Would anyone be interested in helping a young girl fulfill her dreams?

D

DreamBig

My name is Anna Turner, this morning my father decided he was going to help me start making films to the best of his ability. MY father has no experience in making films :) so I leave it up to the world of artists to help me. I need to know where to get filming equipment, how much that equipment costs, what it does, how many I need etc... the basics from the start really :) much thanks to all who read and my heart to all who help.
 
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For your first five short films you need your camera phone and a
few friends. You can edit on Windows Movie Maker or iMovie.

After you have made the first five you can look into getting a
small video camera like the Canon R32, Panasonic HC-V700 or
Sony HDR-CX160 - all under $500 - and a tripod. Make another
five. If you are still passionate about making movies you can buy
a microphone to get better audio and add some lights to make
your images look better.

Here is a list. You don't need all of this for quite some time but
it will give you good foundation to stand on.
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 cooler
a slate with marker

If you can afford it - these items you can rent:
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)

For now write a few scripts that you easily shoot with your friends and take
those first steps with your phone camera.
 
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Thanks for the list. I didn't laugh, none of that was funny. I'm trying my hardest to be a good kid and start making something of myself! I have many good ideas on films.
 
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Rik's list is a little larger than the minimum you'd need to get started, but it's a decent list for which you can decide whether or not its your thing.

If you want a little more information, I suggest that you put some more detail in what you want to make, what quality, for what purpose, how many people you forsee will be involved and your budget. If you only want to spend a few hundred dollars Riks list would be completely different. It'll also change if you have $250k available.
 
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I have seen Rik offer the same advice to others as well. I still shoot some footage on my cellphone and incorporate it into my films. It serves well for found footage and logically makes sense.
 
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I need explanations more than anything, I really have no idea on this since I've just started trying to find information about this this morning!
 
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Some film makers have made a very good career out of just using a camera phone... (see the "Great Camera Shootout 2012").

If thats not where you want to start thats fine... but its a great place to start without spending loads of cash
 
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DreamBig said:
... the basics from the start really :)...
Click to expand...

Here's the part that Rik was making the suggestion based on... (I'm assuming). The assumption was also that budget would be a concern, so you were given a starting point and a list of stuff to work toward a chunk at a time.

No age-ism... it'd be the same recommendation for a 60 year old with budget constraints. You may have come in expecting some age-ism, but we've got lots of community members here in your age range at quite a range of experience and quality that is being produced. You're welcome here, you have access to professional folks here who understand the financial and access problems when you're just starting out.

If you've got some experience, feel free to tell us where you're at in your journey and we'll try to help you figure out your next steps. There's a TON of information to give out to you. Figuring out where to start is often the hard part.
 
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Absolution_Films said:
I can understand you possibly getting defensive about the using a camera phone comment, but dont see it as a derogatory thing... some film makers have made a very good career out of just using a camera phone... (see the "Great Camera Shootout 2012").

If thats not where you want to start thats fine... but its a great place to start without spending loads of cash
Click to expand...

Well as it stands, I'm fourteen and my family doesn't have crazy wads of cash from nowhere so... I have a basic phone... not an IPhone or anything fancy. My phone doesn't even take video.
 
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DreamBig said:
Well as it stands, I'm fourteen and my family doesn't have crazy wads of cash from nowhere so... I have a basic phone... not an IPhone or anything fancy. My phone doesn't even take video.
Click to expand...

Since you do not have a cellphone. Here is a suggestion for a entry level camecorder.

JVC HD Everio GZ-HM35BUSD

You can get it on Walmart.com for $125 plus shipping including a memory card. It shoots in 1080p and will be a good place to start. Down the road look at the T2i, T3i, and GH2 to further your career.
 
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Thank you Knightly. I'm really not anywhere right now I've just begun my journey and that's what I've been trying to get through I don't know very much about it. As far as sound go my big brother can help me, he's a sound technician. So far my aunt has helped me out about the camera to use.
 
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Canon 5D Mark II would do you well. I have no idea about their cost in Texas, but on Amazon they're $1799 for the body only. You'll need lenses on top of that.

Good luck! Santa's coming soon, right?
 
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Sweetie said:
Canon 5D Mark II would do you well. I have no idea about their cost in Texas, but on Amazon they're $1799 for the body only. You'll need lenses on top of that.

Good luck! Santa's coming soon, right?
Click to expand...

HAHA! :) Actually, I'm sitting three feet to the right of Christmas, and not allowed to touch it! Ha.
and oh Lord I didn't know they costed that much!
 
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DreamBig said:
If I do get a regular camcorder I'll need a video editing software to make it look better. Any ideas?
Click to expand...

Windows Movie Maker is the cheapest alternative. For Windows after that Sony Vegas would be the next step up. I think you can do compositing in it but not sure. I know After Effects for sure is used for compositing but it is relatively expensive.
 
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Jsthompson79 said:
Windows Movie Maker is the cheapest alternative. For Windows after that Sony Vegas would be the next step up. I think you can do compositing in it but not sure. I know After Effects for sure is used for compositing but it is relatively expensive.
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Well, I think my dad was expecting the camera to be the most expensive part so if I get a well priced camera I don't think he'd mind a program I'd use for the rest of my life :lol: Thank you all so much for the help sorry for the drama in the beginning :blush: I'm just not used to not being attacked for being young!
 
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Hi, and welcome, Anna! Rik's given good and sincere advice for a beginner. :)

I would like to add that you don't even need a camera to get started. You can access free stock footage sites such as...
archive.org/

...free stock sound sites such as...
freesound.org

...free music sites like...
freemusicarchive.org/

You would, then, have all the necessary raw materials to cut something in the free Windows Movie Maker (noted above). Just start off with a little scenario and work from that point on all the formal properties of making a movie.
 
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bird said:
Hi, and welcome, Anna! Rik's given good and sincere advice for a beginner. :)

I would like to add that you don't even need a camera to get started. You can access free stock footage sites such as...
archive.org/

...free stock sound sites such as...
freesound.org

...free music sites like...
freemusicarchive.org/

You would, then, have all the necessary raw materials to cut something in the free Windows Movie Maker (noted above). Just start off with a little scenario and work from that point on all the formal properties of making a movie.
Click to expand...

Thank you, but for what I'd like to do a camera is the main thing ;) Haha! And a good program.
 
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