At what age did you get into filmmaking?

Robert Joyce · February 24th, 2003, 06:24 PM

yeah i started playin around with video when i was about 10 and at 11 i started to seriously get into it ah im 12 now

Bill Markel · February 24th, 2003, 09:39 PM

I got hooked when I was a sophomore in high school. The school "TV station" had a lot of really cool toys, including a 3/4" editor. When possible I would sign out the camera and deck (ah, the days of the 2 piece units) and I would just shoot stuff on the weekends.

I interned at a TV station my last year in college and landed a job there directing newscasts at age 20. After moving around the East Coast directing at local stations for 15 years, I moved over to directing sports television. And after almost 3 years of that, I'm happy to report that I've regained some sanity and perhaps a little more hair.

Like so many others here, I just got my XL1s and FCP last year. I spent many years before that with a home recording studio, so hopefully some day I'll get smart (or lucky) and put all of this together and work for myself. I just turned 38.

This is a cool thread. Interesting to learn the background of the people who contribute.

Bill

Ed Smith · February 25th, 2003, 05:21 AM

I guess it was around the age of 12. Me and my brother borrowed my uncles 8mm camcorder and started making little animations using plastacine models which we made up. It was great fun!!! however towards the end the models would shrink and not stand up.

But I have a picture of me behind a camera at the age of 6 - could that be when it all started.

It was'nt until I was 15 that I really started getting into it. I got a samsung 8mm camcorder for my birthday and so began my career.

I'm now 19 and have my own small business (part-time) and I work full time for a company that distributes video broadcast servers, Non-linear editing systems and DVD authoring machines.

All the best,

Ed Smith

Stewart McDonald · February 25th, 2003, 06:06 AM

I used to star in my brothers Doctor Who/ Star Trek remakes when I was 8....hehe, they were fun. Whenever I could get my hands on the camcorder though, I would just shoot anything and everything and experiment a lot. I eventually got onto making short films when I was about 14, and have been interested in it ever since (21 now). I have been unable to create anything for a while though because I haven't had a camcorder at hand for a few years, but my ideas are still flowing. I am going to be buying a Canon XM2 in a few months so I can get back into the swing of things. Can't wait!

Frank Granovski · February 25th, 2003, 06:17 AM

When I was a kid, I watched the first Doctor. Now, years later, many of these episodes are missing. ^_^

My first camera was also a Kodak.

Fawaz Al-Kandari · February 25th, 2003, 10:35 AM

I started in Print Design when i was 18 years old and then I go to
Vedio in 1999 ...
My age now 29

Rick Foxx · February 25th, 2003, 08:04 PM

I started playing with my Dad's Bell & Howell Super 8 camera when I was about 9. I started making little shorts with my Star Wars dolls. After a few years my friends and I wrote a "feature length" script and filmed a (really awful) coming of age high school story. It had every cliche from every John Hughes film of the early 80s.

After taking a break for a few years, I got back into video in '97 and have been doing it ever since.

Redgumtv · March 1st, 2003, 05:54 AM

This ages me. Shot my first film (8mm) when I was 14 (1959) and 4 years later made 4 doco's on a 16mm Bell & Howell that were telecast in B&W by our national broadcaster.
I'm still in the business and still make doco's (close to 3000 now) with four on air this year so far.
I'm going to (Cannes) France in 3 weeks to see if I can sell some more.
Been in the doco business for a long time and love it to death.
My advice: If you love what you're doing go for it and keep at it.

Arthur To · December 16th, 2003, 02:59 PM

ok this may sound crazy.

but i started to read film books at age 4

i fell in love with the idea of directing

i used my dads camera to dolly and spin out my own shots on toys and stuff. just the idea of manipulating a shot.

i moved up to studnet projects that always got As, people paid me to do these, i made feature films and music videos for churches all over

and then i made the orange county government training video at age 14.

now im 16 with a 50,000 dollar sponsorship from sony to make a feature film for my church as a form of outreach.

turning 17 in march of '04

-arthur

Rick Bravo · December 16th, 2003, 11:26 PM

My Grandfather was a film cameraman, DP, Editor in Cuba.

My Uncle was an award winning film editor in Cuba and is now working as the lead producer/supervisor for a major Spanish TV network here in Miami after his defection in 1992.

My Father was a Camera Assistant, Camera Operator, Director of Photography, in Cuba and the U.S., films such as The French Connection and The Exorcist, just to name a couple. His career and accomplishments are nothing short of amazing.

I knew what I wanted to do since I was 10. I also had the opportunity and priviledge to work alongside him on many movies, commercials and TV shows the longest running gig we worked on together was the first two years of a little show you probably remember as Miami Vice.

Been there, done that, got the T-Shirt and applied it to an altogehter type of filmaking...and still LOVING IT!

P.S.

Red, don't feel too bad about dating yourself, I still have my Grandfather's, wind-up, 35mm Eymo that my father also used to cover the 1960's World Series in Yankee Stadium as a Photojournalist. The damned thing still works!

P.S.S.

My Dad passed away 11 years ago and today would have been his 73rd birthday...HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAD and thanks for everything, wherever you are!

Love,

RB

Federico Dib · December 17th, 2003, 07:04 AM

Twenty years ago... at age 8 I was given for Christmass a 8mm toy camera... I loved going to my Uncle´s farm and shooting cattle and horses...

Just a few years later 8mm was almost impossible to find where I lived.. and VERY expensive to develop since it had to be sent overseas or something... I guess either Kodak quited 8mm there.. or my mom lied to me so I wouldn´t spent more money filiming cows and horses..

Economically I couldn´t get my hands on anything "Film or video" until I was old enough to work and save enough to buy my first Hi8... that was 8 years ago...

I shot a few very crappy shorts.. but never took it serious enough until I graduated from University, and realized I was going the wrong way on my life...
That was just 5 years ago.

BUT, I´ve been writting short stories since I was 10 or 11... so I guess that´s when I really started...

Alfred Tomaszewski · December 18th, 2003, 01:54 PM

used my friends' cameras when i was 15 or so. now i have a video production company with my friends. we make music videos and live videos. we have a video on MTV2 and lots more work coming in. i am 18 years old now.

February 25th, 2003, 05:21 AM	#18
Ed Smith Wrangler Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Hampshire, England Posts: 1,545	I guess it was around the age of 12. Me and my brother borrowed my uncles 8mm camcorder and started making little animations using plastacine models which we made up. It was great fun!!! however towards the end the models would shrink and not stand up. But I have a picture of me behind a camera at the age of 6 - could that be when it all started. It was'nt until I was 15 that I really started getting into it. I got a samsung 8mm camcorder for my birthday and so began my career. I'm now 19 and have my own small business (part-time) and I work full time for a company that distributes video broadcast servers, Non-linear editing systems and DVD authoring machines. All the best, Ed Smith __________________ Ed Smith Hampshire, UK Good things come to those who wait My Skiing web www.Frostytour.co.uk For quick answers Search dvinfo.net \| The best in the business: dvinfo.net Sponsors

February 25th, 2003, 08:04 PM	#22
Rick Foxx Regular Crew Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Tooele, UT Posts: 78	I started playing with my Dad's Bell & Howell Super 8 camera when I was about 9. I started making little shorts with my Star Wars dolls. After a few years my friends and I wrote a "feature length" script and filmed a (really awful) coming of age high school story. It had every cliche from every John Hughes film of the early 80s. After taking a break for a few years, I got back into video in '97 and have been doing it ever since. __________________ There is no problem so large that can't be solved with a suitable application of high explosives.

December 16th, 2003, 02:59 PM	#24
Arthur To Regular Crew Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Cerritos, CA Posts: 78	ok this may sound crazy. but i started to read film books at age 4 i fell in love with the idea of directing i used my dads camera to dolly and spin out my own shots on toys and stuff. just the idea of manipulating a shot. i moved up to studnet projects that always got As, people paid me to do these, i made feature films and music videos for churches all over and then i made the orange county government training video at age 14. now im 16 with a 50,000 dollar sponsorship from sony to make a feature film for my church as a form of outreach. turning 17 in march of '04 -arthur __________________ xL1s

December 16th, 2003, 11:26 PM	#25
Rick Bravo Major Player Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Miami, FL Posts: 574	In my blood! My Grandfather was a film cameraman, DP, Editor in Cuba. My Uncle was an award winning film editor in Cuba and is now working as the lead producer/supervisor for a major Spanish TV network here in Miami after his defection in 1992. My Father was a Camera Assistant, Camera Operator, Director of Photography, in Cuba and the U.S., films such as The French Connection and The Exorcist, just to name a couple. His career and accomplishments are nothing short of amazing. I knew what I wanted to do since I was 10. I also had the opportunity and priviledge to work alongside him on many movies, commercials and TV shows the longest running gig we worked on together was the first two years of a little show you probably remember as Miami Vice. Been there, done that, got the T-Shirt and applied it to an altogehter type of filmaking...and still LOVING IT! P.S. Red, don't feel too bad about dating yourself, I still have my Grandfather's, wind-up, 35mm Eymo that my father also used to cover the 1960's World Series in Yankee Stadium as a Photojournalist. The damned thing still works! P.S.S. My Dad passed away 11 years ago and today would have been his 73rd birthday...HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAD and thanks for everything, wherever you are! Love, RB __________________ "The future ain't what it used to be." Yogi Berra. www.rbravo.com

December 17th, 2003, 07:04 AM	#26
Federico Dib Major Player Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Barcelona Posts: 312	Twenty years ago... at age 8 I was given for Christmass a 8mm toy camera... I loved going to my Uncle´s farm and shooting cattle and horses... Just a few years later 8mm was almost impossible to find where I lived.. and VERY expensive to develop since it had to be sent overseas or something... I guess either Kodak quited 8mm there.. or my mom lied to me so I wouldn´t spent more money filiming cows and horses.. Economically I couldn´t get my hands on anything "Film or video" until I was old enough to work and save enough to buy my first Hi8... that was 8 years ago... I shot a few very crappy shorts.. but never took it serious enough until I graduated from University, and realized I was going the wrong way on my life... That was just 5 years ago. BUT, I´ve been writting short stories since I was 10 or 11... so I guess that´s when I really started... __________________ Messenger Boy : The Thessalonian you're fighting, he's the biggest man I've ever seen. I wouldn't want to fight him. Achilles : That is why no one will remember your name.

February 24th, 2003, 06:24 PM	#16
Robert Joyce Regular Crew Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: willoughby,ohio Posts: 28	yeah i started playin around with video when i was about 10 and at 11 i started to seriously get into it ah im 12 now

February 24th, 2003, 09:39 PM	#17
Bill Markel Regular Crew Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Sicklerville, NJ Posts: 59	I got hooked when I was a sophomore in high school. The school "TV station" had a lot of really cool toys, including a 3/4" editor. When possible I would sign out the camera and deck (ah, the days of the 2 piece units) and I would just shoot stuff on the weekends. I interned at a TV station my last year in college and landed a job there directing newscasts at age 20. After moving around the East Coast directing at local stations for 15 years, I moved over to directing sports television. And after almost 3 years of that, I'm happy to report that I've regained some sanity and perhaps a little more hair. Like so many others here, I just got my XL1s and FCP last year. I spent many years before that with a home recording studio, so hopefully some day I'll get smart (or lucky) and put all of this together and work for myself. I just turned 38. This is a cool thread. Interesting to learn the background of the people who contribute. Bill

February 25th, 2003, 06:06 AM	#19
Stewart McDonald Regular Crew Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: UK Posts: 130	I used to star in my brothers Doctor Who/ Star Trek remakes when I was 8....hehe, they were fun. Whenever I could get my hands on the camcorder though, I would just shoot anything and everything and experiment a lot. I eventually got onto making short films when I was about 14, and have been interested in it ever since (21 now). I have been unable to create anything for a while though because I haven't had a camcorder at hand for a few years, but my ideas are still flowing. I am going to be buying a Canon XM2 in a few months so I can get back into the swing of things. Can't wait!

February 25th, 2003, 06:17 AM	#20
Frank Granovski Outer Circle Join Date: May 2002 Location: Hope, BC Posts: 7,524	When I was a kid, I watched the first Doctor. Now, years later, many of these episodes are missing. ^_^ My first camera was also a Kodak.

February 25th, 2003, 10:35 AM	#21
Fawaz Al-Kandari New Boot Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Kuwait Posts: 16	I started in Print Design when i was 18 years old and then I go to Vedio in 1999 ... My age now 29

March 1st, 2003, 05:54 AM	#23
Redgumtv New Boot Join Date: May 2002 Location: Brisbane, Australia Posts: 8	This ages me. Shot my first film (8mm) when I was 14 (1959) and 4 years later made 4 doco's on a 16mm Bell & Howell that were telecast in B&W by our national broadcaster. I'm still in the business and still make doco's (close to 3000 now) with four on air this year so far. I'm going to (Cannes) France in 3 weeks to see if I can sell some more. Been in the doco business for a long time and love it to death. My advice: If you love what you're doing go for it and keep at it.

December 18th, 2003, 01:54 PM	#27
Alfred Tomaszewski Regular Crew Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Shelby Twp., MI Posts: 112	used my friends' cameras when i was 15 or so. now i have a video production company with my friends. we make music videos and live videos. we have a video on MTV2 and lots more work coming in. i am 18 years old now. __________________ Alfred Tomaszewski (Scrambled Visual Entertainment) Scrambled Visual