How Not to Make a Short Film: Secrets from a Sundance Programmer
How Not to Make a Short Film: Secrets from a Sundance Programmer
- ISBN13: 9781401309541
- Condition: NEW
- Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
Product Description
“Roberta Munroe is that rare person in the film world who can not only recognize an inspired, great film, but she can actually help you make one.”
–Mark Duplass, Sundance and SXSW award-winning filmmaker.
“Roberta Munroe is brilliant. Her advice and insights on our project, The Tribe, from rough cut to completed film were instrumental and invaluable to its success. It is exciting to think that all filmmakers will have access to her incredible mind and experience through this book.”
–Tiffany Shlain, award-winning filmmaker
Anyone can make a short film, right? Just grab some friends and your handheld and you can do it in a weekend or two before being accepted to a slew of film festivals, right?
Wrong.
Roberta Munroe screened short film submissions at Sundance for five years, and is an award-winning short filmmaker in her own right. So she knows a thing or two about how not to make a short film. From the first draft of your script to casting, production, editing, and distribution, this is your one-stop primer for breaking into the business. Featuring interviews with many of today’s most talented writers, producers, and directors, as well as revealing stories (e.g., what to do when the skinhead crack addict next door begins screaming obscenities as soon as you call “action”) from the sets of her own short films, Roberta walks you through the minefield of mistakes that an aspiring filmmaker can make–so that you don’t have to make them yourself.
How Not to Make a Short Film: Secrets from a Sundance Programmer
This title is at its best when it lives up to its name and talks about how NOT to make a short film. I especially liked the chapters on short film plots we’ve seen a million times and the list of 50 short film cliches (who knew that opening with a Japanese tea ceremony was a cliche?). The material on what festival programmers are looking for (and not looking for) is also valuable as is the list of festivals at the end.
However, most of the book is actually devoted to “how TO” make a short film citing the author’s experience making two short films. Don’t expect anything out of the ordinary here. There’s some good information spliced into sections on directing, producing, budgeting and marketing. But Munroe’s approach to filmmaking is strictly top-down, old-school, hire the best crew you can stuff with an emphasis on production value. The theme here is professionalism, not innovation. This book is a worthwhile read if you can accept it for what it is–a couple of great chapters and a catchy title padded with vanilla material on how to follow the traditional filmmaking process.
Rating: 4 / 5
How Not to Make a Short Film: Secrets from a Sundance Programmer
Before I shot my final project for school, I made sure to read the entire book and it was very helpful and easy to get through. Because of HOW NOT TO MAKE A SHORT FILM, I brought on board an experienced AD, hired a casting director, among other things, which made the shoot much more efficient and smooth. I highly recommend that film students check out this book before they start making films!
Rating: 5 / 5
How Not to Make a Short Film: Secrets from a Sundance Programmer
This book has all the information you need to know! A must have for any filmmaker.*
Rating: 5 / 5
How Not to Make a Short Film: Secrets from a Sundance Programmer
Where the hell was How Not to Make a Short Film two years ago when I took on the challenge of directing my first short (I’m primarily a script writer)? Every chapter is like a detailed class/workshop for first-time filmmakers. I really loved how you broke down the issue of crewing up. I have the crew glossary that is loaded on imdb.com, but your descriptions put it in concrete terms how you are to work with these folks and how important they are to your production. During my production I was absolutely guilty of doubling up on positions and pulling in friends and lovers as crew…lol
The book lives up to the promise of not burying you in verbiage and getting right to the point. Some filmmaker books, that I have read in the past, is like reading an Ikea bookcase assembly sheet – frickin’ overwhelming and confusing:) I’ve written on several pages and post-its are on every other page.
My first short was absolutely a learning experience, but definitely wish I had had this along for the ride. The lessons would have been less painful. Now I feel like I have a better sense of what I need to PREPARE for as I start to think about my next project. After reading How Not to… I know I have more business to take care of before I even think about turning on the damn camera.
Roberta, excellent job! You have a fan in this budding filmmaker.
Michelle
http://www.girlchildpress.com
Rating: 5 / 5
How Not to Make a Short Film: Secrets from a Sundance Programmer
Its a very rare thing for a book to hold my interest from cover to cover. The information in this book was amazingly helpful to the release of my first short film into the festival circuit. After reading this book, my editing team quickly made applicable–unintrusive changes suggested by the author. Great source for first time filmmakers. I’ve already recommended it to several colleagues.
Rating: 4 / 5
How Not to Make a Short Film: Secrets from a Sundance Programmer