ASK & DISCUSS
INDEXWhat are the cheapest camera and editing equipment to hire for one day to get cinematic quality for a short film.
10 years, 9 months ago - richard kelly
Hello from Richard,i am based in hither green,near lewisham,london. I will be making my first short film by the end of november,i need advice and help on the following.
1 I will have to hire an actor-paying minimum rate for one day,should i advertise that in shooting.
2 I would need one location-a long room with doors.
3 I would like to know the cheapest camera and editing equipment to hire for one day to get cinematic quality.
4 Also i have been told a 5d mk2 from decode for £80 a day is too expensive is this true,and what does it do.
5 If you know of camera operators who own their own equipment-editing included-let me know,or should i
advertise for that on shooting too.
6 please reply on all with advice,contact,help etc thanks.
Only members can post or respond to topics. LOGIN
Not a member of SP? JOIN or FIND OUT MORE
10 years, 9 months ago - Jamie Kennerley
Hi Richard,
Apologise the frankness:
1. Yes, advertise in the bulletins. That is not something for for the discussion board.
2. Do you really need to advertise for that? You don't know of anything yourself?
3. Have you been through the previous discussions on here? This is one of the most over-asked questions on SP and the answer is far from black and white. I think you'd be wise to read previous discussions on this rather than have everyone go into it afresh.
4. No, that is not particularly expensive. What does what do? If you're asking what a 5D does it's a camera. Watch some tutorials on Youtube or Vimeo to understand what the camera does.
5. Yes, go through the proper process on SP.
6.
Response from 10 years, 9 months ago - Jamie Kennerley SHOW
10 years, 9 months ago - Paddy Robinson-Griffin
Questions 3/4 concerns me a little for several reasons...
+ What does a 5D do? This is very easy research to do with a browser, so suggests more prep might be helpful. It also partly answers your own question 3!
+ Prices will vary by supplier, and according to what's in the package - if it includes lenses and filters, bars, legs, etc it's a I'd price, if just a body you can probably find better.
+ Cinematic quality is not an absolute. It's not about pixel count, it's not about the body, codec, glassware. OK, yes it's all of those things, but so much more. Danny Boyle shot 28 Days Later on DV - but everything else is 'cinematic' from the lighting to sound to score to script to performances to edit to grade to VFX to.... OK, you get the idea! Don't get hung up on the camera. Use a phone camera, use any camera. Any camera you can get is going to be easier and more portable and in many ways actually better than anything Hitchcock could get, and it didn't stop him!
+ Do you know how to use a professional camera? It's not just point and shoot, so learning curve on a single day will be huge.
+ You're not asking about everything else you need which makes me wary. Either you're an old hand, have all this in place, but are confused about camera bodies, or you don't realise about all this other stuff (and need to). Can you volunteer on somebody else's shoot before starting your own, just to get a feel for how it all goes?
+ If you're determined to go ahead, best thing you can do will be to get an experienced self-shooter (ie camera operator and camera and some other bits and pieces as a package) for a day and pay them. They will also very likely be able to give you an edit for another day or so. You'll still need lights etc but the self-shooter can advise what you can get away with, maybe even domestic lamps. Make sure your script is short though (ie 3' tops) or you stand little chance of getting it to any quality within a day on location. Also, rope in all your friends to assist.
I would still STRONGLY suggest spending a few days as a runner on somebody else's shoot first, you'll learn so, so much.
Response from 10 years, 9 months ago - Paddy Robinson-Griffin SHOW