Zen Filmmaking

Book excerpt: Developed by Scott Shaw, the primary premise of Zen Filmmaking is that no screenplay should be used in the creation of a film. There are no rules and no definitions. The spontaneous creative energy of the filmmaker is the only defining factor. This allows for a spiritually pure source of immediate inspiration to be the only guide in the filmmaking process. Within the pages of this book, Scott Shaw leads the reader through all of the elements of Zen Filmmaking -- allowing one to emerge as a competent independent filmmaker, possessing all of the necessary skills to create a feature film, documentary, or music video in the easiest and most expedient manner possible. This book also takes the reader behind-the-scenes on several of Scott Shaw's feature films. This provides a unique insight into the filmmaking process while illustrating how to bypass many of the obstacles of filmmaking.