I want to make short films and I have been trying to make them with a very low quality handycam dcr-sr47 that I got a few years ago. I feel like if I get a microphone and/or lights for now that will at least help until I can get a new camera but my camera doesn't have a microphone input so I would need to have it connected directly to a recorder and that is a whole other expense to add in. What would you suggest that I buy first with a very low budget (no more than 200 dollars...) I work for all of my supplies but my job only pays 6.50 an hour. A 22 hour paycheck will only net me around 125 dollars
Tips for a new, poor, struggling filmmaker
- Thread starter Comikkaze
- Start date
You don't necessarily have to own all your own equipment, you know.
Do you have any filmmaking peers in your school/town, who have an interest in audio? If they have audio gear... and you have camera... well, collaboration could be right around the corner. You'll also still have that $200 to put towards other areas that will need addressing. (Lights, food, etc)
If you really need your own audio gear, I reckon someone will have some suggestions shortly.
There are several similar threads to read up on here, btw.
Do you have any filmmaking peers in your school/town, who have an interest in audio? If they have audio gear... and you have camera... well, collaboration could be right around the corner. You'll also still have that $200 to put towards other areas that will need addressing. (Lights, food, etc)
If you really need your own audio gear, I reckon someone will have some suggestions shortly.
There are several similar threads to read up on here, btw.
Thanks for answering quickly. I figured that there would be other threads but I am notoriously bad at forum browsing and I doubted that there would be something else that had an income situation as... uh... sparse as mine lol. Collaboration could be a consideration but do you think that anyone would want to collaborate with a 16 year old with a bad camera for free when they could work with someone with more experience and better equipment?
Certainly. I volunteer on many gigs every year, as do many people on this forum.
Everyone has to start off somwehere, right?
Get used to the idea that filmmaking (in general) is a very social activity.
Okay thanks. I think that after I familiarize myself with my camera and find some better editing alternatives, I will look to craigslist to start out with some work in my area. I want to feel confident in myself wholeheartedly before I even think about incorporating others into my process
There are a dozen or more threads from people with even less money
to spend than you have. You really should take some time a poke
around here - it will be an eye opening few hours. You are not
alone.
yourself than by working with others - especially people with
some experience.
When I was 16 I had a camera that was considerably “worse” than
the camera you have now. I was making short films every weekend
but I had a script that I wanted to be better. I found people to
work with me - a girl in college with a 16mm camera - she brought
along a guy with all the audio gear and his wife did the make up.
Everyone else were my age and we did everything else. My mom made
food, my sister took still pictures, my best friend put together a
dolly using a wheelchair he found in a dumpster and we made a
film.
I don’t see why you can’t find people to work with you ar age 16.
I did. I made the film for $650 when I was making $3.35 an hour. A
22 hour paycheck netted me about $65.
to spend than you have. You really should take some time a poke
around here - it will be an eye opening few hours. You are not
alone.
I'm telling you there is no better way to to gain confidence in
yourself than by working with others - especially people with
some experience.
When I was 16 I had a camera that was considerably “worse” than
the camera you have now. I was making short films every weekend
but I had a script that I wanted to be better. I found people to
work with me - a girl in college with a 16mm camera - she brought
along a guy with all the audio gear and his wife did the make up.
Everyone else were my age and we did everything else. My mom made
food, my sister took still pictures, my best friend put together a
dolly using a wheelchair he found in a dumpster and we made a
film.
I don’t see why you can’t find people to work with you ar age 16.
I did. I made the film for $650 when I was making $3.35 an hour. A
22 hour paycheck netted me about $65.
Very true. I don't think I've worked on a film where I haven't thought "I wish we had a bit extra to spend on…" but it's always worth remembering that throwing money at things doesn't necessarily make them any more enjoyable to watch (case in point).
Did you ever witness a mysterious train crash?
Yeh minimum wage is 7.25. I was a part time seasonal empires at an amusement park (whomp). Now I am working at sears making minimum wage and working more hours so money should be a little better all around for me. I will have more to save up anyway. I will definitely work on making better scripts and storylines and then I will look to craigslist for people wanting help with their films and if I can't find any then I will try to make my own post and get some help
Combining the last couple thoughts,
Since you are always going to want more money (and this is true)
It makes sense to collaborate at almost any level
I started out as a stubborn Autuer, but after a while I wised up and started recruiting all the help I could get
A year after I "just let go" (fight club reference) I had dozens of people available to help
I don't think I could make a film without them at this point.
Since you are always going to want more money (and this is true)
It makes sense to collaborate at almost any level
I started out as a stubborn Autuer, but after a while I wised up and started recruiting all the help I could get
A year after I "just let go" (fight club reference) I had dozens of people available to help
I don't think I could make a film without them at this point.
Have you considered making four or five movies with
the camera you have now and few friends? Sometimes
just making movies draws the attention of others in the
area.
the camera you have now and few friends? Sometimes
just making movies draws the attention of others in the
area.
a filmmaker makes films. If you not making films, your not a filmmaker. Crappy is good, best get your crappy phase out of the way now
I have considered it but I don't have any friends interested in making shorts with me
Put the word out somehow. There are all kinds of local free advertising places if you look hard.
If there's a will, there's a way.
I'm in a bit of the same situation -- it seems like no one around me has a lot of passion for making things, especially films.I have considered it but I don't have any friends interested in making shorts with me
The remedy I've found for this is to simply ask. If you don't ask then you'll never get help, and trust me, help is something you need. Maybe if you're just hanging out with a few friends, and you "happen" to have your camera with you, you could throw out the suggestion to make a dumb movie. That gives you the experience, and it gives you and your friends something fun to do when you're all bored.
The important thing to keep in mind when working with friends (especially those not interested in films) is to not get overly nervous, passionate, or bossy. A little enthusiasm is obviously good to have, but too much and you'll scare people off -- keep your emotional attachment to the project to yourself when you're with other people. This also means not getting put off if people don't show up sometimes or don't show a lot of interest (happens a lot to me) -- remember, you're the one passionate about your project, so don't expect them to be as well.
That's basically just from my experience, but hopefully it helps you out.