If starting from scratch with a budget of 10-15 grand, and the intention of making music and corporate videos with a filmic look. What do you think is essential in your kit for shooting videos? (not including post production), while keeping within 10-15 grand? and keeping in mind that certain gear can be hired.
What would you buy with $10,000?
- Thread starter Rhys Day
- Start date
Richard J. Johnson
Joystick Member
....my way out of debt.
AndrewGentle
Well-known member
I'd love to buy a fixed lens or S35 Scarlet with $10 - 15 but unfortunately if you want it right now that's not an option. A few more months on those.
Right now, I'd probably go with a Sony EX1 + Letus Ultimate combination and some nice prime lenses.
-Andrew
Right now, I'd probably go with a Sony EX1 + Letus Ultimate combination and some nice prime lenses.
-Andrew
$1000:Basic sound kit w/ Boompole, shotgun, hyper mic, cables, wind protection, suspension
$3000-5000: A prosumer camera, possibly HMC150, XH-A1 or HVX200
$1000-1500: A decent tripod.
$2000-2500: 35mm adapter and decent rod support
$1000: A set of prime lenses (24/28mm, 50mm, 85mm, 100mm, 135mm etc)
$1000: HD monitor with appropriate mounting solution
$1500-???: Most important, a good set of light, grip, gel, light stands. A mix of flourescent, tungsten and (ideally) HMI. The sky is the limit when it comes to buying lights and grip, you can never have enough.
A lot of what I listed are bare minimum gear, there are areas of the budget that can easily explode depend on what you want to do.
$3000-5000: A prosumer camera, possibly HMC150, XH-A1 or HVX200
$1000-1500: A decent tripod.
$2000-2500: 35mm adapter and decent rod support
$1000: A set of prime lenses (24/28mm, 50mm, 85mm, 100mm, 135mm etc)
$1000: HD monitor with appropriate mounting solution
$1500-???: Most important, a good set of light, grip, gel, light stands. A mix of flourescent, tungsten and (ideally) HMI. The sky is the limit when it comes to buying lights and grip, you can never have enough.
A lot of what I listed are bare minimum gear, there are areas of the budget that can easily explode depend on what you want to do.
Do you expect to make this money back?
Couple of facts for you -
Music Vids: Not many pay well, and those that do are very competitively sought after, so you need to be on top of it.
Corporate Vids: Theres not that many that will want a "FILMIC LOOK". Some do of course, esp. those with skits in them for training etc. But it's not a huge requirement and most of the corps I do, I dont shoot at 24 / 25fps. The corp. vid market is very competitive as well, mostly due to the number of jobs out there and budgets.
What's your experience level? That will determine if what I am saying here is relevant, but Ill go on anyway.
If you are low on experience, its going to be a rougher ride. Certainly not impossible by any means and I dont mean to imply that.
Back a step, will you go into debt for this? Or is it cash you have handy?
If youre going into debt youll want work thats going to repay that, but if you have no clients to begin with, wheres the work? The clients are out there, but how are you going to find them? And when you do, what will you present them to show you are capable? You may have already answered these questions, but if you havent Id step back and answer those before you going into debt for equipment that wont earn $.
Of course if you have a reel and experience, you could get this back in one job as you would well know and Ive just been rambling.
All just IMO of course.
emretufekci
Well-known member
Noel makes a good point, investing in equipment without a client base is a quick formula for bankrupcy. You can ALWAYS rent, almost anything...
If you want to pursue the venue of owning, Huy has good suggestions.
Dont forget: Experience is something you get right after when you could have used it the most ,
and the market is the most crowded at the bottom.
There is always somebody that will do it cheaper then you.
Good Luck.
If you want to pursue the venue of owning, Huy has good suggestions.
Dont forget: Experience is something you get right after when you could have used it the most ,
and the market is the most crowded at the bottom.
There is always somebody that will do it cheaper then you.
Good Luck.
Thanks for the advice guys. I'd like to own my own gear so I can practice whenever I want, and get familiar with my tools of the trade. It would make me a lot more confident in seeking paid clients.
I also have a shitty full time job to pay for any debt repayments until I can secure paid work in video production. So until that happens, I'd be spending my weekends working on a showreel, and possibly ringing up potential clients on my lunch breaks at work.
Good point about corporate videos not needing to be filmic, but I'd love to have the option there for music videos etc... also I understand there isn't much money in that area, but I'm very familiar and passionate about my local music scene, so if I can shoot clips and do what I love, and just get by, I'd be more then happy. Not interested about huge profits.
I also have a shitty full time job to pay for any debt repayments until I can secure paid work in video production. So until that happens, I'd be spending my weekends working on a showreel, and possibly ringing up potential clients on my lunch breaks at work.
Good point about corporate videos not needing to be filmic, but I'd love to have the option there for music videos etc... also I understand there isn't much money in that area, but I'm very familiar and passionate about my local music scene, so if I can shoot clips and do what I love, and just get by, I'd be more then happy. Not interested about huge profits.
Sounds like you arent going to suffer to do this, jump in and get shooting.