Drew Weininger

Excellent information. Thank you all. I have been looking at the EX3 so I'm glad you brought it up. It does look like a great camera. I was wondering what kind of lenses can I put on the EX3 since it has a removable lens system? Rob. I'm using FCStudio2 FCPro 6.6

Excellent! Thanks!

Agreed. It is a workload. Thanks for the tips. I live and work in Dallas. So the market is pretty big. Renting sounds like a good idea and I will look into other cameras. Do you have any advice on where I can rent cameras for 4-5 days?

Hello Everyone. I am a first time poster to this website as I recently found it. I'm sure this question has been asked on here before and I've found a few article but I thought I would post my questions as... they are specific to what I want answer for. I've been researching this topic for a while... and cannot find much information. I don't know if it just varies so much that the topic is too broad to really discuss or maybe it's just not proper to talk money and numbers... but ultimately that is where my question leads. I am a very small video production company. In this economy- I own it and wear almost all the hats to cut corners. I hire freelancers to help where I need them. I've filmed weddings, business videos, promotional videos and a few low budget TV shows for broadcast on small cable networks. It's not much but I love what I do and I do that best I can and more than anything... I want to grow and this is a good opportunity to do just that. Recently I was asked to film a TV pilot for a client and it's out of the scope of anything I've done before. I use Final Cut, Motion, Photoshop, Maya and SoundtrackPro for all my video editing, and I shoot on Standard Def Sony cameras. I have a couple of questions I am hoping to ask and get help with. This client is a good client and I have worked with him many times in the past. The shoot. The Pilot will end up being a 22 minute episode. It's a reality show. We will be filming 5 days in 1 week. 8-10hrs a day. The video footage totals could be up into the 30,40 maybe 50hrs. I then have to sort through it... and edit the video down into basically a 1/2 hr pilot demo. Everything takes place on location, so there are no studio costs. #1. I would like to shoot this in high def. I am thinking about getting two Panasonic HVX-200s... Which would be an upgrade I've been wanting to make. I've been researching and looking at them for a while but there is a lot I do not know about cameras as I come from and editing/animation background. I've been reading up on limitations of the HVX and see that filming up to 50hrs could be an issue. Especially on multiple P2 cards as I would have to use a bunch of them and they are expensive. But I assume there is a HD DV tape option as well..? I need to research it more. Anyone have any tips on that? I could shoot in Standard Def with current cameras but... I'm ready to upgrade and think the production would benefit as well. #2. I have access to a studio but all this filming would be shot on location so... no studio costs. I will need about 2 extra cameramen to help out which isn't a big deal. I would however like to utilize a backdrop and light kit that I've got and get some good dramatic interviews. #3. I will be housing all the footage and editing it down into a 22 minute show. I use final cut... I either capture from miniDV or use my Sony Anycast and capture right to my GRaid HDD FW800 (great hard drive by the way). For this shoot the Anycast is not going to work so if I stick with my sonys.... I could have 50 freaking tapes to digitize and sort through! UGh... what a nightmare. If I switch to the Panasonics.... I imagine will have to do something similar. #4. This all happens over 4-5 days of shooting 8-10 hrs a day. #5. I own some nice equipment but as a business I think this is a good opportunity to charge this guy a fair fee but also need to make money and from that money I want to sink a chunk of it into new equipment. #6. Final out put will be broadcast quality NTSC. Stuff I have. Good Audio equipment (AKG 414 and a few boom and shotgun mics) Prosumer Sony 2100's Sony Anycast Mac based PBPro 2 TB of external Space. Some good and accountable freelancers Great software Does anyone have any advice on what to charge...? Also.... Here is the list of things I'm charging for. Filming, Equipment, Props and Lighting, Audio, Post Editing (Editing, graphics, animation) Capturing, Camermen, Travel, Buring and DVD production, Creative skills and services I would love to discuss this. If you have ANY advice, thoughts, questions, comments... please let me know.