Post by evildave on Sept 20, 2006 9:12:48 GMT -5
I'm a paid Avid editor and cameraman and having been making no-budget movies for years, This is my tips.
Buy one of the Canon xl cameras, if u dont have much money try going for the Canon xl1s (can only film 4x3 but who cares) and before anyone argues, yes it has a 16x9 option but this is not a true 16x9 aspect ratio it is a 4x3 image streched out into a 16x9 frame. ( canon xl2 does an 16x9 aspect ratio)
Lighting: Buy 1x 700w Red Head light and stand ( look on ebay, u will get one for about £200-£300. I managed to shoot a entire short film set at night with one light
Editing: Get copy of an Avid edditng package. ( go to avid site and u can download the begginers version for free) If u are serious about edditing U MUST KNOW HOW TO USE AVID. 90% of all films and tv are edited on Avid, Don't bother applying to any production companys unless u know how to use this package or Final cut Pro.
THE FILMING TIP: The first thing u will notice is that your camera gain is set to AUTOMATIC or 0db. You need to change this before u film. Set the gain to -3db this crushes the blacks and makes blacks black and not the grainy grey look all u guys are getting. All pro camera are set to -3db for shooting inside and out. Now u are going to look through camera and think it looks to dark, good thats what u want. Now take your light and blast it on your subject, u can now controll how dark the background is by adjusting the exsposure to your subjects face. If u are shooting in a house during the day and u want it to look like night just bring the light closer to the subject and again ajust the exsposure untill the subject is in perfect exsposure and u will now notice by miricle that the background is now darker and looks like night. Cant be bothered typing any more, any questions hust let me know.
Buy one of the Canon xl cameras, if u dont have much money try going for the Canon xl1s (can only film 4x3 but who cares) and before anyone argues, yes it has a 16x9 option but this is not a true 16x9 aspect ratio it is a 4x3 image streched out into a 16x9 frame. ( canon xl2 does an 16x9 aspect ratio)
Lighting: Buy 1x 700w Red Head light and stand ( look on ebay, u will get one for about £200-£300. I managed to shoot a entire short film set at night with one light
Editing: Get copy of an Avid edditng package. ( go to avid site and u can download the begginers version for free) If u are serious about edditing U MUST KNOW HOW TO USE AVID. 90% of all films and tv are edited on Avid, Don't bother applying to any production companys unless u know how to use this package or Final cut Pro.
THE FILMING TIP: The first thing u will notice is that your camera gain is set to AUTOMATIC or 0db. You need to change this before u film. Set the gain to -3db this crushes the blacks and makes blacks black and not the grainy grey look all u guys are getting. All pro camera are set to -3db for shooting inside and out. Now u are going to look through camera and think it looks to dark, good thats what u want. Now take your light and blast it on your subject, u can now controll how dark the background is by adjusting the exsposure to your subjects face. If u are shooting in a house during the day and u want it to look like night just bring the light closer to the subject and again ajust the exsposure untill the subject is in perfect exsposure and u will now notice by miricle that the background is now darker and looks like night. Cant be bothered typing any more, any questions hust let me know.