Hi everyone. I am new to this board and have a whole list of questions, but right now I'll start with my top one. I am interested in purchasing a DVX100A. I don't have the money to buy more than one. Can I shoot with just one camera? I want to produce the film myself. I'm thinking 10,000.00 to 12,000.00. Can it be done? Any answers would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!
Shooting a feature with one Camcorder?
- Thread starter midknight
- Start date
Rosestar
Well-known member
Most features are shot with one camera. Multiple camera set-ups on a fictional narrative shoot have advantages, such as matching action and increasing coverage. However, it many situations, multiple camera set-ups can compromise composition and lighting and most filmmakers perfer to follow the traditonal single camera workflow.
HorseFilms
Look ma no hands
Absolutely. Most movies are shot using only one camera. The only time they use more than one is for big stunts that they only get one shot at (car explosions and such).
EDIT: You beat me to it.:lipsrseal
EDIT: You beat me to it.:lipsrseal
ulisses
Well-known member
Or when the production has lot of money, top actor and director not trying to break an action, see this behind-the-scenes 
http://filmforce.ign.com/articles/362/362215p1.html
Ulisses
http://filmforce.ign.com/articles/362/362215p1.html
Ulisses
multi cam shoots
multi cam shoots
Well - the beauty of dv is cheap stock- and gear. Just about any dv shot feature is gonna have 2 cameras- minimum. With a real budget that is - for you and me-
it probably ain't gonna happen. Unless it's a two week shoot and you can rent a 2nd camera. Absolutely see what you can rent should you need one.
For a short - I'll definitely plan to rent a second camera (for coverage) and try to find a qualified operator. Specially with less than professional actors. Can really speed up the process - my opinion. Kinda depends if cinematography or acting is your primary focus.
multi cam shoots
Well - the beauty of dv is cheap stock- and gear. Just about any dv shot feature is gonna have 2 cameras- minimum. With a real budget that is - for you and me-
it probably ain't gonna happen. Unless it's a two week shoot and you can rent a 2nd camera. Absolutely see what you can rent should you need one.
For a short - I'll definitely plan to rent a second camera (for coverage) and try to find a qualified operator. Specially with less than professional actors. Can really speed up the process - my opinion. Kinda depends if cinematography or acting is your primary focus.
GenJerDan
Veteran
Henri77 said:
Why?
Seriously. If you set up for a shot, chances are slimmish that another angle will have the proper lighting...not to mention being able to see Bob over there holding the boom.
A 2nd camera is nice if you have someone doing second unit stuff, but other than that...I wouldn't bother. More trouble than use.
Dan
scharky
Veteran
Gotta dissagree with you Henri, I think very few DV films are shot with more than one camera, and if they are, it would be with very few select scenes, like mentioned above, or during dialog shoots. Just like it was already mentioned, when lighting a scene, one tends to focus on making a single angle look good, not several, it would just take too much time, and not make the workflow go any faster than working with one camera.
Baluardo
Well-known member
i think that being able to manage properly two cameras on a set requires much more experience than a single camera. because of all the reasons everybody said.
I guess you are considering to shoot multi camera to [1] save production time (getting more angles at once) and [2] avoid continuity issues when editing.
But there's a high risk to fail in both of these goals if you dont have experience shooting multi camera. I would go for single camera and take more care with shots / framing / photography.
Andrea
I guess you are considering to shoot multi camera to [1] save production time (getting more angles at once) and [2] avoid continuity issues when editing.
But there's a high risk to fail in both of these goals if you dont have experience shooting multi camera. I would go for single camera and take more care with shots / framing / photography.
Andrea
Barry_Green
Moderator
One camera is the standard, in dramatic narrative production (i.e., films). You use one camera because you can only light a scene to look its best when viewed from one direction.
If you're doing a sitcom, then multiple cameras is the norm.
We finished five weeks of principal photography on a DVX feature a few weeks ago, and I'd say that 95% of the time we used one camera. There were a few times when we used multiple cameras, but almost always it was for coverage of the band performances.
Another reason to use multiple cameras is for getting different angles of coverage on stunts; you know, the kind of stuff you'll never do twice (like dropping the car in the beginning of Army of Darkness) -- you only get one shot at that (usually) so you would bring in multiple cameras to make sure you've got plenty of coverage.
If you're doing a sitcom, then multiple cameras is the norm.
We finished five weeks of principal photography on a DVX feature a few weeks ago, and I'd say that 95% of the time we used one camera. There were a few times when we used multiple cameras, but almost always it was for coverage of the band performances.
Another reason to use multiple cameras is for getting different angles of coverage on stunts; you know, the kind of stuff you'll never do twice (like dropping the car in the beginning of Army of Darkness) -- you only get one shot at that (usually) so you would bring in multiple cameras to make sure you've got plenty of coverage.
VoodooXT
Active member
I was involved in a shoot for a short film where we filmed with 2 miniDV camcorders. Didn't exactly work out too well since the A camera was a GL2 and the B camera was a low end camcorder that I didn't even remember. Suffice to say, when I saw the final product, the differences between the footage shot between the two cameras was night and day.
Jay Rodriguez
Coffee Member
one camera is allllll you'll ever need until you grow into something bigger
j
Veteran
I've heard it phrased that "there is only one best angle".
I always cringe when directors want to use 2 cameras all they way through, although Andrew Laszlo swears by using 2 cameras (see his book "every frame a rembrandt" if you are interested)
Personally, the only time I ever use 2 cameras is if what you are filming is very hard to get a second take ie: gunfire scenes, stunts, large crowd scenes, animals or young children.
If you are a first time director, you should use only one camera, it will force you to focus your vision, and you will learn a lot.
-j
I always cringe when directors want to use 2 cameras all they way through, although Andrew Laszlo swears by using 2 cameras (see his book "every frame a rembrandt" if you are interested)
Personally, the only time I ever use 2 cameras is if what you are filming is very hard to get a second take ie: gunfire scenes, stunts, large crowd scenes, animals or young children.
If you are a first time director, you should use only one camera, it will force you to focus your vision, and you will learn a lot.
-j
Jaime Valles
Veteran
One camera, all the way. Absolutely. I'm just finishing a full lenght feature comedy shot with a single DVX, and I'm glad we didn't have more. It would have been double the cables, batteries, cassettes, tripods, etc... not to mention double the camera operators! Absolutely not worth the hassle, unless you're blowing up something. And at your budget, I doubt you should try!
Let's see... At $10K to $12K, you should be able to get:
DVX $3400 (maybe less)
a good tripod $400
MiniDV Tapes $200 (you'll want a lot)
Extra batteries $150
Good carrying case $150
A good external boom mic $350
A boom pole $100
XLR cables $50
A cheap lighting package with 3 lights $750
Extension cords $30
A standard screw-on filter kit $150
TOTAL = $5730
Add to this equipment and software to edit the thing:
PowerMac Dual 2GHz $2000
More RAM (maybe an additional 1GB) $100
Two 250GB external Firewire Hard Disks $350
Dell 20" Widescreen monitor $500
Final Cut Studio $1300
TOTAL = $4250
GRAND TOTAL = $9980
Or, if you want to spend less on the editing suite:
eMac w/Superdrive $1000
More RAM $100
Two 250GB firewire hard disks $350
Final Cut Studio $1300
TOTAL = $2750
GRAND TOTAL = $8480
This buys you a full production/post facility
Spend the rest on feeding the cast and crew, and on getting a good sound editor, and you're set.
Let's see... At $10K to $12K, you should be able to get:
DVX $3400 (maybe less)
a good tripod $400
MiniDV Tapes $200 (you'll want a lot)
Extra batteries $150
Good carrying case $150
A good external boom mic $350
A boom pole $100
XLR cables $50
A cheap lighting package with 3 lights $750
Extension cords $30
A standard screw-on filter kit $150
TOTAL = $5730
Add to this equipment and software to edit the thing:
PowerMac Dual 2GHz $2000
More RAM (maybe an additional 1GB) $100
Two 250GB external Firewire Hard Disks $350
Dell 20" Widescreen monitor $500
Final Cut Studio $1300
TOTAL = $4250
GRAND TOTAL = $9980
Or, if you want to spend less on the editing suite:
eMac w/Superdrive $1000
More RAM $100
Two 250GB firewire hard disks $350
Final Cut Studio $1300
TOTAL = $2750
GRAND TOTAL = $8480
This buys you a full production/post facility
Spend the rest on feeding the cast and crew, and on getting a good sound editor, and you're set.
TheMacB
Veteran
this is from the "ask a film-maker" section at imdb.com:
Q: For most scenes in a film, on average, how many cameras do you have at hand being used simultaneously?
Oliver Stapleton: Mostly one for a normal dialogue scene in a room. 2 for daylight scenes involving some complication ie children, animals, weather etc.
Then 3 upwards for action scenes or any scene where doing it again is a problem – like blowing up a house etc. The main problem with using more than one camera is that it is hard to make the lighting look good from more than one angle, although if the 2nd camera is used carefully then it can provide very useful additional footage.
Q: For most scenes in a film, on average, how many cameras do you have at hand being used simultaneously?
Oliver Stapleton: Mostly one for a normal dialogue scene in a room. 2 for daylight scenes involving some complication ie children, animals, weather etc.
Then 3 upwards for action scenes or any scene where doing it again is a problem – like blowing up a house etc. The main problem with using more than one camera is that it is hard to make the lighting look good from more than one angle, although if the 2nd camera is used carefully then it can provide very useful additional footage.