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story2rewrite

story2rewrite

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I'm gearing up to make a lot of purchases. Right now I have t2i with kits lens and 50mm 1.8(plasic cheapo version), helios 44-2, diy fader nd, tripod, lowepro pack.

I'm a screenwriter who want to make the leap into trying the other side of things. I'll be practicing shots at first - like going to film school for myself - and eventually make some of my own shorts so I can work at my own pace. This forum has helped a lot with the decisions as well as videos that are linked for peoples work.

So here's what I'm looking at getting...

PC - HAF X, i7 930(overclocked), 12gb 1600 ram, nvidia 470, hitatchi 1tb drive x3 (no raid - one for os/programs, one for scratch and one for write - will hot swap footage out to keep system clean), mother board asus p6x58d premium, windows 7 pro, noctua d14 for extra cooling - $2300

SOFTWARE - VIDEO
CS5 production premium - student/teacher version - $450
magic bullets colorista 2 student version - $150

SOFTWARE - AUDIO

Plural eyes (synchs audio) - $115


AUDIO SET UP

H4N PACKAGE - $330 (comes with card, headphones....) for now, eventually I'll get a plug in mic and better headphones

LENSES

Sigma 30mm 1.4 - $450
Zenitar 16mm - $250

(eventually I'd like to get a better 50mm like a takumar or nikon and an 85mm)

RIG

Now this is pretty cheesey for now. No pun intended. But on cheesey cam I'm going to use his cheap shoulder rig setup for now and eventually save up for something better.

Shoulder rig - $40
Flash bracket - $30

LIGHT

I have friends I can borrow lights for if I go bigger, but for now...

dimmable light - thanks cheesey cam again - $70 - mounts on flash bracket


BATTERIES, CARDS AND EXTRAS

2x 16 gb transend memory card - $80 ( I have one already)
imitation battery grip with 2 imitation batteries $90
Eneloop rechargable set with charger - $37

IMITATION LCDVF - $70


INDI SLIDER MINI - $125

It all comes to a grand total of just about $4,500. Yikes - that's a lot of dough, but hopefully it will get me going.

Any ideas or feedback are welcome.
 
First, read this: http://www.dvxuser.com/V6/showthread.php?t=221154

Second, some of that post may not apply to you, but some will. You've at least done some research, but I think you're trying to trick your kit out too much on the first run. There are some things on your list that should probably be put on a wish list for later.

Outside of needing a computer and a good NLE package, and I won't comment on those as I am not a Windows-based user, focus on getting a couple of things done right rather than several things done cheaply. For instance, you probably don't need an on-camera light (or the bracket for said light). On-camera lights come in handy occasionally, but more often than not are suited more for news interviews as they typically end up looking like... well... on-camera lights.

PluralEyes is nice, but not absolutely necessary. As long as you slate all your takes, the audio is easy to match to the video in post.

You already have lenses. They may not be the best in the world (other than the Helios, which is a great lens), but they're certainly going to get you started off well. Stick with what you have, and save up for some nice Nikkor primes or a couple of high-end Canon lenses later.

The imitation LCDVF isn't reliable. LCDVF is already the budget version, but is great for what it is. I've not heard good things about the knock-offs. Also, the knock-off batteries and grip may not be worth the investment.

The indiSlider is a neat tool, but not necessary right now. Learn to shoot without it first. Otherwise, you may not know how to shoot without it and get watchable results. (In other words, you may end up so used to using it that it becomes a crutch.)

The kit headphones with the Zoom H4n probably aren't the best, so get just the recorder and save that $30.

So, all told, that's about $1230 that you haven't spent on cheap stuff. $1270 if you drop the cheap shoulder rig. Since you've budgeted for that already, let's see where else that $1230/1270 can go to get you off to a better start:

First, the Zoom H4n isn't going to do you much good on its own and will need an external mic kit. Normally, I'd suggest a Rode NTG-2 kit, but folks using that mic with the Zoom report recording levels that are just too low. Look at a kit with the Audio Technica AT875. By getting a kit, you get the pole, shock mount, and necessary windscreening. That's $580. Add some reliable headphones for about $100. Also note that a shotgun isn't going to work for you everywhere... especially indoors. For that, you eventually need to get a hypercardioid (such as the Oktava MK012).

Yes, that's a little more than half the budget, but good audio is not cheap and cheap audio is terribly costly.

So, we have $590 left. The Canon batteries are about $50 each, and there's an off-brand (Zeikos) battery grip for about $90. That's $190.

So the last $400... the LCDVF 3:2 and a better camera grip/shoulder mount? If you do go with the CheesyCam shoulder mount, you could get the LCDVF 3:2 and still spend about $200 less than the budget. Of course, that $200, plus another $50, will get you the Oktava...
 
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I use the imitation grip and batteries and find them in perfect working order. I have a knockoff Loupe and it too is perfect (I mean all you really need is to shade out the direct sunlight on your LCD.

Other than those items, I agree with what C2V suggested.
 
Thank you c2v. Great advice and I'll look over that article as well as printing out the post and looking up your suggestions.
 
greeches said:
I use the imitation grip and batteries and find them in perfect working order. I have a knockoff Loupe and it too is perfect (I mean all you really need is to shade out the direct sunlight on your LCD.

Other than those items, I agree with what C2V suggested.
Click to expand...

We've been using the Hoodman LCDVF. It's like $100 or so, and it works great.
 
Here's the link for the viewfinder I was looking at. When I emailed the seller he said he should have the t2i version in next few weeks.

http://shop.ebay.com/foto-tip/m.htm...&_odkw=&_osacat=0&_trksid=p3911.c0.m270.l1313

I've seen that one as well.


I've already storyboarded out 3 shorts I've written and I need a good wide. I storyboarded thinking I'd have the slider as well. I didn't do it for every shot but it makes sense for the characters/situations at certain points. I tried not to get over my head. The scripts contain all locations I can film whenever with people I know.

There is no sound in the shorts I've written so maybe I might just hold off on sound all together for now. Might be too much to bite off at once.
 
In the beginning yes. It is possible to tell a story just through images. I will add music to add tone but I want to tell the story visually at first.

First, I have some shorts that contain just 1 subject searching for something. They are only 2 minutes long and will be set to music as well.

With this it's my niece I'm filming so if I mess up or do shots over and over again it's no big deal. She lives right down the street. It's not like I have a whole crew there. I figure I'll just keep filming this one over and over again, storyboarding and re-storyboarding, shooting and reshooting until I get it where I like it.

It will be trial and error. I figure by sticking with one subject, one location, one idea it will give me the opportunity to play with the lenses, focal lengths, light, movement, stabilization...until I get it right.

I write family friendly sci-fi. So that's what I'm gearing towards.

So once I finally decide it's time to film a short this will probably be the first. It's about a boy who isn't the best at a skatepark who discovers a magical wax. Once he rubs it on his board he's able to skate better than most. He decides to skate the big contest.

At the contest he realizes that he doesn't have the wax. But he skates anyways and places in the top 3. He finds out it wasn't the wax after all.

I grew up skateboarding and my best friend owns a skatepark and seperate shop. I've dones some skateboard filming so I wanted to film something I felt comfortable with and had access to at first.

The guys who ride for the shop will totally skate at the mock contest and they're really good so I think it will increase the production value if these guys are tearin' it up.

This is what I'm gearing toward for next summer.


If anyone else can share how they learned I'm open to hearing that?
 
C2V said:
First, read this: http://www.dvxuser.com/V6/showthread.php?t=221154

Second, some of that post may not apply to you, but some will. You've at least done some research, but I think you're trying to trick your kit out too much on the first run. There are some things on your list that should probably be put on a wish list for later.

Outside of needing a computer and a good NLE package, and I won't comment on those as I am not a Windows-based user, focus on getting a couple of things done right rather than several things done cheaply. For instance, you probably don't need an on-camera light (or the bracket for said light). On-camera lights come in handy occasionally, but more often than not are suited more for news interviews as they typically end up looking like... well... on-camera lights.

PluralEyes is nice, but not absolutely necessary. As long as you slate all your takes, the audio is easy to match to the video in post.

You already have lenses. They may not be the best in the world (other than the Helios, which is a great lens), but they're certainly going to get you started off well. Stick with what you have, and save up for some nice Nikkor primes or a couple of high-end Canon lenses later.

The imitation LCDVF isn't reliable. LCDVF is already the budget version, but is great for what it is. I've not heard good things about the knock-offs. Also, the knock-off batteries and grip may not be worth the investment.

The indiSlider is a neat tool, but not necessary right now. Learn to shoot without it first. Otherwise, you may not know how to shoot without it and get watchable results. (In other words, you may end up so used to using it that it becomes a crutch.)

The kit headphones with the Zoom H4n probably aren't the best, so get just the recorder and save that $30.

So, all told, that's about $1230 that you haven't spent on cheap stuff. $1270 if you drop the cheap shoulder rig. Since you've budgeted for that already, let's see where else that $1230/1270 can go to get you off to a better start:

First, the Zoom H4n isn't going to do you much good on its own and will need an external mic kit. Normally, I'd suggest a Rode NTG-2 kit, but folks using that mic with the Zoom report recording levels that are just too low. Look at a kit with the Audio Technica AT875. By getting a kit, you get the pole, shock mount, and necessary windscreening. That's $580. Add some reliable headphones for about $100. Also note that a shotgun isn't going to work for you everywhere... especially indoors. For that, you eventually need to get a hypercardioid (such as the Oktava MK012).

Yes, that's a little more than half the budget, but good audio is not cheap and cheap audio is terribly costly.

So, we have $590 left. The Canon batteries are about $50 each, and there's an off-brand (Zeikos) battery grip for about $90. That's $190.

So the last $400... the LCDVF 3:2 and a better camera grip/shoulder mount? If you do go with the CheesyCam shoulder mount, you could get the LCDVF 3:2 and still spend about $200 less than the budget. Of course, that $200, plus another $50, will get you the Oktava...
Click to expand...

+1. Hell + a million

Don't forget a good tripod!
 
All right. Revised list. Any thoughts? This way I can have the possibility of sound as well. Thanks for all the post. I know I’m a newbie so thank you for taking the time to help me out. It’s really appreciated.
PC - HAF X, i7 930(overclocked), 12gb 1600 ram, nvidia 470, hitatchi 1tb drive x3 (no raid - one for os/programs, one for scratch and one for write - will hot swap footage out to keep system clean), mother board asus p6x58d premium, windows 7 pro, noctua d14 for extra cooling - $2300

SOFTWARE - VIDEO
CS5 production premium - student/teacher version - $450


AUDIO SET UP

H4N - $300
HEADPHONES - $100
AUDIO TECNICA PACKAGE - $600

LENSES

Vivitar Series 1 - 28-90 or 35-80?
Some lens capable of wide shots for $200


BATTERIES, CARDS AND EXTRAS

2x 16 gb transend memory card - $40 ( I have one already)
imitation battery grip with 2 imitation batteries $90
Eneloop rechargable set with charger - $37

New total....about 4,200.
Thanks again. Pick away at it please. Any criticism is appreciated.
 
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