I'd like to take some local or St. Paul/Minneapolis film schools this summer just to get the "basic ideas" down. I don't want to spend $1000's of dollars, maybe $500ish or so, is there such a thing? Where should I be looking? Google just gave me links to colleges. Any ideas? Thank you!

Colleges often offer courses in specific aspects of filmmaking. For example, introduction to direction, lighting, etc. Also check with local unions.

Tyler, you have kind of a tall order there, but I thought I'd give you a few ideas.

There are many areas to filmmaking. Is there an individual field you are interested in?

Do you want to go to scholol to make contacts or learn a skill? (Both are ligit reasons.)

Lets say you want to learn the trade and you will make connections another way.

To give you a basic list of fields you have photography and editing, audio recording and editing, music, screen writing, set design and construction, lighting, and directing actors. The list is much longer, but that's a start.

You could volunteer at your local community theatre, help out with a highschool play, check your local houses of worship and see if thye are doing a productions that you could help out with. A lot of theatre skills transfer to video production.

If you want to have all around knowledge you could try home schooling yourself, and only take formal classes in anything you are having a hard time with.

Get a camera, get an editing system. Get the best you can afford. (There are products in all price ranges.) Read the manuals and learn how to use them.

Get some books. I like "Screenplay" by Syd Field, "The Five Cs of Cinematography", "The Digital Filmmaking Handbook" are some good ones to start. I haven't found a good book on editing. You really need to "see" editing to get the idea.

Most importantly, watch movies. "Easy Rider", "Rebel Without a Cause", start with classic films of the color era. Work your way into the black and white and silent era.

Read magazines and watch the classic movie channel on cable.

BTW Keep reading DV info net.

If you want to spend a few days in New York, DV Dojo has a weekend course for about $500 (click here). (http://www.dvdojo.com) Which can be applied to the 1 or 4 week courses if you decide to take those classes later.

Thought I'd also mention, since I couldn't go myself, if you can make a road trip to Maryland this weekend, John Jackman has two one-day workshops April 24/25: Digital Movie Making & Documentary Lighting for Interviews (http://www.afi.com/education/montgomery.aspx)

Also, checkout The Edit Center (http://www.theeditcenter.com/). They have weekend, night, and one week courses on FCP.