Practical DV FilmMaking

• Overview
• Inside video
• Films and how they work
• Pre-production
• Production tools
• Production aesthetics
• Post-production tools
• Post-production aesthetics
• Careers and distribution
• Mapping the industry
• Glossary of film and video terms

Practical DV Filmmaking

Overview

Think big

'Four years ago, if you had a video and you wanted people to see it, you had to invite them all over to your house for a beer. With the web, it's possible to produce a movie with almost no budget and get a million people to watch it.'

David Trescot, group product manager at Adobe, giving his view about the ease with which you can now go out and make movies

There is no doubt that with a camcorder and an Internet connection you have one of the most power­ful tools for communicating. If you have the energy and the will you can shoot a short movie on any subject, in your own unique style, show it to a global audience, and promote and advertise it yourself. You are more in control of the filmmaking process than any previous generation, and furthermore have less need for the established industry than ever before. Changes to the film industry as entertainment and as an art form are here to stay, and simply by possessing an Internet connection, a camcorder and basic editing software you are a part of it.

This is a great opportunity, but you may now be getting a sense of the problem that goes with it. Although inspiring, for many this is daunting. As the spotlight moves your way the need to have developed yourself as a filmmaker is profound; you need to find out what kind of films you make, how to come up with ideas good enough to film and how to get the knowledge that makes other people take you ser­iously. Your only obligation is to stand out from the crowd, do your own thing, don't emulate what everyone else is doing when the whole world starts making movies. Take advantage of this moment and start getting to know what it is that a movie by you looks like.

This isn't a new phenomenon even if the technology is in its infancy. Some of the finest directors have started their careers making films on no budgets, with no help from big studios. David Lynch made the classic film Eraserhead (1976) at weekends over a number of years while holding down a day job; within five years of its release he was being offered the chance to direct Return of the Jedi. George Romero made his seminal zombie film Night of the Living Dead (1969) with almost no funds, relying on the commit­ment of friends willing to be part-time zombies, but without being paid. Robert Rodriguez went from making a film with a borrowed camera - El Mariachi (1992) - to making hit films such as From Dusk Till Dawn (1995) and Spy Kids (2001).