Reviews

Video Emotion
August 2009
(download in PDF)

Quotes (Copyright Video Emotion)

"Many a video maker wants to improve his or her performance by following a film course. Normally this requires physical presence. Today these lessons may be offered in an Electronic Learning Environment on the home computer. Learn at your own pace; self discovery and practice; basic principles of video and audio; plus many practical tips. With about 850 minutes of viewing pleasure this is what ABCinema has to offer."
"Discover the elements that the world's best filmmakers - from 1878 to the present - have applied in their movies. Taste the emotion. Look to the individual shots at the film strip. Look how they have been edited and which means the filmmakers used. In this way, the making of a successful video film really comes to life."
"... taken care of down to the last detail. The text is crystal clear and the illustrations speak for themselves."
"Conclusion: ABCinema is a discovery in which the student picks up theory and practice by learning from the work of the best filmmakers. Good cribbing is allowed and much can be learned from it."

AusCam
January 2010
(Click for review)

Quotes (Copyright AusCam)

"Intended for a wide audience - from newbie to the more experienced videographer or even the keen movie tragic - the ABCinema course is a most interesting approach to improving knowledge on all things movie-related.."
"Highly graphical, ABCinema is predominantly text-based but with all points exhaustively emphasised and exemplified by accompanying clips from movies or purpose-created 3D animations."
"The range of film clips used to illustrate salient points throughout ABCinema is extensive and many are of significant historical importance."
"The 3D animations come to the fore when demonstrating various camera movements or principles such as awareness of the 'axis of action' and the use of scaling in the composition of an image."
"There is a wealth of information contained within this DVD's pits and grooves, some of which are more 'for information only' while others are of a more practical bent. However, there is precious little that wasn't interesting."

Chip Foto-Video
August 2009
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Quotes (Copyright Chip Foto-Video)

"From film history to tips on script writing, camera handling and editing - the film course ABCinema covers all major aspects of filmmaking. And all is done in a pleasant, interactive way: with many film clips and animations."
"It's just one of countless examples that the film course ABCinema uses to teach you how films are structured and what methods and tricks may be applied in order to drag the viewer into the story of your own movie."
"Much of the course deals with the feature film, but also the amateur who wants to make a holiday movie is waited on hand and foot."
"From the text, animations can be started. They show, for example, how to cross the "axis of action". Or they show where the cameras were positioned while recording the deadly duel from Once Upon a Time in the West. "
"All in all, it's an extremely well cared program from which you can learn a lot."

Digital Movie
June 2010

Quotes (Copyright Digital Movie)

"It is a really interesting course which explains how to build up a scene and tells you how the results would change by playing with the camera position and angle.
"There are also numerous examples of movie excerpts, such as the famous opening scene of Once Upon a Time in the West. An also very intriguing example are the scenes from the film The Shining by stanley Kubrick."
The DVD delivers over eighty hours of educational fun and includes topics like script writing and narrative techniques.

Cinemagie (nr 269)
januari 2010

Quotes (Copyright Cinemagie)

"Without doubt, ABCinema will appeal to a broad audience, from novice and (perhaps especially) pupils / students to more experienced filmmakers - if only as inspiration."
"Is the Interactive Digital Film course more than the sum of its parts? Yes. The greatest asset of this software is the combination of a classic film course - in itself not very special - with modern teaching aids. A relatively technical section as "The digital camera" is followed by a very practical one, "The virtual camera", one of the most appealing chapters in the course. The movie and animation players are more than an added value."
"Fitié and Fernhout give you ample opportunity to participate actively in their course. It's a cliché, but you will playfully learn about movies and making movies. Can one ask more from a film course?"

Klokhuis Magazine
September 2009

Quotes (Copyright Apple Klokhuis Magazine)

"The first six chapters cover the basics .... Many basic issues, that nevertheless could easily escape the attention of the beginner, are clearly and precisely introduced and explained."
"Again and again, fragments are cited to illustrate a concept or to provide examples of how a method can be applied. Where possible, the course also examines the considerations that seem to have played a role with it. The background information and anecdotes from the fragments are fun to read and add much to the texts."
"ABCinema is a must for anyone who (still) is not a film or video expert, but is interested in the field. The course provides a solid knowledge base, provides insight into techniques, methods and considerations and contains many concrete and practical tips for people who are filming. The makers have succeeded in combining fun and education."

DUIKENINBEELD.TV
october 2009
(Click for review)

Quotes (Copyright DUIKENINBEELD.TV)

"The course that ensures that underwater film makers keep their friends!"
"They must have known that just another book would overshoot the mark and came with a surprisingly new concept. A concept in which the digital capabilities of today are applied to the max, and that utilizes the interactive strength of a solid piece of software and internet."
"The interactive element remains the strength of the program, it is a tireless instructor who will explain the topics and show the film excerpts over and over again."
"Finally, what is said about a good movie, comes from the bottom of my heart. ABCinema stresses that a good story is essentail for a good movie. A movie can live with poor lighting, imperfect editing, a bad location, a chaotic producer, a dull soundtrack. All these criticisms fade into the background if you know how to tell a great story with your movie. For doing that, ABCinema is an excellent guide."