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Camcorder Starting Tips

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danjama

Hello all.

I'm about to receive my first camcorder, a Panasonic GS250. It should come around Wednesday. Now, being a miniDV camcorder, I don't want to go wasting tape and battery time. I want to get to short film-making as soon as possible, but I have no experience with a camcorder.

So, what i'm looking for help with is like a starters guide to using a camcorder and the various features. Are there any exercises you can think of that will help me to learn the camera and its features? What should I try to learn to do first, second, third etc?

Or do you think I should just go to the park and start filming everything I see, messing around with settings and what not until I run out of tape?

Thanks for any tips and advice.
 
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You are aware, of course, that tape is inexpensive and can
be used several times and that batteries can be recharged.
So you really cannot waste tape or battery time.

danjama said:
Or do you think I should just go to the park and start filming everything I see, messing around with settings and what not until I run out of tape?
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I can't think of a better plan. I used to do that with film when
I was starting and film was not only very expensive but I couldn't
just film over it the next day.

Take a notebook with you and jot down what settings you used for
each shot. Then put all of it into you editing software and watch it
taking note of what you did with the camera.

Shoot a little chase scene - grab a scene from a play, a couple of
friends and shoot a dialogue scene from a bunch of different angels.

You won't be wasting tape or battery time. You will be learning.
 
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Sweet, man. I got my start with a 3CCD miniDV cam; it lasted me years, and I got a lot of good use out of it. You do not need a fancy, expensive camera to learn this craft, and you can have success in local festivals with it. Congrats on the purchase, and enjoy it!

I really like the following book. It's inexpensive, a super-easy read, and covers a great deal of the most important basics. Everything in this book is available for free on the internet, but I think it helps to have in one place.

http://www.amazon.com/Bare-Bones-Camera-Course-Video/dp/0960371818

A couple random points that are popping into my head, for using a camcorder:

Make sure you keep you digital-zoom off, at all times. It's pointless. Digital zoom pixilates your image, and besides, if you want to digitally zoom, you can do it in post. Only use optical.

I'm assuming this goes without saying, but just to be safe, make it your first priority to learn manual control of the following: exposure, white-balance, and focus.

For focusing, once you've set up your camera, it helps to zoom-in as tight as possible on your subject. If you're capturing a person, zoom-in on their eyes. Adjust your focus, then zoom back out, to the framed image that you want.

Other than those random thoughts, I'd say I think directorik's advice is about as solid as you can get. Tape is dirt cheap. Just play with the camera. Have fun with it. This ain't rocket science; you'll figure it out. Yeah, you'll make some mistakes along the way, but show me someone who's never made a mistake, and I'll show you someone who's never tried anything new.

Oh, and post your work, please. I look forward to seeing it!
 
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You guys are the best! :) I'll definitely look into that book when I get paid, or maybe even check my Uni library for that or similar.

Great point about the batteries and tape being cheap, I think i'm just quite nervous about finally having a camera to get some ideas filmed.

I think i'm very lucky in having an actress girlfriend, so I think i'm going to persuade her to come to the park and imrov a few scenes, and as you say, work on the basic elements, exposure, focus etc etc. I'm so excited! All the months of research, all the years of film-watching, finally going to be put to use.

Thanks guys.

Ooh just remembered snow is forecast for this weekend here, should make for a beginner-friendly setting.
 
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danjama said:
Ooh just remembered snow is forecast for this weekend here, should make for a beginner-friendly setting.
Click to expand...

Oh, actually, that can be a very difficult shoot. So, go ahead and follow through with your plans, but know that your experiences will be quite different when the entire everything isn't covered in a blanket of white.
 
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danjama said:
Do you know if the tape quality degrades at all over time and use?
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I think they do even if they are not being used. But i think it takes quite a long time unless your living in extreme whether conditions where the tape is contracting and expanding often and to a relative larger degree. I didnt use minidv for a long time so maybe someone else can give you a more detailed answer.

But just make sure you do not place them near any magnets or old tv's with magnets in them.
 
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danjama said:
Do you know if the tape quality degrades at all over time and use?
Click to expand...
It does.

When you are shooting your first, serious, short you will want
to use fresh tape. But while you are testing you can reuse tape.
I've gotten eight passes before I start seeing drop outs. And in
your situation a few drop outs won't matter. You will be able to
shoot 10 to 15 hours of footage using one tape.

You're in luck with the snow. Get some sort of reflector even if
it's a white sheet and shoot some close ups with and without it.
If you can run a power cord into the front yard, grab a light and
shoot some shots outside in the snow both with and without
throwing light on the subject. Write down what the cameras auto
functions do and the adjustments you make so you get a feel of
how you can use reflectors and light to get a better image even
in the snow during the day.

Your girlfriend is an actress. Ask her to bring a fellow actress along
and shoot a simple conversation. Improve is nice, but if you use a
script you can get the feel of doing coverage - what works, what
you need to improve on - what doesn't work. Any one act play will
do.
 
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