The Movie Making Book: Skills and Projects to Learn and Share

Do you want to take your smartphone videos up a notch? Learn how to make “artsy-looking” films on your cool new tablet? Or take a stab at more in-depth movie making with the family video recorder? If so, The Movie Making Book is for you! This clear, easy-to-follow guide includes fun games and mini-projects that teach all the techniques you need to get started in movies. Learn and practice basic shots such as establishing shots and close-ups; creative shots such as high and low angles; panning and tracking; special effects tricks; storytelling skills; the basic techniques of editing; and much more. Then move on to 14 more advanced projects—including making your own talk show, superhero movie, video greeting card, and spy movie—to put the skills you learned to the test.

You don’t need fancy equipment or training to become a filmmaker. Just grab your phone, tablet, or video recorder and a friend of two; open this book; and get started making and safely sharing your movies today!

Dan Farrell and Donna Bamford are the codirectors of Sparks, a film school for young people based in London. Together they have more than ten years’ experience in leading children’s film workshops and oversee Sparks’ courses and education projects. Since 2010, they have helped over 3,000 young filmmakers to produce their own movies.