Who Should Read This Book

As the title implies, this book is intended for people who own or want to shoot video with DSLR cameras. Such people probably fall into two basic groups:

• Independent filmmakers trying to get the “film” look on an affordable budget
• Photographers who are looking to start shooting DSLR video but have never worked in the video world or a motion-picture film world

We are making certain assumptions regarding the reader here:

• You are familiar with using a video, film, or still camera.
• You are interested in diving deeper than the factory settings on the camera to achieve a certain look for your video.
• You have a rudimentary understanding of movies and the visual language of movies.

For the purposes of this book, an independent filmmaker is not only a filmmaker as in Hollywood movies but also videographers who create or want to film documentaries, music videos, weddings, commercials, or corporate videos. As for still photographers, we assume many will have little to no knowledge of video, editing, and the effects that motion will have on the lens choice in the final image. If you are a photographer with more exposure in this arena, then you are ahead of the game, but there is still plenty of practical advice, tips, and tricks you can benefit from before you head out on your shoot. If you are an aspiring filmmaker, then you will find out what you need to successfully prepare and shoot, as well as what problems to watch....