Levy is also the author of four books about the entertainment industry: Short Films 101: How to Make a Short and Launch Your Filmmaking Career (Perigee, 2004); The Hollywood Way (St. Martin's Press, 2002); two-time Los Angeles Times bestseller Hollywood 101: The Film Industry (Renaissance, 2000); and The Ultimate Boy Band Book (Pocket Books, 2000). Currently, Levy teaches film classes at UCLA Extension, the USC School of Cinema-Television, and the Los Angeles branch of Boston University. He is a sought-after speaker who has lectured at Harvard, Yale, NYU, USC, Rutgers, Boston University, and numerous writing seminars throughout the country. He has also been a featured guest on many TV stations and talk shows, including CNN, Fox News, MTV, VH-1, CBS News, Entertainment Tonight, The G. Gordon Liddy Show, and National Enquirer TV.

Introduction

1. Getting Started: Why Make a Short Film?
Episode 1 · What Is a Short Film? · What Makes a Great Short Film? · Making a Short Film · The Calling Card · Getting Started · The Case for (and Against) Film School · The Purpose of This Book

2. Concept: Telling a Great Story
George Lucas in Love · Format · Genre · What's the Big Idea? · Amazing Stories

3. Budget: How to Spend the Money
Discount Filmmaking · From Zero to Fifty Grand · The Beg and Barter System · Choose Where to Spend Your Money · Choose Where Not to Spend Your Money · Don't Forget Post-Production · Show Me the Money · Short Budgets Revealed

4. Equipment: The Tools You'll Need
How Real Movies Are Made · Well Equipped · Visual Formats · Film Versus Video · Bargain-Basement Prices · The Least You Need · Hello, Dolly · Lighting · Sound Off · Cut · Compromise

5. Crew: The Pople Who Will Help You Achieve Your Vision
Shoot to Kill · The Power of One · Friends · Looking Beyond the Director's Chair · Ten Things I Love About Crew · Master and Commander · Best Crew Money Can Buy · Party of Two, Table for One · Creative Crewing

6. Cast: Finding Actors to Bring Your Script to Life
Before They Were Stars · Cast Me If You Can · The Star · Star Search · Working with SAG Actors · Will Act for Food · Rehearsal of Fortune · Understudy · A Star Is Born · How to Win an Actor in Ten Days

7. Action: The Set Comes to Life Once the Camera Rolls
Shoot for the Moon · Scheduling for Dollars · Bargaining for Locations · Anatomy of a Scene · Attention to Detail · Setting Up a Shooting Schedule · The Long and the Short of It

8. Post-Production: Everything After Wrap!
Post Haste · Editing · Visual Effects · Sound · Music · Transfer · Pick-Ups · The Moral: Plan for Post

9. Marketing: Coming Soon to a Theater Near You
If at First You Don't Succeed... · Marketing · Word of Mouth · Be Ready When Opportunity Knocks · Critical Recognition · Coming Soon

10. Distribution: Getting Your Film to the Right People
Release · Ready for Distribution · Self-Distribution · Internet · Film Festivals · Ancillary Markets · Profitability · George Lucas in Luck

11. Landing the Deal: Let the Hard Work Pay Off
Something in Common · Proceed with Caution

Conclusion: Famous Last Words
One Last Piece of Advice · The Meeting

Appendices
Film Schools · Oscar-Winning Shorts · Short Film Festivals · Software · Additional Short Film Scripts · Budgets

Glossary

Index