The Digital Filmmaking Handbook: Seventh Edition

Who hasn’t dreamed about making a movie? We'll show you how to navigate the world of independent filmmaking, from script to screen.

The Digital Filmmaking Handbook will help you make the movie you've been dreaming about.

For this edition, we’ve focused on soft skills: developing a project, writing a compelling story, working with actors, the special challenges of directing. After all, these are the things that really matter in the end—skills that help you tell any story. But don’t worry, you can’t keep us away from technology and a lot has changed since the last edition. Digital cinema cameras keep getting better and there are important changes to the workflow from set to editing room. The internet of things continues to improve gear, from remote controllable lighting to GPS-based motion tracking and live virtual sets—it’s an exciting time to be a filmmaker!

This book is organized into three parts, just like the process of making a film:

• Pre-Production (Chapters 1-4) is when you will make all the decisions necessary to start shooting: producing, writing, understanding the basics of digital media technology, planning, scheduling, storyboarding, location scouting, and production design.
• Production (Chapters 5-11) covers the principal shoot of your project: working with actors, lighting, choosing then using the camera, framing and content, recording sound, a special chapter on advanced shooting situations—drones, multiple cameras, VR, and live virtual production—and of course, directing and managing the set.
• Post-Production (Chapters 12-18) covers the editing and finishing of your project. We’ll give you an overview of the post process, offer a guide to setting up workstations and equipment, discuss organizing and managing media, and detail the process of editing, sound design, color grading, titles, special effects, and both DIY and high-end delivery of the finished product—everything from streaming video to festivals to a projected digital cinema screening in a theater.

The Digital Filmmaking Handbook is here to help you navigate the complex but increasingly unlimited landscape of independent filmmaking, whether you’re making a short, a series, or a feature film.

The Digital Filmmaking Handbook is a top-rated bestseller. It’s been in print for over 20 years. It offers 450 pages of regularly updated information on all aspects of filmmaking. It’s even spawned a series of companion books: The Digital Filmmaking Handbook Presents. Oh, and it’s in full color. Finally.

About the Digital Filmmaking Handbook Presents Series:

The Digital Filmmaking Handbook presents is a single-topic, companion book series designed to accompany The Digital Filmmaking Handbook, currently in its 7th edition. Many readers have been asking for more in-depth discussion of topics like cinematography, editing, color grading, and screenwriting. This series picks up where The Digital Filmmaking Handbook leaves off, tackling each topic exclusively, and as always, from the perspective of working filmmakers. The first book in the series, Premiere Pro for Filmmakers not only teaches you how to use Adobe Premiere Pro, it will also teach you how to edit a movie. Look for more titles in the near future.

Sonja Schenk is a writer, producer and director who has worked on a number of popular television shows and films and is the author of several books and articles on filmmaking and editing. She recently completed production on a feature film, "The Olivia Experiment."

Ben Long is a writer, producer, videographer and the author of the bestselling book Complete Digital Photography as well as numerous other books and articles on the creative use of digital technology and a popular tutorial series at Lynda.com.