Advice needed: Starting a video wing with $10,000

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xinajerrett

New member
Hello, I'm new to the forums, but I thought this might be a good place to get some advice. I work for a non-profit organization, and we've been given the green light to start developing a media department. I took a few video classes in college (Video Production, Editing), and used Canon XL1s and GL2s, but my knowledge is pretty basic and limited.

We'll be producing some things for supporters of our organization, promotional pieces, informational pieces and products that we'll put online and possibly on DVD. So, most will be interviews with some b-roll thrown in so it's not just at talking head. We don't have a ton of resources to throw in this area, but we want things to look and sound professional.

Our budget is $10,000 for everything (that includes a computer, NLE software, camera, audio equipment, lights, etc.)

So I guess my question is, as we're starting up this department, how do we make the most of this money? What are areas that we can skimp on, and where should spend a little more money to get good quality?

Here's what we're thinking right now:

Computer and Software:
Mac Pro (which will also be used for Graphic Design) with Final Cut Studio

Camera: We've been looking at the Panasonic HPX170 (with the expensive P2 cards), as well as the HMC150 (with the more affordable SD cards and slightly lower price tag). What are some of the huge differences between these cameras, and for our purposes, is it worth the HPX170?
Also, I've been told that good audio is one of the most important things for professional video, so would we be better off getting a decent HD consumer camcorder and high-end audio equipment, or should we go for the nicer camera?

Lighting: Is this an area we could cut some cost on? Could we get away with one good soft-box as a key light, or do we need a whole light kit?

Tripod: I'm pretty clueless here. I've been hearing this is also very important for good video. However, if most of what we will be filming is stationary interviews at this point, could we get away with a cheaper tripod for now and maybe invest in something better later on?

Audio: What kinds of mics do we need? A good shotgun mic, a lav mic, both, or something else?

Thanks so much for your help!
 
First off, don't buy anything new. Pay a consultant to research and point out suitable used equipment for purchase. A few hours of the right person's time could go a long way for you.

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first bit of advice: don't rush. you've come to the right place. as you can see by my number of posts i am mostly a lurker here, but have spent YEARS studying the information all over dvxuser and you will find the most helpful and knowledgeable people and the most reliable information, in my experience...

next, i personally recommend against the mac for many reasons. unless you are proficient and comfortable with a mac, your limited budget would make a decent mac a huge % of your $. get a pc and sony vegas pro (yes, i'm biased... but everyone is when it comes to his platform of choice).

tripod: you have the right idea. get something cheap but stable that will support more than the weight of the camcorder you buy (remember that the weight of all the accessories/batteries adds up). you'll find that many low budget productions favor manfrotto (bogen) products. my cheap/stationary setup is a sanford and davis and even pro friends can't believe the quality for under $200 (check b&h).

audio: don't sacrifice good mics for a good cam. but don't sacrifice a good cam for good mics... welcome to another low budget production dilemma. if the only outdoor/event shooting you'll do is b-roll, then you won't need the audio from it anyway so you might be able to skip the shotgun for now. lavs are critical for interview footage with few exceptions.

finally, if you know that your budget today (and for the foreseeable future) is $10k firm, plan to spend 8-9k now, because as soon as you start working on your first shoot, you'll realize that there are things that you may need for your specific situation that others might not think of sitting at a computer in the middle of the night.

back to the first point, take your time. you're in the right place. ask specific questions, but also look around to see how many of your questions have already been answered.
 
Computer and Software:
I would get a nice PC here. It's going to be way cheaper than the Mac for equivalent hardware, and is just as good for both editing and graphic design.

Camera: I would go with the HMC-150. You'll get great footage and you'll know that you'll be able to read the cards without having to hook up the HMC-150 to the computer. I love my HPX, but I realize how much of a pain it can be to offload P2 cards if you have to use the camera (unless you want to drop $350 for the USB reader that's coming out).

Lighting: If you're mostly shooting interviews, I'd look into the Lowell light kits. Some people dismiss them as they're light and not as robust as others, but I'm thinking of going this route myself because I need some lighting that I can easily lug around by myself. Hopefully, someone else can provide more information about my suggestion here.

Tripod: You could definitely go with a cheaper tripod if you're not planning to do much in the way of movement. Spend at least $150-$200 on one, however, and make sure that you can see the level head while the camera is attached (I have a cheap tripod that put the level UNDERNEATH the tripod plate).

Audio: I would get two wireless lavs. Sennheiser. Don't skimp on these.
 
Ditto on the PC and DOUBLE ditto on Sony Vegas. While I'm at it, I love my DVX100B but had I known then what I know now I would have gotten the 150 as well. An affordable setup capable of excellent results. Plenty of $ left over to get some other stuff.
 
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