The Shut Up and Shoot Documentary Guide: A Down & Dirty DV Production

I've been shooting films for about a decade, mostly as a solo shooter, but wanted to look at hiring crews, and taking things to the next level.The Shut Up and Shoot: Documentary Guide:The book is incredibly approachable to read. At first, I found the tryhard nerd from baltimore writing style a little outdated (maybe it's coz am like that too, lol), but it didn't get in the way. You can tell Mr. Artis really does give a damn and cares if you learned something from this book, and that's worth it's weight in gold.As the 2nd edition is still, in 2022, fairly old, a lot of the technical information regarding, specifically cameras, is a bit outdated. (Mr. Artis himself mentions that camera tech leaps ahead every 3 yrs).BUT, the fundamentals are always important and they are covered well enough for a totally new beginner to read and then immediately start shooting.And I think where the book really shines is in its comprehensiveness. Mr. Artis has really accomplished something impressive, preparing filmmakers to get thru every phase of production, preprod, where to spend the money/what to do if you have no money, shooting, postprod.What also stood out were his little human-element details (the importance of feeding the crew, safety, trying to maintain perspective, helping subjects give you the best interview, etc). This real world experience and consideration in the era of random Youtube Tutorials, is frankly, sorely needed.Mr. Artis' unique mix of no-budget practicality and professional knowledge and experience, presented in a clear, fun to read style (even has illustrations of fundamental concepts), is a practical, rewarding read. Very helpful. 10/10.

Dude knows what's he's talking about. I'm a journalism student, and what Artis writes is basically what my professors have been trying to teach me for the past two years. Also the quirky dad-jokes are on point.Artis takes potentially dry or confusing content and turns it into something even *I* can understand, as well as offering up his own suggestions on equipment and techniques. The prose is succinct and funny, the illustrations helpful if a little sloppy (lighting for pictures used can be a little dark) but there are illustrated how-tos for EVERYTHING. The chapters are logically organized and it's easy to find the section you're looking for. Paper is high quality, and highlighter doesn't bleed through. Drawbacks are that sometimes the graphics are a bit much- though that might be a plus for some people, and if you prefer a purist or serious POV in instructional material this probably isn't for you. All in all, probably the only textbook I'll keep after this semester. From this millennial: 9/10

This is a well-written guide, and easily accessible for the beginner. It is very comprehensive and definitely worth having on the shelf. Mr. Artis, whose videos on lynda.com I highly recommend, is a lucid writer who avoids jargon and presents very practical advice, not just from his wealth of experience but from people who have made noteworthy documentaries.There is, however, what seems to be a somewhat misleading claim on the front cover - "Any Budget. Any Camera. Any Time." Under the section, "What to Look for in a Camera" (p. 40) Mr. Artis specifically recommends "for serious video shooting" a camera that is equipped with manual controls and XLR inputs for audio. He states, "I think these are the minimum bar to entry." I've got no problem with his recommendation - I really appreciate his strong emphasis on the importance of audio; it just isn't "Any Budget. Any Camera."That aside, I really enjoyed reading it - it is packed with gems of wisdom.

I wish I had heard of this book sooner. It answers many questions I have about filmmaking. It is a straight forward teaching of a medium that no longer seems daunting to enter. The author, Anthony Q. Artis, speaks directly to you in a manner that is simple yet understanding. Many things make sense and I can feel more confident in my filming. If you are getting into filming, get this book first and read it!!!

Lots of good information, covering a broad spectrum of topics, in a thick book. Because of the scope of the topic, the book only highlights many of the issues and offers solutions, but can't go into much depth on any specific topic because the book would be too long and cumbersome.Anthony covers here much of what he covers in the Lynda.com series he presents, so this is a good form of a reminder and memory-jogger for the Lynda.com tutorials.Been through it once, picking out various sections to read, which provided reinforcement for what I already knew or what I learned on the Lynda.com course.

Although the book is very basic, it is a good read

Covers a wide variety of topics in an easy to understand non technical writing style that nevertheless imparts oodles of technical knowledge.

Great book for newbies and anyone wanting to improve their video content. This book really is targeted for the intermediate level video person and focuses heavily on all the gear need for a great video shoot. I found it as a required textbook for SF State video classes. Packed with lots of tips and tricks. I recommend it highly. Their follow up book focuses on the specifics of the making of wedding, interview and music videos.

I thoroughly enjoy using this book. It is really geared towards the new to intermediate Doc Maker with straight forward info that explains enough with out getting bogged down or overly serious. It makes you want to go out and film which is what it's all about.

Very inspirational and makes me want to get out and make a movie.

a great read if you like video

A very good companion to the Lynda.com course presented by Mr Artis.

Excellent! A very comprehensive and detailed layout of the complete production process. The only thing that you might have to do is to filter/convert the American technical terminology to apply to the UK.