So, I've just received my Panasonic GS500 and I've been walking around the house and outside just shooting random things for fun and stuff. Do you guys have any suggestions that the typical film making newbie does when he first gets his camera? I'd like to start shooting something, what would be the most easy and beneficial approach for someone just starting out in regards what to produce first?
How to Start
- Thread starter Jake
- Start date
Well I'm only a little past where you are at this stage, 
but I'd say a good idea would be to find some friends willing to help and get/write a short screenplay and try and shoot it. That's my plan, anyway. 
but I'd say a good idea would be to find some friends willing to help and get/write a short screenplay and try and shoot it. That's my plan, anyway. 
I always do some end-to-end tests. From recording to capture and edit, sometimes all the way to DVD and watching the final DVD on my TV. I experiment with all the manual controls, record audio in a quiet room to check out the noise level from the camera (if using on-camera mic) and pre-amp. If you're using an external microphone, be sure to check that out, check gain and noise levels, etc. If you are using the on-camera mic, be sure to zoom in and out while recording a quiet room, to see how loud the zoom motor will be in the recording.
Turn off all of the automatic settings on the camera, figure out how to set and lock the white balance, how to set the iris and shutter speed if you can, and get a feel for focusing the camera. If the manual focus is a bear, you may as well find that out now and do what you can to work with it, or find out how to use the autofocus to set the focus and turn it off so the focus doesn't change when you don't want it to.
Record all of your tests, capture them on the computer, use headphones to listen to the audio so you don't miss anything, make sure your captured video doesn't have dropped frames or out of sync audio, etc.
Test everything before you invest your time and other people's time in any kind of production. Never assume something will work until you've tested it.
Doug
Turn off all of the automatic settings on the camera, figure out how to set and lock the white balance, how to set the iris and shutter speed if you can, and get a feel for focusing the camera. If the manual focus is a bear, you may as well find that out now and do what you can to work with it, or find out how to use the autofocus to set the focus and turn it off so the focus doesn't change when you don't want it to.
Record all of your tests, capture them on the computer, use headphones to listen to the audio so you don't miss anything, make sure your captured video doesn't have dropped frames or out of sync audio, etc.
Test everything before you invest your time and other people's time in any kind of production. Never assume something will work until you've tested it.
Doug
...and after you do all that....
videotape your school baseball/basketball/track team. If you have any skateboarder friends, I know of some who have done this. What about school dances if they let you take in your camera.
I guess I am assuming you are still in school...
-- spinner
videotape your school baseball/basketball/track team. If you have any skateboarder friends, I know of some who have done this. What about school dances if they let you take in your camera.
I guess I am assuming you are still in school...
-- spinner
The first thing I did with my camera was to shoot a Hollywood themed birthday party we had for my wife's neice. It was a good exercise in framing and focus and helped me get to know my camera. I used one key light and the rest was natural and practical lighting.
Second project was more in depth. We got some cheap lighting and shot a 30 minute documentary, a sort of "this is your life" video over five different locations, shot in two weekends. We had no script, just a list of questions. The story came together in the editing room after reviewing and cataloging over 2 hours of footage. I made many mistakes and learned a heck of a lot about audio recording and what not to do with lighting (like mixing flourescent, incandescent and tungsten in a single shot).
Next project is in the works. I wrote a 7 page narrative script that I will shoot this summer. I'm also working on another feature length script (my second) that I may or may not produce myself.
And I have another idea for a short already brewing.
Lately, I've been doing several lighting tests with some new lights (including paper lanterns) I've picked up over the last several months. I may cut those together in a montage just for the heck of it and use some of that footage for a demo reel.
So, where to start? If it moves, shoot it. Then you can learn to cut it into an interesting story, color correct it, author it and present it. And you're on your way to the next project wiser and more experienced each time.
Second project was more in depth. We got some cheap lighting and shot a 30 minute documentary, a sort of "this is your life" video over five different locations, shot in two weekends. We had no script, just a list of questions. The story came together in the editing room after reviewing and cataloging over 2 hours of footage. I made many mistakes and learned a heck of a lot about audio recording and what not to do with lighting (like mixing flourescent, incandescent and tungsten in a single shot).
Next project is in the works. I wrote a 7 page narrative script that I will shoot this summer. I'm also working on another feature length script (my second) that I may or may not produce myself.
And I have another idea for a short already brewing.
Lately, I've been doing several lighting tests with some new lights (including paper lanterns) I've picked up over the last several months. I may cut those together in a montage just for the heck of it and use some of that footage for a demo reel.
So, where to start? If it moves, shoot it. Then you can learn to cut it into an interesting story, color correct it, author it and present it. And you're on your way to the next project wiser and more experienced each time.
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