Preface; Acknowledgements; 1. The Wonders of Choice; 2. The Film Legacy; 3. Deciding on an Approach; 4. A New Box of Tricks; 5. Evaluating Your Options; 6. Nothing Is What It Seems; 7. Mixing Your Ingredients; 8. Avoiding Unnecessary Complications; 9. Plan Ahead; 10. The Creative Framework; 11. Communication is Key; 12. Practical Magic; 13. In the Hot Seat; 14. On the Shoot; 15. The Mechanics of Editing; 16. Piecing the Jigsaw Together; 17. Reaching Your Audience; 18. New Frontiers; Further Reading; Index.

New technologies now offer accessibility to the medium of video and film for virtually anyone who feels they have something to say. You might be: someone who wants to create a video to share online; someone who wants to record and document everyday events that happen around you; a charity worker wanting to highlight the plight of the less fortunate, or a journalist keen to use film to explore social issues; an artist or a writer eager to experiment within an an audio visual medium; anyone who wants to step into a world of discovery and challenge, and learn new skills along the way.This book offers an abundance of hints, tips and practical advice that will help emerging film-makers discover an exciting form of expression, either for personal satisfaction or to make their mark in a highly competitive industry. It includes: deciding what kind of film you want to make; choosing a camera; choosing your subject matter; dealing with copyright; using music to enhance your film; working with professional actors; researching information and avoiding location problems; production meetings; budgets; schedules; conducting interviews for documentaries; digital editing; aound and lighting techniques; and, making your film stand out from the crowd.