What do most Indie. films use?

D

davideugene

Between 8mm, 16mm, and 35mm which camera is mostly used by Indie film makers? I am looking to purchase one but not sure which one would be best for someone to experiment with. I have been looking at the 16mm cameras. Am I on the right track? I know 35mm gives the best quality, but most are too expensive to buy at this moment. I am wanting to buy one within the next 2 weeks.

Thank you,
David Eugene
 
I just use my webcam, but not by choice. I can't afford anything else. I'm not sure what everyone else uses, but my guess would be 16mm.
 
Ahhh! Kool.....For my film I can't use a webcam. There wil be alot of outside shooting from the actual location. I think it will be a 16mm that i get. I don't think I want to go with an 8mm.\

Thanks,
David
 
Also, getting a job as an AC on film shoots will help you familiarize yourself with different cameras and gear. When you're ready to shoot your project, you can then rent an Arri package, and you will already know everything about it.
 
Hello davideugene,
Unless you have some serious cash, I would not recommend buying a camera at this time. Instead, spend the money producing an ultra-low budget film, or completing the development of a low budget project. Most successful filmmakers, including most small production companies, do not own their own cameras – they rent. There is no need for it and there are other more critical places where you need to invest the money – even a post-production/editing module would be more appropriate right now since it would save you even more money in the long run.

Regarding what most people use, most indi filmmakers use 16mm. They do that because if they hit the jackpot and the movie is successful, the distributor will pay to get it blown up to 35mm. So, having a 16mm will not necessarily keep you from getting distributed. However, having a 16mm in the first place means you are filming a ultra-low or no-budget film, which by default means that you will not get distributed. That is a harsh but true statement – as accurate as saying that you will not win the lottery if you buy a ticket this weekend. More people win the lottery every year than ultra-low budget films find distribution deals.

We use 16mm for documentaries, TV, and corporate video, and 35mm for features. We own a 16mm and rent the 35mm packages. The only reason we own the 16mms is because it makes financial sense for us based on the volume of production services we offer, not because we want or need to own a camera to film our movies.

In sum, rent your camera and use the money for something else. Later, with more working capital, and with the infrastructure in place to truly benefit from owning your own camera, you could invest.

Best wishes.
 
Thank you very much Film8ker, Inditalk, and Lopez-Lelii. Every one has given me a great deal of information that is greatly appreciated. This site ROCKS!!!!! Where would i look for renting the package?

Thank you very much to all of you,
David Eugene
 
David, contact your local film production companies. You can also consult your local film commission. They will provide you with the local renting houses and rates. Consult www.mandy.com if you need a list of your local production companies. Cheers.
 
Look on ebay for cheap 16mm cameras, if you want to experiment. You will need to ask yourself what you want to do. Do you want to shoot sync sound?, etc...

Here are a few things to consider:

Reflex / non-reflex
Electric / Wind-up
400 ft. mag / 100ft. spool
Sync motor / non-sync
Removable lenses / fixed lens

the list goes on.
 
I know film is the best but have you thought about going with the 24p minidv camera? The quality is great. I currently shoot on a JVC GY500 minidv camera and I love it. It cost me 5 grand. I'm still paying for it but it's nice. Plus don't forget film making is all about the story. once you have that the sweet equipment comes. Will goodluck.
 
No Vegas i didn't think about that. thanks for putting the thought there!! I will definetly keep it in mind. I am also gonna check around on renting the equipment. That also sounds like a good idea as well.

Thank you all!!!
David
 
for my doucumentery were useing hi-8 film do u think that is good enough or should i get something better like a dv cam i seen one for about 6 hundred.
 
There are lots of threads about cameras in the Technology forum. But I'd be looking for a MiniDV cam, or even a Digital8 cam. You can use your Hi8 and digitize the footage, but it can be a pain, and DV cams have higher quality picture. This is good if you plan on submitting it to festivals.

A good DV came costs about $4000 - but you can get a decent consumer-level camera for $1000. A guy I know who is a very talented filmmaker uses a basic digital camera and shoots amazing videos - you just want to make sure you can manually adjust exposure, white balance, shutter speed, etc. A camera that lets you select a shutter speed lower than 1/60 is nice, too.

All that being said...

The camera you use should not be your main concern. If you have a camera already, use it. If the story and flow of the documentary are good, then people won't notice if the picture isn't cinema-quality. A good camera is nice, but if you have a story, that's more important in the end.
 
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