Shooting Feature $100k budget (need help)

S

sotty

Active member
Hello,
I've been reading this forum for 3 months now. I am a musician with a home studio getting "geared" to shoot my first film, I am a pretty good photographer so I have "some" knowledge. I have a $100k budget.

NOTE: I am shooting out of the Sarasota, FL area. I will be directing. Looking for help, writing, lighting, DP, etc, etc, etc. PM me if interested.

Here is a checklist of what I have - the film will be shot mostly outside, horses, some guns, action. (not a western).

PLEASE ADD TO THE LIST (another $40k allocated for gear)
___________________________________________________

Lenses and accessories
* Filter Kit - Ultraviolet (UV), Circular Polarizer
* Nikon 400mm f2.8 AF-I lens
* Nikon AF-S VR 70-200mm f/2.8G IF-ED Nikkor
* Nikon NI2828DAF
* Wide Angle AF Nikkor 28mm f/2.8D Autofocus Lens USA
* Nikon NI5014DAF
* Normal AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.4D Autofocus Lens USA


Tripods (need more)
* Bogen / Manfrotto BO351MV3460
351MVB2 Aluminum Video Tripod Kit with 75mm Half Bowl and 3460 (503)
* Steadicam Flyer

Camera(s)
* 2 Panasonic PAAGHVX200
* 4 P2 8 gigs cards.
* Bebob Engineering BEFOXIDVX FOCUS IRIS/ZOOM CONTROL f/HVX-200
* redrockmicro M2 Indie Bundle - HD Edition for Nikon Lenses

Lighting (need more of course)
* ARRI 571991 Softbank IV Tungsten Light Kit

Cranes
* KC-12 Kessler Crane

Microphones and accessories
* Oktava MK012 Lomo, Omni, Cardioid, Hyper + Shockmount
* Sennheiser MKH-800 (prior purchase for studio)
* Sennheiser MKH418
* AKG C400B (prior purchase for studio)

Bunch of other studio gear as well.
Thanks for your input.
 
robert rodriquez 7grand el mariachi 16mm.

money isnt everything, but it sure helps :D good luck
 
Congrats on making your film, my first thought through researching similar issues is that the 503 head on the bogen might be at its limits with the weight of the HVX with the m2. I would go with the 516 at a minimum (519 preferably) and you might want to check out the Cartoni Focus as well. Also you should get a 100mm bowl.

Also if you are shooting outside quite a bit, you should get a good matte box to hold the filters and shade the lens. There is a ton of good matte box threads in the Hardware section. (Vocas sounds like a good one fro the HVX)

You will need a good monitor as well if you are using the m2 for critical focas. (Marshal, Panny 17)

As for the other stuff, many might say rent, but I am of the mind that if you buy quality, you can sell it down the road and it will be less expensive in the end. Or if you can afford to keep it even better.

EDIT - One more thing, the bebob does not work with any of the 35mm adapters.
 
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Thanks for your time and input.

yes, I purchased the Bebob prior to the redrockmicro M2.

Any opinion on the Redrock microFollowFocus for the M2? What I have read here is mixed opinions. Mainly the quality issue for heavy use.

The tripod issue I will be taking care of. I dont want to rent or don't need to.
 
"another $40k allocated for gear"


how much are you budgeting for actors/actresses ?
IMO actors/actresses $$ are before $$ to buy equipment

if you do buy all the equipment are you planning to sell it after shooting is complete and put the $$ into post ?
 
Where on earth did you get that kind of money? I wished I had a budget that high. I'm shooting a feature on $9,500.00 am I nuts?
 
If you are a few months away from shooting, keep an eye on the Hyson Films website, the Matte Box and new 2 hard stop Follow Focus look good. Joel's products are good value, imo. I understand that these items may be released in the next 4-6 weeks. Good luck.
 
donatello said:
"another $40k allocated for gear"


how much are you budgeting for actors/actresses ?
IMO actors/actresses $$ are before $$ to buy equipment

$25k max for actors/actresses


if you do buy all the equipment are you planning to sell it after shooting is complete and put the $$ into post ?
Click to expand...

I may sell some but only to upgrade
 
donatello said:
"another $40k allocated for gear"


how much are you budgeting for actors/actresses ?
IMO actors/actresses $$ are before $$ to buy equipment
Click to expand...

$25k max for actors/actresses

donatello said:
if you do buy all the equipment are you planning to sell it after shooting is complete and put the $$ into post ?
Click to expand...

I may sell some but only to upgrade
 
sotty said:
$25k max for actors/actresses



I may sell some but only to upgrade
Click to expand...
If you are hoping to sell this feature, let me suggest that you find a way to get a recognizable actor/actress...even if it is only for a small cameo. One of the first things a distributor is going to ask is, "Who's in it?" If you can say _________, you stand a chance, if you've got no one that is recognizable your attempts to sell it are going to be much more difficult.
 
I don't see any gear for your workflow, you have a few options from p2 store, laptop, firestore, cineporter eventually. I'm not sure I would go with 4 8G cards for a narrative film. IMO you could get away with 3 4G cards and have a dedicated p2 wrangler (which you need regardless) dowloading when the other cards are in use. This will save you a few k.

also the operative word is redundancy with P2, external drives, perhaps a raid is a good idea.
 
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Love to hear your suggestions. The script calls for African and Native Americans. And as far as a known actor/actress, thats fine, but I am more intent on selling the story rather than the players. The small budget would never allow anything but a small cameo for a recognizable face. Its a very unique untold and factual story and quite a work in progress.
 
bosindy said:
I don't see any gear for your workflow, you have a few options from p2 store, laptop, firestore, cineporter eventually. I'm not sure I would go with 4 8G cards for a narrative film. IMO you could get away with 3 4G cards and have a dedicated p2 wrangler (which you need regardless) dowloading when the other cards are in use. This will save you a few k.

also the operative word is redundancy with P2, external drives, perhaps a raid is a good idea.
Click to expand...

I didn't mentioned all the equipment as laptops, raids, external drives which I have. Just looking for the "must have" items that I know I'm missing.
 
An AD, DP, Sound Mixer, Gaffer, Key Grip, Dolly Grip, Production Manager, Script Supervisor.

You are missing your top notch crew. Most come with gear.

As for gear,

You are missing grip equipment; c-stands, car mounts, sandbags, duvateen, flags, screeen,s 8x8's 4x4's etc. Then you are missing all your lighting. tungsten fresnels, daylight HMI's, lots of them.
 
tak1108 said:
You are missing grip equipment; c-stands, car mounts, sandbags, duvateen, flags, screeen,s 8x8's 4x4's etc. Then you are missing all your lighting. tungsten fresnels, daylight HMI's, lots of them.
Click to expand...
All of which you should rent after discussing what the DP needs to get the images you want.
 
DEFINITELY agree with this smart smart man... here!

DEFINITELY agree with this smart smart man... here!

Blaine said:
If you are hoping to sell this feature, let me suggest that you find a way to get a recognizable actor/actress...even if it is only for a small cameo. One of the first things a distributor is going to ask is, "Who's in it?" If you can say _________, you stand a chance, if you've got no one that is recognizable your attempts to sell it are going to be much more difficult.
Click to expand...


I can't say and express that enough either. He has it so right. When I did my first feature.. which turned out pretty good for 65K... I got the attention of a lot of big distributors.. Miramax being one. Now their rep, liked my film and wanted to take it on, but at the time, they only took on 8 films. He just kept on saying.. if you had only one name, or a major festival hit then I could take it to my boss. That's where I think things come down. You have to have a big name, and or be the next big thing. If it's mediocre or just average then you have no chance without a name..


Take some cash.. put it into getting some up and comer or some has been or whatever.. but with that kind of money, you should be able to get a name attached.

I personally wouldn't make anotehr film with that much cash unless someone else way funding it... I had a name attached.. or I was doing a project for no money..


LISTEN TO THIS SMART GUY!
 
Are you setting aside promotional $$$? If you want to get your movie out there, you will need to set aside money for that.
 
First, get a producer involved that knows what they are doing, you need real talent if you intent to go anywhere and you will need someone that has worked with SAG before to navigate the process. They will recommend a CD and the CD can get you some talent.

Second, get a DP involved and quick!

Third, there is no way in hell that I would recommend purchasing a pair of camera's with a $100k total budget. Why buy a pair of cameras, hang adapters in front of them when you could rent a great camera and great glass and get a MUCH better film for the same amount of money. This makes no sense to me at all.

I realize that $100k isn't much but I have seen great films made for less that have made real money and horrible films made for a lot more that never stood a chance because they made critical mistakes up front.

I'm LA based, but if you need specific help, feel free to PM me.

Best of luck!
 
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