I want to make a movie...

C

chessmasterscds

Member
Hello, I've been wondering for the past couple of years, if I could shot a movie with my prosumer cameras and still make it look like a movie shot with Film cameras.

I have always wanted to shot a movie, I wrote a script when I was 14yo, then became a 3D Animator and then I've been shooting weddings and social events for 5 years now.

My dad is a writer and he just finished an awesome adventure book and I would like to make a movie out of it.

I have a DVX100B and an HMC150 cameras, i have shotgun microphones, Studio recording microphones, some camera support systems like the Pag Orbitor, the Varizoom Aviator and the Steddiepod. I also have Studio lighting sets, power generators, some regular camera filters, photo cameras like the Olympus E-3 and E-500. I have a 12m x 6m x 4m fixed Blue Screen Studio which is like a whole box of Blue screen. I also have some printing plotters like the Epson 9800Pro (for BG printing).... and a crew of guys who didn't go to a film school but I have been training them for a couple years now.

The thing is.... that I have mentioned this to a couple contacts and they always ask me if I'm going to use the Varicam or the RED or the ARRI III or whatever cameras they know are used in Film.

So I would like to know if you guys think I can make a movie with the equipment I have or should I just wait until I hit the lottery jackpot so I can buy one of the most expensive cameras out there....

Thanks for your comments....
 
Short answer - if you do it well, it will look good - even like film to the untrained eye, but not to an expert - but does that matter? I'd certainly make it with the gear you've got.

Here's a few characteristics of that film look:

Film gamma/colour -- which the dvx does a really good job of

Shallow depth of field

High colour resolution - higher than video

High resolution - 16mm would be just over 2k I think - around hd - the random positioning of grain and the rapid overlaying at 24 times a second increases the resolution of film stocks significantly

Motion properties - don't shoot your video with a sharp shutter angle!

exposure lattitude - around 9 stops for film

lighting - movies on film usually have great lighting

Frame for at least 16:9 -- why not try 2.4:1?

Progressive frame

-- Do all these and you'll have a great looking movie - whether shot on film or video

good luck

Scot
 
My producer and I started a radio show on filmmaking. If you listen to the Poor Man's Series part II and III we cover how to shoot so it looks like film, then what you need to do in post.
The podcasts are here
 
Thanks to you all, it seems I just have to read a lot more about making a movie without budget. i wouldn't like to make it look like it was shoot by an amateur. what do you say about the audio??. Should I shoot the movie and then record the voices on a studio and then match them on the editing??. How is this done on film??. Do they rely on their stage microphones and control all the audio that can be heard at the location??

if you have any experience doing what I want to do.... what's the entire production time I should expect???
 
dont forget some important steps.

You need an adapted screenplay.

I learned how difficult this is when trying to shoot a short film of a short story i wrote a few years back. My short story was only like 12 pages but you learn quickly that you cant just start filming with the story in hand. You have to adapt it, get your settings, plan your shots, convert your dialog or inner thought monologues to lines and have them done.

Youll need a crew even if you have no money, people to do lighting, sound, shoot act etc...

Ifyou have a cool group of friends they may want to do this.
 
chessmasterscds said:
Hello, I've been wondering for the past couple of years, if I could shot a movie with my prosumer cameras and still make it look like a movie shot with Film cameras.
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Yes you can...if you throw enough money at it.

Productions that can afford to shoot on film usually also has the budget for HMI, grip truck, set design/construction and the qualified personnel that are required to operate those equipment. These factors more than anything determines whether your movie will look like a "real" movie. The camera takes a backseat in every respect. Indie filmmakers with a low budget inevitably run up against situations where they can't afford to control the environment (shooting against blown out window, no money for set dressing etc.) and so their movie ends up looking cheap. You can mitigate these problems if you have a ton of time, but that's also a luxury for an indie production as well.

Fast, good, cheap, pick any two.
 
Huy Vu said:
Fast, good, cheap, pick any two.
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Well, you can pick all three in very, very rare conditions. Most involve experience (to plan it meticulously and realistically), favors (from more experienced folks to carry out the plan effeciently and effectively), and excellent material (to enhance both former qualities above an average decent production-valued project).

But good points.

-M
 
You need an adapted screenplay.
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yes, well, actually, my dad wrote this book thinking of making a movie of out of it because he knows I was looking for a script to start from. So the book is written almost like a script... just without the camera movement directions and technical details. I will draw a storyboard soon for the project.
Youll need a crew even if you have no money, people to do lighting, sound, shoot act etc...
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I have about 10 guys who I've been training in the past couple of years, they already know how to move lighting with subjects and follow the camera with the microphone boom, I think they're also excited about the idea of making a movie.... I also think they trust me more than I do.
Productions that can afford to shoot on film usually also has the budget for HMI, grip truck, set design/construction and the qualified personnel that are required to operate those equipment.
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This is what I was talking about.... I know that if big studios could make a movie out of $100 dollars.... they would do it instead of spending millions on them. They know this money is required for the movie to look like one. However, there are also many cases in that millions are spent in a movie and they don't get back even half of what was invested.
This is because they fail in either direction, acting, planning or scripting.... There are also cases in that no money was spent at all (like one that was shoot entirely in the middle of the ocean, and the whole movie is about how they survived) and they have been very successful movies. Maybe if we do the directing, acting, planning and scripting well, we can do a good movie without the "tremendous amount of money" factor.

Most involve experience (to plan it meticulously and realistically),
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Well, I don't have experience making movies with real people ... but I have experience doing animated short films, where I have to be the script writer, the storyboarder, the director, modeler, lighting and texturing artist, animator, FX director and so on..... My last animation, it took about 4 months of planning and 6 months of production.... However, it wasn't good enough, but I learnt many aspects of filmmaking that otherwise I wouldn't be able to learn.

Anyway, does anyone of you know what do you need to get the support from investors?? such as the coke... or pepsi.... or whatever company uses to invest on projects like this??... Do they rip you off if the movie succeeds??
 
I'm making a movie.

I have 0 experience.

I've worked as an extra in 2 BIG hollywood features, and I wrestled (think WWE) for 2 years in front of cameras. Otherwise I have no experience in film making. I do have tons of creativity, and a heavy background in music, writing, and art. I'm going against the grain and shooting a feature length film without ever having shot anything else other than cheesy youtube videos.

But, i'm taking alot of time to research. Edit footage I find online, learning to color correct, learning to sync audio, learning to use after effects, writing a script, scouting locations. I've even met with my city officials and have full support from them. The don't give a crap what camera I am shooting on, and they don't really care. All they heard was "I'm shooting a movie" and they were on board.

I've spent hours upon hours in research, watching movies I think are similar to what mine will be, researching cameras, lights, audio solutions, proper lighting, proper audio, scheduling, casting, auditions, acting, special effects.. you name it.. I've read about it or seen videos. I'm the kind of guy who taught himself to play guitar, drums, piano, adobe photoshop, etc. Not to say that this is the safe route, but its the fun route for me. I'm learning ALOT.

A church group near here shot their first film on a single canon XL1 (i believe), and it went on to win tons of awards and has sold very well. The film was funded by private donations and everyone involved was an amateur. Their next film.. "FACING THE GIANTS" was MUCH higher budget and was shot on a much better camera, and capitalized even further.

I'd say get out and do it, instead of worrying about little stuff like that. I'd rather be out shooting that sitting here doing nothing.
 
chessmasterscds said:
There are also cases in that no money was spent at all (like one that was shoot entirely in the middle of the ocean, and the whole movie is about how they survived) and they have been very successful movies. Maybe if we do the directing, acting, planning and scripting well, we can do a good movie without the "tremendous amount of money" factor.
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Well, keep in mind that all of those movies takes a very different road from the traditionally slick Hollywood narrative style, essentially trading in technical polish for edgy storytelling. So if you want to be successful without the budget, you really have to come up with something that hasn't been done before. The story just can't be "good", it has to be good and presented in a radically different way. Trying to do a traditional film on no budget will just bring you right back to where you started.
 
Martay said:
Well, you can pick all three in very, very rare conditions. Most involve experience (to plan it meticulously and realistically), favors (from more experienced folks to carry out the plan effeciently and effectively), and excellent material (to enhance both former qualities above an average decent production-valued project).

But good points.

-M
Click to expand...

I knew you were talking about me Martay. Shhhh..
 
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