Me and Mr. D. Feb. 14, 2003. The Plains, VA

Robert Duvall, the Oscar-winning actor, independent moviemaker and icon of the American cinema, who recently turned 72, told me he’s going shopping for a DV camera sometime soon. He thinks he might like to use one for his next movie.

My son Nick, vice president of his fourth grade class, star pitcher for his little league team and apple of my eye, who recently turned 10, told me he wants to do the same thing. He and his friends "need it" to shoot their "movie of the script we wrote." His buddy’s dad "already has the computer editing stuff," he added, with earnest cunning.

All of the above just about sums up why I love this gig. Almost everyone, it sometimes seems, now wants to make a movie. What still amazes me is that almost anyone now can. Moviemaking has suddenly (or not so suddenly) become an art form that beautiful dreamers of nearly any age or financial condition can participate in. And although we’ve known that for a while, the difference today is that they’re doing it. DV moviemaking splashed onto the indie scene several years ago, but the ripple effect from this inexpensive, versatile technology is just now reaching 10-year-old kids in Maine and 72-year-old Oscar winners in Virginia. Expressing oneself artistically with a movie camera isn’t yet as easy as picking up a paintbrush or a guitar, but it’s getting there. And with DV cameras continuing to evolve in ever more user-friendly ways, I predict the trend will continue. What I know for certain is that right now thousands of people, young and not so young, are no longer intimidated by the moviemaking process—and that can only be a good thing. I also know that thousands of people are entering film festivals, putting their movies online, reading movie magazines and visiting moviemaking websites. And believe me, that is a very good thing.

For years at MovieMaker we’ve fielded calls and e-mails from readers who want to know more about a specific aspect of moviemaking, or who just have general questions on how to get started. The hunger for moviemaking knowledge is growing, and sometimes we feel like an understaffed soup kitchen in a teeming city. We haven’t been able to answer everyone’s questions as ably as we once could, and as my son knows, guilt can motivate me to act. So late this summer watch your newsstands for "MovieMaker’s Guide to Making Movies." (Or call us at 310/234-9234 to reserve your copy). This special edition will serve as a reference guide for everyone, from 10 to 72, who’s about to embark on their great indie moviemaking adventure. Even if they’ve won an Oscar.

Along with my conversation with outspoken renaissance man Robert Duvall, you’ll find this issue packed with the kind of fun, useful features we like to provide. "Issue 50, Vol. 10" has a nice ring to it, doesn’t it? Of all the milestones MovieMaker has reached over the past decade, few have felt sweeter or more satisfying to me than putting the finishing touches on this 50th issue. Maybe because it’s such a quantifiable milestone; and the fact that it also happens to be our biggest issue ever doesn’t hurt. I hope you enjoy the first phase of our redesign, which includes some new graphic elements and several new editorial departments. Look for more changes later this year. As always, we welcome your feedback. Feel free to email me directly at tim@moviemaker.com. Remember, for more insightful MovieMaker interviews and useful stuff, log onto www.moviemaker.com and sign up for our free Hands-on Pages (HOP) newsletter. See you back here this summer. Happy moviemaking! MM