $10,000 (Or, given Digital Video technology these days, possibly even less )
Assuming his readers have virtually no real knowledge when it comes navigating the path to Hollywood nor the how-to smarts of making an actual film (yet the passion to make one is overwhelming nonetheless), Stern sticks to the basics. From budgeting and writing the script, to what equipment is used (and how it is used), from casting and catering to using the latest in digital video and sound technoglogy, from post-production to film festival delight, distribution and beyond, How To Shoot a Feature Film for Under $10,000 (And Not Go To Jail) will teach readers everything they need to know about making that first film.
Bret Stern lives in Fairfield, CT with his wife and two cats. He has directed several films, including three independent features: Perfect Lies, Dark Tides and the film festival favorite, R2PC (Road To Park City). Stern has also shot national commercials for AT&T, TBS, Hunts and Sunoco, and works regularly as a Director of Photography in various feature films. He is currently developing a pilot for a cable series.
About the Author
Bret Stern started making feature films the day after college. He and some fanatical friends waited for the campus to empty out over Christmas break, and after taking the stuff in the school's equipment room, Bret and his crew spent seven days cranking out a feature film -- the only setbacks were the foreign students who raided the set for reading materials and the fake blood with chicken giblets that backed up the dorm's drainage system. After that there was only one alternative left -- to keep making movies. A brief stint as a location scout and then as Slaveboy at a New York commercial production company followed. Before getting fired Bret moved up from Slaveboy to Whipping Boy and then shot some commercials as Director of Photography. Once the hammer dropped, Bret had to decide which path to pursue, and although commercial work pays better, who could resist the opportunity to sleep in a cot in a bar for a week and take showers with a garden hose in the basement? What followed were the feature films Perfect Lies and Dark Tides (where Bret got to sleep on a real bed but he had to share it with his Assistant Director). After much abuse, he felt back into his role as DP, shooting and directing many commercials. Days after he had enough money for the down payment on a house (and faster than his wife could say "Hutch and China set"), Bret was at work on Road to Park City, which opened the 2000 Slamdance Film Festival and played in over fifteen others. What's next for Bret? After acquiring the grandfather clock for the house, it was time for the next feature -- a sci-fi extravaganza with a budget of $10,000, minus one cent.