Hey everyone! I'm 15 years old (I know it sounds young, but age is just a number) and planning on making my first feature with a DV camera, but I've never used a DV camera nor own one, I use only my SONY DIGITAL CAMERA (which I'm guessing is about the same) Well I need some help BADLY! I need to know where and what kind of DV camera I should get. I'm also looking to buy a steadicam for a DV camera (Don't they run for about $1000 on up or something?) and I'm also looking to buy a Editing Machine for my DV camera. I think I know where to get the DV camera from but the steadicam and editing machine have thrown me.

i'm also trying to get funding of about $100,000 were can i look for that?

I really need to know this info if someone could please help me? thank you!

(A

-- Kerry Mark (Wishmster4@aol.com), June 28, 1999

Answers

Over the rainbow maybe?! Hell I'm just trying toi figure where to get a couple thousand for the dv camera. Then I'll figure where to get the 5-10,000 for the digital editing setup.

Why do you need so much cash? Have you seen El Mariachi? Read the book by Rodriguez and make it for a tenth of that 100K.

On the other hand if you figure out where to get that much jack then please let me know!

Best of luck.

Tom

-- tom schneider (tom@vdesign.net), July 01, 1999.

When you say you have a Sony digital camera now, what do you mean? is it digital signal processing Hi8mm, or digital 8mm? I'd go with something 3-chip for a camera, sony TRV-900 or VX1000, or a Canon XL- 1 if you have so much money burning your pocket. I've owned a VX1000 and a XL-1, I personally like the xl-1 way better, but it won't fit on the "DV Stedicam". It's just too heavy. As for an editor, I use a dual PII 350 with basically radius Moto DV firewire card. It works great and cost only a few thousand for everything, including 80 gigs of storage with a sustained transfer rate of 35 megs per second.

My company, 3rd Coast Multimedia could build something like this for you as well. Check out www.3cm.net for more information.

As for raising the money. Ask your parents for some, ask your uncle, but you don't need $100,000. Another thing, if you're seriously making a film for profit, use real actors. drama students don't count. also, make sure the age of a character matches the age of the actor. never have a 15-year old play a 40-year old. (unless of course your special effects artist can make a great looking mask.)

Your best bet is to make a short "film". If it's good, you may be able to get some money from your dentist.

-- Thomas Koch (TomK@execpc.com), July 19, 1999.

Kerry I can remmber when I was your age. Tring to get a film made then was a real dream. I'm 53 and still shooting, don't let anyone tell you , you can't do it. I recommend you be a little more realistic. I shoot 16 and 35 films and it's real hard sometimes pulling everything and everybody together. I would suggest a short project for a festival. as far as equipment, the XL-1 and a G3 with final cut pro from Pro-max in Ervine CA. Lots of Sucess.

-- John L. Cummings (pacificdigarts@hotmail.com), August 04, 1999.

Kerry, You can definately shoot your film for much less money unless you are planning on paying union actors or something along those lines. I just shot a feature for about $7000 and that included a brand new Canon XL1 in the package that is now mine. Of course I still need to put about $4000 into an editing system that I'm going to build myself, but that total comes to $11,000 and it means I can shoot my next feature for really cheap since I'll own the equipment. Maybe you should try to look for a co-producer or someone who already has equipment.

Tim Potter Lucidus Productions www.lpld.com

-- Tim Potter (tim@lpld.com), August 05, 1999.

on budget needs. People will let you have more for free if you don't have a budget. It's a catch-22. If you mention 100K people immediately say to themselves "How can I get a piece of that?" Break it down like this: $5K for camera purchasing including lenses/tripod etc... $100 for photofloods and bulbs (300watt 3200 Kelvin, make sure the lamps handle that -- clips or stands -- stands are better--)$500 for a sennheiser and boom (if you're lucky or broomstick if not, just don't use pvc - handling noise) $500 cast & crew food (needed), $1K for misc... foam core, diffusers, blown bulbs, extra tape, extra dv tape, gas money, etc... that does not ad up to 100K because you can defer SAG payment (if you DO go the SAG route... experimental budget (under 75K) you still need insurance ($350--workers comp) you have to keep the budget under 75K anyway or you have to pay 350 daily mins... depends on city I guess)

YOU ARE 15. Use it as a benefit. You can go into a K-Mart and ask the manager if you can shoot some video puh-leese. You have more of a chance than a 25 year old does. If you were to be offering money to him he probably would not let you shoot. (He's thinking whats the harm... you have him sign something... he thinks "How cute

-- josh brusin (josh_brusin@frankel.com), August 09, 1999.

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-- BARBARA FORMAN (BARBARA@IDSELY.COM), September 11, 1999.

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-- Carlton Holder (carltonholder@hotmail.com), October 12, 2002.