How should I start!?

[florin]

It's not news: everyone wants to make film! [img]biggrin.gif[/img]
But how do you start making film?
I think of buying a digital camera and a computer for editing. [img]graemlins/film.gif[/img] [img]graemlins/computer.gif[/img]
The problem is I have to chose from hundreds of options.
Can you tell me what is the minimum I need to have a good start?
What sites/magazines should I check to make sure I won't waste my money
[img]graemlins/wonder.gif[/img]

<font color="#a62a2a" size="1">[ October 29, 2003 06:19 PM: Message edited by: florin ]</font>

[assyrix]

First of all, tell us your budget. Then we talk about the equipment you can afford.

Also, do you have people lined up to help you (actors, musicians, editors, caterers, runners, contacts wrt getting access to premises etc.)? The amount of people you can command over will also give an idea about what you could achieve.

[MatJimMood]

borrow someones camera first and make a quick short movie by just editing in camera or on a VCR afterwards. then think about stepping up and buying computer editing equipment and your own camera.

you don't want to splash out a load of money and then realise that you aren't actually that interested in filmmakering or don't enjoy it.

[belovedmonster]

go to the simplydv.co.uk message board for this sort of thing... they can tell you everything you could possibly want to know about camcorders and computer editing.

[Kigo]

Ignore all of that. First things first. Get hold of a cr@ppy old Hi-8 camera and a vcr. Make something off the top of your head and have fun. When you know what you want to do and know how you think you can acheive it then start looking for more sophisticated equipment. Don't commit yourself to big money spends until you're really ready to or can afford to. You don't want to feel that you've wasted your time before you've even begun. When you see your first film finished, no matter how good or bad it is, that's when you'll know if you wanna get a little bit more serious.

[Kev Owens]

Posted by Kigo Ignore all of that.

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">You obviously did.

Haven't you just practically repeated MatJimMood's advice? [img]graemlins/hmmm.gif[/img]

[nate_dog]

Don't even bother with the vcr!

Just pick up a camcorder and point and shoot. Make something up as you go along. Look through the lens or LCD screen and see what looks cool. Then start filming your dog or something.

Finally, make a segment about whatever. Just film something at one angle, then another, then another and VOILA!! A movie is made.

When I first realized I wanted to make movies, I was in my room trying to study for an exam. My family's S-VHS cmamera was just sitting there and I filmed my room and myself for, like, an hour with music playing out of my stereo in the back.

The movie was looked like complete sh1t and I failed my exam but whatever.

Don't start counting your money yet or even write a script. Film as many crappie videos as you can, and then think about editing with the VCR [img]graemlins/smarty.gif[/img]

[Kigo]

Yeah, looks like I did! But it was the point of it that was the main thing.

[Vertino]

Hi florin,

You could actually try checking out the eXposure site... it has a complete Eejit's Guide to Filmmaking!

It will give you a good idea how to starting thinking about filmmaking... not just "what equipment to buy"!

[florin]

thanks guys for your advices and hints!

today one of my room-mates bought a laptop, AMD at 1.87 GHz, 512MB RAM, 40GB HD, and told me I can use it to edit my future films
now all I need is a camera [img]smile.gif[/img]
Because I'm new in Columbia and I basicaly don't know anybody in this town I can't borrow a camera. Also I don't want to wait till the other room-mate will buy a camera and let me use it too [img]smile.gif[/img]

So it will be wise to buy a dvcam or a handycam instead of a Hi-8 and a VCR.

On the other hand I don't wanna spent too much money on equipment because I think of enrolling in the Media Arts department of the Univ of South Carolina, probablly the only "school of film" in Columbia. Or I'll wait two more years till I move to Canada and start a serious film school in Toronto.