$8000 USD to play with! SUGGESTIONS!

[Norm_Li]

Hey everyone!

First of all, Merry X'mas and I hope you all had a Happy New Years!

Okay, so in film school here, I met this guy who's totally impressed with some of my work and he wants me to be DOP/Editor for a 45min treatment of his feature film script. He has a budget of around $10,000,000 for his full feature but he's budgeting $10,000 USD into the treatment and he said that I could use $8000 USD in equipment acquisition and after the treatment shoot (4 weeks), I could keep all of that equipment!

So...I ask all of you for suggestions on how to wisely use the $8000 USD here. I'll let you know that I have the DVX100, azden sgm-2x mic, a Bogen501 head, manfrotto 028 legs, and the cobracrane + 3' extention kit.

I'm thinking about a nice mattebox system that can support the anamorphic lens if I buy that too. When is Century coming out with the new ana lens? Should I wait till then to purchase the lens instead of buying the panny lens? The production starts end of October 2004 and lasts 4 weeks and allocated 6 weeks for editing.

Which mattebox system should I get? Petroff, Century, Cavision, Chrosziel, etc?

I think he's allocating the remaining $2000 USD for rentals and some locations releases or what not. I could possibly reqeust a little more but only if I can justify a offering him an overall increased production value.

Some things I can think of off the top of my head:

Mattebox system, mic, steadicam, dolly, filters, dolly track system for my cobracrane, extra batteries, century or panny ana lens, car/window mounts (cuz there are some car scenes in his script), a better tripod and head, lighting kit, shoulder mount, LCD monitor attachment for my crane, some type of camera controller for the tripod handle, additional head at the end of crane, quicksteeamDV, are some of the things I can think about.

Can anyone give me a nice breakdown of costs with the best recommended equipment to fit a $8000 USD budget?

THANKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Norm Li

[J.R. Hudson]

Wow! Sounds like a killer deal Norm! First thing I think of with those kinds of duckets is "What can make my films look more filmish?"

I am thinking dollies, steadicams, etc etc. I love a camera that moves and really looks like a FILM.

[Norm_Li]

Yeah, it's a pretty good deal!

I think if I do a good job with this treatment, he'll probably want me on the feature as well.

I also want to make this film look more filmic. Should I upgrade to the new DVX100A...will it give me an additional filmic look (from what I read in those reviews/ads)?

I will definitely go with the Dolly setup and steadicam, but will that take up too much of my budget? Should I just get him to rent those...? I'd like to own as much cool gear as possible though so this will help me upgrade my gear list! I should definitely go anamorphic. I think a mattebox would help get cleaner images, but it's those moving and cinematic visuals with dollies/steadicam/crane that will make this film stand out I guess. Hmmm!!!

I also need the century manual focus ring and follow focus system... I think I have a lot to play with here. I think the Glidecam V-8 System is what I will need for my setup.

I'm excited!

[Norm_Li]

Ok cool, I'll wait until the next year or two for a new DVX100 with more features I will need before upgrading.

I don't have a follow-focus system with my package ...and I'm not sure what a whip is? I'll buy a 503 or 510 head maybe for my tripod and I'll use the 501 for the end of the crane to mount the camera on.

Zoom, what do you suggest?

[kai]

I have the Chrosziel 411-53 mattebox with sidewings kit, and it rocks. Also have the Chrosziel DV Follow Focus (with Century manual ring). VERY handy, plus looks awesome ;)

[Elvis]

So that is about half the buget right there. Ouch!!!
But a killer set up! Now add the Anamorphic lenz And a steadisystem. Like Steve says not hard to burn thru $8000.00 8)

[Zoomforce]

Hey Congrats Norm... I think you came to the art history premier but I cant remember meeting you, we should hook up sometime since your living it up in Van.

Anyways, get a copy of whatever he is planning to shoot, that is where you should start.

I would focus mostly on glass, like putting a nice Cavision or 16x9inc mattebox in the front and buying some promists ultra cons and polarizers etc. MAke sure you get a mattbox with rails, and make sure that the rails will catch your filters WHEN they fall out the bottom. Definately get the ana adapter Centrury isnt even close to releasing it so get the Panasonic, and a field monitor that has a 16x9 switch.. with this large of a production your gonna want to make sure you can show him what your doing.


501 has got to go.. if your planning on putting a mattebox and glass etc. etc. your gonna need at least a 503 or ever better the 516 like Steve said.. its alot of weight.

Also contact a place in North Van called clairmont camera and see how much the will sell you a device called an overkeeper.. it adds super production value to your project and is way quicker than a dolly. I wouldnt advise getting a stedicam because you dont have enough time to learn to use it. A dolly would be nice if you have any money left over.

Get a boom and a buddy to boom, your current mic should do decently enough.

Leo's on Granville sell a product line called Cullman and they sell really cheap but adequate suction cups etc. so you can make a car mount for less than $200, and all the parts you can use left and right.

Quickstream is nice too.. saves alot of time and you dont need to worry about dropouts, for this project I would run quickstream and tape for backup.

You didnt mention anything about lighting so I assume you already have that covered.. so im not going to go into that... you could waste that 8 grand just on an HMI alone.

Anyways... good to know Film school is good for someone

[Taylor Moore]

Hey Good News Norm,
Sounds amazing. I have a Glidecam V8 which is great but is not required for all shooting situations, and will truely take time to get up to speed on.

Looks like I may be doing a long term gig in Van, would love to hook up...and haven't forgotten about our ops 8)

Keep us posted.

[Mr-Joe]

Hey Jarred,

Can you post a link to a nice Cavision Matte box that will work with the Ana... I was gonna go with the Croziel 411-53p but you have to have a modified anamorphic adapter which is and extra 200 bucks for them to do that....

[Zoomforce]

This one http://www.cavision.com/Mattbox/for_film_camera.htm will work, but you need to take off some parts.. and keep the bellows really tight.

Chroziel 6x6 will work, and the 411-53 will work and you can do it youself.. all you gotta do is cut the lip off the ana adapter.. and believe it or not the ana adapter is plastic so its not that hard.