Magazines for Filmmakers

According to wikipedia, "a magazine is a periodical publication containing a variety of articles, generally financed by advertising, purchased by readers, or both." Almost all professions have magazines catering to their niche, and filmmaking is no different. There are some pretty good magazines out there for filmmakers to keep themselves updated with the latest developments in the film world.

Check out a few of them:

• American Cinematographer: For more than 80 years American Cinematographer has been the monthly "magazine of record" for film professionals all over the world. AC offers in-depth, behind-the-scenes articles on how films are shot and lit. Top cinematographers and directors are interviewed at length. Director Martin Scorsese calls American Cinematographer a "beacon which has illuminated the field of cinematography and the motion picture industry for years, and I've been reading it since I was a film student."

• Cineaste
  Cineaste is internationally recognized as one of America's foremost film magazines. An independent publication with no ties to the industry or academia, Cineaste features contributions from many of America's most articulate and outspoken writers, critics, and scholars. Each quarterly issue focuses on both the art and politics of the cinema, featuring interviews with directors, screenwriters, and performers, articles on trends, coverage of films from developing nations, and reviews of the latest Hollywood, foreign, and independent films.

• Entertainment Weekly
  Get a front row seat for the latest on movies, TV, music, and more, with Entertainment Weekly is award-winning news, reviews, and feature stories. Each issue goes behind the scenes to deliver you the buzz, the biz, and the best in entertainment news every week!

• Film Comment
  Film Comment champions the very best cinema has to offer, featuring reviews and commentary on international films, American movies, the avant-garde, and all points in between. Blending thought and substance with style and smarts, for more than 30 years the magazine has represented the vanguard of what's now and what's next. Film Comment is published bi-monthly by the Film Society of Lincoln Center.

• Sight and Sound
  Sight and Sound is essential reading for anyone interested in film. Each monthly issue delivers the latest moving image news from around the globe, with special correspondents reporting on film, television, the Internet, gaming, and new technology. In-depth interviews with leading filmmakers are complemented by stories on the key issues in film and television from box office and budgets to culture and censorship.

Some Basic DV Camcorders

I've compiled a list of some basic dv camcorders that you might find useful. Check it out:

Panasonic NV-DS 15

Optical and digital zoom, manual focal dial, 11 recording digital effects, takes digital photos, zoom microphone, night vision mode, super image stabilizer, LCD monitor, Fire Wire out, external microphone input and headphones.

JVC GR-DVL20, DVL—30 and DVL—40

Three levels of camcorder with large LCD monitors, optical zoom, high picture quality, snap shot mode. On the negative side, there are no external headphone or mic sockets. The camera body is also not the best quality for rugged filming work

Samsung VP-D55/65

Two levels of camcorder, slightly different in features. Optical and digital zoom. Average 2.5 inch LCD monitor. DV output socket, while the D65 has output and input.

JVC GR-DVL 100

A consumer-level camcorder with optical and digital zoom, 800 000-pixel CCD, digital snapshot mode, built-in lamp. This model features a High-Resolution Amorphous Silicon LCD Color Monitor and provides high quality picture and sound with DV format and PCM audio. Easyedit editing program bundled with it, digital effects, DV out socket, no DV in.

JVC GR-DVL 107

Slightly better than JVC’s DVL 100, it has almost identical functions but includes a DV input socket. Also has good manual control. On the negative side, it has no input for external mics or headphones, while the built-in mic is poor (as most tend to be at this level).

Panasonic NV-DS150

A step up from Panasonic’s entry-level DS-15, it has similar features but offers better value for money with the inclusion of a DV input socket. Features include 2.5" Smart-Turn LCD monitor with 112,000 pixels for a brilliant picture with stunning detail, 20x optical zoom and 400x digital zoom, 800,000 pixel CCD for excellent recorded picture quality.

HD Filmmaking is the future

I'd like to put down a contribution from Mr Suresh in the "Orkut community" on Digital Filmmaking. The topic of discussion was - Digital Filmmaking is the future. I liked what Mr Suresh contributed and here I am putting it down for you to read:

"Hi, saw this interesting discussion and wanted to contribute. Just worked on HD for a full length feature film in Malayalam - Abraham&Lincoln - released on 22nd, reportedly running to packed houses still. It was shot on HD and HDV (progressive frame) and then reverse telecined onto film. Atleast 50% of the so-called seasoned experts failed to realize that it was shot on HDV, which I feel is a big big victory. Progressive frame is great, interlaced though is yet to catch up. The movie is also a first in HD in cinemascope.

Qube and UFO are there too for projection, which further brings down the overall film production budget. The clarity is also superior to film (as reverse telecined) as one level of generation loss is avoided totally.

HDV Progressive IS THE FUTURE."

If professionals couldn't recognise the difference between digital and film - then ye low budget indiers have a bright future for sure!