XH-A1 filmmaking

Last warning on this thread. I don't want to shut it down, but unless it steers away from personal attacks this one is going to get flushed.
 
Zak Forsman said:
HDV is an ideal trade-off for the aspiring filmmaker. it can be very cinematic, but there are very real limitations that the pros many of you admire wouldn't think twice about. there's no reason to be offended when someone points out that the tools you're using are a little limited in potential if your goal is to be on par with a 35mm studio picture.

in my opinion, "cinema quality HDV" is an oxymoron.
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Are you kidding?

If it goes well with Lynch and with a PD150 (SD not HD or HDV -- the second means the same than the first one, whether we wish whether not), why not with you and with a superior resolution? :)

I don't know what would Cassavetes say on this? But one thing I can sure to you: he would be the first one to shoot with HDV. Yes, I said the terrible word :), yes: HDV. The same HD format refused by the crappy (I'm sorry but I am coming from other fields and I'd like to put some humor on this :cheesy:) Discovery HD.

Here are some hints on this:

http://www.dvxuser.com/V6/showthread.php?p=903334#post903334

Or this one from a reliable source (be attentive about what each one is saying and you can follow the meaning of this introduction):

http://www.dvxuser.com/V6/showthread.php?p=903214#post903214
 
this is really getting funny. maybe i should just quote myself so that anyone looking for something in my posts to pick apart will see that i'm not contradicting myself.

because as i stated before (here we go again!), I count myself alongside those filmmakers whose personal aesthetic demands the immediacy and intimacy of equipment with a small form factor. i'll gladly trade off image quality to do so. it's right for me. but i'm not trying to tell conventional stories with a conventional look. and the people who are, are the majority here. and those are the members of this board who I recommended renting higher end equipment as opposed to buying an HDV camera.

and thanks for deleting your post, futureman. it was out of line. a number of people here will vouch for my largely positive contributions to the communal discussion that surrounds dvxuser.com.
 
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I did not delete my post, the moderator did.

This subject is closed, just google the issue, and the answers will become apparent, i am not going to waste my time posting about something that has been answered before.

HDV is fine for 35mm, period.
 
future, in response to your second deleted post, i can't even cite myself as saying HDV is uncinematic, let alone provide outside "proof". i said that the image quality doesnt hold up for theatrical exhibition where the shortcomings of the codec [sarcasm] really shine! [/sarcasm]

i sat in a leather recliner on a mix stage at Todd AO and saw it for myself. it's fine for what i do, but I don't aspire to make mainstream entertainment. for anyone seeking that kind of exposure... you're likely to be disappointed when the image is twenty feet tall. so my advice stands, if you dream of directing studio pictures one day, practice on HDV, but make strides toward renting something better when you're ready to put everything you've learned into a signature, "calling card" feature. i've been around enough douchebag execs, who have just enough knowledge to make really poor decisions, to know that it really counts. even if it shouldn't.
 
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I did delete my second post, because i sent my last one from college and i was not sure if it went through... but it did, and was deleted by the moderator!

You obviously have more friends here than i do... so i am going to back out of this discussion.

Have a good day everyone!
 
futureman said:
I did delete my second post, because i sent my last one from college and i was not sure if it went through... but it did, and was deleted by the moderator!
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Hey MAN, in the FUTURE can you refrain from personal attacks? I don't care if people refute until their noses bleed, but just keep it civil.

THE MODERATOR :dankk2:
 
I have been booked to shoot a decent budget feature length movie meant for festivals and theatrical release eventually sometimes third quarter this year.

In the end, it was decided that we will shoot with the A1. HD, progressive, 20x zoom, tapes...all these are a plus. We will be shooting in the middle of the sea (fish farm) a lot and for those scenes, we are trying to minimize equipments and crews. We will see if it is professional and cinematic enough when it is done.

Other DP would have probably scoff at the very thought of shooting in HDV but not me. I did not come from a formal film school (Bachelor in Mass Comm, Film and TV major).

I learn through actual industrial work (events, corporates, a few features, TV pilot, shorts...).

DV, DVCPro, HDV, Betacam...all these are just a medium to me.

Redhead, blondies, HMI, Kinoflo, Dedolights...all these are just tools.

I realized that by not worrying too much about the equipment (my only demand is a progressive camera and at the very least redheads and blondies), I can concentrate more on what the camera is capturing as oppose to which camera is doing the capturing.

More of these "new generation of filmmakers" should realized this. Rather than worrying about which camera to use or which 35mm adapter to get, they should be worrying if they can even light a nice looking scene and frame a nice shot first.
 
Allright niceguy15, what do you need in a camera? Variable framerates? Dynamic range? Low light performance? Chroma keying? Do you need something that won't fill up all the space on your hard drive?

What's your budget for your next project?
 
ohh, and my budget is around $6,000,000 (just for the camera) but it would be nice to save 2k and buy a good editing program.
 
niceguy15 said:
ohh, and my budget is around $6,000,000 (just for the camera) but it would be nice to save 2k and buy a good editing program.
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Your budget is 6 million? :Drogar-Smoke(DBG):
 
niceguy15 said:
ohh, and my budget is around $6,000,000 (just for the camera) but it would be nice to save 2k and buy a good editing program.
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The Six Million Dollar Camera!
We can build it better, faster, stronger then before! With both P2 and HDV built in, with image flip and a removeable lens, 3x 2inch hybrid CMOS CDD sensors, 26inch dubs, NOS, Spoile.......
 
DOP? Director of photography? Or do you mean DOF, depth of field. Narrow I'm guessing. Both cameras have a 1/3 inch sensor, and a miminum aperture of f1.6 although the longer focal lenght on the XH A1 may give a nice shallow depth of field. And if you are using the HVX you may find that it is an expensive camera. It's P2 cards are a little too expensive for your budget, in my opinion. And if you have a $6,000 budget, the XH A1 and HDV will be just fine for you, if you had a bit more money, say $12,000, you might want to consider the HVX200. But anyway, I think the XH A1 will be a very nice friend to you, and will serve you well for quite some time. When the AVCHD cameras arrive, you may want to look into that, more to the quality of DVCPRO HD and lower bit rates of HDV. But still the XH A1 is good for now. I say go with it.
 
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