Source: Vital Film Blog Entry / BBC TV Programme Page

I was looking for a small camcorder to accompany the big one, to use as backup and those hard-to-reach places where big broadcast ones cannot go. Saving up for the big gear takes time and I wanted to get my hands dirty right away. The wishlist therefore was quite comprehensive considering my budget of around 400 Euros: DV-in and out, good manual controls, best possible image quality and of course mini-DV.

Since most mid-range consumer level camcorders are now DVD or HDD the choices appear to be a little limited if you look in the high street. Also, the reviews I had from DVinfo.net and camcorderinfo.com are US focused, so getting the “editors picks” over in Germany prooves a little hard. Why don’t I use German review sources? Simple, I don’t know them and the way Germans are testing gear is not what I’m looking for (Germans have a funny way of testing things, too clinical IMHO).

To cut a long story short, I found an gem in the Canon MVX 20i. It’s small, yet not too small and it has everything I wished for, for under 400 Euros from an online retailer called dnet24.de.

You can find a great in-depth review of the Canon MVX20i and its not very much bigger brother 25i on SimplyDV.net.

The only shame is that I spotted a dead pixel on the fold out screen already. It’s not really that bad but it’s a little annoying nevertheless. Also, a little camera noise can be heard and the colour viewfinder is – as on most consumer camcorders – absolute rubbish. Again as with most consumer camcorders, there’s no way to manually adjust audio recording levels. Other than that, it’s a great little camcorder for the money.

Although it’s only intended as a backup cam and tape-deck, I recommend buying the Rode VideoMic to get the most out of it. The difference between the build-in mic and a proper external one is tremendous! You can find a decent review on the VideoMaker.com test bench. The VideoMic can be found on eBay for under a hundred Euros / Dollars plus shipping.

Amazon Product link.

Sources:

http://www.canon.co.uk/For_Home/Product_Finder/Camcorders/Digital/MVX20i

http://www.simplydv.co.uk/Reviews/canon_mvx25i.html

http://www.videomaker.com/scripts/article.cfm?id=12163

http://www.rodemic.com/?pagename=Products&product=VideoMic

All of this I realise now is silly. You can create great stuff for (almost) no money at all. Transport can be arranged, although it might involve convincing your Mum or friends to give you a lift. Equipment can be hired or utilised through friends. So there are no excuses and afterall I want to get my ideas on tape and not “write the theme tune, sing the theme tune” to speak with a famous Little Britain character.

So what’s the most important thing a filmmaker needs? That’s right, a story to tell. Or more precisely a script or at least screenplay. As I’ve learned so far from reading the book, I need a budget and/or opportunities for locations, crew and equipment to look for a suitable script. So what do I have to offer a person with a fantastic script that wants filming exposure?

I have a little money, and that’s about it right now. Once my loan comes through and I’ve moved to Hannover I will have more of it and my own camera equipment and transport. Also I will have more direct access to my dear old friends. Wait, I can film (although my skills may be a little rustic), I can edit using Final Cut Pro or Avid (or Premiere for that matter) and I have a PowerBook. I can create and host websites and content (i.e. videos) and have keen Internet marketing skills. Not much though – yet.

The first step I shall take is to seek out similarly minded people in or around Hannover and start getting to back into the fray, offering what skills I have for the greater good of the film making community around me (have skills, will travel – for free).

So, if you happen to be in Northern Germany and are looking for a helping hand with your project – gimme a bell or drop me a mail to get in touch and see what I can do for you. I’d be happy to help and make a darn good of coffee

Technorati Tags: filmmaking | raindance | little britain

Since I do not have many constraints – like existing equipment – to consider the decission should be an easy one. But it isn’t because I’m limited to how much money I’ve got and the small choice of available “pro-sumer” gear on the market.

Before I should get deeper into this subject I should set a few anchors:

[list]
[*]HD is new
[*]HD is expensive
[*]HD is the future standard format for film and tv
[*]There is few “prooven” equipment in the entrylevel professional sector.
[/list]

The real questions when trying to make the right choice are very subjective though:

What format is my current equipment?
If you have invested in a lot of SD gear you are looking at completely replaceing it with HD! Lenses, VTR, monitors, …

What do I want to shoot?
There’s a big difference between shooting small indie films and doing ENG or documentaries.

If you just want to do ENG or TV documentaries and make a living right now, you are probably best off buying used SD DV gear. It’s cheap, reliable and delivers outstanding broadcast quality.

If you are like me getting back after some time doing other things or just getting started, and have no pressing need to make your money back right away, you should look at HD DV.

Here’s my (current) checklist:

• Budget: around 10k EUR for everything (Mac, Cam, Tripod, Lens, Filters, Bags, Lights, Mics, Misc stuff…)
• What type?: Documentaries, shorts and small feature films
• What media?: The Internet (vBlogging, Bit Torrent and DVD)

I also need to consider that in order to get back in the saddle I need to get back on the ropes and shoot film, experiment and learn how to get my gear to do what’s inside my head. This will take time to perfect and any ideas of making money out of this “hobby” are far off.

Most people I’ve spoken to have suggested to pick up SD DV gear and get started. 10k is not a big budget by any means but seems overkill for someone who does it as a hobby and wants to produce for that flimsy evil called the Internet.

Taking that advice on board I look into the future and where I want to be in ten years time. I want to make films because I am passionate about sharing my experiences, ideas and love the idea of creating something that truely moves people. Do do that I need a lot of experience and that comes from doing stuff. I need to learn how to put my ideas in a format that other people can understand and use (i.e. Story, Script, Storyboard). I also need to understand what can be done in technical terms.

Being a firm believer that keeping things simple is best, I would like to learn how to shoot what I want without relying on post production to apply filters and other trickery, let alone 3d FX. Good old fashioned craftsmenship and a carefully set-up shot are better for the resulting end product and production budget. I never cease to be impressed what can be done with lights, colour settings and whitebalance.

My reasoning behind choosing HD is simple: If I have to learn something almost from scratch, I should learn what will be used when I’m ready for prime-time! That’s HD afterall and looking at the awful clarity of that format and miriads of new unexplored pitfalls it gives me plenty to learn and a good challenge too

Reality Check: Does my reasoning hold up to scrutiny? Are my asumptions based on real, hard facts? I hope so but I will continue to discuss this in the forums and am looking forward to hearing your experiences, thoughts and ideas.

Technorati Tags: hdtv | hd | dv | video | filmmaking