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| The Portable Film School: Everything You'd Learn in Film School (Without Ever Going to Class) | 
| Author: D.b. Gilles
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Category: Book
List Price: $14.95
Buy New: $4.45
You Save: $10.50 (70%)
New (33) from $4.45
Avg. Customer Rating:  6 reviews
Sales Rank: 348250
Media: Paperback
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 272
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.5
Dimensions (in): 8.2 x 5.5 x 0.9
ISBN: 0312347383
Dewey Decimal Number: 791.43023
EAN: 9780312347383
ASIN: 0312347383
Publication Date: October 1, 2005
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Customer Reviews:
| Showing reviews 1-5 of 6 | | NEXT » |
 Restored My Confidence and Broke Through My Stalled Story in Act III December 19, 2007
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
This book has two main advantages over other screenwriting books I've read:
(a) The friendly, conversational, humorous and self-effacing style of the author is a wonderful injection of self-confidence that cannot be underestimated.
(b) If, like me, your focus is on screenwriting, this book provides plain-speaking insight into the process of actually making a movie, as both writer and director.
Regarding (b): It had not occurred to me, before Gilles' book, that I needed to concern myself with `making' a movie, only writing one. While I'm confident you can make it as a screenwriter without knowing the deeper merits of film vs. video, etc., this does prompt the newbie screenwriter to think beyond his script to the larger process involved in actually producing that script.
Mind you, I haven't taken his advice and actually made my own movie using a mini-DV camcorder - and, at times, I did have to coach myself to keep going through the film-making parts of the book - but I believe I'm better off knowing this stuff than not.
For me, the juiciest part of this book was when Gilles' advice in Lecture 15, "The Screenplay That Wouldn't End," came at the perfect moment and really saved my bacon.
I was writing my first screenplay from what I thought was a well-rounded treatment. I had the goal of finishing my first draft in one month, and working from the treatment was really making it flow. I never had writer's block, and all my sessions were a joy. I repeatedly racked up days of writing 6-8 pages and was ecstatic with my progress.
Suddenly, somewhere in Act III, I realized that the ending from my treatment was going to be far too insipid and would not do justice to the set-up. I had a vague idea in my mind for a new ending, but this idea involved so many logistics I didn't know how to make it all work. I didn't know how to write it.
I tried everything I could think of - brainstorming, asking my characters what they want, going for long walks, reading advice from screenwriting blogs, getting away from the computer altogether - but I was still stuck. Finally, I decided to use my enforced "down-time" to read Gilles' book. When I got to Lecture 15, this electrifying statement jumped out at me:
"Often, even with a solid outline or three-act storyline, a screenwriter will find herself approaching the middle of Act Three with the horrible realization that the ending she *thought* would happen is no longer the right ending."
What a relief to find out I wasn't alone with this problem. The simple advice given in the remainder of the chapter set me on fire to write my vaguely visualized new ending (first as a new ending for the treatment, and then as the final 30 pages of the script). The act of writing it cleared up the logistical problems and deepened the whole story.
This was not only creatively rewarding, but Gilles' sage advice also allowed me to meet my goal of finishing my first draft in one month.
I have plenty more to learn before I attempt my first rewrite, but this breakthrough has taught me so much and given me a new level of confidence.
 Everything but the film January 9, 2007
5 out of 5 found this review helpful
This book was written for those of us who aspire to work in the motion picture industry. The author assumes that the reader already understands the basics of communicating with motion and sound, and for the most part discusses skills such as script writing, working with actors, and networking with people who work (or are trying to work) in the film industry.
I am pretty much the exact opposite of the book's intended audience: a still photographer and musician who is looking to learn the basic nuts and bolts of video and sound editing, and how to shoot better video footage and make the most of my DV camcorder and editing software. I am not really qualified to review this book, as it was not written for an amateur like me. It left out all the basic stuff I want to know, like the basic rules of editing and how to integrate sound and music with moving images coherently, so my videos don't look so much like home movies.
With all due respect to the author, I picked the wrong book for my needs. It's fairly interesting for reading in the bathroom, though.
-Cal
 A little air headed lacking depth December 25, 2006
3 out of 4 found this review helpful
Should be entitled beginners writing handbook or script writing bascis and not film school etc.Obviously a book for quick cash or evience of those who teach dont do for a reason.What was good is the lists of resources for those who do like to write and he basic truth of trial and error in experimentation for film as arrt and sciebce which could not possibly be covered a such a simplistic overview as one little book.If you've never written anything before whether it be a short story,poetry,or novel it is a good reference for a systematic approach to such things.He does show various forms of the script such as treatments etc and points a difference between stage and screen(in his mind) and explains the reasons for the plethora of action film and horror makings.
I rated it lowly because I felt drained after reading it,a writeres blockj if will,I call it having ones brains sucked out thru the optic nerve and numbified to the flow of process building in creation of visualality in writing and imagery of words and their structures.It was like an unvolunteered clearing by Scientologists.
I would have appreciated more concerning cameras and such or manipulation of people to film in public areas or on locations,release forms,more on distribution services,lab workings,what to be careful of etc.Overall it lacks.But who can say what is certain in such things aside from it depends on who you know or how much monies are at your disposal unless your a true artist and or a hipnotit to control actrs and eviroments.
 Too much blab not enough substance March 3, 2006
2 out of 3 found this review helpful
Sorry, but I was extremely disappointed by this book. The title is misleading. It's more of an motivational guide for high-schoolers which could have been condensed into a single page. With one exception, the sample screen play excerpts were intructive as to format layout and purpose, but otherwise those too could have been reduced to 3 or 4 pages. The book itself is portable... but I wouldn't pass it on.
 Good for the beginner filmmaker January 12, 2006
4 out of 5 found this review helpful
This was a great book for people who are just getting started. I've read a lot of books on filmmaking and made films, and I think there are better books on the subject. I was also alittle disappointed that a majority of the book talked about screenwriting. I was looking for something that talked more about the overall process. I figured something that talked about the things you learn in film school would discuss everything. But overall it is a good beginner book for the beginner filmmaker.
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