Is renting RED worth it?

LastChancey

LastChancey

So yesterday, I was sitting in my little missionary compound in Nairobi, Kenya, and out of nowhere, a sweet film crew comes along with a low-budget (but still frickin' sweet) RED camera setup. There was some Norwegian skateboard champion who came to our compound because we've apparently got the only halfpipe to be found in Nairobi, and he brought a Toyota Hilux full of 2 pro-grade dolly rigs, a RED One with a nice rack, monitors, and a bunch of hard drives, a sweet boom mic, mixer, and 2 sound techs, plus a pretty legit SteadiCam and it's operator.

My jaw was on the floor since I've never even heard about that much money going into a film made in East Africa (besides Hollywood features like The Constant Gardener), so I did a bit of research and discovered that the one single RED to be found in East Africa can be rented right here in Nairobi, at fairly exorbitant prices, of course.

It got me thinking...

I've got this spec script I'm hoping to turn into a short film and shoot in Nairobi in a month or so. I was planning on doing the whole thing super-low-budget with my Sony Handycam + 35mm adapter, external mic, and Final Cut. But theoretically, I DO have enough money to rent this RED and a DP for a few days to shoot this thing.

But is it really worth it? I mean, I'm only known for doing videos/media amongst friends, colleagues, schoolmates, etc. I'm not professional in any sense of the word, but I understand the industry enough (living in L.A. area) to think that a film shot by one guy on a Handycam, however brilliant, will get a sideways glance - and a film shot on a bit of a budget with a RED (or similar high-end digicam) and a DP in charge will probably attract a helluva lot more attention at a festival somewhere.

So is it worth it to invest in that kind of tech for little more than artistic pursuit?
 
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No, no. I plan on using the handycam to shoot in the streets. I was out in Nairobi today shooting some B-roll for another contract video I'm doing, and it confirmed what I already presumed about the difficulty of shooting obviously on the street with police, locals harassing you, etc... it's just out of the question to go out there with anything more noticeable than a handycam.

For the interior shoots, I intend to use some prosumer models. I'm not 100% sure what the options are, but renting, for example a Sony HDR-AX2000 is very affordable. So I'd go that route, most likely. However, there are only a handful of locations that are actually indoors (where I'd be using dollies), so for the majority of the time, I WOULD be shooting on handycams. Out of necessity.

But now my question is: what's the real heresy with putting a handycam on a great dolly? A dolly provides camera movement, that's all. The image quality is something of a separate issue... Even if I wanted to shoot my interiors with handycams, there are plenty of ways to do that and still create hooking cinematography. Whether it's all handheld or it's on a dolly - that's a bit of a relative, aesthetic choice. Or am I being a complete douchebag?
 
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Not at all, I just always look at the camera as being the core of the film. Therefore it surprises me that people are willing to shell out for other expensive equipment to improve the way they shoot the film rather than investing that money into a better camera.

At the end of the day (which it is now) it's a choice between how you want to make your film. If you want, some day, to see it on a big screen then what's more important: shots that slide across the location or good picture quality? For me it's the latter, but that's not true for everyone.
 
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I used a red to shoot a feature and although it looked amazing, unless you have a FULL crew (takes three people just to operate the camera properly) with full lights (because anything less will make your shot look like shit), its not worth it. For me it was a big mistake shooting on the red. For the price your going to pay to rent a red you could buy a Canon 5D or 7D which is an amazing little camera, and then you wouldn't have to use a different camera when shooting on the streets.
 
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I agree on the 5d purchase instead on renting cameras. So cheap and you will own a decent enough camera and then hire lenses maybe? Also you could add some nice time lapses to your film if you wanted too.

Owen
 
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I'd honestly LOVE to do that, except that I don't think a 7D can be found in Nairobi for a decent price. It's seriously SO behind-the-times here; if you've ever spent a bit in a third-world country, you'll know exactly what I mean. That's really the whole reason that I posted the original question - because in Kenya, it's VERY difficult to find a middle ground. I can either use handycams or some of these prosumer Sony's (which are nice, but still not what I'd LIKE to use), or I can jump up to renting a RED or similar camera. Anything in between is - aside from getting things shipped or going through one of the few big-time production companies here that do schedule/transport for Hollywood - nonexistent.

So, with the excellent advice I've received on the challenges of managing pro equipment, I've decided to go ahead and shoot with low-to-mid level cameras. I've shot several different kinds of projects in Africa (I've been DOP on a stage production and two currently airing TV music videos, as well as shooting some narrative shorts and teasers for missionary organizations and pastors), and when I couple that with what I taught myself about shot composition from watching TONS of movies and experimenting for 3 years in the states... I think I finally have enough experience under my belt where I can say: I can actually use cheaper cameras to create an uptempo, low-fi atmosphere that lends itself to the story.

I'd RATHER use nice, expensive equipment and go all pro, but since it's probably a little out of my league, I'll commit to making a movie with a more rough-n-tumble aesthetic, because it's the most artistic way to use what I have.
 
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I for one am impressed. I remember your first post, if Im not mistaken you were getting ready to leave and started hatching this plan. Now, your in country and working deals to get lights. Great job, I want to see some footage next.
 
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Actually, I've been living on and off in Kenya for almost 2 years between stints as a freelancer in Southern Sudan. I wouldn't even think of shooting a video in Nairobi without plenty of experience walking the streets and meeting people. Otherwise, I would risk my characters becoming a mockery. I've built a bit of cred as a go-to-guy for video in both Nairobi and my area of Sudan, and since I've been writing/publishing my prose for about 5 years, I decided to pair my interests in original storytelling and adventure filmmaking... and I don't think anyone else has ever really made an authentic yet compelling film set within the true African context (besides low budget, terribly niche local efforts). So I'd love to give it a try.

Might as well link to my blog; you can get a feel for my rather manic writing style, if you're terrifically bored and on the internet. http://lastchancey.wordpress.com.

EDIT: Oh, I suppose you meant my FIRST first post, ever on the forum. Yes. Bravo on the ol' memory.

ANOTHER EDIT: Just worked out a tentative shooting schedule. I'll only need to put a bit of money into the interiors/controlled sets. That money will go towards cameras, sound, and food for the cast/crew. Ideally, I'll have around 7 crew to help me out, and during any given scene 3 or more actors present for shooting. I want to do everything in 6 days, rounding up to one week for reshoots and extra B-Roll. I'm traveling to several other areas of Kenya this week on another freelance video project, but just secured a production assistant for myself, so with the help I should have time to make some calls and finish the scheduling for this thing. Fingers crossed.
 
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Sorry to resurrect something that could be considered "dead," but it's not dead to me!

It looks like, in a few days, I'll be able to start shooting on this project, finally. I've decided to shoot a SHORT FILM treatment of the whole, original script to generate interest and funds. So after some changes to the script (added a "punch-line" feel to the ending that also carries a bit of geo-political subtext, if you squint hard enough) and the insertion of a few flashier shooting/editing ideas, I'm planning to shoot the whole thing in 2 days. The first day will be much more lo-fi, shooting with Handycams and even still cameras on the city streets, guerilla style. I will have 6 actors, 3-4 crewmembers, and as many "security" guys watching our backs while we're lugging nice equipment around a shady area of town. The second day will be in 2 different inner-city warehouses, both using some equipment rentals, including a dolly system and some high-power lights.

It may be a bit lo-fi, using cheap DOF adapters and Handycams, but hopefully (with the right editing, music, and acting) we can pull it together into a rumbling, in-the-dirt, crumbling depiction of a couple slum boys' lives. I actually have some really fantastic contacts with some of the most famous Hip-Hop and Gospel artists in Africa (after shooting music videos in Nairobi for about a year), so I hope I can pull some strings and get a powerful, pulsing soundtrack together that really screams Nairobi.

Here's to hoping everything doesn't fall apart at the 11th hour.
 
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