Low Price The Power Filmmaking Kit: Make Your Professional Movie on a Next-to-Nothing Budget

To give this less than 5 stars would be to do this very detailed book an injustice. At this point in time if you could buy just one book on filmmaking this is the one to buy. However, this is a critique rather than a review--and I do want to point out what irks me about this book. But lets start with what is really good about it.

1) The book is fascinating--and even someone who has read many other books will find it engaging and enlightening.

2) The included movie that the author made for $2,000 is superb. (This is a little depressing as it is so good why isn't it better known, and what does that imply about the films we will make.)

3) The book is superbly detailed in every area. For example I've purchased books on directing actors that were not as enlightening as the directing actors section of this book.

4) There is genius in the depth it goes to. For example a veritable checklist about parking, etc, when your actors invade the neighborhood of the shoot.

What I didn't like was the fact that although the author made his film for so little, he does not share as much detail about that accomplishment as I would have liked. It is not like How to Make a Low-Budget Digital Movie which focuses solely on a low-budget film, and although that is not entirely a negative it does get us to where my critique of the book lies. Who the heck is this book for? It is written as if the reader might be a no budge movie maker with a dream, but is slightly more likely to have a spare fortune about to finance their film? And at the same time isn't quite focused on the big budget filmmaker such as From Reel to Deal: Everything You Need to Create a Successful Independent Film. What I would say is that it is a better and more American version of The Guerilla Film Makers Movie Blueprint.

But don't get me wrong. This is still a brilliant book. The author, for example, does not fall into the trap so many others have, of recommending cameras, equipment, etc. Instead he talks about the equipment in general and so doesn't not date his material as badly as others have. Even my Canon XH A1 1.67MP 3CCD High-Definition Camcorder with 20x Optical Zoom has a new model Canon XH-A1S 3CCD HDV High Definition Professional Camcorder with 20x HD Video Zoom Lens III (and I recommend 2008 Learn the (Canon XH A1, XH-A1) XHA1 TUTORIAL TEACHING PROGRAMMED-INSTRUCTION DVD for both. Though before too long solid state cameras, i.e. no tapes needed at pure 1920 x 1080 resolution will be the only show to consider.)

In conclusion, my problem is who the author addressed as his reader. I do not as a reader have a problem with the wealth of information here. And until another book comes along this may well be the best book out there.Get more detail about The Power Filmmaking Kit: Make Your Professional Movie on a Next-to-Nothing Budget.