You might notice that your sections nicely fit into the sections on this board. Read around.

You might also want to buy a book on Independent filmmaking. One that provides more detailed answers than you're gonna get here with such an open-ended question. There are hundreds that fit that description.

RJSchwarz
San Diego, CA

Charmon, these questions are going to require more than just answer's on a messageboard. For over 75 years these questions have been answered in thousands of books.

Who would you need to hire? and How many people will you need?
That depends on so may things, no one could answer it. You?re a communications major in college. You know that a movie like ?She?s Gotta Have It? needs a very different crew than a movie like ?Troy?

What all types of people would you need?
Types? Do you mean what jobs are needed on a set? Or types as in personality?

What all equipment would you need?
Again, as a communications major at Grambling State University you must know this, too, is an unanswerable question. If you are making something along the lines of ?Barbershop? you would have different equipment needs than if you were doing something along the lines of ?Jurassic Park?

What programs would you use?
For what? Writing? Storyboarding? Scheduling? CGI?

I see that you need a run down on everything. I guess if a couple of message board posts could give you a run down on everything needed to make a movie from beginning to end then books and films school wouldn?t be needed.

All of us here on filmmaking.net are happy to help. But a complete rundown of all aspects of making a movie from preproduction to distribution is going to take some time.

How about starting a little smaller here on the boards and hitting the library for books on filmmaking that can give you several thousand pages of info.

I?ll start with ?How many people will you need??
On a low budget movie with very few locations and no sets to build you could get away with about 18:

Producer
Director
DP/operator
1st AC
1st AD
script supervisor
gaffer
dolly grip/key grip
grip/electric
grip/electric
makeup/costumer
set dresser/props
sound mixer
boom op
craft service/caterer
3 PA?s (who each had specific tasks)

Most first timers start with even less - the director, someone to run the camera and if you?re really lucky, a friend or two to lug stuff around.

So the answer is: anywhere from two to eighteen.

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The aim of an argument or discussion should not be victory, but progress.
Joseph Joubert, essayist (1754-1824)

uh,yeah. what certified instigator said. He is dead on

"Anyone who has ever been privileged to direct a film also knows that, although it can be like trying to write 'War and Peace' in a bumper car in an amusement park, when you finally get it right, there are not many joys in life that can equal the feeling." - Stanley Kubrick

You are right, I didn't look at it like that. Thanks for your help, I guess I am so eager to make a movie, but all I know is the ideas in my head. I haven't taken any classes on anything yet, dealing with cameras and films. All I have is two screenwriting books to look at. Thanks for your help, I guess I'll take things step by step and slowly.

The best writer alive...after Spielberg and Lucas retire...

Well, adding on, let me ask this then...

What is the best equipment that I can find and its price?

Like for a low budget film, what is the best camera, editing programs, microphones, ect.? What are the best ones and how much would they cost. where could I find them?

The best writer alive...after Spielberg and Lucas retire...

Another difficult question. For example by low budget what do you mean. Are you making films for internet delivery or do you hope to show it at festivals? Pretty much anything can give you decent enough quality for internet delivery while some festivals allow digital content (some genre contests) and others demand actual film (Sundance).

It would help to know your price range.

The other thing to remember is eBay is your friend. You can learn about cameras as well as figure out reasonable prices if you haunt eBay for a couple of weeks and watch the prices of select cameras go up and down. They also have package deals which may or may not be any good. I got a package deal on sound equipment that I feel was a really good deal for example but I still had to buy a mixer at Guitar center.

RJSchwarz
San Diego, CA

Charmon - let?s start with you.

From your post here we know you have already started casting and your script will be finished in a few weeks - I assume by the first of the year. Right?

We also know that you know next to nothing about making a film and you need a director, producer, director of photography and the entire crew.

As RJ has said, you really need to tell us a price range range. The ?best? camera, microphone and equipment for a low budget film can run into the tens of thousands. Is that your budget?

Let?s hit the important questions so we can help you.

1 - As previously asked: how much are you interested in spending for equipment?

2 - Are you shooting on film or video?

3 - Editing programs: what computer are you using to edit on?

4 - When you say ?ect.? what other equipment are you planning to buy?

5 - Have you considered renting equipment or hiring owner/operators rather than buying?

Once we get a little more info, the people here can help you a little better. You?re still asking the ?how long is string?? question. Impossible to answer without a reference point.

I?d be glad to give you my opinion on the best camera and other equipment to buy, but it wouldn?t do you much good if you can?t afford a $100,000 camera. Or even a $7,000 camera.

Good Point, here goes...

1 - As previously asked: how much are you interested in spending for equipment? I want to spend on all equipment together, no more than 10,000.

2 - Are you shooting on film or video? I never thought of it, cause I really don't know what would be the difference other than it being on film or video. What's the quality difference? Which ever is the best to show at Festivals is what I would want to use.

3 - Editing programs: what computer are you using to edit on? I have a dell and a Pentium here at home. Also a Gateway. All carrying Windows 98 or Windows XP.

4 - When you say ?ect.? what other equipment are you planning to buy? I was thinking of Sound equipment, Lighting, microphones, cameras. Thats the main equipment that I know of, what others would I need?

5 - Have you considered renting equipment or hiring owner/operators rather than buying? I have considered renting the equipment, I have seen some places to rent. But then that brings me back to the first few questions if I do rent. What are the best cameras to rent, what all equipment would I need to rent? I'm sure renting is much cheaper than buying.

The best writer alive...after Spielberg and Lucas retire...

Since you are just starting I suggest starting small and work your way up.

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I want to spend on all equipment together, no more than 10,000.

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The Canon GL2 or the Sony PD-170 are good started cameras. For current prices check B&H photo in New York. ?url? http://www.bhphotovideo.com/?/url? They don?t always have the lowest price, but they are reliable and honest and their prices are fair. Expect to pay in the $3,000 range for a ?prosumer? starter camera.

In my opinion there is only one microphone to buy. In my experience there is no better production mic than the Sennheiser M66. I?ve been using the same mic for 20 years.

As a beginner, I suggest you record directly to the camera. As you get more and more experienced you might want to record to DAT - but no need to get ahead of yourself right now. If you use a good mic like the Sennheiser on a boom pole, you?ll get good production sound.

A boom pole is a piece of equipment that allows you to place the mic very cloce to the actors. One of the biggest problems among first timers is just using the mic on the camera. While the mic itself may be pretty good, it is often too far away from the actors so it picks too much ambient sound. A boom pole can be as simple as a long stick (a cut off broom) or a painters pole. Since you have $10,000 to spend on equipment you can afford a professional boom pole - they run in the $500 range and are will worth the money.

A tripod is essential equipment. A nice sturdy set of ?sticks? and a good fluid head is very important. I like and use Bogen. Plan on spending between $300 and $600.

A production slate for marking your shots and takes.

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I really don't know what would be the difference other than it being on film or video. What's the quality difference? Which ever is the best to show at Festivals is what I would want to use.

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This is a huge debate. Check the boards here for different opinions. This also isn?t a question that can easily be answered on a messageboard. I suggest you hit the library for this one.

Almost all festivals now accept video.

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I have a dell and a Pentium here at home. Also a Gateway. All carrying Windows 98 or Windows XP.

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I?m an Apple user. Final Cut Pro is great and iMovie is great, free, editing software. The Windows people will have to help you on this one.

quote:

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I was thinking of Sound equipment, Lighting, microphones, cameras. Thats the main equipment that I know of, what others would I need?

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I don?t think you need to own more than a camera, a mic and a tripod and a production slate. Since you have $10,000 to spend a small lighting kit will fit into your budget. Arrilite makes a nice four light Tungsten kit with barndoors, scrims, stands and a case for around $2,300. Two 1000 watt and two 650 watt lights is a good place to start.

Check out the Lowel kits, too. About the same price and you get more lights. I?ve used both and they?re both terrific.

Here?s my light set up:
A Baby 5k
4 Junior 2k?s
a kino-flo
2 650w tweenies
4 200w peppers
4 china balls
2 bounceboards

My grip kit:
6 C-stands
8 flags
6 scrims
4 silks
1 cookies
12 sandbags

Expendable are products that are used up on every shoot:
blackwrap (a very thick aluminum foil that is black)
gels
gaffers tape
spike tape
camera tape
clothespins (called C-47?s on a set)

My personal favorite editing software for windows is Vegas. If possible try to find an older version because they are cheaper. but i think they just realesed a new version.

As for the film v. video. I would start on video. Purley cause of cost. First you have to figure out about how much film you want to buy (a process in and of itself) then you have to find a place to "develope" it. its not called developing but i cant think of the righ tphrase right now. There arent very many places that will "develope" film unless you live in a big city. I live in upstate new york so i wold have to go to NYC. Thats gas money and time that i dont have. Not to mention "developing" your film can be very expensive since they sometimes will charge per foot. I'm not an expert on film since i have yet to use it but thats all i know. I just think that you dont need to shoot using film in order to get it to look like film (itll never be 100% but it will look close). Check other threads to figure out how to do this. One main way to do it is focus on lighting (see post above by Certified)

enjoy and good luck

"Anyone who has ever been privileged to direct a film also knows that, although it can be like trying to write 'War and Peace' in a bumper car in an amusement park, when you finally get it right, there are not many joys in life that can equal the feeling." - Stanley Kubrick

certified...where are you from in the US?

"Anyone who has ever been privileged to direct a film also knows that, although it can be like trying to write 'War and Peace' in a bumper car in an amusement park, when you finally get it right, there are not many joys in life that can equal the feeling." - Stanley Kubrick

quote:

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Originally posted by robi8886

certified...where are you from in the US?

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Hollywood. You?

Albany, NY

"Anyone who has ever been privileged to direct a film also knows that, although it can be like trying to write 'War and Peace' in a bumper car in an amusement park, when you finally get it right, there are not many joys in life that can equal the feeling." - Stanley Kubrick