I just got $12,000 and want a camera!

Don't spend all the money on the camera but DO buy a camera. Borrowing cameras from friends is so time consuming and what do you do if they fall through? I wasted so much time not shooting weekends in college because the camera guy slept in that day. Plus theres too much preplanning when you borrow cameras, whereas you get to playtest and film anything you want when you own it yourself. You can go out and film traffic for no reason at all.


If I were you I'd just buy another DVX100. Thats like what, $2500? And then with the rest of your money invest in a high yield bond. That way, when you get out of college you'll have racked up some change & might be able to fund your own low budget feature. Even if its just 10K that will be appealing to investors when you want them to match your funds. Since you have money in the pot they'll see that you are committed to see it through. Find one investor and you have a 20K budget.
 
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I would:

Buy a car that moves. It doesn't have to be look cool, only function.

Invest the rest of the money until you have a script to shoot.
 
We bought our son a car, Pontiac GPT '98 for $5k, the car in a word - pristine. We bought it from an English guy who worked part-time as a highway patrolman (only in Cali). Leather seats, well cared for, we don't ever worry 'bout our son.

1. Buy a car from an original owner in near mint or pristine condition (they are out there) and pay no more than $5-$7k.

2. Put $5k away for a rainy day. You NEVER know what will happen in life and it's best to have some sort of cushion.

3. Buy something that will MAKE you money, not something that you will use as a hobby and begin to double your investment. It's fun making short films but the odds in making money that way is at the short end. Just a thought.

I took $70 and bought an item that gave me a 200% profit, I know my initial set up wasn't much, but I then used that profit money guilt free.
 
The first dollar I'd spend is on a ticket outa there, wherever there is. Dude, there are people who go their entire lives without getting robbed once. Or. you could do the socially responsible thing and kill a few of the perps. Enough people did that, might be a whole lot nicer place to live.
 
The question is:
Do you want the fishes
or
Do you want the fishing rod?

If you buy a car only, you won't be able to make money with your money.
If you buy a camera setup, you can have a Return on investment.
And most important, you will be able to shoot wethever you want without depending on other.

But the final question is:
What do you want to do with the camera setup?
playing around?
work?
express yourself?
In those case it's worth.

But if you buy the camera and let it in the closet, don't do it.


.
 
A car or a camera ?

I think wheels overide a camera purchase, yes ? Don;t you have a job, girlfriend, social life ... ?

Get a $5000.00 hoochy car and then get a camera ?
 
S'what I say. S'why I said rent a camera and shoot a short. You can always rent the gear.

Better get j00 some wheels, mang.
 
Knoxworth said:
Borrowing cameras from friends is so time consuming and what do you do if they fall through? I wasted so much time not shooting weekends in college because the camera guy slept in that day. Plus theres too much preplanning when you borrow cameras, whereas you get to playtest and film anything you want when you own it yourself. You can go out and film traffic for no reason at all.
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J.R. Hudson said:
I think wheels overide a camera purchase, yes ? Don;t you have a job, girlfriend, social life ... ?
Click to expand...

SO TORN!!!! Must...have...both!
 
You can have both. $12k can easily buy you a nice 2nd hand car (as Charli mentioned) and a new or second hand DVX100b - plus some really good extras - tripod, mic, mattebox.

You don't "need" a nice new car and you don't "need" a nice new camera. Just be happy with what you can get and don't be afraid to make sacrifices or compromises so you can have both a car and a camera.
 
Agreed. Second hand car, like 93 Toyota/Nissan/ etc etc


Look up craigslist in your city and youll find cars that run for $2000. Do your research and you can have car and camera for like $5000. Of course then comes registration and auto insurance etc.
 
you could put in a reservation for the red camera, they just started accepting reservations. by the time they're released you'd make enough money to purchase it ill bet.



haha jk but i would get a legit car for now and an HV20, then start saving up for an HVX setup.
 
Id get that 12k and put in a hi yield savings account for 8-12 months while you decide on exactly what you want whether it be option 1-4.
i mean you said ur w/ ur parents so im sure they wont let you starve.
so gain some NOT alot of interest off your 12k and make your decision later.

-albert
 
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