What should I buy?

A

amoildani

Well-known member
Ive come to a little issue that most likely a lot of young filmmakers are stuck with. There is so many things one can buy in order to continue adding to his or her filmmaking arsenal.
I've been slowly getting more and more serious with my craft, wanting to make more ambitious films everyday. However I dont have the equipment.
Being a college student, I have to be careful about how I spend my money. Now that I own a DVX, I have to see what I should OWN and what I should rent...

I currently have.

A DVX 100a.
A good bogen/manfrotto Tripod Head with legs
A homemade dolly
Access to some good microphones from friends
An Athlon 2400XP system (kind of faulty)

I know I wont be able to own everything there is needed to create quality-looking films (lights, cranes, workstations, steadicams, mini35 adapters, filters, gels, etc, etc) and I feel it would be silly if I did so im not even going to try. My main interest is Directing and Cinematography (more than DP). So how smart would it be to spend time trying to learning technical aspects like..say, lighting instead of framing shots and directing..?
Ive heard its good to leave individual aspects to people specialized in that (for instance, getting a lightining director rather than try to do it yourself). Im just not sure what to get...I can either get:

-A Basic Lighting Kit (or would it be better to rent?)
-Crane (I love camera motions...)
-micro35 kit (already have the lenses)
-anamorphic lens (dont plan on blowing up to film anytime soon)
-G5 powermac with FCP (my pc is having major issues plus I'd like to actually own my software...)

Or I could just not buy anything, and try to spend my money "hiring" people with the equipment (and know how to use it) on every individual project.

This seems like its a personal thing, but I'm confused, so any help would be appreciated
 
Re: What should I buy?

Well Carlos, given your list of have's, and your your list of want's....

G5 powermac with FCP would be my choice. ;)
 
Re: What should I buy?

Ya got a great camera, may as well have a great puter!  :D

Lights would be higher on the list then the lens goodies too. IMHO
 
Re: What should I buy?

I agree. If I were to get somethings besides the G5, it would be lights, as i think that really makes ore breaks the quality LOOK of a movie. Lenses are necessary but would be nice to have.

I want to switch to mac just because I love mac osx. My pc is slowly dying. Today it started randomly humming loudly then froze. my graphics card died. My dvd burner will not burn dvds and my cd burner will not burn cds. my computer cant see my network. I pretty much port anything i do to my powerbook and finish it off there, hehe.
If im going to be buying a new workstations, it'll be mac. plus the production suite has everything I would need at this point.

then again, for $2500 i can buy a lot of nice production gear.

aghh
 
Re: What should I buy?

hmm , i guess you do have a point.

now to sit here debating on the 1.8, 2, or 2.5ghz and wondering when there will be updates...hah

i guess i could just buy the production suite now ($500) and use it on my powerbook for the time being
 
Re: What should I buy?

[quote author=Carlos Crespo link=board=Offtopic;num=1107406032;start=0#0 date=02/02/05 at 20:47:12]
Being a college student, I have to be careful about how I spend my money. [/quote]

AGREED. despite all the credit card flyers at school. NOW is not a good time to be in major debt.


just a few thoughts-
on lighting rentals..depends on how accessible this rental is? Lighting seems to be something you have to practice a lot and in a lot of different scenarios. it would hard to do that with a rental.  lighting can get really expensive though to purchase. someday when you KNOW your scene/shot was poorly lit, you will see. A kit seems to be a good idea, though I suggest really comb though the kit contents and decide what you really need, what you can make, what you can afford, what you can do without.

crane- how much do you LOVE these shots? It is  a great thing to have, but if your lighting in many parts looks bad, it seems it would greatly lower the  image of quality you might be trying to pull off. A crane probably puts in some --oo-WOW factor.

sounds like you can get by with your powerbook, your own software, and maybe an external drive? for now?  If you were doing  A LOT of editing, I would suggest buying the fastest, best, most reliable, work-flow friendly computer money can buy. if you are only editing small projects with no major deadlines,  stick it out and save.

HTH
 
Re: What should I buy?

thanks for the comments.

My only issue with using my powerbook is that it wont be able to Handle Motion, which comes with the production suite (graphics card cant run it) so it will bother me buying a program that I cant use.

exactly what you said about lighting is whats holding me back from just renting. Id liket o know how to light, but its not something I want to specialize in. Of course, in projects, I'll find someone who knows what they're doing.
 
Re: What should I buy?

A Lighting Kit or REDROCKS Mini35.

Regarding the Crane? Yes, a killer tool but how many Crane shots are you
planning on doing? A new G5? For a fraction you can build a nice PC and use Vegas at the Student price.
 
Re: What should I buy?

ask yourself:

what will help me do better work?
make a better impression?
open up my work opportuniites?


Motion..can you do with out this? I buy almost everything Apple pimps my way--with only a few exceptions. ipod and motion.

Lighting- you may never aspire to be a lighting director, but you will DEFINITELY need to know some basics to get you by. shoots that you do on the fly, just for fun, for learning, for experimentation, for test, for free... will require no or low budgets and guess who will have to pull out the lights. They may also end up being your best work for awhile. you think you may not be interested in lighting now..when you see how GOOD it can make YOUR shot/scene shine, you will get hooked.
 
Re: What should I buy?

I would get some lights. Look for them used, or go low budget DIY if necessary. But having a good grasp of lighting only comes with a lot of practice. IT's a skill you cannot do without as a filmmaker, even if you have a lighting guy.
 
Re: What should I buy?

I agree with you guys and the crane. I dont think id use it enough to justify a $500 investment. (atleast not right now).

John, I know i can build a great pc system for a fraction of the cost, but I already have. I could just fix up mine and buy vegas student, but I just like mac osx better. My powerbook just seems more productive to me (lack of games, simple, works!) So if I do buy a system it'll be mac, plus I love FCP. I appreciate the advice though, maybe when longhorn comes out and I learn how to not screw up a computer (this is my 3rd system I build and its failing all over the place recently)

And Pooh, its not that I WANT motion, it's just that its part of the production suite (FCP HD4.5 [with soundtrack, livetype], DVD Studio Pro 3, and Motion) for $500 edu (great price!), so it would be included. just bothers me i couldnt use it for anything.

so what would you suggest? it seems ive got it down to a light kit or a g5...G5 would give me the ability to edit, do graphic work, post produce like a *****. quality post-production (if I apply myself).

The light kit would give me great experience and of course better looking shots (when I dont rent). I'll learn the craft, but at what cost?

it seems like id be getting a lot of use out of both, but I cant rent a G5 (affordable). Around here, a basic 3-4 light kit is 35-45 dollars a day.

if I were to buy lights, which would I get? there are so many styles and sizes, even after reading John Jackmans intro book, the equipment still bugs me. Im thinking Britek, but which?
 
Re: What should I buy?

I understand Carlos

I then say; get the G5.  Brand new.

Lighting Kit?  Eck.  You can build your own, use floros from Home Depot, use Walter Graffs upcoming kits, use floro bulbs...

As much as I want the THOUSAND dollar PLUS Light kit?  I cant justify it at this time.

Get the G5. I know all too well how cool it is to have a smokin machine; I just bought a DELL XEON, 1 GIG RAM, etc etc and am so stoked on t. Makes editing fun.
 
Re: What should I buy?

While you're at it hire some writers to write scripts for you. What good is all that equipment if you have nothing to shoot?

So I guess I'll add, pick up a copy of Final Draft.
 
Re: What should I buy?

already got final draft for mac. I just keep scrapping my stories. but im maturing, i'll get something done, althohg i wouldnt mind hiring a writer
 
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