Todd Fondleworth

Wow guys thanks alot for your help, really. THis is probably my last question for this topic since ive hasseled u guys enough Ive been reading the rodriguez book Rebel without a crew and ive also bought a very text-bookesque book about how camera's operate. Ive got to say your input rivals all the pages i can read. I've recently gotten my hands on an old Sony DVD handycam from a friend who didnt even know he had it (he's rather rich). ive been messing with that for a bit in terms of just shoooting every thing i can see. The problem im having is an adequate way to edit the stuff on my computer. THe camera's only option for playback is to finalize a disc and then i can never mess with the video ever again which is super annoying. if someone has any suggestion for that that would be awesome. Thanks again!!

Hahah thanks for all your input guys, honestly. I am 100% sure i would have completely blown a whole lot of money for a bunch of crap that i'd hate for the rest of my life. I think everyone made a good case for a beginner like me to stick with video, and work from there. Maybe once i get in a good rhythym with video (and save up again) i'll be able to try my hand at film. To scott i take absolutely no offense to you warning me how bad my stuff is gonna be. I think i'll be the first one to tell you guys that my stuff is gonna be horribly shitty. Of course everyone aspire's to be sitting at sundance with the credits rolling and people on there feet, but by no stretch of my imagination do i think thats gonna happen to me. I just want to dick around with movies i guess. I watch so many i feel like making one would be a fun collective effort. And if i do end up at sundance i wont hesitate to rub it in your face. :P But jest aside does anyone have specific lighting/sound gear i should buy. I understand that you should never compromise with sound gear. THat seems to be well stressed. Also if any of you know a good lighting kit i can buy? i understand sound is around $400, and lighting is about another $1000 I also should thank you guys from saving me from a scam. I think the last thing i wanted was to be scammed.

From what i understand now is that respect gained in the film community comes from shooting in film. I read a review of someones work on this message board, and when the critic saw that he shot in film he ridiculed is choice. Im not sure if this is an adequate critique, but i kind of don't want to be THAT guy. Although it is a much more painstaking process you are slightly limited in what you do/learn from shooting in film (I understand film has higher fps/the dynanic range). I'm positive this will be something i will be doing for a long time, and not a compulsive dream. I am completely up to yelling at computers and kicking chairs in the attempt to learn this process, i just want to do it the "right" way (although there seems to be no right way). Please feel free to tell me i am wrong in judgement I have reduced my 3 choices of cameras to these three Panasonic AG-HVX200 (3000$) HD Panasonic AG-DX100B (2900$) Video OR shooting in super 16mm. (i think this is what most people use?) Im having alot of trouble finding where to buy good 16mm cameras and i see that the Arri Sr2 is a good one, but i dont know where to buy it. I also dont know how much 16mm cameras really cost. Please tell if my choices are wrong or right. I greatly appreciate all your time with me. P.s. Im going to buy that cinematography book today.

Thank you so much David, and Troy. I think it has been unanimous thus far that as a novice i should start with video, and upgrade as i hone my skills. With regards to conversion from Video to the "screen" (my basement television) what is the highest quality of conversion (i.e. 1080p)? Am i right in my understanding that the HD cameras as of late are rather ahead of there time and buying miniDV wouldn't really hold me back? Can you still capture vibrant colors on miniDV than you can with Film (i am assuming you can with proper lens's and filters)? I'm sorry for throwing down even more questions but i'm spending 3000$ dollars on something i love to know as much as i can. I assure you i am researching these things as well, but public opinion to me is much more valuable than a manufacturer's promise. Again your advice is priceless, and i am very grateful

Thanks for the reply chris, I have been told before to stay away from the camera nitty gritty, but i feel like I need to get my hands dirty if I want to make my own film. I think (Im probably wrong) the only person who can capture the perspective, and voice of my characters effectively would be myself. Now thats probably a very narcissitic attitude but i think it may hold true. Plus as an added bonus I kinda have that "new territory" exhileration about learning about camera's,shots,angles etc. Although hopefully i wont regret not listening to your craigslist idea :blink: I thought about renting before, and when i thought about the schedules all the people that would be working on this film have, I decided that renting something for a couple weeks would have me wishing i just bought a camera. Although renting a camera and just messing around with it for a couple days doesnt sound like a bad idea either. So i guess the question remains if you were in my shoes what would you buy/rent. I'd also like to point out I like alot of Wes Anderson's camera work. So if someone has any insight on what he uses to create that image that would be helpful.

Hi guys, i am currently a student who has always promised himself he would make a movie. I am completely new to the topic and pretty much the length of my understanding of film comes from the X amount of movies i watch per week/Introductory film course (the one that told me what a dolly was B) ). I have a couple friends who are novice actors (they went to that NY film school 2 week program :lol: ) and are willing to act out any script i plan to create. Now that my script is finally done, i come to the actual, very intimidating, process of capturing my words to film. Ive scanned the message board and read topics that I could learn from (and learned that there were all too many). So with the introduction all set here's my question. I have saved somewhere within the market of 4000-5000 dollars, and i need to know what equipment i should buy. Like should i buy two cheap cameras, or one decent one. The script has a very suburban feel and i dont plan on doing anything too crazy. Ive heard both sides of the Digital vs. Film war and was wondering (I know, I know its preference) what you would reccommend a novice like myself should pursue. I think what ive gathered is Digital's easier to handle and edit, and Film allows for much more freedom. Then i see 8mm, 16mm, and 35mm and since kindergarten ive learned the larger the number the more progressive but im wondering if made an assumtion. I also understand that there are things called Film Stocks that also have effect on the minutia in the color/contrast that i hope maybe can be explained. I also understand that some money must be saved for sound, lighting, and video editing software and i hope you can insert a quick little tidbit on what to buy. If there's a book that can help me out that would be nicely refrenced too. A preemptive thanks to all who reply.