Rick Schmidt's Filmmaking Website

Special Announcement:
Rick Schmidt's Extreme DV Now Available
on Kindle!

"It's not the equipment that makes a good movie; it's what you do with it.
Rick Schmidt shows filmmakers how to use these new tools to
realize their visions."

—John Lasseter, Pixar Animation Studios
writer/director of TOY STORY, TOY STORY 2, and A BUG'S LIFE

Rick's Emerald Cities & 1988 - The Remake Amy Yao's 'TOP TEN' list, ARTFORUM 'zine, Jan. '11

Rick Schmidt writes from experience. His more than 30 years of real life, award-winning experience as an independent producer makes Extreme DV an indespensible resource for filmmakers.

"It is one of the continuing disgraces of American film studies that the most important body of cinematic work of the past three decades has still not been given the critical attention it deserves. Beginning in the late 1950's, a small group of independent filmmakers, working outside of the Hollywood system with newly available and affordable portable equipment, rejected the notion that film had to be designed for mass-consumption. They invented American art film. Their works (which include John Cassavetes FACES, THE KILLING OF A CHINESE BOOKIE, and LOVE STREAMS, Paul Morrissey's TRASH and FLESH, Barbara Loden's WANDA, Robert Kramer's ICE and MILESTONES, Mark Rappaport's LOCAL COLOR and SCENIC ROUTE, Elaine May's MIKEY AND NICKY, Claudia Weill's GIRLFRIENDS, Sara Driver's SLEEPWALK, and Rick Schmidt's MORGAN'S CAKE - to name only the most important examples) define the great tradition in recent American film."

-- Ray Carney, Professor of Film and American Studies, Boston University, author of "Cassavetes on Cassavetes," and numerous other titles (see www.cassavetes.com http://people.bu.edu/rcarney/"Excerpt from AMERICAN STUDIES," Spring, 1991).

On Sale Now!!

Only $32.95 while supplies last ($2.00 S&H)

Interview with Rick at Image Icon Entertainment

Book Description

For years, award-winning independent filmmaker Rick Schmidt has been teaching aspiring writers, directors, and producers how to make "no-budget" films, both in workshops and in his classic guide, Feature Filmmaking at Used-Car Prices. Now Schmidt shows how it is easier and cheaper than ever to make an innovative, high quality work, thanks to digital video. Filled with the latest information on equipment and software, ideas for experimenting with new techniques, and advice based on Schmidt's own experience, Extreme DV at Used-Car Prices offers a step-by-step tour through the making of a feature-length movie using the newest and ever-changing DV technology. Instructive and inspiring, this one-of-a-kind book is essential for filmmakers with lots of ideas but little money. Rick shows you how to:

Take your DV project from idea to script (written or improvised), contract to pre-production and into the shoot.
Work with—and rally—your cast and crew.
Select affordable digital equipment to make a cutting-edge feature.
Edit your DV movie electronically with Final Cut/Final Cut Pro.
Promote your work guerilla-style.
Live (and budget) creatively as a moviemaker.
Look ahead to what's on the DV horizon.

Extreme DV at Used-Car Prices (Penguin Books, August, 2004) can be ordered from Amazon.com. Or take a look at Rick's previous how-to Feature Filmmkaing at Used-Car Prices (Penguin Paperback, 2000), also available online from Amazon.com.

And for the latest tips and advice on Indie movie making,
visit Rick's column, Extreme Indie, in MovieMaker magazine!

Check out these past raves for Rick's "indie bible," Feature Filmmaking at Used-Car Prices (Penguin Books, 1988, 1995, 2000), including Vin Diesel's appreciation for the book:

"A must-have for no-budget filmmakers. A most valuable resource in case you don’t have a billionaire uncle or aren’t one of Spielberg’s kids."

—Eduardo Sanchez, Co-Writer, Co-Director, Co-Editor
of BLAIR WITCH PROJECT

"Without Rick's book, CLERKS would have been an idea that never made it past this page."

—Kevin Smith, Writer, Director, and Co-Producer of
CLERKS, CHASING AMY and DOGMA

"Schmidt offers a complete guide to producing a low- or no-budget feature film. This 1988 original has been updated with a new chapter on digital technology, dealing with agents, and more. Thanks to the success of 'indies' (independent films) such as CLERKS and THE BROTHERS MCMULLEN and with the help of books like this, more budding filmmakers are shunning Hollywood and going it alone."

—"Classic Returns" by Michael Rogers, LIBRARY JOURNAL

"I hope every young filmmaker reads this book and makes his or her first feature before approaching me with a project."

—Otto Grokenberger, Executive Producer
STRANGER THAN PARADISE and DOWN BY LAW

"An indie’s A to Z. Rick Schmidt covers all the bases. If you want to jump on in, Rick’ll get you rolling."

—Jon Jost (www.jon-jost.com), Independent Feature Filmmaker
ALL THE VERMEERS IN NEW YORK

"Schmidt has low-budget filmmaking down to a science."

—American Film Magazine

"I wish I could have had this book 35 years ago, before I made my first low-budget features."

—Vilmos Zsigmond, Cinematographer
DELIVERANCE, CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND,
THE DEER HUNTER, THE WITCHES OF EASTWICK,
and THE CROSSING GUARD

Read Vin Diesel's appreciation of Feature Filmmaking At Used Car Prices.

"I couldn't put it down. Schmidt tells a fascinating story that mixes history with conspiracy

theory and sheer fantasy to deliver a jaw-dropping and extremely entertaining read."

– Judith Ehrlich, co-director of Academy Award-nominated, The Most

Dangerous Man in America, Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers.

Order from:

Waterstone's UK
Amazon UK
Amazon Germany
Amazon Japan
Amazon France
Amazon Canada
Amazon US

Visit Ray Carney's Website

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