Any Features Ready to Shoot on HVX?

I

izoneguy

Veteran
I am scheduling a 3 week shoot for June with my HVX.
Once I get some testing done then I can figure out
if I want to shoot 720p or 1080p.
I will worry about my post-production flow afterwards.
Just wondering what the pros, cons would be in
shooting 720p vs. 1080p??
My script is almost done and will begin casting in March.
Anyone else have an indie lined up with the HVX??
 
hey there - we are shooting a feature with the HVX - we took the gamble to wait for the camera due to the nature of our production - we are fully cast and in rehearsals and preproduction.

You can go to http://www.americanstandardthemovie.com to see more info about the film.

as for formats - 720 allows for variable frame rates. but 1080 has more info for a film out. We are likely taking the strategy of shooting in 1080 and the slow and fast motion in 720 uprezzed.
 
Filming will commence on my first HVX feature in March (perhaps the first feature to be shot exclusively with the new camera?). Preproduction is already underway.

Not sure if we'll be shooting 1080 for the increase in resolution, 720 for the variable framerates, or a mixture of both. That decision will be made after the camera has been purchased and we get to do some tests.

More news and a new website to come! :)
 
If we can get delivery from our dealers (we have pre-orders in with 3 different companies), I have a client who has pre-booked the camera for their feature shooting later this month -18 day shoot with the HVX. The next couple of days will be key because understandably the DP wants to do tests and is concerned about a blow up to 35, and of course workflow. Needless to say I steered him here to read up on developments.

I just finished shooting a feature in November and would have loved to have tried the HVX. Instead we shot 500T 7218 with a HD SD DI...I produced one film in HD and have written/produced/directed many docs in HD and I'm excited by the prospect of the HVX -if only we can get ensure delivery!
 
I was prepping a feature for March, but since it's a Sci-fi I really wanted to see what HD might do for the project. I've had to push back until Fall since I don't even know how the camera is going to work out and it's just too hot to shoot in the desert in the summer and even Spring can be tough.

I'm thinking about shooting 720, but I'll have to see what luck others are having with film out. In my limited knowledge it just seems like 720 will be a bit more manageable, but still allow for a decent film-out if the story and production value make it worth while. Then again, I'm really just learning so I don't really know much.
 
Hey, what budgets are you guys working with on your projects?

I am using the HVX as a B camera on a film I am using the F900 on. There are flashback sequences amounting to about two days so will use the camera for those I hope. The film's budget is $105,000. Just wanted to get a tap on what everyone else is pulling together for their shoots.
 
I can't really disclose budget yet (it's not even finalized at this point), but I will say that the HVX is enabling us to do a lot more for a whole lot less - and we're really going to milk that angle. I'm purchasing the camera on my own, so it's not even an expense in the budget. Literally, the entire section of our budget that's normally reserved for stock/developing/telecine has been completely eliminated. That's amazing. I'm also hoping to have a quicker shooting schedule since we can monitor everything in realtime and make continuity checks instantly, and that also reduces location fees and feeding people for extra days. To be honest, we probably wouldn't have the funding for this next film if it weren't for the HVX. Viva la revolucion! :)
 
Me and Tarantino are working on a project together that should start shooting in April. We'll be using the HVX and as the B camera we'll be using a Panavision Genesis, I know it's a risk shooting on such a low quality B camera but, it's all me and Quentin can afford.
 
I'm shooting a 3 minute short in March with it to give it a "real-world" workout first. Going to shoot a feature later in the year. Budget for the feature will be somewhere around $50,000-$60,000.
 
There are two features which were ready to go to shoot mode which were delayed because of the HVX. Both independent features. Both scheduled to be shot in HOUSTON. The first feature is now in completion phase of STORY BOARDS. As soon as we get the HVX in to our hands we will play with it for couple of weeks. We hope to get a two minute segment completed, fully edited on FCP HD, and transfered to film to be absolutely sure that we are doing things right before we get into full shoot mode.
First one will be a feature scripted by native of Houston, hopefully on the sets in late March or early ApriL. We are hoping that it will be in the can by mid August. The second feature scripted by Dev Rao will commence on the heels of the first feature. Both projects are funded to transfer to film subject to financiers approval of edited version, after demographic audience review and results. We have done the same on script phase also on both projects and have received good feed-back.
 
My first feature, which was released all the way back in 2002 was completed in 2000 for about $130k, shot on film and was a pretty bad movie all in all...my next feature should have 10 times the production value and cost about the same (hopefully a bit less if I can manage it). I guess this is what digital and cameras like the HVX are doing for filmmaking.
 
This camera is really going to democratize filmmaking, taking the DVX revolution to another stage, which is I'm sure what Panny intended. As it was said -there is the elimination of whole budget line items. Ultimately such savings will result in putting more on screen...whether that's being able to shoot for an extra day, affording a better actor/actress or securing a great location. More $ to shoot without developing & processing & downcoverting is HUGE. Now I'd love to see the same sort of revolution happen with color timing in an NLE -something like a Lustre for under 50K.
 
Squid Lips: We shot a film in '03 (geez, now that it's 2006 that seems like a long time ago) on the F900 and used the varicam for FB sequences, and it worked real well...the cameras look too different to actually try to match, but HVX should work fine it the plan is for a stylized FB.

I'm bringing in the HVX for the afore-mentioned feature shoot that has a similar budget as yours...the producers looked at all options for shooting and even on a SDX the cost was too much. Getting HD resolution seemed beyond their budget. Once the camera arrives, it will become a reality (fingers crossed).
 
Can anyone who has shot a feature, comment on how they raised the money for their shoot?

Thanks
Ben
 
Bena - thats a huge question.

You need to package the film in a way that makes it attractive to vendors - then you need to negotiate the legal and securities rules around different types of offering like a private placement or a public offering - each with pros and cons -. Once your structure is set up you can start soliciting money from everyone you know and then get to know more people - especially people with investment capital and influence.

There are many ways to go about it but the biggest thing is IMHO, is to create a safe and secure structure for the investment and then get very creative about attracting people to it - and be ready and prepared to change strategies and/or take big/risky actions when your present course of action becomes ineffective. In other words you need to treat it the same as any other business that youe would be starting as an entrepeneur and as such its good to read business books whenever you get the chance.

This answer is a little all over the place, but its not an easy question.
 
This is a business for sure. There is no forgetting that. Yeah we make films because it's our passion -and that's an asset- but bottom line is that for any broadcaster or distributor acquiring a film is because they expect they can make money on it. They don't do it out of the goodness of their hearts.

How the money comes together is a hodge podge of financial structure percentages. It can take any number of forms from broadcaster presale(s) to distribution advances to public equity (in Canada anyway). private equity, deferrals, and the federal and provincial tax credits (available to US and international producers too). The business side is more important than the creative before you get to shoot because you have to satisfy all the investors (including the bank who will interim finance) that the film will get shot, posted, and delivered. Then the cash gets released and you learn how fast you can spend money and it only stops when you wrap principle photography -that is, if you happen to own a post facility like we do and take a first position in the equity structure...

Private investment is the trickiest, but clearly the best way to go because presumably you are partnering with people who believe in your vision.
 
HVXguy said:
I am scheduling a 3 week shoot for June with my HVX.
Once I get some testing done then I can figure out
if I want to shoot 720p or 1080p.
I will worry about my post-production flow afterwards.
Just wondering what the pros, cons would be in
shooting 720p vs. 1080p??
My script is almost done and will begin casting in March.
Anyone else have an indie lined up with the HVX??
Click to expand...

Yes, I'm waiting for my two HVX's to re shoot my film, "Holy War" on. I shot some of it with the DVX but ran into money, script and actor problems, all of which should be solved by…more money! So I took out a second on my house to finance real actors, (College as well as local semi pro actors) as well as the HVX's and new computers software etc for the new shoot. The script is a bit problematic, I have a great story, but I'm not a great scriptwriter. Hopefully the script problems will be solved soon, we'll see if those who said they will help actually deliver on the promise. If not I'll do the best I can to re do it myself. I'm tired of watching this movie in my head, I need to get it out on DVD and hopefully film if I get some support from film festival entries etc.

David
 
i would argue that private investments is one of the easier ways to go from an administrative and legal standpoint - as long as you satisfy certian requirements you are exempt from many securities laws - you must fully disclose the risks though - you CANNOT tell people your film will make money becuase that is not a reasonable prediction - but you can get them to beleive your film has a good shot.

on the other hand a public offering is easier in the sense that you can ask anyone to invest. With a private you are limited in that you cant publically advertise or solicit for investors.
 
Thanks to those able to "disclose" the budgets. I know for those others "unable" to do to the fact that it would jeopordize the projects status, I understand :)

This will be the first time I have used a more "prosumer" camera for a project. Everything else has been either 35mm (in one case super 16mm) and HD on the F900. It will be my eigth feature and third at that budget range. If the camera gives results that are impressive enough to me and get us past QC at the markets, I may consider an experimental film shot just on the camera for around 50K. Especially if the frame rates produce good results for action.

As for raising money, it really varies but if you have never made a film professionaly before, best to just get together the best package you can (script, concept art, etc.) and try and convince your wealthy friends/family that a couple grand in the project will do them well. But make sure you have an airtight business plan put together so that you don't lose a brother over this. I have produced three films this way and in each case the films have been released and paid back the investors. But, I will say I consider us both blessed and well backed by working professionals so the product was competetive in the markets. Everything else I have produced I used "studio" funding from professional film investors.
 
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