Affording Equipment

You can get a digital camera that records HD at 720p30 for $350. You can get one that does a reasonably good quality 1080p30 for $600 (at least in a month, Canon SX1).

Any camera you get now would be obsolete in a year. Get a camera, tripod, and some low cost editing software (Premiere Elements?) and a script tool and shoot some stuff. You can spend $150-300 on a sound recording device (like the Zoom H4) and you are done.

The more you shoot the more you learn what is important.

BTW, software is available with steep student discounts. And 5 years ago Bogen had student discounts which B&H used.
 
my family has already helped me past wits end, we dont have much money and what they could spare to my passion they have already generiously done. So help is out of the question right now =/. I'm going to my bank today to get details on a small personal loan, see if i like what I hear, i wont decide anything today however, since I still like the no debt idea lol
 
jeff9329 said:
The real bummer is that you need two HMC-150s to shoot a wedding IMO.

Then; two tripods, maybe two wireless units and certainly two good shotgun mics.


We get paid how much to shoot weddings?....and the photographer gets paid how much? Video is a capital equipment intensive business.
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Any good suggestions for a wireless unit?
 
DavidNJ said:
You can get a digital camera that records HD at 720p30 for $350. You can get one that does a reasonably good quality 1080p30 for $600 (at least in a month, Canon SX1).

Any camera you get now would be obsolete in a year. Get a camera, tripod, and some low cost editing software (Premiere Elements?) and a script tool and shoot some stuff. You can spend $150-300 on a sound recording device (like the Zoom H4) and you are done.

The more you shoot the more you learn what is important.

BTW, software is available with steep student discounts. And 5 years ago Bogen had student discounts which B&H used.
Click to expand...


Some of this I agree with and some I dont. Although you can get decent cheap cams, they aren't a substitute for a more complete and more functional pro-style camera. I have an SD9 and an HV20 before that and they are cool for what they are but really lacking in a lot of other areas... so i wouldn't say that ROI on a small cheap camera would be that steep, but I don't think you could make a lot with it either.


I highly doubt any 1080p HD cam will be obsolete. People are still using DVXs for broadcast and high concept stuff on the web. There will always be NEW cams but obsolecence is something that I think happens more in the 3-5 year range... but even then who's to say. About 10 years after the Sony did that VX1000 cam, I met a DP who shot all of his stuff for BET on the camera.. because that's the camera that he felt most comfortable with...


You are right on the other elements. Very important to get a basic set of tools.. but the Zoom from what I've heard has some work-arounds needed since it drifts over time, but most editors can deal with that.


As Barry has pointed out.. and I highly recommend, get what works for you now.. that allows you to do the job the best, without excess and without awkward workarounds and you'll be happy.


Pretty much any of the more pro style cams will allow you to do decent paying work and if that's the goal, or a personal project is at the core, then I'd say to get whatever you can for the money you can and build up an eye and a reputation.
 
I'd say that Lectrosonics are the standard, but they are expensive. The sennheisers are good cheap lavs, but in those price ranges I'd still say to look into the Lectros. Almost every audio guy I've ever worked with uses Lectros and I have two myself. They are built like tanks and I've used mine thousands of times in the 10 years I've had them. They were expensive but they still keep on working gig after gig.. and they've been dropped and handled poorly by clients as that will happen. People will drop your transmitter for sure...
 
I got a $15000 from citi. Half of that is going towards other video equipment I've purchased in the past on credit cards. Because of that though, I know a lot more than most other film students.
 
My take on purchasing more basic equipment to do the job is I partly agree, in the sense that sure I could get more basic items with the money and work from there, however I know from using my DVX that I need more then those basics. My goal is to work on the projects that go on in my head and I write down, build some sort of portfolio, and if i decide to try to get into a film program at a better school (my current college has relativley no program) or do something bigger with them. I really don't know but for some reason I don't feel I'm doing myself justice if I don't go for what I want atleast within a somewhat reasonable price range and the HMC150 is that. I already have a Macbook Pro and FCP for editing, a decent Shotgun Mic for basic sound, hopefully not too long after I get the camera I will go for lav mics. It sucks right now not having a camera true, I at least still have my DSLR camera for my photography to work on my "cinematography" (I'd like to become a DP) work in some way, however I realize its obviously different.

I'm trying, at times I feel like I'm sinking under with all these different things, Its tough being alone with your goals, no idea what to do, afraid your growing up too fast for them, even though your still young.
 
Oh an Nantnee any other info you could provide on the loan? I don't know too much about loans, just recently figured out credit cards lol, whats your rate on the loan? ect.
 
when taking out a loan make sure that it's something very managable as "things" always pop up. It happened with my HVX. I made good money but wasn't able to pay back on the loan at more than the minimum for a while as I was covering other expenses, living.. etc. On the 150 I did pay for it in cash as I dropped easily more than 20 percent more on the HVX because of the interests rates and such. Credit needs to be easy to handle and not a major burden.
 
I have pretty good credit, so that helps. If I were you, and you're not worried about job security, get a student loan. Where I'm from we have FAFSA. You get really reasonable rates. I believe 5% and you have a 6 month grace period after graduation to start paying for it, and you have (i believe) 10 years to pay it off. However, get what you need and make a plan to pay it off and stick to it. I'll pay mine off in 5yrs. It was something I was willing to do for education.
 
The camera itself, IMHO, is 20% of your overall equipment costs including software but not including the computer.

If you are doing documentary or theatrical filming, the production quality of a good AVCHD digital camera or video camera should be adequate. Henry Olonga captured HDMI from an SR11 to Cineform, posting some clips on vimeo...worth a look.

Are you doing documentary, theatrical, event, music video????
 
More theatrical filming, a little music video as music in films is always my favorite part and I feel like making videos to music is very enjoyable and creative.

Nantnee did you use the student loan for school or just for filming equipment? I never did FASFA for the reason most people dont, my mom didnt want to because we have to give all our information out and most likely get nothing due to use being middle class. So I'd have to wait till next year to do it. I also don't need a loan for school because I have whats called "Florida Bright Futures" Scholarship that pays for any public college in florida that I go to.
 
Nantnee... lots of others who went to full sail will have a lot more to pay back than what you borrowed. Hopefully you didn't go there... such a racket they have going on at that school... shameless especially in light of the economy now... but that's time for a rant elsewhere
 
Let me clarify, I am a Cinema Studies major. I will say I know a good amount regarding film theories and such, but they don't teach production (minus 1 or 2 classes.) I also would be considered middle class, I only suggested FAFSA because the general student body goes through that and I also have Bright Futures. I got mine from citi because I wanted to consolidate my credit cards and get new equipment (you can get $17000 a semester.) I previously had a A1, which broke recently (got a full refund through best buy), and I learned a lot from that investment. But I want to get a Mac, learn the standards (the programs I want to learn) and get the video equip.

In short, the loan was to expand my experience at school and to apply the things I learned.

Justyn - I do no go to Full Sail. Its actually right down the road from me, and they have some pretty awesome stuff (due to the $60000 tuition, i believe.) But if i'm going that far in debt, I would rather go all out and go to UCLA or something. Their program is only $120,000 =)

Elmy - Write out a list of what you NEED. Camera, Tripod, the essentials. From there, you can really decide on how much you should take out. It took me 7months to finally decide, i've done a lot of research.

Remember, you can spend it all in one day, but it will take years to pay back.
 
How you liking UCF? figured it was that since you said you were in the Cinema Studies. I have a lot of friends that go there. I wanted to go there for film (Actually only a little, more so because I didn't really have a real choice of where I wanted to go and since my friends go there I said hey why not, I heard their program was getting good) but I had to stay down here at FAU due to financial issues with housing and what not. I might transfer there for Cinema Studies after I get my AA down here though, don't know yet. I also looked at full sail but I felt the same way you did.

I also think I'm somewhat in the same situation you are, my program at FAU has a lot of theory, little to no production, however the DVX100b taught me a lot and I do photography also. I've learned a lot with editing playing around with my Mac and FCP, I think I do know a fair amount, thats why I want to get this equipment to work on it some more.

Thanks for the advice on the loan however. I have calculated it a little but I still need some more research.
 
Indeed... I know a couple of the profs at UCF and it's a good school.. glad ya didn't go to fullsail. They have the best of the best in terms of the equipment, most of which the real world can't afford, but they are lacking in their faculty and curriculum.

If you are in FL, and can get in and can dedicate the time then I recommend my film school.. FSU. I believe it's the best in the country for what you get taught, how they subsidize yoru films, and what the students are archiving after they graduate. It's almost 20 years old and has dominated in festivals during this time... Its totally comperable in faculty and education to the big schools and not just a money pit like the one here is.... It's such a shame that so many kids get out of one year of school with 70k in loans... That is criminal and more than medical school. My sister goes to Mt. Sinai and it's cheaper than Full Sail... and she gets a cadaver thrown in on that price... lol
 
Ya I wanted to go to FSU's film school first, however I slacked too much with my GPA in high school, Test scores were sky high but didn't save me for FSU where I put film as a major, but also didnt apply to the film school also because didn't think I had to yet, who knows. Also I never had a real portfolio to send to a film school since I didn't actually take film seriously till right before senior year. I do think I might try to attend FSU for grad school if I'm still in Florida when that time comes. I've heard good things about their Film Grad Program.
 
yes. their grad program is great.. you can also go in as a transfer. That is what I did.. So you can go in after your sophmore year...
 
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