Digital Filmmaking for Beginners—A Practical Guide to Video Production

Discover how to create professional-quality digital videos--faster than you can say "lights, camera, action"


Digital video cameras are everywhere--even on our phones! But cameras don't make great movies; filmmakers do. Written by a seasoned pro with 40 years of teaching experience, Digital Filmmaking for Beginners is your fully illustrated introduction to all technical aspects of digital filmmaking.



Featuring clear, concise instruction--accompanied by online video demonstrations--this comprehensive guide covers the best methods and techniques to plan and script projects; set up lighting, microphones, and cameras; and shoot, edit, and apply postproduction effects and other finishing touches. Whether you're an amateur film buff or an aspiring professional videographer, this is the source for everything you need to bring your ideas from the page to the screen.



Coverage includes:
Best practices to ensure smooth operations in all project phases, from planning to post production
Recommendations on selecting and purchasing cameras, filming gear, and the best editing and effects software to fit your budget and needs
Advice on planning, shooting, editing, and other technical elements
Fully illustrated tutorials on composition, framing, and other visual storytelling techniques
Exclusive bonus online content, including finished video demonstrations of key filmmaking techniques and informative articles



About the author

Michael Hughes, after working in radio and television (as an announcer, cameraman, and floor director), started a corporate audio visual business that specializes in training and marketing videos for businesses. His clients include the governments of Canada and British Columbia, B.C.'s telephone company, the natural gas company, several sawmills, and many other companies both large and small. He does most of the technical work himself, hiring crew as needed. He became the teaching assistant for his father's "Introduction to Filmmaking" course in 1972 (16mm film). After two semesters, Mike took over the course and has been teaching filmmaking ever since ' as well as continuing his corporate video company.





Table of contents

Introduction
Chapter 1. Film and Video: History and Technical Aspects
Chapter 2. The Camera
Chapter 3. Picture Composition
Chapter 4. Lenses, Light, and 'Lectricity
Chapter 5. Production Audio
Chapter 6. The Three Stages of Production
Chapter 7. Pre-Production--The Planning Stage
Chapter 8. Production
Chapter 9. Post-production
Chapter 10. That's a Wrap!
Index

Michael Hughes, after working in radio and television (as an anuncer, cameraman, and floor director), started a corporate audio visual business that specializes in training and marketing videos for businesses. His clients include the governments of Canada and British Columbia, B.C.''s telephone company, the natural gas company, several sawmills, and many other companies both large and small. He does most of the technical work himself, hiring crew as needed. He became the teaching assistant for his father''s "Introduction to Filmmaking" course in 1972 (16mm film). After two semesters, Mike took over the course and has been teaching filmmaking ever since '' as well as continuing his corporate video company.