Help me out please.

[Dale Guthormsen]

The last point is a good one!!!


Why don't you place a thread in helping hands.


Were I close I would help out too.

I reckon there is someone around in your area!!

[Dave Blackhurst]

Originally Posted by Les Hamilton

Really? How did what I post in any way imply that? I thought I stated straight out that I already had two years of 100 percent committment and sacrifice to this project. How does that translate to just grabbing a camera and start shooting? I've been working on my script for those two years and doing my research on the best possible camera for the price. I've made short films and I'm ready for something more. I'm not some 17 year old that just decided at random to make a movie. Just because I asked a simple question about cameras doesn't mean I don't know what i'm doing.

The only reason I even asked this question here is because during my research I came across the JVC GR-HD1U. It's one I had never heard of before but it's a pro looking camera that sells for under $1000 on Ebay. I thought there might be some other unknown low cost gems out there that people here might be able to direct me to. Money is EVERYTHING on this movie. I have none to spare. I need the best camera for the best price. Same as I need to save money on other things like good sound equipment and all other equipment but those are not the question at hand.

I thank the people who stayed on topic and answered my question straight out. But these other tangents are not welcome. You may think you're being helpful but you're not. It's just as annoying to me to have it implied that I don't know what I'm doing or getting into as it would be for you to hear the same thing.

Les -
Sorry if you felt it was off topic, but RESEARCHING cameras is not the same as shooting... that goes even more with the small cams, but I guess you already "knew" that...


Good luck...

[Jay Kavi]

Originally Posted by Les Hamilton

Here's the situation. This up coming summer I'm taking a shot at making a feature length micro budget movie.(A few thousand dollars) I've looked at a ton of sample footage and as for the money the canon HV30 or maybe the upcoming HV40 would be my choice for a camera. Footage from other cameras, even those costing up to two or three times as much, just don't look all that much better. I'm on a limited budget so the lower price of the Hv30 along with it's picture quality would normally make it my choice without a doubt.

Here's the problem. I'll need to strongly promote my movie as a "real film" to get people involved locally. But the HV30 is a consumer level camera and looks it. People will be disappointed, maybe even laugh at me, if I show up with with that tiny camera for my "real film" I've thought of putting a few extra bells and whistles on it but that's not going to do it either.

So my question is this. Does anyone know of lower cost professional looking camera that might meet my needs? I'm willing to go used. Maybe a lesser known camera that's slipped under the radar? I've looked at more well known cameras like the hdr-fx7 and it's not all that impressive at $2000. I need something lower cost that looks pro and produces a good image- if that actually exists.

The movie will take place entirely outdoors in bright sunlight. The film is full of action and I'll be moving the camera a lot. Running with it, dolly shots, crane shots, etc..

My max budget for equipment is about $2000.(I need most of the money I have for the film itself) That's for the camera, sound equipment, and material to build my own dolly, crane, etc... And I can't "just save more for such and such camera'" which is common advice I've seen. I've already been saving for 2 years. I eat the worst cheap crappy food, I never go out, I cut my own hair, and I've started giving plasma for the extra money. You name it I'm doing it in the name of saving money for my film. I want to end up with something good enough for film festivals and it will have some life on DVD.

And renting and borrowing are not options. So, any ideas?

Renting and borrowing are not options? No one's gonna take your film seriously without a "pro looking camera?"

I don't know what the film community looks like over in MN, but it sounds like your out of way out of touch with it. Great support is key to a great film. Mark and Edward had some great suggestions in their posts, Heed them. Your better off putting the $2k toward paying some kind of crew who already have equipment.

[Bruce Foreman]

Another suggestion:

Get together with your actors and try to shoot some dynamic, hard hitting concept test shots. Pick potential scenes from your storyboard and start rolling through with different angles, everything you can think of on a few sequences.

Do it with something like an HV20 or HV30 and then sit down and edit smooth and tight to come up with a "concept trailer".

Show that to your crew...And then just try to hold them back.

I took one actor (really a musician, band leader) out on location where I was wanting to have him play two roles; a person of native american descent, and an apache. All we did were a few test shots of him climbing a hillside, and one of him with his back to the camera, squatting on his heels and holding a rifle.

When he saw the tests (him in jeans and tee shirt, no costume of any kind, and little movement, he got more excited over the project than I was.

The result, below, was entered in a video challenge (got a lot of comments but won no prizes, and a copy is entered in Videomaker's contest right now, will likely not win but damned if we didn't have a ball doing it).

Vision Quest on Vimeo

Running time: 3 1/2 minutes. Shot with a Canon HV20.

[Buba Kastorski]

Shut with HV20
White Red Panic (HD) on Vimeo

I mean if you really have something to say, and you have an idea how to do that, with enough of light HV20 is not your worst case scenario