$1000.00 5 minutes short film fantacy

[tripplezero]

Starting from scratch(the camera must be included in the budget) how would spend your $1000.00 ?
1. Must be shot indoors using Kodacrome K40.

2. Live action only.

3. Two choices A,Music Video B,Short Film.

4. The complete soundtrack will be done in post.

5. The film can't go over budget. It CAN be under.

Pretend a band came up to and asked if you shoot something for them for only $1000.00.
Maybe some actor,or actress needed something for there demo reel.Check your math here we go.

[Alex]

Clarification needed.....if someone already owns a camera and wants to include it in the project, that frees up money.

Or were you asking if you started from scratch with nothing?

-Alex

[tripplezero]

Starting from zero.

[capul8]

But still, please define your "zero" starting point: no camera, batteries, even lens cleaner? editing equip, projection, etc? Really, really zero? Or just no camera zero?

Also, big question: What is your final objective: VHS for VCR play, video projection, or film projection or film blow up to 16mm, or Digital options?

Answers to these questions will also narrow your sound recording requirements.

And then: Shooting ratio: how many feet of film shot to how many feet used
And this is depending on your frames per second rate: 18 fps, 24 fps? Any slo-mo at 36 or 54 fps?

At the normal 18fps, each 50' cartridge is 3min20sec, so let's say with titling your film is about 100' finished. So if you shoot a low ratio of 4 to 1, and figure film ($10) & developing ($5 Walmart) at $15 a roll, that's only $120 for your 400'
Obviously a higher, more realistic shooting ratio of 10 -1 is going to cost (20X$15)=$300. That still leaves you $700, but you have to answer the above questions first, before you can figure out how to spend it.

I'm not trying to be difficult, but there are so many possible options it boggles the mind.
It's like saying: "I have $1,000 for a week's vacation; how should I spend it?" You need to know a lot more about what I like to do before you can make some good suggestions. (By the way, please don't send me to Disneyland)

You could buy cheap, used equipment (camera, splicer, editor, projector, screen etc) for less than $300, spend $120 on film & dev, edit yourself, film chain transfer to Video for $200. For a total of $620.
(If you have a camcorder make your own telecine and subtract the $200 for film chain transfer. Now we're down to $420!)
But, if you have any artistic taste or vision, you will not be happy with this low budget way of doing things. And editing takes tons of time. (As does waiting for your film to come back from Walmart.)
The Beaulieu Camera fans would use this budget up just on the camera and lens.
Get a camera and get shooting. Make lots of mistakes. Hang in there.
Good luck
Bernie

[tripplezero]

I get the ida most people don't know how much
it takes to make a small project happen, let alone a big one.When I first looked at the price of shooting S8 film I thought it wasn't bad, but after reading up a bit I was shocked. OK OK if you have a camera go and use it.
By the way I am going to try this!
So far I have spent $163.00 on a camera(Rollei Movie 8 super zoom)I was going to buy a Russian camera,but Yale lab. and a camera shop said the cameras are not trustworthy.Yes vhs will be the way to finsh
this project.

[Alex]

For a grand, why not make yourself the "producer" and get an already existing Super-8 filmmaker to suffer happily as they make your project.

Was your point that it is as expensive as 16mm.

This argument fails to take into account how fast, portable, and low power consuming Super-8 is.

The cost of 16mm maybe similar, the peoplepower required is not.

Most low budget projects fail because of unreliable low or no pay Man power.

Super-8 reduces that requirement a bit.

-Alex

-Alex

[tripplezero]

I am trying to prove that I can shoot on film
I am not stuck with min DV to tell a short story.
the other day a friend of mine said she was having no luck finding any actors for a small project no pay. one of the 1st thing the actor ask was "it's not digital video is it". She forgot to tell people it was film,and when they found out, well she now has more actors than she can handle .Point is everyone wants to look good S8 is a fantastic way to look your best as the director or as an actor. No I don't think 16
is cheaper not for me.Next for me the camera test!

[eddie]

well I made a 25 minute film on super8 for under a grand, starting with just a camera. I didnt use Kodak film though, I used old russian black and white stock, and it was filmed outside.
The camera broke halfway through filming so I had to buy another, so I guess thats allowed.
Heres a rough breakdown:

roughly 15 rolls of film + developing: 300 pounds
second hand camera: 15 pound
editor: 25 pound
props and costumes: 100 pounds (maybe a little more)
beer and food: 100 pound
miscellaneous equipment (screwdriver, gaffertape, lights...): 50 pounds
petrol: 15 pounds
editing bits and pieces: 10 pounds
phone calls: 5 pounds
soundtrack: 0 (a friend did it)
extra lighting: 0 (borrowed them)
tripod: 0 (perminant loan)
Beta transfer: 0 (done as a favour)

thats roughly 530 pounds (I cant remember the exact details). Easilly the most important of the lot was the beer and food, and having some very good friends helping out, and having some good partys on the way to keep up morale.

Does that count?

[tripplezero]

YES! that counts good job.I only wish I could see it.

[eddie]

a shortened version will be available on CD in a few months (along with a load of other shorts). Ill post here where you can get it from when its available.

Good luck.