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A Digital Storyteller's Handbook came about from classes I've been teaching at the Digital Media Academy at Stanford and other bay area schools. It's the book I wish I had when I was starting out as a digital filmmaker. It's not the "everything you've always wanted to know about digital video" kind of book, because those books can be so overwhelming that they actually discourage you from doing anything. But it's also not the "digital video book for the complete idiot" because assuming you're an idiot is insulting and impractical. It's the digital video book for the intelligent beginner.
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This book is about how to take your idea from a dream to a movie. Unlike the "everything..." books, it's not filled with endless technical explanations about the gear you should buy and how it's supposed to work. It's about creating meaningful content that can be shared in this modern world. A Digital Storyteller's Handbook provides practical techniques to build your story from the idea stage into a produce-able script, and then shoot it in a way that will actually enhance your story and give it meaning. The techniques in the book were distilled from both traditional and modern filmmaking methods, and have been assembled here in such a way that anyone with a video camera and a story to tell can make a narrative, documentary, or information film idea a reality.
A Digital Storyteller's Handbook is about writing your story, pre-production, and production using DV and HDV cameras, sound equipment, and related tools. It's not about digital editing, but it contains valuable information about how to get ready for editing, working with an editor, and what to expect in post-production. You'll also learn about how to work with a cast and crew, film festivals, and delivery formats. And there's an addendum containing a small chapter on the persistent question of how to buy a video camera.
This book was also written to function as a textbook. Educators will be pleased by its straightforward, plain-spoken approach that demystifies the digital storytelling and filmmaking process. A Digital Storyteller's Handbook....it's cool!