Help please

[jjdpeople]

Alright, so I don't know much of anything about cameras and editing software. However, I do want a good camera so I can make a decent film for my school's film festival this year (last year it looked horrible). I know that my tiny $400 camera isn't going to cut it anymore. I just want something that looks good, and some kind of editing software that is easy to use, but doesn't take away from the quality. I would really like some form of freeware for the editing.
As for the camera, I'm not sure exactly how much I'm willing to spend. Can you get anything good for about $1000? I'm willing to buy used from ebay or some similar site.
By the way I'm only 15, but I'm starting to get serious about filming.

 

[ralck]

You might be able to look for a VX1000 or GL1 on ebay for around $1000. You might get luck and find a VX2000 or GL2 or DVC30 for that price, but I wouldn't hold my breath.

Of course, what camera you buy really depends on what you want do to with it. What kind of shots do you want to do? What features do you want in the camera?

Also, it's not just a camera that makes a good film: it's how you use it, proper lighting, good sound (sound is often considered 70% or more of a film), etc.

What made the image from your $400 camera bad? Was it too grainy because of low light? Was there something else you didn't like about it?
I ask because any camera can produce great footage if you use it properly. Maybe if you got a few extra lights it might look a lot better? My opinion would be to stick with this camera and get some accessories for it: maybe an external mic, some lights (check out hallogen work lights for a cheap possibility), a good tripod with fluid heads, and maybe leave a little budget for something like makeup or other props in the movie?

Hey, I filmed on a crappy high-8 camera for a while. It didn't give great results, but I knew the camera's limits and worked around those. However, I still feel like I can do better with my VX2000 and that I'm not producing the best quality picture I can with it. Just to show you that the camera isn't the only thing that makes the picture better.

 

[professor aire]

And if you're looking for freeware for editing, check out Avid Free. It's a stripped down version of Avid, meaning there aren't a whole lot of features to it, but it's a professional interface and it's free. So hey. And if you want or need more features, you can pick up the student version of Avid Xpress Pro for around $300. Worth it? Probably, especially for the future use you'll get out of it.

And ralck's right... Experiment a bit more with your camera before committing funds to buying a new one. Having a set properly lit and making sure your camera's white balanced properly give you 100% better image quality over just relying on your room's lighting and the auto white balance.