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Filmmaking

F

freakonaleash

Dec 19, 2006
395
0
Dundee, Scotland
#1
Any filmmakers here on Talkbass?
A beginner here is looking for some good starter tips please. I have always been keen on photography and used to develop and print my own b&w photos, but when it comes to making films I'm starting from scratch!
I would like to use the camera for filming gigs mainly, and wondered if there are any particular pointers anyone here could kindly give?
Please note is a large, shoulder-held camera, not a mobile phone!
 
#3
my school's film production class uses Macs and Avid editing software. i don't know exactly what cameras they use, but they weren't cheap (it was either $5k or $15k a camera). if those prices shocked you as much as they did me, there are definitely cheaper solutions. all you really need is a good computer, good editing software, a decent (usable) camcorder and tripod, and some lighting equipment. you can add some odds and ends as you go on so as to not have to get all that stuff at one time. there are also some great (and very thick) textbooks out there. i'll try to get the name of the books my school uses.
 
#5
hartke20g said:
my school's film production class uses Macs and Avid editing software. i don't know exactly what cameras they use, but they weren't cheap (it was either $5k or $15k a camera). if those prices shocked you as much as they did me, there are definitely cheaper solutions. all you really need is a good computer, good editing software, a decent (usable) camcorder and tripod, and some lighting equipment. you can add some odds and ends as you go on so as to not have to get all that stuff at one time. there are also some great (and very thick) textbooks out there. i'll try to get the name of the books my school uses.
Click to expand...

Thanks!
I was lucky enough to be given 2 of the same camera from an education department that was upgrading, so all I have had to pay out for is the battery at the moment :)
I have no idea what editing software to go for though, any suggestions please?

Any help in this thread would be greatly appreciated, including tips about filming gigs :)
 
#6
a lot has to depend on your end goal and level of quality?

Expensive pro 16 mm film?

Youtube Videos?

DVD's to sell?


Your end goal determines what you will need and how much $$$ it will cost.
 
#7
Barkless Dog said:
a lot has to depend on your end goal and level of quality?

Expensive pro 16 mm film?

Youtube Videos?

DVD's to sell?


Your end goal determines what you will need and how much $$$ it will cost.
Click to expand...

Yes, thanks, I do need to clarify this :)

The type of camera I have records onto VHS, so I will need to be able to transfer that to the pc.

As with anything, I like to do it step-by-step, so I'm not aiming to make professional dvd quality to sell, although it would be nice to get any gigs on dvd to do swaps, or to give them to the bands involved.
Youtube posting is definitely an aim for these too.
 
#8
freakonaleash said:
Thanks!
I was lucky enough to be given 2 of the same camera from an education department that was upgrading, so all I have had to pay out for is the battery at the moment :)
I have no idea what editing software to go for though, any suggestions please?

Any help in this thread would be greatly appreciated, including tips about filming gigs :)
Click to expand...

well, like i said earlier, my school has Avid on their film Macs, but if that's not an option for you, my guitarist who's in that class uses Windows Movie Maker for his own projects. he can even run a green (orange, actually) screen for digital effects.
a MUST have is a lighting and filtering system. you need them both because without for example, a UV filter, you'd get a lot of lens flare, and if you don't white balance for changing light situations, your colors will be off in every 'scene'. and another example, a yellow filter during the day could set the mood more upbeat and happy, while a blue filter would give everything a darker feel. day-for-night filters are cool, but you can pretty much always tell when they're used (they look cheap).
if you're good at building things, a good thing to make would be a jib arm, which is basically a glorified and more complicated camera boom.
you're also gonna need a recording device to plug into the main mixer at gigs to record all the sound. it's always best to have a separate audio track(s) when you're not dealing with dialog because any mic you put on the camera WILL clip the sound, and you won't get a good mix of all the instruments. you can also control the level, and it makes editing easier rather than having to scour for which take on what camera links 2 parts of 1 song together.

Jib Arm
Invalid Link Removed
Simple Jib Arm in use
http://www.neilslade.com/gifs/jib1.jpg

EDIT: you'll also need an interface that can connect your camera's outputs (usually RCA) to your computer. you can usually find one for $20-$50 US.
 
#9
Ok, so you do own your own camera? You're initial post was confusing on that.

You're going to want to get a quality mic for it. Test yours before putting any cash down and see how it fairs, but if you're dealing with music, sound quality is a high priority. If you can get a recording from the sound board and synch it later, do that. Recording straight with the camera has more opportunity for issues from peaking to excessive crowd noise.

Keep your distance. You don't want your stuff getting broken. This can also help sound going directly to the camera. You also may want to think about investing in a quality tripod. They can get expensive, but that's just something to think about. I don't know that I'd call it a high priority for your use.
 
#11
try and position yourself so that you're picking up some light... whenever I go out filming gigs, there's never enough light. if you can, go for a wider exposure.

I don't do too much filming of gigs, so I can't help you out too much there. mostly when I'm filming it's out on the common/the beach, catching the kiteboarders/kitesurfers. done a few skating videos and that sorta stuff.

for what it's worth, I use a Sony Vx-1000; really nice camera for the cash.
 
#12
Another alternative to Avid is to use Final Draft (if you've got a mac). I find it much easier to work with.


And whoever said that you need to get a seperate audio recording from the board is completely right, that way you can just worry about getting good footage and synching it up with the audio later. Your films will come out better, for sure.
 
#14
Assuming you're starting out, and doing this for fun/experiment/learning...

The VHS cameras could more of a liability - you'll need to get them transfered to a digital format for editing, and the quality is poor. For not much cash you can pick up a miniDV camera which will be higher quality, and hook up to a computer no problems.

If you get a slightly better miniDV camera, it will have analoug in - this allows you to use it to transfer stuff form your old VHS cameras to the computer via the new camera. A lot of the time you can get by with just one camera, but those old two might just catch something the new one doesn't by being in the right spot.

You need firewire on your computer (Mac's have it as standard, PC's it's a cheap card) - the miniDV will just plug straight in and work.

I've got a Mac, and edited a promo for our band in iMovie 05. The newest version of iMove 08 actually isn't as good for serious work - they dumbed it down. However if you have 08 installed you can download iMovie HD 06 for free from Apple. That has more features for serious editing.

iMovie HD 06 is actually pretty good, and is easy to use - if you haven't edited before, then it's a good place to start. The Apple Pro editing is Final Cut. It's available in two versions: Studio (which is mega expensive), and Express. You can pick up a slightly older version of Express for $50 on Ebay - full legit with real disks/manuals/codes. The old version will whine about your graphic card on a modern mac, butjust hit escape and it works fine. You can upgrade to the new version cheaper than buying the new version.

http://www.youtube.com/v/4eJvfBMeClU&hl=en
 

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