The Budget Book for Film and Television, Second Edition Review

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(More customer reviews)Written by film, video, and television production manager and producer Robert J. Koster, The Budget Book For Film And Television is a step-by-step walkthrough of how to create and fine-tune film and television budgets. Based upon the widely popular budgeting software packages "Movie Magic" and "EP Budgeting", The Budget Book For Film And Television uses screenshots and explicit instructions, as well as general warnings and discussions of sudden expenses, pitfalls, easy-to-miss items that can make or break a budget, and much more. A superb guide to figuring out costs for a large-scale production in a methodical, accurate manner.


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Getting it Done: The Ultimate Production Assistant Guide Review

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(More customer reviews)I must say, as someone who has been on sets and seen the hustle and bustle, I was skeptical that there could be all of the necessary information one needs to survive the "biz" in a single book. Mr. Friedman, however, exceeded all expectations. He has found a way to walk a fine line between being both informative and entertaining at the same time, offering not only helpful hints and concrete facts, but using his own personal stories and experiences to enhance the reader's journey through this fascinating world. If there is one book I would suggest on the topic of being a production assistant, this would be it! I promise you will learn everything you need to know and more, and his inclusion of pictures, charts and paperwork forms provides an insight into life on set that cannot be rivaled.
"Getting it Done" could not be a more apt title for this book- Mr. Friedman clearly "gets it done" within its pages, and I promise that after you read it, so will you!

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Only a fool would enter a film set without having first read this production manual. There is no faster way up the ladder than being prepared and no faster way out the door than by screwing up. This manual was created by a working PA as a tutorial for those starting out, or a reference guide for seasoned filmmakers. Getting It Done offers information on the many departments involved in a film production, the day-to-day operations of the set, the paperwork involved, and much more. This is the book that will get you started and keep you working at your very best.

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Filmmaking: Direct Your Movie from Script to Screen Using Proven Hollywood Techniques Review

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(More customer reviews)The illustration on the cover of this book is very apropos. As someone who jumped in to the industry with both feet and not a first clue about what I was getting into, I can say that I WISH that I had had "Filmmaking: Direct Your Movie from Script to Screen Using Proven Hollywood Techniques" by Jason Tomaric back then! It is just packed with just about every single detail that any aspiriing, or even established independent filmmaker can have a question about.
The one thing that really thrilled me about this book is that it goes beyond techniques and how to film scenes, three point lighting, cameras, etc. This book also effectively delves into the nitty-gritty of the business side. This is the one area, in all honesty, what so many film students or would-be filmmakers painfully lack. Filmmaking is a business, and Tomaric brings that reality home. Jason Tomaric shows step-by-step on scheduling, casting, dealing with the various unions and organizations, as well as keeping things nice and organized during the all-too-important post-production and distribution stages.
If you want to make movies, and you don't necessarily have the time and inclination to go to film school, there is no better book that I have found than this one that covers it all in one volume. It simply is a must-own!

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Filmmaking, the definitive resource for filmmakers, blows the doors off the secretive film industry and shows you how to adapt the Hollywood system for your production. Full of thousands of tips, tricks, and techniques from Emmy-winning director Jason Tomaric, Filmmaking systematically takes you through every step of how to produce a successful movie - from developing a marketable idea through selling your completed movie. Whether you're on a budget of $500 or $50 million, Filmmaking reveals some of Hollywood's best-kept secrets. Make your movie and do it right.

The companion site includes:


Over30 minutes of high-quality video tutorials featuring over a dozen working Hollywood professionals

Industry-standard forms and contracts you can use for your production

Sample scripts, storyboards, schedules, call sheets, contracts, letters from the producer, camera logs, and press kits

45-minute video that takes you inside the movie that launched Jason's career. 3,000 extras, 48 locations, 650 visual effects-all made from his parent's basement for $25,000.

The companion site includes:


Over 30-minutes of high-quality video tutorials featuring over a dozen working Hollywood professionals

Industry-standard forms and contracts you can use for your production

Sample scripts, storyboards, schedules, call sheets, contracts, letters from the producer, camera logs and press kits

45-minute video that takes you inside the movie that launched Jason's career. 3,000 extras, 48 locations, 650 visual effects, and all made from his parent's basement for $25,000.

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I'll Be in My Trailer: The Creative Wars Between Directors and Actors Review

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(More customer reviews)Actors... can't live with them, can't fire them. Of course, actors are very special people. And of course, the main key to dealing with them is communication. However, finding the RIGHT way to communicate is often very difficult, because the way a director, writer or a producer thinks is very different from how the mind of an actor sees the creative process. (they also differ greatly from each other, but that's a whole different ballgame)
John Badham, director of some huge hits (Saturday Night Fever, Stakeout, War Games) tries to build bridges in this book, even though the title leads one to believe the tone will be fairly belligerent. On the contrary, while there are some stories about extremely bad behaviour here, Badham is being very constructive. In many cases, he puts the blame for an incident squarely on his own shoulders, even when an objective observer would think he did nothing wrong. His main goal is to facilitate the communication between director and actor, by explaining how to give direction in a way that actors can actually use. Badham himself uses the `as if'-technique (i.e. play this scene as if you got to catch the last train) to put actors in the right frame of mind. However, this approach isn't right for everyone (some actors DO want result-oriented direction), and Badham duly notes alternative approaches.
The book also provides a ton of helpful hints for almost all of the problems that can crop up on a set, acting-wise and actor-wise. When dealing with an addict, the only option is tough love. When some actors misbehave just for the fun of it or to flaunt their own power, a swift and just retribution is in order - except when you're dealing with real stars, who are beyond anyone's power to control.
The book also contains lots of interviews with actors, directors and producers who provide insights from all sides of the `war'. There's a lot of on-set anecdotes about Travolta (Saturday Night Fever) and Richard Dreyfuss, among others, and the interviewees include both huge stars, television directors, well-known actors who never made it to the A-list, and producers. The book is completely succesful at what it sets out to do, though of course the problems will remain. But now at least, there's some real help out there for directors struggling to get their cast under control.

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