Product Description

Written by Stu Maschwitz, co-founder of the Orphanage (the legendary guerrilla visual effects studio responsible for amazing and award-winning effects in such movies as Sin City, The Day After Tomorrow, and Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire), this book is a must-have for all those budding filmmakers and students who want to produce action movies with visual effects but don't have Hollywood budgets. The Orphanage was created by three twenty-something visual effects veterans who wanted to make their own feature films and discovered they could do this by utilizing home computers, off the shelf software, and approaching things artistically. This guide details exactly how to do this: from planning and selecting the necessary cameras, software, and equipment, to creating specific special effects (including gunfire, Kung Fu fighting, car chases, dismemberment, and more) to editing and mixing sound and music. Its mantra is that the best, low-budget action moviemakers must visualize the end product first in order to reverse-engineer the least expensive way to get there. Readers will learn how to integrate visual effects into every aspect of filmmaking--before filming, during filming and with "in camera" shots, and with computers in postproduction. Throughout the book, the author makes specific references to and uses popular action movies (both low and big-budget) as detailed examples--including El Mariachi, La Femme Nikita, Die Hard, and Terminator 2. Note from the Publisher: If you have the 3rd printing of The DV Rebel’s Guide, your disc may be missing the data files that accompany the book. If this is the case, please send an email to Peachpit in order to obtain the files at ask@peachpit.com

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #62687 in Books
• Published on: 2007-01-03
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 320 pages

Review

 "I'd been wanting to write a book for the new breed of digital filmmakers,
but now I don't have to. My pal and fellow movie maker Stu Maschwitz has
compressed years of experience into this thorough guide. Don't make a movie
without reading this book!"
 -Robert Rodriguez, filmmaker and author of Rebel Without a Crew

From the Back Cover
Written by Stu Maschwitz, co-founder of the Orphanage (the legendary guerrilla visual effects studio responsible for amazing and award-winning effects in such movies as Sin City, The Day After Tomorrow, and Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire), this book is a must-have for all those budding filmmakers and students who want to produce action movies with visual effects but don't have Hollywood budgets. The Orphanage was created by three twenty-something visual effects veterans who wanted to make their own feature films and discovered they could do this by utilizing home computers, off the shelf software, and approaching things artistically. This guide details exactly how to do this: from planning and selecting the necessary cameras, software, and equipment, to creating specific special effects (including gunfire, Kung Fu fighting, car chases, dismemberment, and more) to editing and mixing sound and music. Its mantra is that the best, low-budget action moviemakers must visualize the end product first in order to reverse-engineer the least expensive way to get there. Readers will learn how to integrate visual effects into every aspect of filmmaking--before filming, during filming and with "in camera" shots, and with computers in postproduction. Throughout the book, the author makes specific references to and uses popular action movies (both low and big-budget) as detailed examples--including El Mariachi, La Femme Nikita, Die Hard, and Terminator 2. Note from the Publisher: If you have the 3rd printing of The DV Rebel’s Guide, your disc may be missing the data files that accompany the book. If this is the case, please send an email to Peachpit in order to obtain the files at ask@peachpit.com

About the Author
Stu Maschwitz is a director, visual effects supervisor, renowned technologist and founding partner of The Orphanage, a leading VFX and film production company based in Los Angeles and San Francisco. Hailed byShoot Magazine as one of the “Ten Commercial Directors To Watch,” Maschwitz has quickly gained a reputation for his ability to tackle extraordinarily complex visual challenges while injecting his signature wry sense of humor and kinetic filmmaking style. An innovator in filmmaking technology, Maschwitz is the creator of The Orphanage’s revolutionary Magic Bullet software—which gives inexpensive digital video the lush look of film. Prior to joining up with his fellow co-conspirators to start The Orphanage, Maschwitz spent five years at George Lucas’ Industrial Light + Magic. He is a graduate of CalArts School of Animation.

Customer Reviews

Amazing
I normally buy books with high hopes and then feel let down when they are not mind-boggingly brilliant. This is one of those few books that hasn't only not let me down but has in fact exceeded my expectations. It's absolutely brilliant.

It's written in a nice humourous tone which doesn't come across as forced and stupid and there's a wealth of extremely useful information on all aspects of filmmaking. Most topics are covered briefly, but not so briefly that you they pass you by, and not so extensive that you get bored by them. It's a film that shows you what you need to do, makes you want to do those things, makes you want to make films by any means necesary, with whatever you have at your disposal. And it makes you feel that even if you only use 10% of the techniques discussed in the book you can still make a pretty good film.

As I said, amazing.

Great
This is an excellent book for those new to filmmaking and those who are already in the industry (like myself).
Although you can tell the author is a big fan of Adobe After Effects the book isn't dominated by After Effects - there is a great chapter on Online Editing including some genuinely helpful insight into colour grading (or color correction!!).
The included DVD has some useful Excel calculators on it as well as After Effects project files, and also the authors own short movie - which he refers to in the book.
I can't recommend this book enough (I can't write decent reviews either, writing isn't one of my fortes I'm afraid :) ).
I give this book 5 stars.

The Best Guide for Indie Filmmakers
Mr. Maschwitz' book is absolutely essential reading for any serious independent filmmaker. It covers the whole gamut of filmmaking, from pre-production to shooting to editing to visual effects, with a huge emphasis on getting the absolute best image quality for the least expense. He also covers the areas that most writers tell low-budget filmmakers to avoid - gunfire, action, explosion - the good stuff! It's clearly written and very inspirational. If you make films, buy this now.