What is a good camera for.....?

Fade_To_Black

Fade_To_Black

Hello,


I am starting to figure out what kind of budget I need for equiptment for my film.

It will be shot similar to: The Blair Witch Project, Apollo 18, Cloverfield, Quarantine, etc. In the sense that it the cameraman will be a character in the movie.

I am wondering what type of camera would be good for this type of project.

Bear in mind, this will be low budget, so nothing too fancy, really just need something that will get me through this film.


Thanks in advance for your help.
 
Sort by date Sort by votes
You'd be amazed at how expensive it is to pull off a movie that looks like it was shot on a camcorder. What's the buy in for zero budget film equipment? $2K - and you'll want to buy more like it was crack. :) No joke.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Yeah 2K sounds at least sounds about right. Before we can give the OP a good answer, there is another question that should be asked. This is suppose to be a 'found footage' movie right. Does that mean you will want the sound to sound like it was recorded from the camera's built in mic? Cause if that's part of the illusion, then that will hugely determine what you will spend on sound.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Most of Blair Witch was shot on film. Some scenes were shot on
an RCA Hi-8 camera.
Apollo 18 was shot using Arri SR1 and Sony CineAlta F23.
Cloverfield was shot with the Sony CineAlta F23, the Thomson
VIPER FilmStream Camera and the Panasonic AG-HVX200
Quarantine was shot with the Sony CineAlta F23

Not low budget cameras. So you may need to rethink a little.
What is your price range for a camera? Let's start there, okay?
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
harmonica44 said:
Does that mean you will want the sound to sound like it was recorded from the camera's built in mic? Cause if that's part of the illusion, then that will hugely determine what you will spend on sound.
Click to expand...

No.

The sound may be manipulated to give that illusion but that is not how it would be recorded. It would be recorded professionally.

Look at Cloverfield.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
directorik said:
Most of Blair Witch was shot on film. Some scenes were shot on
an RCA Hi-8 camera.
Apollo 18 was shot using Arri SR1 and Sony CineAlta F23.
Cloverfield was shot with the Sony CineAlta F23, the Thomson
VIPER FilmStream Camera and the Panasonic AG-HVX200
Quarantine was shot with the Sony CineAlta F23

Not low budget cameras. So you may need to rethink a little.
What is your price range for a camera? Let's start there, okay?
Click to expand...

That's why I said "Looks like." My 2K estimate included a camera, external sound recording, and some good learning experience, but bad product and production value. If it were easy, everybody would do it. :)
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
True the built in mic will suck. Will it have to be a mic that is boomed downward on the actors to sound good enough to pass, or can it be a mic placed on the camera handled by the fictitious camerman alone, to give the illusion passably? I am asking to help the OP of course, not trying to hijack a thread. Bottom line, good camera probably around $600-1000 at least, good mic, same probably. I'm going mostly by my equipment, and what others have bought for the same purpose.
 
Last edited:
Upvote 0 Downvote
CamVader said:
That's why I said "Looks like." My 2K estimate included a camera, external sound recording, and some good learning experience, but bad product and production value. If it were easy, everybody would do it. :)
Click to expand...
Sorry about the misunderstanding. I should have quoted Fade-To-Black.
I wasn't commenting on your post at all, only telling Fade-To-Black the
high end cameras used to shoot the movies he mentioned.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
directorik said:
Sorry about the misunderstanding. I should have quoted Fade-To-Black.
I wasn't commenting on your post at all, only telling Fade-To-Black the
high end cameras used to shoot the movies he mentioned.
Click to expand...

No worries, my friend. If I understand half of what you do in 10 years I will consider myself extremely lucky. I didn't want you to think I was unaware of the production goals these films were trying to accomplish. I was being defensive and that's never cool. My apologies.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
ok, say I were to raise my equiptment budget slightly. Total it at like 20k-25k.

I want it to be as, "Found footage", but I want it to be a good finished product.

So with that being said, what are your thoughts?
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Fade_To_Black said:
ok, say I were to raise my equiptment budget slightly. Total it at like 20k-25k.

I want it to be as, "Found footage", but I want it to be a good finished product.

So with that being said, what are your thoughts?
Click to expand...
The more you spend on a camera the better it will be. So I don't quite
understand. If you buy a $25,000 camera you will be getting a better
camera than if you spend $2,000. Are you asking about all the equipment
needed to make a movie? Lights, mics, grip equipment, camera equipment?
For a total of 20k-25k?

You could make an excellent "found footage" movie with an iPhone or
a Flip. It's the story and the talent of the filmmaker that really shines
on a project like that.

So what, exactly, do you need help with?
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
directorik said:
The more you spend on a camera the better it will be. So I don't quite
understand. If you buy a $25,000 camera you will be getting a better
camera than if you spend $2,000. Are you asking about all the equipment
needed to make a movie? Lights, mics, grip equipment, camera equipment?
For a total of 20k-25k?

You could make an excellent "found footage" movie with an iPhone or
a Flip. It's the story and the talent of the filmmaker that really shines
on a project like that.

So what, exactly, do you need help with?
Click to expand...

Yes, total equiptment budget. I would prefer lower, but I do want a good camera.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Fade_To_Black said:
Yes, total equiptment budget. I would prefer lower, but I do want a good camera.
Click to expand...

Very difficult to answer.

In most cases a filmmaker will rent a lot the equipment needed to
make a movie. And the equipment needed will depend on the project
itself. I have you a list of cameras - those are good and a good starting
off point.

Now a list of all equipment needed?

You will need an audio package. Don't know if you need more than a
mic and a boom and some cables to attach to your camera or if you
need a much more elaborate set up. This is something you can rent
rather than buy. I don't know anything about the project other than
"found footage" - the four movies you mention are so different and
they would each need different lighting packages. But this isn't what
you want to hear, is it? You want a list:

The minimum equipment I would suggest having on hand is:
a tripod
6 lights with stands
2 china balls
8 extension cords
6 power strips
black wrap and gels
2 bounce boards
a good external mic
a boom with extension cables
gaffers tape
a bunch of C-47’s - also called “bullets” or wood cloths pins
a coffee maker
a slate with marker

If you can afford it:
a dolly (wheelchair or doorway)
a simple grip kit with:
c-stands (at least 6)
flags (assorted sizes - at least 8)
scrims (at least 6)
silks (at least 2)
cookies (at least 1)
sandbags (one for every light/c-stand and then 6 more)

As far as pricing goes, I don't happen to have on hand an exact price for
each of these items. You can buy used or new or you can rent. You'll
have to do the pricing research. Of course you can make a movie with
considerably less equipment; a camera, a mic and a couple of lights.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
To help you with the movie itself, if that will help you help me.

The premise is, a group of friends go on a camping trip/hike in the woods, and come across a house with a bad past(haunted basically), it will be psychological horror/thriller, so the effects will mostly be sounds and movements that will drive the characters insane, at which point everyone for themself. That help at all?
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Rik -
Very nice camera selection you provided.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/749467-REG/Canon_4922B002_XA10_HD_Professional_Camcorder.html
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produ...AG_HMC40PJU_AG_HMC40_AVCCAM_HD_Camcorder.html
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produ...0_NEX_VG10_Interchangeable_Lens_Handycam.html

The chips on the Canon and Panasonic can't hold a candle to the whopper on the Sony, which also has interchangeable lens capacity (+$$$, BTW).

I also note although the Sony has a "nice" onboard mic, it skips the pretense of XLR jacks the tiny-chipped Canon has and the also tiny-chip Panasonic has as an accessory option.

Again, I ask (in a previous thread), what is even the point of putting XLR jacks on a camera that records in 1080p @ 24fps?



(Do we "help out" new folks with their stories, or just let 'em do whatever they want? This is only the third time I've seen this premise posed here in the last five months, and I don't recall what the etiquette protocol is. TYIA)
 
Last edited:
Upvote 0 Downvote
rayw said:
Again, I ask (in a previous thread), what is even the point of putting XLR jacks on a camera that records in 1080p @ 24fps?
Click to expand...

I don't understand why you wouldn't want them? Most prosumer cameras in that pricerange end up being used in "one-man-band" video production situations where the audio options are incredibly useful. The percentage of people using these cameras for film production with a crew is quite small.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top