Do film students really need their own cameras?

Tina C

Tina C

Member
I'm wondering just what the situation is at most schools with the cameras they loan out, and if there is good justification for students to have their own cameras -- if they're really needed, or if they are a luxury. I'm interested in hearing your perspectives and experiences, please.
 
having your camera is good for two things: you learn by using it and you can make money out of it. If you are in film school, you probably have acess to decent enough equipment not to worry about having your gear. So the question to be asked: can you make money out of it? Do you have a estabilished market or a possiblility of an open market? If so, good, if not, well maybe saving the money could be the better choice.

You will need one when you get off school, though, depending on the path you decide to take.
 
Do you NEED one? No.

Would I recommend getting one? YES.

At school you will have access to great gear. But you will be competing with thousands of other students for that gear. So if you do not have your own stuff you'll have to do a lot of scheduling around camera availablity rather then the availability of your subject/actors. It can be quite a pain in the ass. Also, people treat their own stuff better then someone elses. While schools do maintain there equipment - it gets put through the ringer, and you'll have to make sure that the camera is setup how you want it each time you take it out.

Also having a camera, any camera for that matter will help you. It doesn't have to be the top of the line, it just has to work. I can learn basketball by going to basketball camp, and not having a basketball of my own. But I will never be as good as those who have their own basketball and practice on their own. Having your own camera is much the same. The more it is in your hands, the more practice you get, the better you'll become. You can practice with the schools gear, but as you'll find out access is limited. So it'll just take you longer to get a good feel for it. If you can't afford your dream camera, just get something you can afford and use it. I've seen some great stuff on consumer cameras, and I've seen crap on expensive professional cameras. The most important thing is to be practicing your craft.
 
I'm sorry, but for a "film student" to be asking this amazing.

If you were truly interested in filmmaking, you'd never ask such a question.
 
Hey pookie, a "student" is surely someone trying to learn... question seems fair to me.

I guess it would depend on the school and what kit they have and the access to. I would wait and see when you get there. That way you can make a far better judgement than we can.

It certainly would be an advantage, possibly as a B camera or for pickups, or maybe smaller projects you are assigned. I would also think that the people at film school who will make it. will be the ones working outside of the course, making their own films. So they question is, can you afford to buy one...or can you afford not to...?

Personally I had my own camera and edit suite through film school, which paid entirely for themselves. I found the edit suite was my more used tool, but I was specialising in directing and editing.
 
My experience has been that it's a really good idea for each student to have their own camera, because when you have four people sharing one camera, bad things happen. :cry:
 
I never went to film school, but have dealt with some people who did (at USC), and many did not have cameras.

It seems to me you need to get there and find out if access is a problem. If you can get the equipment you need while you're there, hold off. The same money will buy you a better camera when you really need it. If, however, access to school cameras is a limiting factor in your progress, then get the camera.

It's like with computers: there's always a better model around the corner, and the current models always get cheaper. So buy the best you can when you really need it, but don't buy if you can get away with something else for a while. Now, in the middle of the switchover to HD, I'd suggest trying a little harder to wait if you can... the DVX you may not need now might be worth a lot more as $3000 off the HVX next semester that'll really be a giant step up from the cameras the school is likely to have.

Also, don't forget - you'll have friends with cameras, too. You'll probably be forced to work on film for some projects. You may or may not (depending on the school) have a lot of free time to be doing non-school projects.

So, wait. Just a bit, to see what's there.
 
Thank you for your input, all!

Pookie, why is that question odd to you? I'm a film student, but I haven't taken the classes where I'll need a camera yet, and I'm at a community college, working towards going to CSUN. I'm wondering just how you would know how "interested in filmmaking" I am or not, as you know me not at all.
 
mmm said:
Hey pookie, a "student" is surely someone trying to learn... question seems fair to me.

I guess it would depend on the school and what kit they have and the access to. I would wait and see when you get there. That way you can make a far better judgement than we can.

It certainly would be an advantage, possibly as a B camera or for pickups, or maybe smaller projects you are assigned. I would also think that the people at film school who will make it. will be the ones working outside of the course, making their own films. So they question is, can you afford to buy one...or can you afford not to...?

Personally I had my own camera and edit suite through film school, which paid entirely for themselves. I found the edit suite was my more used tool, but I was specialising in directing and editing.
Click to expand...

A "film student" is already going to have a camera, and been shooting with it long before enrolling in a film school.

To be a "film student" and not have a camera.....sorry, something amiss....
 
I dunno Pookie-o, some go that route. Some carry cameras around since they're 3, shooting everything, but never shoot anything good. Tina seems to do pretty nicely as a "still" artist, and developing compositional and aesthetic skills that way first is another good route to take. The great ones know exactly what they want to see before they set the camera up.... that applies longer-term to film school, too, perhaps.

Don't forget, Tina - this is a group pretty much defined by people who love their cameras, and wouldn't wanna imagine not having them!
 
pookie said:
To be a "film student" and not have a camera.....sorry, something amiss....
Click to expand...

Good point. It would be like a sculpter who did not have any clay, or a painter who did not have any paint ... but clay and paint are a lot cheaper then a camera, I'll give ya that. Having a camera is an essential tool for this trade after all. Liek I said before it doesn't matter so much what camera you have (at this stage in the game at least) it just matters that you have one and can start using it to tell stories. You could even use a 35mm still camera to tell stories for that matter. Get access to something and use it!
 
ullanta said:
I dunno Pookie-o, some go that route. Some carry cameras around since they're 3, shooting everything, but never shoot anything good. Tina seems to do pretty nicely as a "still" artist, and developing compositional and aesthetic skills that way first is another good route to take. The great ones know exactly what they want to see before they set the camera up.... that applies longer-term to film school, too, perhaps.

Don't forget, Tina - this is a group pretty much defined by people who love their cameras, and wouldn't wanna imagine not having them!
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It's been a long time since I was in film school, but I can't imagine going to one without a camera.
 
Does an Classical Oil Painter really need some brushes and paints? Does a Guitar Music Student really need their own Guitar? A Scultptor Clay? Good questions. And a resounding HELL YES.

Tina? Aren't you the one that said you couldnt wait to "Play" with it? That's the problem; a film student can't wait to "Play" with a $4000.00 camera. Damn kids.

You don't NEED one; per se.

Your level of commitment is up to you.
 
It's a forum. If you ask questions, you'll get many answers. You may not agree with some. You're opinion is different than mine it seems. No harm done now is there?


Thanks Ryan.....you know what I mean, good example:thumbsup:

John, :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
 
Tina, my recommendation is to visit the websites of the various film schools you would like to attend and get to know what their programs offer by way of equipment/sound stage access, etc. Most departments are very accessible via email or over the phone. This can help determine what you will need for the program.

After talking with them, I think you can get a better idea whether or not you should purchase your own camera.

In my opinion however, you should have one even if it is a simple $500 camcorder. I also agree that you should have your own editing workstation.
 
..Tina. I have to side with Pookie and John on this one. if your interested int fimmaking.. i dont really know why you wouldnt want your own camera regardless of whether your in film school or not. I mean if your just "interested" as in.. "gee, ..this is interesting" well then dont waste your money, but if your serious about filmmaking , having your own camera is like having a film school of your own in the palm of your hands.
I understand its expensive. believe me.. i have alot of stuff that i had to debate and chew cud ver till i made a decisionto buy or not, but if its not a possibility to have your own cam.. then why ask. im really not trying to be snippy or anything, but just trying to get perspective on your situation, because if you REALLY asking a question like " should i get my own camera or not.. it makes me .. and apparently others wonder if you arent wasting your time and money on film school altogether. I mean obviously its just our own opionion to take or leave, but i think youll find that its the majority opionion of any accomplished or serious studying filmmaker or videographer. most of us would say there is nothnig in the world that couldve stoped us from gettng a camera of our own into our hands.. whether we needed it right then or not. ..its more a matter of desire..if that irrisitable desire isnt there.. i just dont know what to say. Id like to know your thoughts on what ive said... if nothing else but than to know where your coming from so perhaps we can help you on a bit more personalized level. becasue the general question as asked leaves alot of questions as you can tell in our minds.
 
Hey, guys. You're missing it with your capitalist need to possess.

When I was doing sculpture in school, I stole my clay from the studio. Snuck it onto the firing rack when noone was looking. Grabbed some glaze, glazed it, then did the same. Grabbed the final piece later, with some more clay to start again!

Didn't even have to take a class. Dunno, maybe security's tighter now.


Painting? More of the same. Paint at friend's houses with their stuff. Stretch canvases for someone, model in exchange for materials.

I have a close friend around here who has a nice camera. When I do a 2 or 3 camera shoot, I borrow it or bring him in. If he leaves, I'll probably buy another cam.

The point is, if you HAVE ACCESS to it, you don't necessarily have to OWN IT. Why, Tina may have a camera glued to her hand the whole time she's in school, without ever paying for it. Or she may find she needs to buy one. But OWNING is not a necessity if it's lying around.

I mean, for the majority of time there's been film school, most students didn't own cameras, no?

'Course, I like owning my own stuff, and I'm pretty much with you guys in my current nicely-paid-day-job life. But I've been on the desperate side - especially in school - and, frankly, for creativity, that has its benefits to. Didn't you ever feel the joy of living on free condiments, and sculpting papier marche cause the materials were free? You should see some of the movies we made in those days with borrowed hand-crank cameras....

Anyway, i'd also agree that for the money, if it's a choice, the editing station will be more useful than the camera.
 
John_Hudson said:
Does an Classical Oil Painter really need some brushes and paints? Does a Guitar Music Student really need their own Guitar? A Scultptor Clay? Good questions. And a resounding HELL YES.

Tina? Aren't you the one that said you couldnt wait to "Play" with it? That's the problem; a film student can't wait to "Play" with a $4000.00 camera. Damn kids.

You don't NEED one; per se.

Your level of commitment is up to you.
Click to expand...

John, I'm not a kid, and to me, film school seems like it will be fun. Work? Hell, yeah, but also fun, otherwise why do it if it won't be enjoyable to me. So you can take my words literally, and read into them not knowing me, or you can ask what I mean and get the answer, eh?

I never said I didn't WANT my own camera, but yeah, it's expensive and particularly on my income. So that's why I'm wondering what people know of the situations in film schools (I was hoping to hear from actual students on this...), to see what the general experience has been with school cameras and such. Do I *want* one? Hell yes, but wanting isn't having, is it?

Pookie, I'm glad that you agree that we're allowed to have our opinions.

I never realized when I posted this that people would jump on me for the question, and then start making all kinds of assumptions, particularly a moderator, of all people. Had I known such a question would have been offensive, I'd have kept it to myself.

Thank you to those who read my posts generously and not with judgement, and who left room for the person I actually *am*, instead of judging who you perceive me to be after just one post.
 
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