IS IT ABOUT THE CAMERA, OR ABOUT THE EDITING SOFTWARE?

Nikkobengco · Apr 8, 2006

HEY, I JUST NEED TO ASK THESE QUESTIONS GUYS. please help me out. i am completely NEWBIE here. Ive seen a few of short films here, and i was inspired and wanted to create a version of my own.

Now, my question is, ive seen a movie called SEEKING in summershort section here in this website. I've noticed the quality of the cinematography, the color contrast is great, how can i achieve that? It really looks like a classy movie using a pricey camera. The texture looks like it is from a modern mtv video. It doesn't look like a home movie. It looks like a series from a tv network, like CSI or E.R. or etc. It doesn't look like a type of video seen in BLAIR WITCH PROJECT.

Did the director achieve that kind of effect because his camera is over 3thousand dollars? Or is it because the editing software that he used can turn a BLAIR WITCH PROJECT type into a TV SERIES quality?

And finally, if its about the camera, can i achieve that using a budget 1thousand dollar camera?

I really need a budget camera, and my budget is only below 1thousand. huhuhuhuh. please help me out.

Thanks guys.

David Mullen ASC · Apr 8, 2006

Personally, I believe you have to at least jump up to a DV camera that does progressive scan (24P, etc.) at the minimum to have a chance of emulating more of a film look. But those tend to start above the $3000 mark. I'd consider borrowing or renting a 24P camera from someone.

Obviously on top of that, production value matters a lot (lighting, composition, editing, design, etc.)

Nikkobengco · Apr 9, 2006

please help me with this.

please help me with this.

oh, thanks. but what is "P" in 24p? what does it stands for?

so you are really saying that i need a DV CAMERA? WAT DO YOU MEAN DV, MINI-DV? YOU ALSO SAID IT NEEDS TO HAVE A PROGRESSIVE SCAN THING? (im sorry, all i know about progressive scan is the PROGRESSIVE SCAN IN DVD, lolz). Wat do you mean by that?

i really would like to achieve a glassy, delicate FILM LOOK, like CSI or E.R. or GREY'S ANATOMY or any of those MTV VIDEOS NOWADAYS. I would like to achieve that effect, that look.

is there any ways i could achieve that? coz the short film SEEKING in summershort kinda achieved that look i wanted.

gmangw · Apr 9, 2006

The p is progressive scan (Google and Wikipedia can answer a question like that in seconds rather than hours).

Nikkobengco · Apr 10, 2006

iv searched it already using wikipedia, and it says there that 24p means 24progressive frames per second. whoa. i just figured or realized, that those expensive cameras today only does 24frames per second?

Does that mean that digital cameras with video capability is better since the video capture of a digital camera can capture 30frames per second at 640x480!?

im confused about this one. please help me out. can someone explain to me please. sorry if im dumb. Im just a newbie.

Dan Selakovich · May 29, 2006

Nikkobengco said:
iv searched it already using wikipedia, and it says there that 24p means 24progressive frames per second. whoa. i just figured or realized, that those expensive cameras today only does 24frames per second?

No, cameras like the DVX100b...

http://catalog2.panasonic.com/webap...14571&modelNo=AG-DVX100B&surfModel=AG-DVX100B

...can do multiple frame rates. If you really want to spend some money, the Panasonic HVX200 is a thing of absolute HD beauty:

http://catalog2.panasonic.com/webap...d=14571&modelNo=AG-HVX200&surfModel=AG-HVX200

If you don't want to spend that much on a camera, there is a lot of software out there that allows you to monkey around with the look of your film in post to make it more "film like", but in the end, spend as much as you can possibly afford on a camera, then double it!

Dan
www.DVcameraRigs.com

Goose · Jun 14, 2006

Yeh dude. To get the MTV look your after it comes down to a lot more things than the camera and the editing software. Firstly some not all but some of the programs u mentioned are shot on FILM which has a fantastic look. So if your hoping to achieve something similar you should do your research and find out how to mimic this look on DV (If you dont have the money to go HDV upwards...), if u dont know what i'm talking about just ask someone. A good DOP can make something look 10x better than others. So lighting your scene is very important. Your shot composition...The list just goes on and on....

The tools used play a big role but it all comes down to how skilled you are at what you do.

Hope this helped at all... If you want to know more specific questions just PM me

Lazlo · Jun 15, 2006

I would definetely encourage you to learn everything you can about all this equipment, but I would not recommend buying a $3000+ camera just like that... It seems like your pretty new to filmmaking, and at first the technology can be pretty overwhelming, and it makes you feel like you need to own the best to make a good movie. I know because I was once there, obsessed with the equipment. Just always remember that equipment will not rectify a bad script, and will not automatically turn every shot you concieve in your mind into a masterpiece, and edit your film into yet a greater one. The best of luck.