My DVX is coming next week - geeking out & seeking advice

dustino

dustino

Well-known member
My new DVX should be here by Thurs. next week (damn the 4th of July for slowing things down a day - no offense to any Revolutionary War vets out there). Bought it from EVS for a good deal (thanks, Rush; thanks DVXuser). I'm getting the DVX, at897, Bogen 501 head for my Slik 700 legs, Schneider UV filter, DVX battery (how long to these take to ship?), and a Dosko case from cases4less.com. So I am broke, broke, broke, broke. But that's ok - I ordered lots o tapes and can at least afford more of those in the future. Those wishing not to hear (more) boring self-indulgent babble should read no further. But I'm geekin' so please excuse my spouting...

I'm primarily interested in making docs involving social/political issues (very broad, I know). My hope is to bring a more experimental/"artistic" feel formally to a genre that can often be (though not always) a tad dull in its formal approach - i.e. context shots, talking heads, repeat. The fact of the matter, though, is that I'm very much a video novice who will be struggling simply to learn my way around this camera for some time. Which brings me to my next point...

As I said, I am very broke after this investment. Frankly, I almost surely over-bought for my skill level, but it's done now and I'm not looking back. I just finished graduate school with a master's in the visual arts and have found myself really needing to get away from the pretensions, elitism, and cultural impotence of the contemporary gallery scene. I'm hoping to spend my creative energy on something that (unlike the gallery-driven visual art world) actually has an enormous audience, a vast and organized infrastructure, and truly affects people's thoughts, emotions, and feelings - film and video. I'm in my early thirties, feeling a little old, and figured it's now or never if I want to change my career path. Besides, I've shown video pieces in galleries already and know there's a precedent for cross-over exchange both directions (film world to art world, art world to film word, and back again.) Jem Cohen comes to mind as someone who successfully exists in both worlds. Well I never got to my point about inexperience and being broke (I warned you; self-indulgent babble)

Here's a plan I've loosely devised to both gain experience and make a small amount of money toward paying this camera off. First, I'll need at least a couple of months to get even the most rudimentary understanding of this camera and its many options. Once I feel I have some small amount of competance, I have thought of advertising my "services" and equipment (which I will operate - at least the camera) to beginning film students in the area (Chicago) for an inexpensive fee. Something like $10 an hour or $50 a day to work on short projects. I will basically provide my camera & equipment and act as camera operator/cinematographer to be used as they see fit. I would explicitly state my skill-level and make sure to meet each "client" in person before committing. Any thoughts on this approach? Good idea, bad idea? Am I stupid to ask for any money given my lack of experience? I know some of you will suggest I work for free to gain the experience and meet others - maybe you're right. Here's how I look at - they're getting a nice camera, and decent equipment, plus an extra set of hands for dirt cheap. These are also student projects, not something they will likely be sending to Cannes. I'm getting experience and meeting others interested in filmmaking. So, if anyone has managed to get through this long-winded, rambling post and has any advice, I'd love to hear it. Thanks.
 
Nothing wrong with your plan. Whether you'll find customers or not....who knows.

In addition to film students, maybe try actors who want to work on their in-front-of-the-camera skills, too. There's a huge difference between stage and screen.

Of course, actors are usually even more broke than film students, so...

Oh. Yeah. Teenage garage bands, too, although doing music videos may not interest you as such, it's still practice with the camera & lighting, etc. And the kids' Moms & Dads may pay for it. :)

Dan
 
Well, I wouldn't do that. Except for the "problem-solving" aspect of shooting a project, you are not going to learn very much compared to other alternatives.

If you are going to work for someone else, go find people who know video. Be a student, not a teacher (?). It could be movies, corporate, weddings, commercials, whatever. You may even find some connectons into the world of documentaries. Do whatever they need, from boom mic operator to PA. Any experience will further your craft, and the opportunity to work wth professionals in an apprentice/mentor environment is invaluable. You might even get paid, but you also might have to do some work for free. You might even find a job shooting that pays you. I am thinking second or third cam at weddings. Or shootinga BTS of some other thing. It really doesn't take long to get "acceptable", while it takes a long time to master. Or you could just start your own biz, find your own clients, and go from there. Plenty of threads here on how to do that.

Besides that, go shoot. Burn thru that tape and get some more. Shoot some practice projects, build a demo reel. Go do some work for your favorite NPO. Some of them will even be able to pay you. If you want to do political documentary, watch as many as you can. Not all of them are boring/stupid. But even bring ones may have some ideas for you. Keep a notebook handy while you watch (become a student again). HBO Documentaries has some great stuff.

One of the best/most innovative docs I saw was done at a NYC phone booth in a weekend. Some NYU (?) students found a phone number that you could call the President (GWB) and voice an opinion. Then they got a blue NY diner coffee cup, filled it with quarters, put up the phone number at a pay phone, and recorded people making their calls. The whole thing ran 10-15 minutes if I remember, ad it was wonderful. One guy stayed on hold a for a couple of hours (IIRC) because he really wanted to say his piece. They also did a pretty good job of representing many viewpoints, and kept it politically neutral. I think it may have been called "Calling the President".

Ideas are more important than technology. You could shoot a great doc with a $200 camera. I could go on for another hour, but I don't have the time.

FWIW, I am also a career change guy with a similar idea of doing political docs.
 
Galt, good advice. Working for professionals is something I've thought of but 1) find somewhat intimidating right now and 2) not sure how much need there is for short-term weekend and evening projects. Weddings, maybe. Churches kind of creep me out, though. Especially hymn-singing; always gives me a nervous sick-feeling in my stomach when I hear a group of people singing archaic music with little enthusiasm. Creepy. (sorry to offend any church-goers, just my personal neurosis).

Also, the NPO idea - great one. I'm fairly active with my local ACLU chapter and have already run this idea by them. That gets me more excited than anything else discussed because it's very in keeping with my ultimate goals.

Also GenJerDan, your point about there being little market for my film-student idea is well-taken. I'll just have to wait and see...
 
Don't be intimidated, just be honest about what you know and don't know. It is essentially an apprenticeship field, and most people get their start that way.

I didn;t pick up that you still had a day job. That makes weddings even more attractive. Not all weddings are creepy or in churches. Many religions and ceremonies, some people even just have a simple ceremony at the reception. Try it, it may not be as bad as you think, especially second or third cam.

If you are going to do something for the ACLU, how about a doc on why they are opposed to the Second Amendment? I can recommend some good background reading offline if you email me.
 
Galt,
Thanks for your second amendment documentary suggestion but pro-gun advocacy is not an interest or even a belief. Making sure more people have more access to more types of weapons is not a priority. Living in a city (and even a neighborhood to some degree) with a gang problem where children are killing one another, almost always with guns, so that some a**hole can get rich selling drugs to those same kids' parents sours me from encouraging easier access to guns.

I realize you didn't explicitly suggest a pro-gun piece, but an exploration of why an organization that promotes civil liberties and defends the bill of rights opposes (in your opinion) one its amendments. I'm not sure I agree. If the government decided to outlaw guns or even militias in this country, I'm sure the ACLU would respond. But as it is, any high school senior eighteen yrs. or older can go to the local Wal-Mart and buy a gun and ammunition any day of the week.

But Galt, if you are the the leader of a Militia with access to loads of weapons and such, please disregard whatever I've said. And I really don't live in Chicago. I live in Alaska... I mean Tibet. :)

In all seriousness, thanks for your much-needed advice about learning this craft, but I suspect our politics differ a bit. Perhaps we could rant somewhere else...
 
Yes indeed. That is why I suggested off-line. There are compelling FACTS that support a pro-gun position,. And FWIW, I was in the other camp for the first 43 years of my life, and now I am not. The fact is that the ACLU pretends to be supporters of the bill of rights, but they are not. They are selective. Either you believe in the Constitution and the wisdom of the founders or you don't.

You don't have an email available thru this forum, but if you have the open mind of a true documentarian (versus the MM-style self-indulgent pseudo-documentarian) you will send me some contact info and at least consider an opposing opinion and the facts behind it. Just as it is better that 100 guilty men go free than one innocent man be condemned, the RKBR is a fundamental conerstone of our freedom, and we can't let a couple of misguided children steal our freedom and SAFETY from us.. I won't dwell on it, because the trolls will chime in soon. But examine your dogma one more time and send me some contact info for an off-line discussion. The best documentaries are the ones where an epiphany occurs. Maybe yours or mine is at hand.
 
galt, got your email (as you saw I do have an email available). Will continue elsewhere...
 
So, what does the incarceration of innocents have to do with not allowing a free-for-all with respect to obtaining assault weapons and the FEW other weapons that are regulated? It's the same legislators who support gun-rights that also support tough-on-crime measures that pressure prosecutors to make convictions at any cost. That is what leads to false incarcerations, not gun control??!!

The principle behind that argument, that one life squandered through injustice is worth the cost of allowing freedom to the undeserved, if anything, promotes gun control. I am certain that more innocent lives have been taken by assault weapons in the hands of citizens than have been saved by them.
 
Hi, Dustino.
I've had my dvx since Feb. and I'm still learning too. I live in the chicago area, (south subs. actually) but work on Mich. ave.
If you want to compare notes drop me a PM.
Take care,
JC
 
JC,
I, too, work on Michigan ave. - just a second night job I'll probably be leaving soon. Day job is not far in west loop area, though. I'll be in touch...
 
Rush - you're welcome for the business; thanks for the excellent service. I see my camera was shipped out earlier than expected. :) THANKS!!!

thisiswells - I definitely agree; that looks like a great book and an especially great project.
 
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