How much have you spent on equipment for your films?

J

jonE5

Veteran
I wanted to post this here since this is the forum where people who are actually shooting and producing things post. As a n00b who has only been doing this a few months I wanted to get an idea of what the more experienced users are doing, how much they they have spent, and where they are getting financed.

Here is the format.

Equipment
--------------------------
-$350 Nikon D50 - Gift (with bag and zoom lens) (SOLD to raise funds)
$650 Nikon D90
$89 50mm 1.8 nikkor lens
$90 28mm 2.8 nikkor lens
$15 cheap tripod
$35 cheap ikea and home depot lights
$20 powerstrip and extension chord
$40 Lowes gutter slider (plans gotten from divxuser!)
$ 0 Slate (purchased by friend)
$589 - TOTAL SPENT



Films to Date (post your most recent work (trailer, film, etc..)so we can have an idea what your are accomplishing with your equipment)
---------------------------
4 short films with little production value (mostly learning tools)
The most recent can be viewed here (the rest on my vimeo channel)
http://vimeo.com/6495875
1 documentary shot and in editing process
1 script in development

Financing
----------------------------
Self Financed to date

Equipment to buy in near future
------------------------------
Zoom H4n
some XLR boom mics
Possibly a Canon 7D
Chroma Key screen
????

Thanks everyone

Also, any advice for someone starting out, what your experiences have been etc... would be much appreciated to.
 
Last edited:
Way too much.

I think I'm going to sell my Letus extreme/40D/XHA1 and get a 7D with a nice audio setup. I own too much stuff.
 
Too much for my HMC150, 6000.... two cheap-o tripods, 500 combined, indi slider, 600?
so if my math is correct thats too much.

Starting out? sound is everything.
 
You will find some people here own cameras that are 20 - 70k alone. There are a lot of red owners. once those are decked out they get pretty costly. Some of the pro sound guys own 10-20k in sound gear. So there is a wide range.



I've currently got:

5dmkii - $2700
28mm f1.8 - $420
85mm f1.8 - $370

HF10 - $650
Fisheye adapter - $100

indirails - $100
bushhawk -$140
proaim follow focus - $320

Zoom h4n - $350
Rode ntg-2 - $270
sucky wind protection - $25
Shock mounts, chords, adapters, etc - $150
Headphones - $100

Tripod legs - $150
503HDV head - $350
cheap tripod - $80
quick release adaptors - $100


Worklights - $70


That adds up to... $6,445. Plus I have spend money on other stuff that probably added up. So yeah. Not cheap. Plus there is my computer and software. Anyways, I am only 19, but I got all of that over a long period of time, it is all I spend my money on and I have no car and $0 in my savings account.


Have funds to buy within next few weeks:

blueline akg hyper mic - $450 ish
DIY blimp + fur - $50
DIY boom - $60 ish


Need/want to buy soon:
Slider - $150 ish
FCS 3 - $300 bucks (found an amazing deal)
After effects - too much
Rode ntg3 package with rode blimp - $1000

and then I need some better lighting eventually but... yeah. I am selling the 5dii for the 7d with kit lens which will get me an extra lens and give me around 400 towards that other stuff. Writing this out helps me actually. And makes me depressed. But I guess I have some amazing things I should be very grateful for. Other people have cars though.

Also, be creative with DIY stuff. You can do a lot. I have a cool dolly etc.
 
HVX200-$3700.00
503HDV-$350.00
2 Lowel Kits-$25.00 (yard sale)
SV lighting kit-$400.00
Letus Extreme-$1200.00
Nikon lenses-$300.00 (KEH.com)
Shoulder Mount-$250.00 (redrock micro)
Follow Focus-$200.00 (indifocus)
Shotgun Mic-$300.00
Rods-$150.00
Manhattan LCD-$600.00
Software-$3000.00
Computer-$2500.00 (mac G5 dual)
Dolly-$175.00
Track-$9.00
Mic Cables-$200.00
Studio Monitors-$300.00
Airsoft guns-$2500.00

Damn, that's a lot of money. I never even realized how much I have in this. Kind of makes me sad. in a good way.

7D coming next week!
 
dvx100b - $1500
Light Kit - $400
M2 - $450
Shoulder Mount and Rails - $300
Pentax Lenses - $75 for 4 of them (KEH is awesome)
Computer... way to much money put into that
monitor - $50 i rigged up a car monitor
mics - $250

Soon to add a follow focus and a hvx soon.
 
Hi all,
I'm also starting out... I have a new HVX200 and I'm really excited to start using it. I know sound's important and I'm looking to make a purchase so I don't have to rely on others to borrow. Any suggestions? I'm happy to buy used as long as I get some quality. Sites to recommend? I plan on shooting online content... lavs? shotgun?
Your help is very much appreciated,
jr
 
Doesn't matter what you spend as long as you get a few gigs that will cover the costs...then it's all free (ish)! Rent it out, shoot a wedding, school sports, drama club production, local theatre group, TV commercial, real estate.... there's a ton of stuff out there. I just booked 4 instructional videos for a friends business, when all is said and done, my gear will all be paid for and I'll turn a little profit. I have about 20K in gear.
 
Hi all,
I'm also starting out... I have a new HVX200 and I'm really excited to start using it. I know sound's important and I'm looking to make a purchase so I don't have to rely on others to borrow. Any suggestions? I'm happy to buy used as long as I get some quality. Sites to recommend? I plan on shooting online content... lavs? shotgun?
Your help is very much appreciated,
jr
Click to expand...

Use ADR for all of it if you don't have equipment. Yeah, it takes more time in post, but it sounds better than 90% of the indie films that are out there.
 
$145K on gear last year alone and I still have 2 edit bays to upgrade next qt.

Can I borrow $20????:violin:
 
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