ASK & DISCUSS INDEX

7 years, 11 months ago - John Lubran

How long is a piece of string? Your question James comes up here once every month or so. Check out some of the archives here. The variables that might be applied to this question are such that one needs to clarify with greater detail what ones practical aspiration are. For example does one want to be able to make a film that has a minimal aspiration of being comensurate with the expectations of an audience who don't have any sort of personal attachments to the film makers. Or, does one merely want to oractie producing as an exercise without any such aspiration?

What sort of budget is available? People live on different reality planets.

7 years, 11 months ago - Alwyne Kennedy

There are no arcane websites or shops selling gear at low prices. At least not reliable gear. But there are scam websites offering cameras cheap, and there are unreliable websites that send you cameras from the far East, but even if their item arrives, you may be hit for Import Duties and VAT. There are also sellers of counterfeit kit - counterfeit Sennheiser 416 mics still pop up on ebay. The suppliers now get around detection by listing their kit as used rather than new. And there are dodgy lights on sale on ebay - Chinese made HMI lights, for example, that are poorly, and even cynically, made. Sham panel warning lights, for instance, and sham mode controls. I stripped one down once and found all kinds of horrors, including, on my unit, casing that was lethally live due to incorrect wiring. Can't imagine they've made that error too often, though, as there would be a pile of dead people.

Your best chance of a good price is to buy quality used kit on ebay, but that is not without other kinds of risk. Will the item arrive? Will it be as described? Will there be undisclosed marks on the optics? Will the seller package it properly? And ebay is still the home of outright scammers, not just remiss or cynical sellers.

It is possible to make certain filmmaking items yourself, or to re-purpose kit that is sold for general use, such as lighting strips. Youtube will have DIY filmmaking equipment guides, no doubt. But if you spent the construction time working in a burger bar instead, your wages would probably get you something better made in a factory.

7 years, 11 months ago - James Kearney

Thanks, I'm glad you told me about these scams because I didn't realise it happens that much... We are ambitious and we do have our plans set out and all... You know any sites that are genuine that sell starter equipment, price is not an issue, I've changed my mind :)

7 years, 11 months ago - Alwyne Kennedy

You have to be more specific about what kit you want. And there's not really such a thing as starter filmmaking equipment per se.

If you want to see an example of a scam ebay listing, take a peek at this one, on a scam account that I have now reported 8 times to ebay, yet it is still up there. The scammer doesn't even know what lens is in the photo - the photo shows a 100mm fixed focal lens, yet the text says 24-105mm. If it hasn't been removed yet, see it here: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Canon-EOS-5D-Mark-III-22-3MP-Digital-SLR-Camera-Black-Plus-Lens-/302483084998?epid=113297177&hash=item466d6596c6:g:STkAAOSwak5ZyLCg

Or itsTinyurl generatd address -http://tinyurl.com/ycduzb6l

The same photo has appeared on scam ebay listings several time over the past year, and also on scam listings elsewhere in the world, such as this page - http://www.baichde.com/item/camera-canon-5d-eos_i5393

7 years, 11 months ago - James Kearney

Thanks, I think it's best just to go to a well established shop. That way I'll know it's genuine.

7 years, 11 months ago - Sam Seal

Catch 22. If you don't know what kind of equipment you want or where to get it, you will also not know how to use it once you've bought it.

7 years, 11 months ago - James Kearney

Yes, you have a very good point. I want them clip on mics and some lighting for documentary use. I was going to go straight with shorts but since changed my mind. I want to make YouTube documentaries. I'm pretty sure I can use my camera on my phone as it is very good but the lighting and audio will be an issue.

7 years, 11 months ago - John Lubran

For as little as around 15K it's possible to create a two camera EBU broadcast standard 4K production AND post production facility. Based on two brand new btoadcast standard Sony 4K camcorders, two Manfrotto tripods a set of four Rycote mics a couple of LED lights and reflectors, one servo remote, a location robust data store, a high quality PC (not Apple Mac) loaded with a free Light works or similar (add another couple of grand and load it with a full Adobe Creative Suite) 3 X edit monitors, a 4K top of the range domestic TV with full picture control set ups and a multi terabyte array with auto back up.

If you know how to look and how to duck and dive!

7 years, 11 months ago - Mark Wiggins

Remember though, that an expensive camera isn't going to make your pictures look good. Its the person using the camera that makes the pictures look good, not the camera. The same with sound, lighting etc. That's why we have people who specialise in all these areas. They have learnt their craft and have talent in these areas. Blowing a lot of money on a lot of expensive gear without the people with the skill and knowlege to use the gear is going to result in crap looking shorts/documentaries etc. You have to take time to learn your craft; you can't just buy big and jump in the deep end and expect the awards to come rolling in. :)

7 years, 11 months ago - James Kearney

I don't think I'll be spending big just yet, for the time being I'm going to use basic cheap stuff, lighting and audio as I've just spent £55 on both and I already have my Sony camera on my phone which is very clear and has an amazing picture. I have an experienced camera woman so I'm gonna see how this goes and if all goes well then I will start upgrading. My strong point is screenplay writing so eventually I will make a short.

7 years, 11 months ago - James Kearney

Thanks everyone for the feedback, very helpful indeed :)

7 years, 11 months ago - sabina jay

Hi James there are some fantastic Facebook groups where people sell their equipment when they upgrade you can post your requests there

7 years, 11 months ago - James Kearney

Cool, do you know any of the groups?

7 years, 11 months ago - Franz von Habsburg FBKS MSc

If you want to buy any professional kit always use bblist.co.uk as they are the only resellers I trust. All money goes into escrow until you’re satisfied too. I’ve bought and sold through them for over 20 years - cameras, lights, you name it!

7 years, 11 months ago - Franz von Habsburg FBKS MSc

I agree with Mark. Ever had a great dinner with friends and then ask the make of their oven????

7 years, 11 months ago - James Kearney

Cool, I'll have a look at this site and yeah, Mark does have a very good point :) I do all the writing and basically all of my screenplays and shorts have a strong story line that don't need special effects, you can make my screenplays using a Sony Z5, it's just the audio and lighting I Need.

7 years, 11 months ago - James Kearney

However, I am just concentrating on documentary at the moment so it should be easier and simpler.

7 years, 11 months ago - Yen Rickeard

A simpler solution at an early stage is to hire crew who have their own equipment. They come fully conversant with the equipment, and often have a lot of experience to help guide you. Although they come a little more expensive , it is less expensive than buying stuff, and then finding out the limitations after. Hiring the equipment is cheaper than buying unless you are going full time full on. Good luck with it all,

7 years, 11 months ago - Alwyne Kennedy

I'd like to suggest to the SP team that they establish a place on the site where members could offer kit for sale. Yes, I know that kit can be sold via the daily bulletin, but it'd be better if there was a permanent page on the website where members could offer kit for sale to other members. SP has the advantage that you have to pay to become a member, and that selects for a more serious seller / buyer, unlike on facebook groups, which will no doubt have scammers operating on them.

7 years, 11 months ago - James Kearney

That's a great idea.

7 years, 10 months ago - Stephen Barton-King

You can always hire gear for the length of your shoot

7 years, 10 months ago - Matt Turner

Hi,

Have you had a look at Kitmapper? We've not used it, but its (mostly) filmmakers renting their gear to other filmmakers, so might be a more viable / affordable option?

https://kitmapper.com

Regarding Kit Hire on SP. We've looked into it a few times, and its too large a task for us to set up an area of the site that would be effective (for now, at least) but you will see filmmakers listing hire / sales through the bulletins, which works well.

Agreed that SP model makes for genuine sales / rental offers, though!

Matt
SP

7 years, 10 months ago - Richard Prendergast

OK, no one is answering your question. You can do tons of stuff on the cheap. Buy a GH4 and buy a speedbooster. Buy a tamron 24-70. There, you've got a camera set up. Audio, buy a couple of lapel mics that record to SD cards. Click your fingers to sync. LED panels can be bought from EBay and they're fine. Download Premiere Pro the day you want to start editing. You now have 30 days to compete your documentary. Win an Oscar. Good luck.

7 years, 10 months ago - John Lubran

That'd be around £1,500 for the camera kit second hand, Dont forget to have enough batteries and data storage, another £300 minimum for that essential fluid heat action tripod second hand.. Whether or not a couple of cheap lapel mics is sufficient depends on the project but for that Oscar winning movie I imagine a little more might be needed; something like Rode short shotgun on a boom for about a grand all in. There's lots of cheap Heath Robinson lighting possibilities, with both LED's and traditional work lights, reflectors and diffusers and gobo's made from a whole range of alternative materials. Don't forget to flicker and colour issues. A bunch of gels and a means of putting them in front of lights is often the difference between an Oscar level look and naff. Free preview download of Premier might provide an opportunity if one is already fluent with it and/or one is making a very short and simple film. If not already in hand one will need a very decent PC with lots of backed up capacity and a technically objective production monitor. For a 4K project the post production requirements will be greater. At the end of the day what might be deemed adequate is entirely subjective to the projects aspirations, content and the artistic and technical talent available.

Versatility though is strangely inverse to the capability of the tools available when it comes to films, in that whilst less is often more in front of the camera it's usually not the same behind it. Fortunately these days the tools that are commensurate with most Oscar winning productions are very much cheaper and better than they were when only moguls could afford them. So whilst one can do great work with relatively little, having the best tools one can is much more than a mere luxury.

7 years, 10 months ago - Mark Wiggins

Also, on top of enough batteries, you have to make sure you have enough chargers. Having a lot of batteries is one thing, but if you are unable to keep enough charged to do the job you may as well not have them.