"Get Started in Film Making" by Tom Holden (Review)

   Get Started in Film Making By Tom Holden

Ok, this book is absolutely awesome if you're a amateur movie maker. Now, I do try to make movies, which range from absolutely crap to really good. I even set up a company called "Blackberry Productions". 

Tom Holden is a master director. I mean, the tricks he shows you! He says that you don't need whopping special effects/CGI to make a good movie. There's one trick if you want to make an evil looking scene, all you need to do is put a red see-through paper or something of the sort in front of the camera.

This book shows you how to: write a script, finance your film, directing your film, finding locations, getting to know your camera, editing etc. One thing I do have to mention though, is because this book was written around the early 2000's the cameras he tells you to buy are off the market, so just ignore the part when he tells you which camera to buy.

This book is definitely recommended if you're an amateur film-maker or just a guy/girl who wants to know how to make really good movies with spending the least money possible. You can buy the book here(Amazon UK):

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Get-Started-Film-Making-Yourself/dp/1444105140/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1440952918&sr=8-1&keywords=get+started+in+film+making+tom+holden

My Top Five Most Influential Books 2015

          My Top Five Most Influential books 2015

1. "The Autobiography of Malcolm X" by Malcolm X with the assistance of Alex Haley

2. " Diamonds, Gold, and War: The Making of South Africa" by Martin Meredith

3. "Confessions of an Economic Hit-Man" by John Perkins

4. "A Long Way Gone" by Ishmael Beah

5. "Blood Diamonds" by Greg Campbell

(All these books are pretty much 18+, depending on the person's age and maturity.)

"Blood Diamonds" by Greg Campbell (Review)

                               Blood Diamonds Review

"Mr.Campbell tells this complex tale from a personal, feet-on-the ground 

perspective. . . He reminds us that there is no longer any such thing as an isolated conflict that goverments and corporations can ignore with impunity."- New York Times

First discovered in the 1930s, the diamonds of Sierra Leone have funded one of the most savage rebel campaigns in modern history. These "blood diamonds" are smuggled from West Africa and sold to legitimate diamond merchants in London, 

Antwerp, and New York, often with the complicity of the international diamond industry. Eventually, these very diamonds find their way onto rings and necklaces the world over.

First things first, I don't agree with everything Mr.Campbell says. but that is rarely the case in books. Most of what he says is right though. How the world ignored the conflict in Sierra Leone, of how the people were killed, tortured, raped etc. in the most horrifying ways. If you've seen "Blood Diamond" then you'll see the similarities; in fact the movie got it's research etc. from this book. 

Some scenes in this book were too disgusting to read. Thing is: the RUF wasn't the only organization who commited war crimes, the Sierra Leonean army also killed innocent men, women, and children who had nothing to do with the war. One of the RUF's worst crimes was amputation. They cut off any body part which pleased them, mostly the arms and hands. The reason for this was that the elected president of Sierra Leoe at that time, pleaded to "join hands for peace". The RUF then deposited grocery bags with arms and hands in them in front of the royal palace.

This book is highly recommended, but as I said, don't believe everything he says.

I recommend this book for  years 18+, because of very high violence and Gore, Strong Language. 

You can purchase the book here:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Blood-Diamonds-Revised-Edition-Campbell/dp/0465029914/ref=tmm_pap_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1439817032&sr=8-1

"Blood Diamonds" by Greg Campbell (Parent Guide)

                Blood Diamonds Parent Guide

ONLY FOR ADULTS (CONTAINS VERY HEAVY VIOLENCE,

HEAVY PROFANITY)

Positive Messages: 5/10

This is actually very hard to say, as it's got good things and bad things. It definitely condemns the use of Blood Diamonds, De Beers, and the world for not listening to Sierra Leone's appeal for peace and happiness. But I don't agree with everything that Greg Campbell says.

But then, there's no book, or movie which you entirely agree with so it's okay.

Positive Role Models: 5/10

Very hard to say: On one hand there's Greg Campbell and all the people whom he talked to who braved the war, but on the other hand, there's the RUF, the UN "Peacekeepers", the Nigerians, etc. who all commit atrocities. So again there's a divided mind.

Profanity: 7/10

Profanity is strong in this book.

9 uses of F**k and it's derivatives, 4 uses of S**t and it's derivatives, 1 of Bal*s, 1 of As*ho*e, 1 of Goddamn.

Sex & Nudity: 3/10

Occasionally people are nude, but only forced and mostly they are already dead. Infrequent references to rape, prostitutes, etc.

Drinking: 2/10

Very infrequent.

Smoking/Drugs: 7/10

Medium Smoking, Very heavy Drugs. All the RUF child soldiers/soldiers use drugs very heavily.

Violence/Gore: 10/10

Very heavy gore, medium violence. The RUF and the other armies commit unimaginable atrocities; such as cutting pregnant women's bellies open, taking out the fetus and killing it, cutting babies in half, and probably the most of all, cutting the hands and arms off of people.

Frightening/Intense: 1/10

Not very much, as this book is non-fiction.

Mood: DARK

This book is gut-wrenching and absolutely heart-breaking, and it might help you to be grateful for what you have and stop complaining about everything when you see what these people went through and they still don't complain.

ONLY FOR ADULTS BECAUSE OF VERY HEAVY VIOLENCE AND HEAVY PROFANITY.

 

My Top Ten most Thrilling Thrillers 2015

My Top Ten most Thrilling Thrillers 2015

1."The Satan Bug" by Alistair Maclean

2."Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde" by Robert Louis Stevenson

3. "Destination Mars" by Hugh Walters"

4. "The Guns of Navarone" by Alistair Maclean

5. "The Dark Crusader" by Alistair Maclean

6. "Fear is the Key" by Alistair Maclean

7. "Puppet on a Chain" by Alistair Maclean

8. "Where Eagles Dare" by Alistair Maclean

9. "South by Java Head" by Alistair Maclean

10. "Ice Station Zebra" by Alistair Maclean

ESecurity for the youth

                    E Security for the youth

The youth of today don't take any care when they go online (Normally). They give their full names and addresses and full info about themselves and their families and friends. This isn't proper or healthy. In fact it can be dangerous. 

For example giving your home address can give kidnappers or robbers potential targets. But okay. Let's forget that. But does everyone really have to know about what you do, eat, drink, play, watch, listen, work. Those are private and you can't just tell them to everyone. 

And do your friends really want you to talk about them. One single rumor about someone can and probably will lead to the whole world knowing about it.

Then you will be responsible for that. 

All I'm trying to say is: 

1) Do NOT disclose info about yourself which may be dangerous. Always ask an adults permission before you disclose info.

2) Better to be safe that sorry!

Please remember this is not about individuals. This is about a whole generation. This is not intended to hurt or offend anyone!