Customer Reviews
great stuff - By: A. Jakobs, 16 Aug 2008 
I've read it completely, & must say it is a great read, it has excellent examples. I've got a lot of filmmaking books, but this one is on top of my list (on actually making lowbudget movies). The included dvd is also a great example to see what he's talking about...
I must say toward the end of the book it gets a bit tedious, but that's mostly because of using the computer..
I recommend this book to anyone, especiallyin combination with the book 100 Great Home Movie Techniques: A Step-by-Step Guide to the Professional Secrets of Movie Making
The best indie film-making book I've ever read - By: Hywel Phillips, 10 Feb 2008 Stu Maschwitz is a tech-head film-maker who quit ILM to start his own production house, The Orphanage. You can see their workin Robert Rodriguez' Sin City.
The DV Rebel is Stu passing on a decade of wringing the ultimate results from consumer digital video equipmentin order to make exciting & ambitious action movies on a micro-budget. It covers all aspects of the film making processin an accessible, entertaining way, but also contains the technical asides to make you understand WHY you need things like a true 24p or 25p mode on your camera.
If you are attempting any sort of Indie film-making on a small budget, I'd throughly recommend it, even if you are shooting a slow historical romance on 16mm film. If you are trying to make an action movie with a digitial video you just HAVE to read it! Maschwitz' hard won tips will save you many hours of work & improve the end quality of your filmin pretty much every aspect.
I wish I'd had the book when I shot my first short film a few years ago. I'd independently reached many of the same conculsions as Stu, but there was still a great idea, a cool insight or a funny anecdote on almost every page. It is a little heavy on After Effectsin places but the principles are so well explained that you can easily apply it to any film-making workflow.
If you only buy one book on low-budget film-making, this should be it.
5 stars, hands down - By: Alfonso Gomez Jordana, 03 Jan 2008 I just bought this book, and, what can I say that others haven't... It's absolutely fantastic.
It has more than 300 pages covering all that involves making a movie- doesn't have to be an action one- at home, by using DV cameras & PC.
It has lots of key ideas, hundreds of tips & tricks... everything is covered. Although maybe for completely starters, it might be confusing as it doesn't explain the obvious basics of filmmaking (and I mean just obvious things, such as how to capture your video on PC, or how to turn on your camera :P ). Anyone who's owned a home camera can easily get on with the book.
And it also includes a DVD with his own example movies, & with many very useful & professional projects, presets & scripts for After FX, which will make you're life easier (especially adding VFX & color correcting). And also 50 or 100 pagesin pdf documents, expanding the books' own ideas.
One point, though. As the book says, it is almost impossible to make a film with 0 budget. You should almost obligatorily buy After FX (7 or greater will be better) & a DV camera (200 euro at least, mayeb Canon MVX 460 will be the minimum). If you're not willing to spend that money (500-600 euro) then, my friend, many thingsin this book won't serve you.
When you read it, you'll understand why you need a minimum money to spend.
Jumpin & become a DV Rebel.
Excellent - By: David Packer, 01 Dec 2007 I expected a book like so many others, full of theory with very little actual useful, practical information. It was the opposite, with many tips, tricks & terminology for the aspiring director.
It has a focus on After Effects for post production work but is good as a general guide to filming action movies too. It would also be pretty useful for film makingin general, with sections on grading, camera work & editing
Highly recommended
Inspirational!!! - By: JM, 22 Jun 2007 This incredibly readable book is writtenin a straightforward, conversational, occasionally irreverant way but is always offering ideas & inspiration with a very "can do" approach to filmaking & effects. There is a DVD included with the book which contains additional chapters which you really should read when prompted & Stu Maschwitz has created a forum dedicated to the book where you get the opportunity to ask questions or swap experiences.
