What are the requirements and which sites offer this? Whether its RED cameras, BMCC, or Canon Cinema cameras? I'm in the market for a new camera.
Financing a camera?
- Thread starter Sweeney Jet
- Start date
Why does everyone insist on owning their equipment? If you are a DP/Cinematographer that's one thing; if you are just a weekend warrior shooting a couple of times a year it's much more economically viable to rent or borrow.
Think about it. How many days did you shoot last year? 10? So, if you get a $2,000 camera that's $200 every day you shoot*. You can rent a nice camera for $200 a day. Even better, hire people who have quality equipment and know intimately how to use it. You can get someone quite talented with some solid experience for $200 a day.
*And you still haven't purchased lenses, a tripod, etc., nor lighting - and don't get me started on sound....
Think about it. How many days did you shoot last year? 10? So, if you get a $2,000 camera that's $200 every day you shoot*. You can rent a nice camera for $200 a day. Even better, hire people who have quality equipment and know intimately how to use it. You can get someone quite talented with some solid experience for $200 a day.
*And you still haven't purchased lenses, a tripod, etc., nor lighting - and don't get me started on sound....
To add to this - if you check top DP's rarely they own any equipment besides light meter and such.
Why? Because when you are trying to get good at it for one thing, it helps to own it so you can use it any chance you can. Also not everyone live in a metro area with rental houses they can do a quick run to so as to rent something. I like to own my stuff. I have never like renting or leasing anything. But that is just the way I personally fly.
Financing a camera is an awful thing to do, unless you can be certain that you will have enough work to pay it off, as well as make yourself a living over the next 18 months. Paying off a camera for longer than 18 months is IMO a bad decision.
If you're not a DP, grab a DSLR if you need a camera.
If you want to be a DP, it really depends on the work you do, and the market you're in. Some markets you'll absolutely need to own equipment until you get to the very top of your career in order to get work. Other markets, you could easily make a nice career for yourself without ever owning a camera.
Traditionally, the only time you need to be an expert on how a camera system works is if you're an AC. If you're an AC you need to know every camera being popularly used liek the back of your hand, so only knowing one camera is a pretty average decision.
As a Director, you don't need to know anything about how any camera works, and as a DP you really need to know how to light. Knowing how the camera operates is up to your AC.
Because I still AC, I know RED, Alexa, Sony F5/F65, Blackmagic, Canon C(x)00 like the back of my hand. I know where everything is placed, I know the menu systems and how to change most common settings. I don't own any of those cameras.
When I shoot, I rent, and I let my AC worry about the camera itself. It's not my job to worry about how to change settings on the camera when I'm DPing, unless my AC doesn't know how to do what I've asked of him/her.
If you're not a DP, grab a DSLR if you need a camera.
If you want to be a DP, it really depends on the work you do, and the market you're in. Some markets you'll absolutely need to own equipment until you get to the very top of your career in order to get work. Other markets, you could easily make a nice career for yourself without ever owning a camera.
Cryogenic said:
Traditionally, the only time you need to be an expert on how a camera system works is if you're an AC. If you're an AC you need to know every camera being popularly used liek the back of your hand, so only knowing one camera is a pretty average decision.
As a Director, you don't need to know anything about how any camera works, and as a DP you really need to know how to light. Knowing how the camera operates is up to your AC.
Because I still AC, I know RED, Alexa, Sony F5/F65, Blackmagic, Canon C(x)00 like the back of my hand. I know where everything is placed, I know the menu systems and how to change most common settings. I don't own any of those cameras.
When I shoot, I rent, and I let my AC worry about the camera itself. It's not my job to worry about how to change settings on the camera when I'm DPing, unless my AC doesn't know how to do what I've asked of him/her.
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When you're trying to get good a cinematography you do not need
a RED. Frankly, you do not need a camera you need to finance. You
need a camera you can use to learn. One that you can afford. Because
as soon as you are out of the learning stage you will need top of the
line, current gear. And to keep that up, you rent.
That said...
Jet, camera retailers are not like auto retailers – none of them own are
are part of a lending institution. You want to finance a camera you'll
have to go through a legit financial institution. Since you're in the market
for a new camera and you need a high end camera that's the only way
I know of to finance one.
a RED. Frankly, you do not need a camera you need to finance. You
need a camera you can use to learn. One that you can afford. Because
as soon as you are out of the learning stage you will need top of the
line, current gear. And to keep that up, you rent.
That said...
Jet, camera retailers are not like auto retailers – none of them own are
are part of a lending institution. You want to finance a camera you'll
have to go through a legit financial institution. Since you're in the market
for a new camera and you need a high end camera that's the only way
I know of to finance one.
Agreed.
I needed to own my first 'learning' camera. The next one will be a 'shared' camera. The theory is if I use it for 20 days, it will have more than covered rental costs. I do 20 days a quarter!
But on a serious note,owning camera is not necessarily. Imagine you save up or w.e and buy RED. Than you are going to be stuck with it for all your projects. And what if a director who hires you wants the look of Alexa? Or 16mm or 35mm film? Or c100 for doc work?
Are you going to buy lenses as well? What if they won't give the look you/director desires?
Take a look at top DP's rarely who owns cameras. And I bet you that not a single DP made it into the industry because he owned a camera. Cinematography is all about telling story with the help of camera/lighting/design etc. No one cares what camera you own,unless it is a producer who has no money so he posts adds like: We want a DP with Red and lighting. To work for free on the feature.
Now if you are super rich than why not go ahead,having a cool camera is cool,but if you are broke or have a medium income don't waste your money. Invest in yourself. Buy books,attend seminars and get on as many sets as possible.
Thanks for the feedback, everyone. I prefer to own. I've been using several HDV prosumers and HDSLRs for years now (check out my reel: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IbeMJ57cMr8 )and so I simply want to step up my cinematography and editing workflow for my next indie feature, a sci-fi I've envisioned for years that Id like to shoot 4k.
I'm well aware that a filmmaker doesn't need a RED for cinematic images but I like RED. Simple as that.*I'd rather own a Benz than a Prius if possible, you know? Lol. I've made 2 indie features (and 2 shorts) with the 7D, GH2, 5DmkII and t3i. So I know those are very capable if you know their limitations.
I think I'll save up for a BMCC 4k and try less of a run & gun for this project. A collaborator is getting a GH4 and so this film will be shot in 4k and down-scaled to 2k.
Thats why I want to finance a high-end camera -- for 4k and I like RED. I like what they do. I also like the Canon Cinema products. But of course, only the C500 shoots 4k.
Can you name a few places that's legit?
If you're curious of my indie features, here are trailers:
PUNCH ME HARD (still in consideration for over a dozen fests): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BGnuHQRMhJ4
NOWHERE JOHNNY, which is being distributed fully on IndieReign: www.IndieReign.com/video/nowhere-johnny
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XH-GVgNQnZ0
I'm well aware that a filmmaker doesn't need a RED for cinematic images but I like RED. Simple as that.*I'd rather own a Benz than a Prius if possible, you know? Lol. I've made 2 indie features (and 2 shorts) with the 7D, GH2, 5DmkII and t3i. So I know those are very capable if you know their limitations.
I think I'll save up for a BMCC 4k and try less of a run & gun for this project. A collaborator is getting a GH4 and so this film will be shot in 4k and down-scaled to 2k.
Thats why I want to finance a high-end camera -- for 4k and I like RED. I like what they do. I also like the Canon Cinema products. But of course, only the C500 shoots 4k.
Can you name a few places that's legit?
If you're curious of my indie features, here are trailers:
PUNCH ME HARD (still in consideration for over a dozen fests): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BGnuHQRMhJ4
NOWHERE JOHNNY, which is being distributed fully on IndieReign: www.IndieReign.com/video/nowhere-johnny
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XH-GVgNQnZ0
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All the DPs I know have or strive to own all of their own equiptment.
And, in Hollywood, the Leonetti brothers have a whole warehouse with all of their own lights and cameras.
DPs are also investing in their own greenscreen equipment these days too.
But, it is done gradually from saving up from money earned from gigs and not financing that will put you in debt.
And, in Hollywood, the Leonetti brothers have a whole warehouse with all of their own lights and cameras.
DPs are also investing in their own greenscreen equipment these days too.
But, it is done gradually from saving up from money earned from gigs and not financing that will put you in debt.
From a producer / director's POV, make sure the DPs you look for have all of their own gear, transportation, and insurance. It makes for a more certain day rate to pay without additional costs. The ones who work all the time carry their own set insurance. I'm finding out myself, equipment you buy for your productions should be purchased with 3 to 5 year warranties as well. Save the insurance money for your cast, crew, stunts, and possible property damage.
A friend in Texas who is an independent producer / director has advised me to make sure crew people have their own equipment and insurance. That helps to eliminate the I don't care about the equipment attitude of crew people. They take better care of their own equipment than rentals. Rentals don't always work properly when they are handled by too many people.
With ultra-low budget productions, especially, equipment rentals are a no-no. A careless crew person can break or lose rented equipment and the producer ends up stuck buying what got lost or damaged from the rental house. It happened to me in my first production. I've had a no rental policy ever since.
A friend in Texas who is an independent producer / director has advised me to make sure crew people have their own equipment and insurance. That helps to eliminate the I don't care about the equipment attitude of crew people. They take better care of their own equipment than rentals. Rentals don't always work properly when they are handled by too many people.
With ultra-low budget productions, especially, equipment rentals are a no-no. A careless crew person can break or lose rented equipment and the producer ends up stuck buying what got lost or damaged from the rental house. It happened to me in my first production. I've had a no rental policy ever since.
Glossing over the rest of the conversation for now just to address this:
Your business bank or your CC company, though if you are really looking at a 5 figure purchase your bank will likely have much better terms than a CC.
Anything else is going to just rip you off on ungodly interest. Don't bother searching the internet for some "legit" funding source, just go to your bank and make an appointment with your bank mgr. Bring them your plan for how much you will spend, on what it will be spent, and how you will make ROI in order to repay the loan or (more likely since we are talking less than $25,000) line of credit they offer you.
You do have a business banking account for your film activities, right?
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All that said, I was just in a meeting with a PM at the company that hires me often for some of my bread and butter work. He doesn't like to buy gear unless he's certain he can make it back in X number of uses (be it for their own work or as rentals) where X is as low as 10 for some pieces of equipment. Take that as FWIW in your instance.
Your business bank or your CC company, though if you are really looking at a 5 figure purchase your bank will likely have much better terms than a CC.
Anything else is going to just rip you off on ungodly interest. Don't bother searching the internet for some "legit" funding source, just go to your bank and make an appointment with your bank mgr. Bring them your plan for how much you will spend, on what it will be spent, and how you will make ROI in order to repay the loan or (more likely since we are talking less than $25,000) line of credit they offer you.
You do have a business banking account for your film activities, right?
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All that said, I was just in a meeting with a PM at the company that hires me often for some of my bread and butter work. He doesn't like to buy gear unless he's certain he can make it back in X number of uses (be it for their own work or as rentals) where X is as low as 10 for some pieces of equipment. Take that as FWIW in your instance.
Commercial banks are legit business loan lenders. Their interest rates may be high, but they are legit. If you have accounts with them, they may cut you a break.