I would buy a plane ticket to L.A. instead and work for free at a development company in Hollywood. You get insights into the industry and you might be able to make contacts. What successful film did Dov S-Simens produce?

I know this thread is old already but I felt I needed to comment from a different perspective.

I just watched a friend's copy of the 2 day film school about 3 weeks ago and couldn't agree less with the overall opinion of the last comment. I learned an immense amount from the DVDs and have the option to review them again as I go about writing my script and refining it in order to make my first film.

Some people learn well from books... I myself learn far better from watching and listening and this is exactly the information that has eluded me for years and did not get when buying books that I only half read (I am not a speed reader and thus life gets in the way.) I'm not saying that this information is not out there in other forms, don't get me wrong but I was able to get through the videos in about 4 days (it's 16 hours long) and I feel very different than I did prior to watching it. You can also pace yourself should you wish and watch a bit - do some work watch more and do some work but I do not recommend this because it was only after I finished the discs that I felt I knew the best way to approach my story, location + actor considerations and therefore my overall script and without the great script you have nothing. I have no doubt that I will eventually refer back to the discs and would love to have my own copy... but the money will probably go in the the film budget

"There is no quick way to learn what needs to be learned. Simens course isn't a scam, but it's essentially worthless. A LOT of material crammed into a very short time or onto a DVD."
This is an interesting take... while there is merit to saying you can't learn this much information in a quick shot, it's not that simple. There is so much information given and in viewing it in it's entirety it paints a very clear picture. Once done you can then go back and then pick out the information that is relevant to each stage of your project. SCAM no, worthless? absolutely not! In fact I truly feel if I get my film made, I will owe Dov Siemens for a set of these discs. I certainly owe him something for a lot of my new found insight and inspiration.

"Watching isn't nearly as informative as doing."
Wrong. It was more informative than doing. On a set you are often so busy that you miss most of the intricacies that happen. Also (depending on your position) you learn nothing about what happens off the set and once the production is done you often have no access to post or distribution which is integral if you want to make your own film with a future.

Although I agree that you need practical experience (I've done my fair share of shooting, editing and vfx work)... working on someone else's project is only going to get you some of what you need AND if it's their first or second film chances are they are not going to know a hell of a lot more than you do already.

while I agree that if you don't have the passion to carry you through you nothing will help. However the point that directorik missed is that this is not a make your movie in these 2 days situation. It simply provides you with as much info as it can and YOU have to act upon it. The best part is that you have more insight into what can become of your movie and thus you can apply that information into the pre-pro stage.

Lastly, I find it impossible to properly comment on something without the necessary experience/information to back up what I am saying... *I* have seen the DVDs and can't recommend them enough. The $$, although more than chump change is very fair for what you get. If I had had to spend the money, I would not regret it for a second.

It's a scam, don't buy it

I was reliably informed that the course gave a really good overview of low budget filmmaking for someone pretty new to it, anyone who had spent any time being at all serious about filmmaking should already know most of what's covered, I expect the same goes for the DVD.

Steve
www.coffeefilms.com
www.metacafe.com/channels/coffeefilms

I took the DVD course two weeks before I shot my feature. DOV is eccentric and say up front that he is not a producer - he is a teacher. A teacher, I hasten to add, that has been a production manager and has made "the money work." He covers every facet of the business quickly. There are books that can do 3oo pages on each of his topics... but he gives you avery thorough overview of every facet and enough detail that you can judge for yourself which of those you need to get the book on or if you've "got it" enough to focus future study elsewhere. I reviewed my screenplay against his "must have's" and found us two bullet points shy of perfection. I made adjustments and they improved the show. He had a rule that I knew we could not comply with on our schedule but decided we had no option. It turned out to be THE thing that would have made our chances at market three to ten times better. We did "okay" but had to fight hard to get there.

I have run a production company for thirty years. I've had and trained a LOT of interns. In about 20 hours I learned a lot that I THOUGHT I knew and several things I did not know. Interning for a production company will not make you a filmmaker. It may get you a job in the industry and that is a GOOD idea. If, however, you are consumed with the entrepreneurial disease known as "filmmaker" - this course is a great map.

If you don't have the couple of hundred bucks for this course you haven't a prayer of raising money for a feature.

I took Dov's class in LA in March and thought it was great. I would imagine the DVD is the same because it's an actual 2-day class shot live. Dov can rub people the wrong way because he's so direct and in-your-face, but c'mon...If you can't handle Dov, do you really think you're ever going to be a successful filmmaker in Hollywood? And ultimately he does give the info you need. I'd check it out - www.dovsimensfilmschool.com