Books

Nuts and Bolts Filmmaking

By Dan Rahmel

Most books that describe low-budget moviemaking are either primarily inspirational or focus on writing scripts, handling actors, planning shooting logistics, camera selection, etc. These books rarely address the nuts and bolts of actual production. Equipment fabrication, effective lighting, authentic art direction, set decoration, basic makeup effects, and post-production techniques are traditionally ignored.

Nuts-and-Bolts Filmmaking provides how-to information for each of these areas. Construction details show you how to replicate many expensive professional film tools for under $30 a piece. The explosion in consumer and pro-sumer digital video cameras has supplied an opportunity for almost anyone to be a filmmaker -- if they have the right knowledge and equipment to realize their vision. This book provides quick and inexpensive remedies to the most common and difficult production challenges.

Among other things, the reader will learn to:

•  Create a variety of light, reflector, and flag stands with inexpensive items available at any hardware store

•  Use tea bags, coffee grounds, and hairspray to authentically age sets and props

•  Modify an inexpensive tripod to create a camera glider for smooth, professional tracking shots

•  Tie knots and hitches regularly used by most professional grips

•  Create a sound boom from inexpensive PVC pipe with a boom mount that eliminates bumps and jars to the microphone

•  Simulate tears, sweat, blood, and even a dead body

•  Use MiniDV post-production techniques to replicate the look of the expensive skip-bleach process made popular by films such Minority Report, Seven, Traffic, and Panic Room.

•  Achieve underwater shots with an item available at any pet store

•  Use household items in place of expensive camera and light filters

Nuts and Bolts Filmmaking gives the reader, in an easy to understand format, instructions on duplicating the techniques and tools used on professional sets. The construction projects will require only the most standard tools (drill, saw, hammer, etc.) to create production essentials for a fraction of the price.

Check out the Nuts and Bolts Filmmaking Table of Contents

The Nuts and Bolts Filmmaking (link to Amazon.com)