Should I buy the HVX? Trying to decide on the best project workflow

filmstox said:
...I just finished shooting a horror feature on super35 for just over 30k by pulling in a number of favors and squeezing every penny til our fingers bled, but it can be done.
-David C. Smith
LA / OC D.P.
Click to expand...

I'd love to hear more about that! We did a 16mm feature for just under 10K including everything... I bet we have similar stories... you should start a thread over in the Film section about this project...

Regards,

Jim Arthurs
 
My 2 cents. Do your budget for:

1) Script doctor if needed
2) DP's fee
3) Sound and Lighting Equipment Cost
4) Talent's fee (unless they are working for free)
5) Director fee (if you are not the director)
5) Hair and Makeup cost
6) locations costs
7) Prop costs
8) Get interns or volunteers for PAs
9) Editor fee

Now with the balance left, get rates from post production houses on HD, Super 16 and 35mm film. Factor in color correction, titles, sound mix, foley, adr, final mix, prints or dvds. Their rates and the remaining part of your budget will dictate whether you buy or rent the HVX or shoot film. If shooting film factor in film cost, development, screening dailies, etc.... THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS THE STORY!!

As there is still a bias in the moviemaking industry towards film, I would try to see how it can be done on 35, if not then super 16, then eventually leaning towards HD. On the last point, I've shot on the Panasonic SDX900 and let me tell you, the image was awesome! 2/3 inch chips are a giant step up. Then again I saw the footage that Jan screened at Resfest NY and I was astonished! Good luck with that cash dude!
 
$25,000 in one grant? Wow. Kudos to that.

As much as I would generally push for film if you can afford it, a comedy is something that can benefit from being shot in digital. Comedic timing between characters is lightning in bottle and if you can be shooting on all the rehearsals it will give you the magic moments that might be lost if shooting film.

Just a thought.
 
Jim,

I'd be happy to share anything that I can from that experience, and yes the similarities from one ultra low budget shoot to the next are many and often disheartening :) One thing I would like to add to Ernest's list that should fall somewhere around number 2 or 3 is craft service. Nothing can stretch a dollar further than garnering good will from cast and crew by having good and plentiful food and drink on set. This is so often overlooked in the rush to lock down a budget and it will have dramatic effects on the screen. On one of my favorite projects, the producer had the craft service people come to preproduction meetings to get a feel for what people liked to eat. In all of my years doing this, I'd never experienced this simple act of genius that resulted in a much happier crew and a much smoother shoot.

I'm embarrassed to admit that I had never scrolled down far enough to even realize there was a film section here, I'll have to lurk around over there for a while.

David C. Smith
LA / OC D.P.
 
Hi David, yes craft services is very important! We did manage to feed everyone quite well on our shoot, as the director's roommate at the time took on the task.

We recently got together, the director and I, now almost 7 years later and recorded an audio commentary for the DVD about the low budget filmmaking process, which is why all this is fresh in my mind (literally the last advice I give in the commentary is to "feed the crew well").

Out of the ten thousand that the production cost, film costs (neg/processing/transfer) ate up almost seven thousand dollars! All for the "film look".

I earn my living by doing VFX, CGI and special venue productions, but really enjoy the creative process of filmmaking and love shooting. The director was a good friend of mine and I agreed to do the shoot for the fun of it, as I had shot or lit his three short films leading up to his feature as well as my three films.

I also figured that I would respect the little amount of money he had, the most of all the potential choices he had for director of photography.

Regards,

Jim Arthurs
 
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