Intro and Question

M

morjazzz

I'm fairly new here, so I decided to do this here and introduce myself, but I actually want to ask a question (see below).

I'm 26 and a law school dropout. I finished two years, but I knew I wanted to make films, so I decided instead of spending another 40k on my last year of school, I would take another road.

I'm located in SC, so if anyone in the Pee Dee or Midlands areas on here want to get together and screw around...I mean, make a movie, then PM me and we'll talk.

So, my question is this: If you were trying to decided between spending money on a 35mm DOF adapter (I shoot on a Canon HV20) or using the same amount of money to upgrade your editing system, what would you decide?
 
'sup, new guy :cool:

If you were trying to decided between spending money on a 35mm DOF adapter (I shoot on a Canon HV20) or using the same amount of money to upgrade your editing system, what would you decide?
Click to expand...

Given just those two choices, I would upgrade editing my system.

Reason being, I really like editing - and I'm a menace with a camera, so I just find someone who likes doing that (and maybe rent whatever camera accesories are still needed). I'm not spending money on camera parts that I would use about once a year.
 
DOF on digital productions is all the new rage nowa'days...and I can understand why. It adds a major film-look to the production. As long as you don't overdo rack-focuses and such, you can make your digital production resemble film...which let's face it, is one of the goals of the technology.

If you're editing system can handle a feature already, I would say get the adapters and a lens or two.
 
Well, as a comedy-school dropout myself (for real), I would recommend investing that 40k in a Nigerian bank- the ROI on the investment is like 50 billion dollars, at least according to Adbullabar Mahallabandito, my email buddy.

But seriously, I'd focus more on finding someone who has the lens/gear you need (1 editor, 1 DOP), paying them each a few thousand and using the money as start-up funds to try and get more funding.
 
I would make sure I had an editing system that's easy
to use and does what I need before I'd get a DOF adaptor.
I don't have one of those adaptors and no one has ever
watched any of mu movies and commented that they
would have liked it, if I had one. In fact, I'm seeing exactly
what I suspected I'd see: lots of really terrible movies
being made with the shallow DOF that so many people
feel is important.

morjazzz, get a DOF adaptor once you know how to make
compelling, interesting, watchable movies. People can
forgive a wide DOF - people can't forgive poor scripts, bad
acting, uninspired directing, muddy audio, no lighting and
choppy editing. Master those aspects. If, in a year or so you
feel you need a DOF adaptor, get one.
 
I agree with Directorik...it's important that you learn how to make good looking films without a crutch. Once you get comfortable with general technique, only then should you worry about fancy schmancy things like adapters, lenses and DOF. However, if you had the money to learn it all at the same time...that's not a bad thing.

DOF won't save a bad film, we can be sure of this. Plus a lot of people--as I mentioned before--are overusing DOF and rack focuses...it's distracting. The trick is to not bring the viewers attention to the way a film is shot...sure we all enjoy beautiful composition, and we admire films that give that to us...but for the most part, the audience shouldn't be aware of what the camera is doing.

So again...if your current editing system can handle large data flow already...it wouldn't hurt to get a few bells and whistles. But don't think for a second that you need it. As long as your camera can sport quality HD, you're sitting pretty. The director I work with a lot right now actually refuses to get adapters and lenses...he says he doesn't need them. And he's right. When you see his films, they look exquisite, even though they are 720p. This is because he has a good lighting designer and actually composes shots...which is much more important than DOF.

And if uses properly, a standard digital camera *can* create DOF...you just have to know how to do it. It can create focus planes (by shooting farther back and zooming in), or you can simulate DOF by implementing techniques that bring attention to focal points via lighting and camera placement.

Sorry if that's confusing. Thanks for listening.
 
Thanks!

Thanks for all of the advice and suggestions. I guess like so many people I'm obsessed with making a video production and then convincing everyone that it isn't. Although I would like a DOF adapter (I already have the lenses from my photography days), I think I'm going to follow my gut and the advice on here and upgrade my system (at least so I can edit HD, which I can't do on my current system). Cheers!
 
morjazzz said:
Thanks for all of the advice and suggestions. I guess like so many people I'm obsessed with making a video production and then convincing everyone that it isn't. Although I would like a DOF adapter (I already have the lenses from my photography days), I think I'm going to follow my gut and the advice on here and upgrade my system (at least so I can edit HD, which I can't do on my current system). Cheers!
Click to expand...

OH ya...if you're system can't handle HD right now, then definitely upgrade your rig.
 
Thanks...I took the advice to heart

Thanks for everyone's input. Just by way of update, I did spend the money on a new system (although I forgot a power cord, so its just sitting behind my laptop at the moment). I'm pretty pleased. Thanks again!
 
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