DVC5
Crew: 10 and 13 year-old daughters.
Talent (or nontalent): me
Gear: AG-DVC30, Rhode VideoMic, three 120 watt lights from Ace

I'll do the same this time around...only better. Hopefully, I learned something from the DVC5. :)

DVC5 for me
Crew: me and Mary
Talent: Mary and Blue
Gear: DVX100a, Steadicam Merlin, old Bogen still photo tripod, which was the only thing I had that would go low enough for dog's eye view.
Budget: $0 (I was planning on spending a little on the music but got a coupon in the mail that day. Seemed like an omen.)

Hoping to actually recruit a few more people for 6. At the very least a writer. I'm much better at execution than at coming up with a story.

My last (only?) DVC entry was just me.... The smaller the timefrime the better
for me. Pressure helps to deliver, at least for me ;)

Harris:

Not only did Rob do his own thing but Bradley Marlow was a one man production studio and completed an awesomely beautiful movie.

My last, DV#5, was me only, camera with moves, acting, and all.

Mike

Every one I've done has just been me and my cheap 1 chip ZR40.

Will it change this time?

Dunno. :)

DVC5
DVC30 camera, couple of microphones, home built dolly, 3 500w lights, wideangle lens, edited on my laptop.

Crew- me plus 1 for helping out with the lighting. 2 actors.

Budget- $150 for props, food, tapes, and bulbs, and stuff to build the dolly, aspirin.

This time around i'm hoping to double my crew.

I've since bought some nice do-dads that I hope to use too.

I wrote, edited and directed, three other writers, sound man, camera man, lighting man, script supervisor, four actors, one music composer. We used a PD-170 on a Bogden tripod and a home built light kit which cost about $120 (now that it's complete).

I think food was the biggest item on the budget for our last effort. That and the bar bill after the martini shot. $170 total or something close to that.

Sounds like a really wide range. I'm reasonably happy with my equipment, minus audio, though I'll probably just do it Spaghetti-style. I'm definitely looking forward to this.

You'll be fine Harris! It's a great learning experience, don't forget to have fun!!

Oh yeah, my budget for my last one was $110 for a bottle of Lagavulin.

$110 ??? that seems a bit high. $75 for a bottle here in NYC.

I don't even know what Lagavulin is, but if it'll help bring about more of what you gave us last time, Dylan, I'm all for you including it in the budget of your next movie. ;)

As long as there's no more naked bathtub scenes.

Ohhhh noooooo. I lost my lead actor and supporting actress to a stupid vacation... drab nater. I'm starting to get a little desperate here. I'm currently training my dog to sit and stare on command. right now she's only doing it when i'm ignoring her and only then it's when something gets close to my mouth.

How do you know you need actors? Maybe we are going to be doing still lifes.

Still lifes? Shoot me.

I'm all for dogs as actors. But you might end up with a little bit of a moody piece, and you'll probably get fat yourself as you eat all that cheese while she stares longingly at you.

Smile,
Kris

use the dog, by all means! and join in a long-standing (well, okay there's two of us...) lineage of DVC dog movies. maybe dylan will come to his senses and have an all-dog DVC....that'd be a good theme. everyone has at least one dog movie in 'em, except for the cat people, maybe....

I am hoping to enter the DVC6 contest but some advice for a newbie would be much appreciated.

I've never entered a contest nor have I posted anything on the internet before so I've done what homework I could by following a lot of useful and insightful tips regarding this on this community site from previous posts: from how to find websites that offer free hosting for my submission to reviewing other video submissions made by members of this forum.

My dilemma then comes to my uncertainty of being able to implement this plan. With my limited tech-know-how, I'm uncertain of being able to actually edit and post my submission. More importantly, I do not have a video camera, but what I do have is this itch to shoot and be in production. With a disclosure of my understanding that the contest weighs content over form, I did secure a 1.0 Megapixel camera (Sony DCR-TRV33) from a friend to possibly shoot on.

Given these considerations, I am then asking, would it be responsible for me to sign up for this contest? Being on the wall of shame is one thing, but I don't want to be frowned upon (especially as a new user) on this site for trying to compete in something that's out of my league.

So without rationalizing the situation for myself or looking for sympathy, objectively, there's a rather large margin for failure for me to not be able to put up a finished product as such- from lack of experience not by a lack of effort. But I want to try now and the next contest seems too far away for me.

What would be the best advice for my dilemma? Much appreciated for your time.

Cheers.

Short answer, Daniel: SIGN UP!!!

You'll do a great job. :)

I think you'll get a resounding go for it from everyone here. All you really need is that itch to shoot. If you don't manage to finish this time around you are unlikely to be alone and as long as you make an attempt you'll be further along than you are today. Hopfully with valuable lessons for DVC7.

Longer answer: There is no league here, as far as I can tell. Everyone who enters knows that we're all just trying to tell good stories while working on our skills, have a good time, and encourage each another to keep trying. You have come to the most inviting and safe challenge on the planet, so try not to worry. Just try to have fun shooting, learning and being part of this great community here, okay? :)

Cheers, Ms. Norton, Mr. Holodak, thank you for your advice and support.

I will give it my best shot.

even dog-less dogs
 

My contribution to DVC 2 was about a dog whose presence is only 'suggested' in the movie. But my contribution to DVC1 actually was a DOG (aka a real stinker)
-Jon

Flash?
 

Will anyone have a problem downloading the newest Flash player? I'll probably use the Studio 8 On2 VP6, and I'm 99 percent sure that only works in the latest player. Would a few people please alert me if you know you cannot download it or if you simply don't want to...

Also, what's the recommended file size for download in these parts? I can get 6mb per minute with a full-res, high quality encoding. Is 18mb too big for anyone?

That's the spirit, Daniel, go for it! I felt the same way at first, and thought this might be above and beyond my capabilities. It was, for the first few contests, but with a month to finish on the most recent one, I finally got something accomplished. It's a learning experience if nothing else, and you're sure to gain something whether you finish or not.


That sounds like my cue; desperate is my middle name! Not sure if we're allowed to do this, but I'd love to help out if you end up with a part for someone my age. May have to work around my schedule, but I'm always free on weekends, which I imagine is when most of us shoot our entries anyway. Drop me a line if you're interested, I'd like to do some more acting.

I prefer downloading the file as either Quicktime or Windows Media. I hate viewing them online on a page. Since there are close to 60 contributions now I might view them all in one streak on a playlist. Perhaps with a couple of beer to accompany me. :)

Quicktime, latest version (7), does not play well on some PC's and programs! So just like last time quicktime , older version, and windows will be fine. Just remember that if you wish to use a platform that some can't open and see, you won't get any votes from them, and with this number of entrants it will most likely be one vote per entrant as the last two times. Not my favorite, but a reality based on the number of entries.

One last point, make the movies down loadable, not just view on-line. They may need to viewed many times and we don't have the time to wait 15-30 minutes each time for a fresh download.

Good luck to all-----Mike

I might just take you up on that offer. I don't know what age you are, but since I haven't written anything, well I can write it for just about any age. hahaha.

Oh, that's right. I'm twenty-two, for the record. Sorry I didn't mention that the first time around. Though, to be fair, I'm incredibly talented, and can play any age; twenty-one, twenty-three, twenty-two and a half, you name it.

A general tip for everyone:

DO NOT USE the latest version, newest upgrade, or bleeding edge codec of ANYTHING.

It is your responsibility to make sure everyone can see your film, not the viewers. If we go with the same judging system as we did for the last one (which is likely) than you will miss out on potential votes if no one can see your film.

It doesn't matter if the footage doesn't look as good as it could, or the file size is 50% bigger than it could be, just that it plays every time everyone hits that little arrow button.

FWIW 20mb is a fine file size. Some people will do a smaller version, 20mb version and even up to a HUGE version for those who want it.

Thanks. I'll just use wmv or something.

Make it a six pack and watch my film last. ;;;)

I'm 22 as well. Our age gives us an edge, being that we're more agile and able-minded than the elders around here. :::)

OOOOHHHH,

Sounds like a challenge for us old guys!

Mike

Robert Martens,

I must admit to feeling overwhelmed with even just technical aspects of making this short (never mind the creative hurdles) but I take some comfort in your words reminding me that we all have to start somewhere and that we must get practice by application because movies are not made by sitting in a room dabbling about theory and tomorrows. It's the tenacious implementation of ideas that separate film makers from the mass audience.

I mean the bottom line: I’m here to learn. This is a good community.

Hey, I didn't say it! Heck, I gave my dad a role in my DVC5 entry, and he's two years your senior; old guys are cool in my book.

But hey, if it's a challenge you want, bring it on, grandpa!

Yeah, youngsters, don't try to hard, cause you'll make us oldsters feel real bad about things...... in the sunset of our lives.....

I think I feel an idea coming on.

Scene 1- Camera closes in on boy tieing a knot on some fishing line. Cuts to camera closing in on old man on other side of town staring at a lake.

That's all I have so far.

Ok, who wants to play the 22year old?

What's the theme about anyways? oh that's right, he hasn't told us yet.

Young pups always challenge the old guard. That's how the process goes. Only one Alpha male to a pack please.

I look forward to soundly trouncing the young lad... As soon as I find my glasses and those teeth. Need to get the seeing eye dog to find my slippers and robe too. Which end of the camera faces the actors?

Oh it's on young feller.

All seriousness aside, if anyone else out there is thinking of doing this for the first time, stop thinking about it, do it. I keep telling myself, lots of people talk about how they could make a video or film. Some even plan it out. I have done it. I just finished a new piece called "Cat Fight at OK and Corral" with 4 real actors, a crew of 6 including 2 car drivers, an EMT, Cinematographer, Director/Producer/Editor (me) and audio person.

I did this last piece, which I will realease to everyone here to view after Aug 7th, directly due to my involvement in DVC2, DVC3, DVC4 and DVC5. They gave me the confidence to get it moving. I have 8 other scripts waiting to be shot and 6 under my belt. I am told I get better each time. It's the best way to learn - do. Heck, it says so right on the official T-shirts. "Better than Film School".

Sign up, shoot, enter, learn, do it again next time.

Sean McHenry

I may have to get in on this one. Where's the sign up sheet?
* edit* Ooops nevermind found it!