The Guerilla Film Makers Handbook [Paperback]

I bought the first and second editions of TGFMH and wondered what on earth they could do in the third edition - well I wasn’t disappointed! The book is now encyclopedic in content, I mean EVERYTHING is covered. It’s a lot bigger than the last edition with so much more information. In fact there is so much information that some people may be daunted, but the simple Q and A and hot tips approach means that it never gets too bogged down. Now it sits on my shelf next to my PC and whenever I have a question, I just look up the relevant section and read the expert interview. No matter where you are in your career, starting out or seasoned pro, there are gems of wisdom for you here. I recommended both previous editions, and this massive re-write gets just a big thumbs up! Go buy it and save yourself a load of headaches!

The man that wrote this book will be an Oscar winner for sure. If you're serious about making films and you're starting out I honestly can't think of a better investment than buying this and reading the whole thing cover to cover. I did and on doing so signed up for a film school course.

One reviewer stated that, in tone, the book seemed a little daunting. I've just finished a rough cut on my most recent film and I can say with my hand on my heart that the ENTIRE process of making just one film is daunting - let alone making a career out of it. Every time I do anything film related I have to take a breath because, despite being truly awesome, I know it'll be tough and at times I will hate the process or myself - this book is written by someone who will not sugar coat that for you. If you can't handle that then maybe writing for Empire or Total Film is the job for you instead - that way you get to sit in a warm chair inside writing reviews :)

I've just spent quite a lot of money on a year at a top London film school. If you're lacking in the kind of cash you need to attend film school then I would urge you to buy this book (and also a couple of others) and just spend the money on making some films. You'll learn at least all the same stuff as me and your films will not be any less good if you treat them seriously and enjoy yourself.

Chris Jones is a very inspiring writer and for the price of the book you not only get a MASSIVE number of interviews with industry professionals but you also get a CD-ROM. I found the interviews with film industry employees the most useful part of this book for me in particular. Simply because I a) wasn't sure what many of the jobs actually were (key grip for example) and b) what kinds of job might be available to me as a uni and film school graduate. Jones isn't a snob when it comes to these interviews either and interviewed everyone. For example he speak to people like a stop motion animator who was creating a children's television program for BBC Wales. Really useful because prior to working in the industry I had no clue about what anyone actually did bar maybe a screenwriter.

On the CD-ROM are various producing aides and also a very useful screenplay formatter so you don't have to fork out a hundred and seventy-nine quid for Final Draft!!! Just use this formatter once and you can get an extra days shooting with the money you save.

Basically this is required reading if you want to make films. If you want to make just one film then don't bother buying any books just go and make your film. BUT if you'd like to write, direct or have any kind of job in the industry I truly believe that this book will be worth every single penny you spend on it. It's right up there with Story and In The Blink of an Eye! Currently Chris Jones has funded a film by asking everyone he knew for fifty quid and shot it with Vernon Layton as DoP and it is now in the long-list for Oscar selection. What other currently-publishing authors writing about filmmaking are up for Oscar selection? This guy walks the talk. BUY BUY BUY!

I'm a huge fan of this series of books - which also includes the Guerilla Film Makers Movie Blueprint, the Documentary Film Makers Handbook - and have been from the first edition of this, their "title" tome.

What makes this book so much more relevant for the beginner Guerilla is the combination of fantastic guides and information on filmmaking, born from Jones and Jolliffe's personal experiences on all three of their indie features, but also the vast amount of "personal experience" stories littered throughout and compiled at the back of the book.

When I was starting out, I gained a huge amount of knowledge from this book, but I also found it both inspiring and reassuring that there were conversations with filmmakers who had been where I was and managed to achieve their goals.

Written in a clear, concise style and easy to dip in and out of for tips, information or success stories, this is a must-have for any aspiring filmmaker and, I'd venture to say, should be on the shelf of all successful filmmakers, too.