Hello there!
I have little to no experience in the filmaking industry besides watching the extras on the extended LOTR DVDs (possibly the best docs I've ever seen for the subject) and (half) making a couple of very amateur films. However, I have always been interested in the trade. Due to a few misguided years of attempted commercial catering, I have never really been able to pursue the subject properly. Until now. A little background for you, but feel free to skip the next paragraph to get to my questions:-
During school, I wanted to get involved in creative media of some sort. I was interested in writing books (by far the cheapest way to go about it) and still am today. I have a novel I plan to finish in a few months and get published on Amazon Kindle (the joys of the internet make this so easy) and would love to, if it is succesful enough, adapt a film from it.
I also picked up a keen interest in photography from my dad who used to be an amateur photographer. He had all the kit to take and develop photos left over and I had a go with it. I didn't develop them because we didn't have the room, but I certainly enjoyed going out and taking pictures. When I had my careers interview at school, I mentioned either photography or catering as my career choice. The advisor suggested to go for the catering as it is easier to get into. But, now I've quit the catering and intend to pursue a photography career. I plan to get a professional grade DSLR (or at least one that I can afford) along with a decent bit of kit for it and hire myself out for weddings, portraits and the like. I would also like to use my photography skills to illustrate my book. At the end of the day, I believe that, aside from my day job I have until I make it, the photography could be my main source of income until/if my book takes off, in which case, it could end up being a side project.
While at school, I wanted to act. I appeared in a couple of low budget village pantomimes and enjoyed it, but I realised I wasn't good enough for anything professional. I also had the notion that everyone wanted to be an actor, but I wanted to be different. It took me a few years to realise that being different for difference's sake is folly. Anyway, after a couple of years of dropping the acting dream and training for catering (around the age of 16-17) I appeared in an unfinished Buffy fan-film with my friend at the time. It never came to completion. I also set about writing my own and filmed a few scenes for it, but, again, that never got to the completion stage.
So, the plan now is to get my DSLR, go to college for a photography course while learning the ropes of the camera. Complete my book and get it published and illustrated with my own photos. In the meantime I will work my day job and, once I gain the knowhow, I will hire my skills as a wedding/portrait photographer. Hopefully, sometime down the line, I would like to get my hands on a professional camcorder and use it for the weddings with the help of an extra employee. I would then go to film school and learn the trade there and, hopefully, if they are successful, I would love to direct an adaptation of my books.
Of course, this is all up to ifs, buts and a whole lotta luck; and is a (slightly arrogant) best case scenario.
It's going to take a few years to get there (if at all), but I would like to know a few things now if you would be so kind as to oblige. My main, and most immediate, question is what kind of recording equipment is used on a professional film set? If you could possibly list the different leagues that would be great. I was looking at getting a camcorder for the weddings and found some that are, surprisingly, relatively cheap at between £1000-£2000, but I assume they wouldn't be used on a blockbuster film set (although I did hear the BBC use cameras that aren't that much more pricewise).
Also, Sound. Any smart phone can now take HD movies, but their mics are still, all too often, rubbish. Again, what kind of leagues of equipment are there?
Finally, what kind of editing software is used out there?
Sorry if this info can all be found on this site. This is a massive forum and it is daunting just looking at it, so if the answers can be found here, could you post a link please?
Thanks for reading.
I have little to no experience in the filmaking industry besides watching the extras on the extended LOTR DVDs (possibly the best docs I've ever seen for the subject) and (half) making a couple of very amateur films. However, I have always been interested in the trade. Due to a few misguided years of attempted commercial catering, I have never really been able to pursue the subject properly. Until now. A little background for you, but feel free to skip the next paragraph to get to my questions:-
During school, I wanted to get involved in creative media of some sort. I was interested in writing books (by far the cheapest way to go about it) and still am today. I have a novel I plan to finish in a few months and get published on Amazon Kindle (the joys of the internet make this so easy) and would love to, if it is succesful enough, adapt a film from it.
I also picked up a keen interest in photography from my dad who used to be an amateur photographer. He had all the kit to take and develop photos left over and I had a go with it. I didn't develop them because we didn't have the room, but I certainly enjoyed going out and taking pictures. When I had my careers interview at school, I mentioned either photography or catering as my career choice. The advisor suggested to go for the catering as it is easier to get into. But, now I've quit the catering and intend to pursue a photography career. I plan to get a professional grade DSLR (or at least one that I can afford) along with a decent bit of kit for it and hire myself out for weddings, portraits and the like. I would also like to use my photography skills to illustrate my book. At the end of the day, I believe that, aside from my day job I have until I make it, the photography could be my main source of income until/if my book takes off, in which case, it could end up being a side project.
While at school, I wanted to act. I appeared in a couple of low budget village pantomimes and enjoyed it, but I realised I wasn't good enough for anything professional. I also had the notion that everyone wanted to be an actor, but I wanted to be different. It took me a few years to realise that being different for difference's sake is folly. Anyway, after a couple of years of dropping the acting dream and training for catering (around the age of 16-17) I appeared in an unfinished Buffy fan-film with my friend at the time. It never came to completion. I also set about writing my own and filmed a few scenes for it, but, again, that never got to the completion stage.
So, the plan now is to get my DSLR, go to college for a photography course while learning the ropes of the camera. Complete my book and get it published and illustrated with my own photos. In the meantime I will work my day job and, once I gain the knowhow, I will hire my skills as a wedding/portrait photographer. Hopefully, sometime down the line, I would like to get my hands on a professional camcorder and use it for the weddings with the help of an extra employee. I would then go to film school and learn the trade there and, hopefully, if they are successful, I would love to direct an adaptation of my books.
Of course, this is all up to ifs, buts and a whole lotta luck; and is a (slightly arrogant) best case scenario.
It's going to take a few years to get there (if at all), but I would like to know a few things now if you would be so kind as to oblige. My main, and most immediate, question is what kind of recording equipment is used on a professional film set? If you could possibly list the different leagues that would be great. I was looking at getting a camcorder for the weddings and found some that are, surprisingly, relatively cheap at between £1000-£2000, but I assume they wouldn't be used on a blockbuster film set (although I did hear the BBC use cameras that aren't that much more pricewise).
Also, Sound. Any smart phone can now take HD movies, but their mics are still, all too often, rubbish. Again, what kind of leagues of equipment are there?
Finally, what kind of editing software is used out there?
Sorry if this info can all be found on this site. This is a massive forum and it is daunting just looking at it, so if the answers can be found here, could you post a link please?
Thanks for reading.
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