How to shoot video that doesn't suck

Whether one is trying to capture a sporting event or bat mitzvah or making a music video, dramedy, commercial, or documentary, suckiness can be a merciless affliction. Thankfully, filmmaker Stockman's collection of 74 exercises lights a path to confident coolness. But how? He teaches readers how to think about film and reveals the why and when behind techniques; there is next to zero tech or tool talk. Whip-smart and funny minichapters become thought-provoking prompts designed to develop attentiveness to key filmmaking concepts (e.g., thinking in camera shots, dialing up dialog, identifying the hero in the story, zooming with your body, pitching how and to whom, and taking feedback). The book is interspersed with "Try This" tips and tricks and ends with a "Do-It-Yourself Great Video Grad School" syllabus with what-to-watch-for notes. Verdict Jay Miles's Conquering YouTube (reviewed above) is a good companion for technique instruction. Stockman builds conceptual awareness to bolster beginner and intermediate filmmakers to become more conscious and deliberate. Thumbs-up.-Ben Malczewski, Ypsilanti Dist. Lib., MI (c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

An often plodding but highly informative manual for fledgling filmmakers.Producer, director and screenwriter ofTwo Weeks(2006), Stockman adds "author" to his growing list of credits with this debut instruction manual. His simple-to-follow guide takes readers step-by-step through the film- and video-making process, complete with personal anecdotes ("A screenwriter friend of mine told me that he chooses a project by deciding whether or not he'd pay to see it in a theater") as well as helpful tips to avoid often-overlooked elements of filmmaking ("Given the choice between shooting the picture right and getting good sound, directors always choose picture... [but] great sound pulls viewers in"). The author punctuates the chapters with incisive and complementary exercises granting readers more opportunity to reinforce each lesson, which run the gamut from lighting and scene composition to post-production editing and promotion. The narrative reads like a VCR manual at timesand the author tends to overexplain certain conceptsbut the Stockman'ss attention to detail is impressive.Whether they're aiming to shoot the next summer blockbuster or more entertaining home videos of their grandchildren's ballet recitals, readers will go forth in good confidence that they have been rigorously instructed.]] Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.