Need Help Starting Out

Hi guys,

New to the forum. Hope you all are doing well.

So my roommate and I have spent some time brainstorming getting into a new hobby and one of the things we really wanted to try was making our own films, but we need a little bit of help getting started in the right direction.

Essentially the type of films we wanted to do would be more of a documentary/narrative. In short we would like to shoot someone seated in front of a screen while superimposing other footage that was filmed live next to them, allowing them to narrate their experience through it. At least, that would be a core function of what we were trying to do.

That said, to get started we kind of need to start identifying the appropriate hardware and software. We were hoping that we could get some decent gear for a reasonable price, but we're both new to this field (Engineers by profession) and don't have a lot of experience shopping around so we need some help identifying what is good equipment at a fair price.

I imagine we'd need the following equipment:camera, microphone, lighting, tripod, editing software but that's just my starting guess.

Thanks so much for the help!
 
Hi guys,

New to the forum. Hope you all are doing well.

So my roommate and I have spent some time brainstorming getting into a new hobby and one of the things we really wanted to try was making our own films, but we need a little bit of help getting started in the right direction.

Essentially the type of films we wanted to do would be more of a documentary/narrative. In short we would like to shoot someone seated in front of a screen while superimposing other footage that was filmed live next to them, allowing them to narrate their experience through it. At least, that would be a core function of what we were trying to do.

That said, to get started we kind of need to start identifying the appropriate hardware and software. We were hoping that we could get some decent gear for a reasonable price, but we're both new to this field (Engineers by profession) and don't have a lot of experience shopping around so we need some help identifying what is good equipment at a fair price.

I imagine we'd need the following equipment:camera, microphone, lighting, tripod, editing software but that's just my starting guess.

Thanks so much for the help!

1) Buy a cheap consumer digital camera with auto features you can turn off.

2) Cheap tripod or bean bag.

3) practice shooting fake docs.

4) edit together your doc short using your computer's freebee editing tools.


Do this a couple times to COMPLETION. Still have the filmmaking bug?

Buy an inexpensive plug in mike and cheap lights at Home Depot and go back and shoot a few more fake docs, this time focusing on getting the sound and lights right and edit them to completion.

Still have the filmmaking bug? If so, you'll know at that time EXACTLY what you need and can make prudent purchases decision.

At this point you're subject to prey by gearheads who may sell you on GEAR when it is producing docs is what you want to do. Beware of those that try to foist a DSLR on you early in the game.

There's also an excellent book on doc filmmaking you ought to check out as well.

Good luck.
 
You also need to know WHERE you're going to show the finished product (youtube?) and HOW are your going to get more than just twenty people you and your cast/crew know to watch it (marketing & promotion.)

Filmmaking is not a meritocracy.
Everyone has only 24hrs in a day and already too much sh!t to do - why are they going to put aside XX minutes to watch whatever it is you're doing*?

* That's me emulating the disposition of your target audience, not me personally disrespecting you. :)
 
Panasonic GH2 is a high quality camera that today you can get very cheaply and make be the basis of a solid but inexpensive kit:

http://ironfilm.co.nz/a-priced-out-gear-kit-for-a-newbie-to-filmmaking-using-the-panasonic-gh2/

For editing software I recommend Sony Vegas Pro, as it is one of the major ones used, but has I reckon the easiest learning curve of them all. Add to that HitFilm 3 if you want to do fancier VFX.

I'd pass on lighting for your first short film or two. There is already more than enough variables which you need to juggle all at once!!

But then when you do get some, start with a set of redheads and also a few LED panels (for when you can't run off power for the redheads).
 
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I wouldn't. Lighting is more importing than the camera you're using.

I agree it is more important even than the camera used, but looked at from the perspective of a person just starting out..... I think it could make sense to pass over it for the first short film or two.

As there is SO MUCH a newbie director/writer/producer/DoP (odds are he'll be juggling all those if a first time no budget film) needs to manage! Passing on lighting, and focusing instead on story, acting, and camera placement (and general crisis management!) will be more than enough!
 
I guess if the only option is to pass on one thing to focus on
another it might be good advice. But that's not the issue a
beginner faces. Focus on story, camera placement, acting,
general crisis management AND lighting and sound. All
these things are important to learning.

As we focus on story we can focus on acting. As we focus
on camera placement we can focus on lighting. Do not
focus on one over the other.
I imagine we'd need the following equipment:camera, microphone, lighting, tripod, editing software but that's just my starting guess.
Start small. No need to buy a lot of even medium end equipment
at the beginning. Start with the Canon VIXIA HF R500, Rode VideoMic,
Zoom H4n, Magnus VT-4000, Genaray SpectroLED Three Light Interview Kit
and iMovie.
 
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