A Good Profession?

I've always been curious about Avid. Is it a proprietary system, or can you run it on a PC? My understanding is that an Avid setup will let you capture and edit your footage without compression, hence saving you some resolution. Is that true?
 
Avid is a brand name. There are all types of Avid systems.
Both Mac/PC versions are available, at least in the DV-based products. That's the extent of what I know.
 
if you'd like to start learning the avid, they offer a free download for pc or mac
http://www.avid.com/freedv/index.asp

and you can find a book for $50
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/t...104-6507861-2914366?v=glance&s=books&n=507846

the free software offers a scaled down version of the real interface and is a great place to start learning, but projects you do on this free version can not be transfered to other avid products in the future.

If you haven't used avid or fcp before, I would buy the book before downloading the software. Plan to take a month or two to start learning the very basics and let go of expectations. Avid can look about as confusing as ancient greek if you don't have a good guide and take small steps at first. But with a little patience, it is not so intimidating and you'll find thing sky is the limit on what you can do.
 
All the above is great advice.

I would like to add that I believe that success in this industry does hinge on education. Now that does not mean film school. I believe that you should be a life long learner. Spend time and money studying books, magazines, trade-journals and the resources of the internet as a start. Get around people that are doing it and ask questions. Never stop learning.

And if you are interested in doing fictional narrative films, i.e. shorts and features, Iwould suggest going to the New York Times websit and downloading there list of "The best 1000 Movies of all time". Then watch these movies. Study these movies.

Good luck
 
Rosestar said:
Iwould suggest going to the New York Times websit and downloading there list of "The best 1000 Movies of all time". Then watch these movies. Study these movies.
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And 2,000+ hours later, you'll be edumacated. :)
 
I recently looked at the AFI top 100, and I was pleasantly surprised at how many I had seen without even trying.
 
Terry_Lasater said:
Rosestar said:
Iwould suggest going to the New York Times websit and downloading there list of "The best 1000 Movies of all time". Then watch these movies. Study these movies.
Click to expand...

And 2,000+ hours later, you'll be edumacated. :)
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LOL :) :)

btw. I don't like this "The best 1000 Movies of all time" - there is A.I. and no Jurassic Park, there is About Schmidt and no Titanic... etc. etc.

I would recomend watching all these 1000 movies and all best sellers... (like titanic, armageddon, lord of the rings etc.) but this will take you about 5000 hours :)
 
Also - in my opinion - one should catch 2 b flicks for every good film they see. B flick meaning not necessarily cheap, but poorly made for whatever reason. This will get you thinking, "I coulda done that better" great for ego boosts and whatnot (Go to the 80's section of Blockbuster)
 
Terry_Lasater said:
And 2,000+ hours later, you'll be edumacated. :)
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You are going to watch movies anyway, but instead of watching "Taxi", watch "Taxi Driver". Put your collection of "Earnest" movies away and watch a Cassevettes film.

I also think that badly made movies make great inspiration (not at a 2:1 ratio however). The most inspirational film I have seen lately is "Zombies Forever". Has to be the worst film I have seen in years. A virtual textbook of how not to do it. Get a copy.
 
I go back to the 30's and 40's a lot. Watching Preston Sturges, Frank Capra, Howard Hawkes, John Ford, W.S. Van Dyke and the other directors of that age taught me a lot about story. So many of the films made in the last few decades rely heavily on on style over substance, special effects and name actors to succeed. I'm not saying that any of those things are bad, but returning to simpler films that relied heavily on plot, character and good dialogue helped me both writing and shooting. You also learn that not all of their movies were good either, which is heartening.

I also recommend watching silent films, even if you don't like them (Which I don't, with the exception of Keaton, Lloyd, and Chaplin). You aren't distracted by dialogue which allows you to focus on how to tell a story through pictures. I know that I rely too heavily on expository dialogue in my scripts, and watching silents has helped me write more visual stories.
 
I know you said that you've got the grades for good cinema schools and I'd like to say some things about going that route as opposed to what I did, which was through the school of hard knocks, purchasing of my own gear (against dire warnings, sage advice and the worry of my parents) and half-baked business ventures.

In film school, you have a relatively level playing field where you have free-reign to explore many aspects (on a smaller, more controlled scale) of filmmaking with others who are near your level of experience. Ignore the inherent urges to compete in this atmosphere, and instead sidle up to your professors and peers for the purpose of learning - you will absorb vast amounts of information as you create real work within a unique "studio" atmosphere, where some projects are greenlighted, and others not.

Once you graduate, while you will certainly forge some long-lasting symbiotic relationships, you will be in direct competition for work with your contemporaries, and that fact will color and challenge your efforts every step of the way.

I purchased an Arriflex camera just after graduation from high school and never shot anything of consequence with it. We did run thousands of feet of footage and learn a great deal through our failures. Along the way, we met, received kind advice from and even befriended people like Tak Mayagishima and Jon Erland - giants in the area of cinematography. Mostly, they must've pitied our freshman efforts: who the hell tries to run 16mm film sideways?!

While I don't regret the way I got into production, I must say that I might have had an easier time of it had I been willing to listen to my professors and stayed in school. With my young attitude, it is a wonder I picked up anything from the school that had graduated James Cameron!

Anyway, like others have said, have a great attitude and willingness to learn. Think of PA positions as an extension course in filmmaking - where you have free access to observe pros at work while you labor in relative tedium. Shoot as much as you can - though I wouldn't necessarily say, "go buy a camera as quick as you can" unless you're comfortably subsidized to do so.

Even if you decide against formal film school, make yourself available to student filmmakers in your area in exchange for meal, copy and credits - or whatever they're offering. You will pick up tons through low-budget work, as these guys are often the most resourceful people working!

Have fun and good luck!

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The above statements for film school is a valid point. If you (or your family) have the resources to be pay for a good film school, I can not see why that would be a bad thing. the structure offered will help guide you into the areas that you have the most apptitude and desire for.

Just do not think that a film school education will prepare you to come out and go right into a producton job. It will still take hustling and inititiative.
 
If youre ready for running into a-holes in the business, spending your money til your bank goes negative, cry when there are no jobs out there, have your hopes and dreams diminsh has you sit at home wondering why you dont have any jobs and why money is not being made when I have 9 grand in equipment, when people are always asking for free work...

Only until then you may find the right people, produce some awesome work for them, only until then filmmaking maybe, just maybe right.

(sorry about the harshness, Ive been through a lot when I was younger(year ago))

Okay, but my real advice to any new filmmaker. You will meet some of the worst people in film, whether theyre pros or people with a lot of money and a dream, they will put you down like a castrated dog in heat. They will say some of the nastiest things to you, calling you a loser, you'll never make it into film, I will never ever hire you nor will anyone else...and use that anger and better yourself. If ANYONE praises you, make it go one ear and out the other cause you will stay in your level and have no drive to grow.

Prepare yourself young Jedi

oh and read my signature below. Cheers
 
One more thing, Just in case you know... You'll always have the option of having a major/minor. woohoo
 
My advice is go to school. Get a good education in something you really like. Don;t settle for a job you hate that pays good. You can pick up a good video camera for not that much money and you can start making movies now.
Don't drink and or take drugs. They will zap the energy out of you. Pray.

Good luck
 
It depends on what scale you want to do this as well. I work for an advertising agency and run their production department.......it pays and its steady. I know I can make rent, and I know I'll be working 80 hours a check.
 
"If I were to give any advice to anybody, I would say by all means, resist all temptations, for the love of God, do not get into filmmaking "

Dizkoteck- I like to quote Orson Wells, "I made a mistake staying with film, but it is like saying it was a mistake to marry that woman, I had to, I love her."

When I get down, I always say, "I should have listened to my mother and been a plumber".

F**k plumbing.
 
thisiswells, hey sorry if that was a lil offending and harsh...but its true for some people. But I'll tell you what, without me meeting those bad people in film... I wouldnt have gotten far. They said I got no talent, I went home and edited and shot the sh*t out of my full potential and more. Bad guys like those are here to give me a swift kick in the arse.

Rosestar - Its soooo true, I hate it cause its so unstable at times and hours are just crazy...but damnit, when I hit the record button all that is gone and Im in the zone.
(the zone is gone once you carry the camera equipment bag and a 50 lbs tripod bag with everything back home)

Come on, you know yoooou knooow!
 
Rosestar said:
I like to quote Orson Wells
Click to expand...

For all due respect to dead people with iconic stature, his last name is spelled Welles, not Wells.
Kane_postal.gif
 
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