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Livelihood: MacGyver DIY Filmmaking Featurette (2005)

Livelihood:
MacGyver DIY Filmmaking Featurette

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This is not a review of the film Livelihood.  This is a review of one of the Featurettes included as a bonus feature on the special features DVD.  For a review of the film Livelihood, click here.

Ever since people started putting their ultra low budget films on DVD, many filmmakers seem to feel somewhat obligated to include bonus features like you see on the big budget film DVDs.  I often enjoy these "Making of" featurettes more than the films themselves.  I think it's cool to see how filmmakers do what they do whether their budget is $100,000,000 or $100.  Behind the scenes are cool.  When they stand out, I sometimes mention them in the film review, but I've never really felt like any of these featurettes needed a separate review...Until NOW! 

The film Livelihood includes the featurette: MacGyver DIY Filmmaking.  If you are planning to make a movie and you don't have a huge budget, you should probably buy a copy of Livelihood just for the 10 minute MacGyver DIY Filmmaking featurette.  I don't make movies.  I could be wrong, but it seems like the few pieces of home made equipment that these guys explain could make the average ultra low budget movie look 100 times better.  It's only 10 minutes and it isn't shot particularly well, but the information that they give on how to build an inexpensive crane and how to put together your own light kit for cheap is just brilliant!  There is also a steady cam thing and a track thing (again, I'm not a filmmaker).  They just seem to show you exactly how they built the equipment that they used to make their movie stand out from YOUR movie.  It seems to me like that information would be worth $15, but what do I know.  I just watch your movies; your poorly lit, shaky camera, should-have-had-a-crane-for-that-shot movies.

Gore-o-meter rating: 0 out of 5 (No gore)

Skin-o-meter: 0 out of 5 (No skin)