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4 stars****

This book is so good for the short film maker, that it should be kept handy at all stages of the short film creation. You’ll need to make notes and refer to it time and time again.

It really does take you through all the stages of making a short film. So much so, that it also manages to treat you accordingly, whatever your budget. It assumes you’re new to making short films.

If you are new to this style of film making, then your mind will need to be at full attention to wade through the sections on choosing cameras, lenses and filters and lighting, which film to shoot with and what type of video you’ll use.

If you’re able to be the producer and can hire your own director of photography then those sections just listed will be able to almost pass you by. A little knowledge is most helpful.

The sections about pre-production and casting are a joy to read and explain the details in nice easy language.

Sound quality is often lacking on short films; this book tackles the problems head on. Don’t scrimp on value here is the message.

The editing is good for knowledge and obviously your own choice of software will reflect which way you take this. Again, a good budget will aid successful choices.

If your budget is low, you may well be arranging the soundtrack yourself, but you’ll need to beware of the master and screening formats dissected in this read.

The distribution methods are taken apart well here and should leave you with choices of your (almost) last stages of finishing your film and then getting your film seen.

The best is saved for last: included in the book is a DVD of five short films made on different films stocks, on different subjects and of different lengths. You then get to read interviews with the directors of those films and see how they did what they did and why.

Finally, some templates on the DVD via your computer will get you started.

The only section lacking is about raising the finance to make your short film. You need that to get started, but once you know the budget you’d like, you might want to look over specific finance raising books.

It’s an excellent book and achieves our 4* rating for its easy read (mostly) its in depth knowledge and giving you a total overview with which you can use your budget.

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