The Filmmaker's Journey is a book I wrote about my experiences as a filmmaker. The book gives readers insight into beginning a filmmaking career through my victories and failures. It is currently available on Kindle and paperback on Amazon.com. Click here to order your copy.
Press & Reviews
"Filled with fascinating topical life lessons, this ultimately inspiring work is an absolute must for those who dream of telling telling tales through the cinematic medium." - Andrew Buckner, Writer and Film Critic, A Word of Dreams
“Not just a step by step guide to building a career in independent film, but one man's personal journey as seen through the camera lens. Chris Esper's enthusiasm as a film maker is infectious and his writing style follows suit. This book should prove to be as important to the next generation of film makers as Robert
Rodriguez's 'Rebel Without A Crew' was to mine." - Chris Watt, Screenwriter and Film Critic, Watch This Space Film Magazine
“Esper shares his victories and struggles as an indie filmmaker with great candor, humility, and passion. I wish when I was starting out I would have heard these kinds of stories and known I wasn't alone in the many challenges that face new filmmakers! If you are new to filmmaking, read this right away!” - Mikel J. Wisler, Author of “Short Films 2.0”
"This book gave me a greater understanding of the filmmakers struggle. An ideal guide for any upcoming storyteller to keep moving forward." - Dan Haddock, Film Critic, The Local Film Network
“There are more than a few “how-to” guides out there about making indie films, so why should you check out another? The answer is that you need relevant and useful information, based on personal experience (“how I did it,” not “how it should work in theory”). You want to hear from a credible, working filmmaker who tells it like it is, “warts and all.” For practical advice based on hard lessons learned through actual indie filmmaking, Chris Esper’s book is a must-read.“ - Bill Meeker, Film Critic, Loud Green Bird
“In this book, Chris has told a warts-and-all tale of how he's succeeded and failed and succeeded again in carving out his niche in filmmaking. It's not only inspirational, but immensely helpful to those setting out on their own adventures in film." - Brian Barnes, Succeeding in Corporate Videography
"An indispensable resource for the independent filmmaker." - FilmFreeway
"I started No Entry Fee Festivals to help good films get exposure and to encourage other filmmakers. In this same spirit, Chris Esper is sharing his resources and experiences to make the path a bit easier for his fellow artists." -Tracy Miller-Robbins, No Entry Fee Festivals
"Chris Esper's "The Filmmaker's Journey" is a potent, must-read blend of humor, candor, and real-world experience that speaks volumes about the filmmaking community, those looking for a career in it, and especially offering that "Yes! You CAN do this!" encouragement to those with apprehensions about stepping out and making a go of it, which is a journey this reviewer can personally relate to!" - Kirk S. Fernwood, Film Critic, One Film Fan
" 'The Filmmaker's Journey' is definitely a talisman- a true guidebook which is bound to help new upcoming filmmakers, reveling the inside story that nobody tells about the industry in such an impressive and captivating style. Author Chris Esper’s experience and knowledge of his field deserve to be treasured by those with interest in film making and is also worthy of being read for educational and knowledge enriching purposes. Highly recommended!" - Enas Reviews
"The Filmmaker’s Journey is a gem of a little book that you’ll come back to over and over again, both for the advice, and for the resources. If more people had the courage to do what Chris did, and write a book about what they know, there’d be FAR fewer mistakes made in the world!" - Leah Gage, Leah's Movie Lowdown
"Esper has passionately enriched the book with his own knowledge and experiences, endeavoring to take the reader on a riveting journey by means of 12 lucid chapters aimed at educating the reader about the challenges that one must overcome day in and day out to become a successful filmmaker." - Murtaza Ali Kahn, A Potpourri of Vestiges
"Chris Esper’s passion is clear and makes itself felt in every single page of this book. He wants to see more filmmakers producing content and following their passion. This book is a step toward helping budding artists realize how to go about making their own films." - Michael Smith, Film Critic, Mike's Film Talk
The book is based on my video blog of the same name. See below for a playlist of episodes.