help with short filmmaking

tpfkabi · January 08, 2003, 10:48:02 PM

hello.
i am working on a script that i would one day like to direct. in the mean time, i'd like to see if i could do anything interesting......so i figured i'd start smaller and try to do a short.
here's the problem:
i don't have a camera.
here's what i'd like to do:
purchase a pretty decent camera (nothing great, just something that will do) and have the ability to edit it on my PC (yes, that's right, i have a PC........so telling me to buy a Mac won't help......i don't have that kind of dough)........its a pentium 3, 733mghz

anywho, any help would be fantabulous.
thanks.

Xixax · January 08, 2003, 11:05:31 PM

PC's are just fine for video - especially the kind of video you're talking about.

You can get an OK DV camera with firewire for about $750. After you have that, get one of the Pinnacle DV Studio packs. They range from about $75 for software only, to as much as $299 for software with digital and analog capture cards.

It's somewhat limited, but it'll be great to get started with, and you haven't spent more than $1k on the whole deal.

Your existing computer should be fine.

blake walker · January 10, 2003, 08:42:58 PM

Yo, i'm also starting to shoot on miniDV and want to edit on my PC. my hard drive is 38 gigs...is that gonna be enough to support short film editing? and will i need a good graphics card er....

Xixax · January 10, 2003, 09:02:05 PM

Graphics card isn't so important. The biggest issue is to make sure you ave adequate RAM, and that your hard drive is unfragmented. You might even consider repartitioning the hard drive so one partition is data only (for good capture performance). Or better yet, invest in a seperate hard drive.

But even without those things, you should still be OK if your computer is fast enough and it's not loaded down with a bunch of background software.

tpfkabi · January 10, 2003, 10:54:26 PM

thanks for the help.
you're from nashville? i just got back home from murfreesboro. i went to MTSU. i originally went there because of the recording program, put last spring i took Intro to Motion Pictures and really became interested in film.

Jeremy Blackman · January 12, 2003, 11:51:49 AM

Quote from: bigideaspentium 3, 733mghz

Just don't buy a Pentium 4.. they're actually slower. And remember that's equal to about 360 G4 mHZ.

If you want a good cheap camera, check out Sony's Digital8 line... it's not the best, but it should work, and there's a huge price gap between that and mini DV. So you can get a cheap Sony (not a lot of features but still good quality picture) for around $500. Look at cnet.com, epinions.com, and pricegrabber.com for the best prices on the internet. Just be careful with ebay (I almost got screwed once). Digital8 tapes are dirt cheap, anyway.

To decide how much hard drive space you need, remember that 10 minutes usually equals 1 gigabyte. So keep in mind how much raw footage you're going to have.

If you don't have a camera that deinterlaces, you're probably gonna want an editor that deinterlaces. And never buy anything that has "Studio" or "EZ" in its name.

aclockworkjj · January 12, 2003, 01:07:59 PM

Mr. Blackman sounds like he has the right idea.....except 10 min. of full size video is usually gonna take up around 2 GB (that's just from my personal experience though...if there is some I don't know about...please do tell)

As far as hardware methods that have worked for me....
1. completely MAX out the RAM on your machine, even older computer will allow up 512mb of RAM...get it, it's cheap
2. A decent video card will make rendering time faster....nothing crazy, but a 64mb video card has worked wonders for me...when put together with the RAM I have also corrected a little drop frame problem I was experiencing
3. The Sony Digital 8 cams aren't all that bad...they are cheap, decent picture (although Sony generally tends to be a little cool in color, in my opinion) , and for the special features....screw 'em!!! You can do most of what you would wanna use in post...so don't spend more for more features.
4. Get a tripod please...even a cheap one....sorry, we don't need any more Blair Witch Projects
5. Finally, and MOST IMPORTANT.....get yourself a decent coffee machine and take up smoking....both help greatly to get you through the editing stage. Hahaha

Listen to Jeremy about the software....he is dead on. Adobe maybe???

Cheers!

Thecowgoooesmooo · January 15, 2003, 04:37:22 PM

Here is how me and my friend made our own editing station out of our rooms come true... Ill give you the rundown... heh

1) Steal a expensive DV Capture card, that is not being used, from your local high school. Along with the software, firewire, ect.
2) Get your friend to "borrow" a couple bucks from his parents to max out your computer
3) Download a pirated version of Adobe 6.0 along with other software to make editing so much nicer!
4) Buy a top of the line super vhs.
5) Next get one of your buddy's to suck up so much to the Video Productions teacher, that he gains your trust... You are now able to borrow the 6 GL-2's, lighting equipment, Manfroto Tripods, Monitors, Green screen, ect...!

Thats how we did it!

Good luck!

chris

Jeremy Blackman · January 16, 2003, 10:52:51 AM

Quote from: ThecowgoooesmoooSteal . . . "borrow" . . . pirated . . . suck up . . . borrow

You planning to sneak your movie into a film festival too?

aclockworkjj · January 16, 2003, 01:33:46 PM

Again, Mr. Blackman knows what he is talking about.

Xixax · January 16, 2003, 02:01:12 PM

Quote from: bigideasthanks for the help.
you're from nashville? i just got back home from murfreesboro. i went to MTSU. i originally went there because of the recording program, put last spring i took Intro to Motion Pictures and really became interested in film.

A lot of really good things have come out of MTSU...

Like Feable Weiner!

Pwaybloe · January 16, 2003, 02:46:36 PM

Quote from: XixaxA lot of really good things have come out of MTSU...

Like Feable Weiner!

If you've heard of Feable Weiner, you've probably heard of Boo Boo Bunny. They're another one of MTSU's exports.

BTW, I went to MTSU for 3 years, woke up, then transferred to UT.

RegularKarate · January 16, 2003, 03:08:27 PM

Quote from: Pawbloe

BTW, I went to MTSU for 3 years, woke up, then transferred to UT.

Word... Austin in the house.

I just volunteered for SXSW, I got on the Film Restoration crew, I'm pretty psyched.

Pwaybloe · January 17, 2003, 11:45:55 AM

Quote from: RegularKarate
Word... Austin in the house.

I just volunteered for SXSW, I got on the Film Restoration crew, I'm pretty psyched.

Whoops... I meant University of Tennessee. Sorry RK, but congrats on you getting on the crew.

Xeditor · January 18, 2003, 12:47:49 PM

QuoteHere is how me and my friend made our own editing station out of our rooms come true... Ill give you the rundown... heh

1) Steal a expensive DV Capture card, that is not being used, from your local high school. Along with the software, firewire, ect.
2) Get your friend to "borrow" a couple bucks from his parents to max out your computer
3) Download a pirated version of Adobe 6.0 along with other software to make editing so much nicer!
4) Buy a top of the line super vhs.
5) Next get one of your buddy's to suck up so much to the Video Productions teacher, that he gains your trust... You are now able to borrow the 6 GL-2's, lighting equipment, Manfroto Tripods, Monitors, Green screen, ect...!

Thats how we did it!

I happen to be that friend who did all that. Its workin out great for us! Now we are both gettin full ride scholarships to film school. There is ALWAYS a way around the money issue!