Very recently, after throwing together a cheaply made video for a school presentation, I found out that I love making movies. I'm eager to get started, and I've read a few guides about what basic equipment I need (found ?url? http://www.tomshardware.com/2004/05/24/making_digital_home_movies/?here?/url?). While this guide was helpful, there are a few things I thought it handled poorly...
I just recently graduted high school, and because I'm a lazy bastard, I'm attending my local community college. I don't exactly have $3000+ lying around to throw towards a new hobby/obsession just yet. I've browsed a few online sites for cameras, but nothing has really struck me as "amazing" for a small budget of around $500. I've heard good things about the Panasonic GS300, and of the ones I saw it seemed to be the best. Would I be well off getting this as my first camera?
I don't have any epic plans as of yet. Just a couple of 10 minute long trailers for fake movies (Bad Dudes, etc). Does movie editing software play a huge role in the quality of my movie? For the movie I've done, I used Windows Movie Maker, and the quality admittedly was kind of bad, but I had used a cheap camera to film with, so I blamed it on that.
Also, if there's anything else I need to know that wasn't really mentioned in that article, feel free to tell me. Thanks!
Welcome to filmmaking.net!
The GS300 is a terrific camera. I used it as the ?C? camera on a documentary I shot last year and the footage held up well against more expensive cameras.
All aspects play a huge role in the quality of a movie with lighting an sound in a tie for #1. Invest in a good mic and get that mic in close to the actors - put together a nice lighting package and improve your image. Check this for some ideas. ?url? http://www.filmmaking.net/fnetforum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=4183?/url?
I can?t help you with Movie Maker. I only know what I?ve read on messageboards and I don?t read great things about it. Apple has a great, free, editing software that is amazing in its power and quality - but iMovie is only for Mas?s.
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The aim of an argument or discussion should not be victory, but progress.
Joseph Joubert, essayist (1754-1824)
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The aim of an argument or discussion should not be victory, but progress.
Joseph Joubert, essayist (1754-1824)
quote:
Originally posted by certified instigator
Welcome to filmmaking.net!The GS300 is a terrific camera. I used it as the ?C? camera on a documentary I shot last year and the footage held up well against more expensive cameras.
Excellent, thank you.
quote:
All aspects play a huge role in the quality of a movie with lighting an sound in a tie for #1. Invest in a good mic and get that mic in close to the actors - put together a nice lighting package and improve your image. Check this for some ideas. ?url? http://www.filmmaking.net/fnetforum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=4183?/url?
Good link. Guess I should've searched before I posted...
I found a rather nice looking shotgun mic at Amazon (?url? http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0000E215C/sr=8-2/qid=1152406585/ref=pd_bbs_2/102-7060072-4653725?ie=UTF8?/url?), but are there any you'd recommend specifically?
And about boom poles: do I actually need one? My friend jokingly suggested that I could just tape the mic and the cords to a broom pole, but in actuality it doesn't seem to be such a bad idea. All a boom pole is is a glorified stick, right? Or is there something I'm missing?
quote:
I can?t help you with Movie Maker. I only know what I?ve read on messageboards and I don?t read great things about it. Apple has a great, free, editing software that is amazing in its power and quality - but iMovie is only for Mas?s.
Ah well. Thanks anyway.
Don't want to be picky but you do know the difference between nubile and newbie right? Your topic comment comes off as a bit provocative as it is.
RJSchwarz
San Diego, CA
RJSchwarz
quote:
Originally posted by rjschwarz
Don't want to be picky but you do know the difference between nubile and newbie right? Your topic comment comes off as a bit provocative as it is.RJSchwarz
San Diego, CA
Yeah, the title before I changed it ("Newbie Filmmaker needs camera advice (and more!)") reminded me of those godawful dating sites where people whore themselves out for attention, so I changed the topic accordingly. 😉
