Intro and Learning/Gear Questions

1. Summerrose
   Member

   

   Hi,

   I'm glad to have found this community.  My name is Pamela and I worked in video production full-time for 6 years, along with attending broadcasting school.  The trouble is, I was working in Michigan where the great employer for video professionals was the automakers.  I did not have the money or the knowledge to start my own business after I was laid off at that time.  Fast forward to now and it's been 8 years since I've worked in the field.  However, I am in the position, with limited funds, to start my own business.  I had worked as a production coordinator, project manager, did some producing and technical stuff, but did not edit or shoot.  I know these things can be learned though.

   My questions are how can I learn to shoot?  I have an idea of camera and editing equipment that I need, but what about lighting and audio equipment to get started making videos for real estate, legal depositions, preschools and wedding videos?

   Thank you and I look forward to hearing from you!

   Posted 1 year ago #

2. lomaymi
   Member

   

   Hello Pamela, welcome to Videomaker community. The best way to learn about editing, lighting audio and almost everything else is by becoming a Videomaker Plus Member. Here you will have access to a ton of articles, video tutorials and many other things. Also you can attend a Videomaker Webinar which are a great resource to ask any question you have and learn a few techniques. I attended the Advance Editing webinar and I honestly can say that it was worth every penny. I really like the question and answer chat and how well Videomaker coaches answer all my questions. Another great resource to learn video editing is Lynda, here you will have access to a ton of video tutorials of a lot of programs. For the business side of video be sure to check http://www.eccomeecgo.blogspot.com. Right now there is an excellent article by Heidi Mueller called "A Roadmap for Beginners" be sure to check that out.

   The meaning of a movie are the characters, the life of the movie is the music, but the magic is in the editing.
   Luis O. Maymí
   Follow me on Twitter @lomaymi

   Posted 1 year ago #

3. Summerrose
   Member

   

   Wow, Luis, that's excellent info.  Thank you so much!

   Posted 1 year ago #

4. EarlC
   Moderator

   

   Luis, you da man! Thanks for the mention. Pamela, any questions I can personally answer I will. Questions I do not have the answers for, people like Luis, myself and others here will be glad to provide whatever resources we know.

   Posted 1 year ago #

5. Kody Smith
   Member

   

   Hello, my name is Kody Smith. I am interested in getting a semi-professional rig together and mabie make some money on the side. I currently use (and don't laugh at me) an iPod touch video camera and imovie/final cut studio on my mac to edit, but i have had some experience with other cameras in the past. I'm really just getting into learning and having fun with some books and personal projects, but I was wondering what equiptment would be necessary for a semi-professional rig?

   I am currently looking at buying a panasonic AG HMC40 with a shotgun mike, tripod and a few basic lenses (see link below) when I get back from my deployment next year, just wondering if you all could recommend any gear i should get in addition to this?

   thank you for the help!

   http://www.amazon.com/Panasonic-AG-HMC40-Camcorder-Starter-Package/dp/B003T1L8CG/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&qid=1314923862&sr=8-9

   Posted 8 months ago #

6. Charles Schultz
   Adobe Host

   

   Well you two are at the right place to learn about video production and editing. Welcome SummerRose and Kody. Kody, I would look into the AG HMC150 there are some good packages at http://www.bhphotovideo.com SummerRose, Earl is a wealth of information, especially when it comes to marketing and niche services that are not supported like they should be. Again, welcome to VM!

   Posted 8 months ago #

7. Kody Smith
   Member

   

   Thank you for the welcome Charles. I have looked into that camera, and it just seems a little... expensive for me. is there really a difference in quality that i should just go with the 150 and not the 40? anyways i meant more in the way of accessories, (lighting, shoulder mounts, the like)

   thank you for the warm welcome!

   -Kody

   Posted 8 months ago #

8. EarlC
   Moderator

   

   Kody, the HMC 150 ($3,495 list, $2,995 B&H) is 3-CCD (1/3" sensors) rather than 3-CMOS and has larger sensors compared to the 40's 1/4". With auxiliary lighting I suspect you could get some GREAT use out of the HMC 40 (B&H price, $1,795) or even the HMC 70 ($1,500 if you shop around) that has 1/4" sensors but is a 3-CCD unit as opposed to CMOS.

   There are several other cameras in the Canon line, some discontinued, others favored current models, that fall closer to the consumer grade, but have been picked up and used extensively by people who make a living doing video. The discontinued HV30/HV40 miniDV tape series comes to mind if you can still find one; and the newer Canon HF S-21 has received some positive nods, both as a primary unit for some videographers, or at worst a second unit for multiple-camera producers.

   CNET Review notes that the Vixia HF S21 (est. retail $1,299), HF S20 and HF S200 are all on the expensive side, compared to "their respective competitors" and the S20 and S200 both do not have electronic viewfinders. They do, however, have a good set of manual controls and the S21 does accept a 3.5 mm stereo mic input. I didn't confirm on the other two models in this series. The sensor is tiny (1/2.6") but apparently effective.

   When it comes right down to the reality of it all, you could do worse than any of the three Panasonics, or the Canons for that matter. And there are some fine lines separating these models in their respective brands, with people on both sides of the CCD/CMOS fence. When I asked on Videomaker forums about using 1/4" sensor units professionally, nobody seemed to care much either way really.

   The neat thing about the lesser-priced Canons is that once you trick them out with brackets, shotgun, light, and some kind of shoulder-type brace, they actually stop looking so much like a consumer camera ;-)

   Posted 8 months ago #

9. Charles Schultz
   Adobe Host

   

   Are you talking about studio lighting or on-camera lighting? 

   Posted 8 months ago #

10. EarlC
    Moderator

    

    Both, actually Charles, depending of course on what the production is. Proper studio lighting, as you know, will be GREAT for just about ANY camera, including my old Panasonic AG 460 2-chip S-VHS camcorder that can still serve me well in a studio environment as a signal-to-hard drive unit.

    I can appreciate the need and desire by many to avoid any added lighting at all but it is my experience with a number of different cameras, and viewing BUNCHES of other's work where they insist that the no-light/low light performance of their particular unit is "to die for" ... NOT! Light, WHEN USED PROPERLY (I'm NOT preaching to YOU, Charles) is always preferred IMHO to no light in virtually any less than optimum lighting environment ... indoors or out.

    Posted 8 months ago #

11. vid-e-o-man
    Member

    

    In a previous post on this thread, there was a reference to a (1/2.6") sensor as being tiny. I believe that this size is larger than (1/3") sensor but smaller than (1/2") sensor. This is bigger than most prosumer camcorders. I hope that this is a correct interpretation of the fractions.

    Posted 8 months ago #

RSS feed for this topic

youtube, myvideo, funnyordie, gametrailers, collegehumor, dailymotion, glumbert, liveleak, redtube, googlevideo, sevenload, metacafe, clipfish, vimeo