Comments for 315 Entertainment Group

Comment on The Filmmaker’s Handbook: A Comprehensive Guide for the Digital Age by Anonymous

Anonymous — Thu, 09 Jun 2011 07:22:48 +0000

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

It's all in the plan..., June 18, 2007

David Park (Austin, TX) -

This review is from: The Independent Filmmaker's Guide to Writing a Business Plan for Investors (Paperback)

This book has two sections: the first outlines the requirements of a business plan, and the second is a sample business plan, with the intention that you copy it and fill in the blanks.

The first section is very helpful in giving you an overview of what is expected in a business plan, and why. Most crucially, it gets you thinking about your investor and what they are looking for from the deal. Many projects that reach the business-plan stage fail because they to not acknowledge the business element of filmmaking, but focus on the artistic merits of the project. In reading the first section, you'll gain a good understanding of the steps to present your project to an investor. A slight weakness of this is the presumption that you'll have an army of entertainment lawyers to complete the funding process. This is advisable, but not always the case.

The second section, however, is where the book falls short. Reading through the business plan, it is laborious in its repetition - while there is a need to restate some facts or intentions, this plan goes overboard. It is also quite poorly structured: for example, half the plan is an overview of the filmmaking process that assumes your investor knows nothing about film. This information should be in an appendix - an investor should not have to wade through 20 pages of this before reaching the numbers and projections they're really interested in.

In summary, this is a good guide to the realities of presenting your project to investors, but it doesn't deliver as well on that promise as it could. Still a worthwhile read and a useful addition to any low- to mid-level filmmaker's bookshelf.

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Comment on The Filmmaker’s Handbook: A Comprehensive Guide for the Digital Age by David Park

David Park — Thu, 09 Jun 2011 07:07:37 +0000

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

Great Book For Indie Filmmakers!, May 22, 2004

Cathode Ray Shadow (USA) -

This review is from: The Independent Filmmaker's Guide to Writing a Business Plan for Investors (Paperback)

This book is well-written and straight to the point. If you're an independent filmmaker living in the U.S.A. and have a project that you need to get FUNDED, well, you're going to need a plan of action and a well-written business plan, whether your investors are friends and family or unknown doctors and lawyers.

This book takes you through the process, shows you what you need to compile, and gives great resource information for doing just that. There is also an excellent SAMPLE BUSINESS PLAN that you can use as a nice blueprint for your own personalized plan.

Mr. Campisi has been in the movie business a long time and has raised funds for quite a few business ventures (inside and outside the biz), so his knowledge and information is invaluable. This book cuts right to the chase and will get you motivated and on the road to securing funds for your project. It's a long and uncertain road, but this book, along with a few others, is a great way to get your business plan underway so you can get down to the business of making a movie!

Well worth the money.

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Comment on The Filmmaker’s Handbook: A Comprehensive Guide for the Digital Age by Cathode Ray Shadow

Cathode Ray Shadow — Thu, 09 Jun 2011 06:29:09 +0000

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

Essential Reading, May 2, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: The Independent Filmmaker's Guide to Writing a Business Plan for Investors (Paperback)

This book gets to the heart of the matter when it comes to telling students/readers what works and what doesn't, what is necessary and what isn't, when it comes to searching for funds for your project. A lot of the information appeared to be common sense, but then I realized it was the writer who made it appear so simple. I read another book where you had to be an accountant or attorney to make heads or tales of the information. This book spells everything out in plain English and makes you fully comprehend what you're reading with creative examples and comparisons. This book is essential reading for anyone seriously interested in taking the next step as a filmmaker.

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Comment on The Filmmaker’s Handbook: A Comprehensive Guide for the Digital Age by Franz von Habsburg

Franz von Habsburg — Thu, 09 Jun 2011 06:00:55 +0000

24 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

For the beginner and the proffesional, this book has it all!, April 30, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Filmmaker's Handbook: A Comprehensive Guide for the Digital Age (Paperback)

As an aspiring young filmmaker, the first thing I was told to do was go out and get a copy of the Filmmaker's Handbook. Imagine my surprise when I found out that the book had been updated in March of 1999, and that now it included all kinds of information about the digital age. I have learned so much from this book. The book goes over the entire film process, and does it in a straight-forward manner. It is a great start for beginners, yet it includes a rich amount of information for the professional. Anyone who has ever thought about a career in film really needs to get a copy of this book. Written in a manner that neither patronizes nor confuses the reader, the Filmmaker's Handbook is the best book I have skimmed or read on film, and believe me, I've looked at a lot.

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Comment on The Filmmaker’s Handbook: A Comprehensive Guide for the Digital Age by Nathan Andersen "film lover, philosophy profe...

Nathan Andersen "film lover, philosophy profe... — Thu, 09 Jun 2011 05:20:34 +0000

21 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

An excellent overview of the business of filmmaking, December 23, 2004

Nathan Andersen "film lover, philosophy profe... (Florida) -

This review is from: The Filmmaker's Handbook: A Comprehensive Guide for the Digital Age (Paperback)

For those who love films but don't really know what's involved in their getting made, this is an excellent guide. Of course, it's even more indispensible for those who hope one day to make a film but aren't currently involved in the business. I emphasize "business" here because this isn't really a guide to the art of making films; you could imagine a similar book called "The Entrepeneur's Handbook: A comprehensive guide to establishing your own business in the age of the internet" and it would cover the same types of topics. For a guide to the art of filmmaking/directing, my favorite book is "Film Directing Fundamentals" by Nicholas Proferes. But for the practical and day to day and big picture of the business of filmmaking, "The Filmmaker's Handbook" is Indispensible: an excellent and thorough introduction and guide to the processes, the people, the arrangements, the contracts, the details that go into making films, especially independent films.

I required this book as one of the textbooks for my film history course on "American Independent Film" because it seemed to me there was no better way to indicate to students how much is involved in getting films made. It's a very helpful piece of the course and gives students a perspective that they wouldn't get from my own emphasis on film theory and criticism.

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Comment on Greenscreen Made Easy: Keying and Compositing Techniques for Indie Filmmakers by Scenic Designer

Scenic Designer — Thu, 09 Jun 2011 04:41:38 +0000

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

Very Poor Guide, April 6, 2010

Scenic Designer -

Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)

This review is from: The Filmmaker's Guide to Production Design (Paperback)

This book is very poorly written. Its like the author heard about Production Design and decided to write a book on what he'd heard. Full of inaccurate information. This book is a mess.

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Comment on Greenscreen Made Easy: Keying and Compositing Techniques for Indie Filmmakers by Shinseng

Shinseng — Thu, 09 Jun 2011 04:38:27 +0000

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

Good... for some, October 14, 2009

Shinseng (USA) -

This review is from: The Filmmaker's Guide to Production Design (Paperback)

This is a handy little guide to production design, but as other reviewers have noted, it is not necessarily meant for a production designer. It's for filmmakers themselves (as noted in the title).

As an independent filmmaker, I found this book an entertaining and informative read. It helped me get a better understanding for just what the art department is involved with on a feature. Also, it inspired me to design the sets for my next film.

Recommended for beginning independent filmmakers who are often their own production designer. For those who want a career in production design this book, although a nice intro, will leave you wanting something deeper.

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Comment on Greenscreen Made Easy: Keying and Compositing Techniques for Indie Filmmakers by Daniel Coulter

Daniel Coulter — Thu, 09 Jun 2011 03:58:05 +0000

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

Solid intro for greenscreening, May 15, 2009

Daniel Coulter (NC, USA) -

This review is from: Greenscreen Made Easy: Keying and Compositing Techniques for Indie Filmmakers (Paperback)

I'm a video producer who has used Greenscreen technology for years, but found some techniques to improve my shots in this manual. Has good information on video cameras and background setup. The Adobe "On Location" and "Ultra" software mentioned in this book offer good results. "Ultra" is especially helpful in creating clean keys when shooting with low-end professional cameras. I also used input from this book to evaluate and buy a new greenscreen background with support stands. All in all, a useful book.

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Comment on Greenscreen Made Easy: Keying and Compositing Techniques for Indie Filmmakers by E. Shepard

E. Shepard — Thu, 09 Jun 2011 03:20:40 +0000

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

AMAZING Resource For Media Producers at Any Level!, June 20, 2009

E. Shepard (Burlington, Vermont, USA) -

This review is from: Greenscreen Made Easy: Keying and Compositing Techniques for Indie Filmmakers (Paperback)

This is a fantastic book, packed with useful and often unexpected information. I highly recommend it. Best single chromakey resource I've ever seen - and I have a shelf of these books. I truly wish more resource / how-to books were as great as "Greenscreen Made Easy".

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Comment on Greenscreen Made Easy: Keying and Compositing Techniques for Indie Filmmakers by RayCrown

RayCrown — Thu, 09 Jun 2011 03:13:06 +0000

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

Great Book, For EveryOne, April 1, 2009

RayCrown (Guangzhou,Guangdong,CHN) -

This review is from: Greenscreen Made Easy: Keying and Compositing Techniques for Indie Filmmakers (Paperback)

This book is easy to read even my english is not good.i come form china and i can read chapter 11 - 19 really clear. really easy to understand and this book is for any level you are.

chapter 1-10 seems like for the Camera man,talking about the easy way to creat a green screen shot.chapter11-19 about post working..

even i have done the Compositing work for 5 years i still find some great stuff in this book.thx to michele and jeremy.

BTW,,,if you are a Mac user,and you using final cut pro or motion .After effects you should get this book!

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