Need starter set up on a low budget. Ideas? « Videomaker Community Forums

poppa_bear42330
Member

Ok I'm just learning about making my one movies and would really like some help from someone that has been here. I some equipment but admittedly it is mostly cheap not so great stuff.

Here is what I have or will have as soon as it is back from the shop

1 Sony Handycam. This is the one with the CCD recall/lawsuit and they are fixing mine for free. I think it was something like a HV20. It is a slightly older model being a couple of years old but it does have an mic input.

I have a laptop with a p2 pentium at about 560 megahertz, 512 ram and a 10 gig hard drive. All this will be up graded as soon as I can afford it. I'm having the laptop upgraded to edit on when needed and might do some straight to the hard drive recording but that is a way off.

I have a desktop with a gig of ram, 3.2 p4 intel processor with premiere pro 2, photoshop, affer effects, adobe sound booth, and I have other video programs coming as soon as a friend sees what she still has or can get. No this is not pirated software unless someone giving you programs they no longer use is pirating.

I have a few cheap mics that were either given to me or was part of a karaoke machine so you know they are not great. As well as an older Realistic Stereo Mixing Console. I do not know a lot about this and have yet to hook it up but I was told it worked. I was also told it was a peice of crap on another board and would add more trash noise then I would want. This could be true. I have no idea yet.

I have halogen work lights, florescent tube lights, I know how to make homemade reflectors and filters and understand the importance of lighting.

So let me ask this. You see what I have, now what do I need to have a nice little video set up where me and the kids and a few others can make reasonably good movies with out breaking the bank which is pretty small to start with. What I want to be able to do is shoot good video, record good sound and add video effects where needed like muzzle flashes and back grounds so chroma keying is sort of a must. This needs to be on the cheap side where possible but I do not mind spending a little more on a few more expensive items as long as they are not to expensive.

Posted 5 years ago #
compusolver
Member

I don't really see a question here. Looks like you're off to a good start and about to have a lot of fun. You can get pretty good results from some $30 mics - it's all in the "ear of the beholder", I guess. You'll probably find that your laptop is helpless to add in your endeavors except, perhaps for script writing, etc.

As for "good video", etc. Again, it depends on your definition of "good". You may want to put several 35mm movie cameras and hiring of set carpenters, grips and gaffers on your budget.

Posted 5 years ago #
poppa_bear42330
Member

Yeah it does sound good. Guess I am just antsy about getting my camera back. Of course I have not had the chance to test anything yet so I could still have to replace everything.

Lets try it this way. If you were only had the desktop listed above and had to buy everything else including the software what would you get? We want to shoot all kinds of short action or horror movies and want it to be good enough that others will want to be in them too. Yes I know alot of that will be the hours of work to get everything edited right but it starts with good equipment.

So lets break it down like this:

Laptop: Might be used for writing and other clerical uses. No need to replace even if trashed.

Desktop: Just rebuild but still needs upgrading but hopefully good for a while.

Mics: Untested and possibly unusable. What would you but to replace these knowing boom work will be needed as well as possible other mics. I'm not sure what we will need yet.

Camera: It's sent off but that odes not mean it will be fixed. If it does need replacing what would you get for under $100 and where? Pros? Cons?

Mixing board: This one is at least 10 years old and may be junk. What cheap 3 to 5 channel or more if it were under say $100?

Lights I think I can take care of but if you were going to have to buy all new and had to make is as cheap as possible what would you buy?

Also any other advice would be great. I'm a total newbie.

Posted 5 years ago #
tritrinh
Member

look like your really on a budget
Call Sign: 3-2 Bravo

Posted 5 years ago #
tritrinh
Member

give us a hola when your done with your movie. I want to see it.

Posted 5 years ago #
poppa_bear42330
Member

tritrinh Wrote:
look like your really on a budget
Most of this is left over from Kareokee days that someone had laying around. The programs are from a chick that used to make her own how to video's. The laptop, desktop and camera are all I actually paid for. So yeah I am on a budget. But I normally can find short cuts and cheaper ways to do things. For example I have a coal room (older houses sometimes had these for holding coal for heating the house) in my basement that I plan to turn into a small green screen set for "News" programs that I will use in my own movies or I will be doing a few for people to use in their movies as well. This is only possible because I have found a few replacements for chroma key paint. One can be found here: http://www.detonationfilms.com/low_budget_chroma_green_paint.htm.

Another comes from Walmart and is called Treefrog 91371 and uses mixing code AXX-4, D-4Y32, E-2, Kx-4Y20. That is for a gallon of paint using a FLAT paint as the base. I have not done this yet because of just finding these and The coal room is dusty and needs a good cleaning. I'll let you know how this works out.

Posted 5 years ago #
compusolver
Member

Camera - under $100? Hmmm. I suppose you could carve one out of a block of wood. Oh wait - I've got a Canon A1 Hi-8 I'd sell for that. It doesn't work, but then that would be a minor detail when talking about video cameras for under $100, wouldn't it? :)

Please use the Search feature of these forums for computer suggestions. Also, http://www.videoguys.com always has recommended specs.

Since you've undoubtedly budgeted less for mics and lights than for cameras, I'd guess you're restricted to photofloods and clamp-on reflectors and halogen utility lights, (which work quite well, actually).

When you're budget gets "way up there" - to the point where you can lavish $150 for mics, you might consider Azden's VMS-PRO VHS set - includes lav and handheld (which you could duct tape to a broom handle, assuming there's enough left in your budget for duct tape). This would allow you to untether the mic from the camera, giving more freedom of movement.

Posted 5 years ago #
;0)
Member

Hank, I started practicing video with a sony trv350 I got for $3.00 at a yard sale.
broken digital8 tape drive, but teathered to a macbook with firewire, using studio lights It works great, and still gets used to this day.

Posted 5 years ago #
compusolver
Member

Hank, I started practicing video with a sony trv350 I got for $3.00 at a yard sale.

Amazing! Still, this poster does not seem to be asking about broken video cameras.

I tried (unsuccessully) to buy a Hi-8 or digital used camcorder in working condition for my grandson on his birthday for $100 or under. I scoured eBay, craigslist, etc. to no avail - at least not for anything that appeared up and up, etc.

It is probably possible, but when you add the poster's purpose - to create movies with greenscreens and quality that meets his statements: "reasonably good"; "good enough that others will want to be in them..." then I think you're looking at 3-CCDs, at least 1/4", preferably 1/3" (for clean greenscreens, etc.) then I really don't think you're going to be successful at yard sales. At least, not for under $1000, if you want a camera in good working order.

Several years ago, I also tried to get a decent cam for under $1000. I bought a $400 Canon A-1 and an $800 Canon L2 - both paperweights. It is generally not economical to throw away twelve hundred dollars before facing reality and spending $2500 for the right deal.

Posted 5 years ago #
poppa_bear42330
Member

compusolver Wrote:
Camera - under $100? Hmmm. I suppose you could carve one out of a block of wood. Oh wait - I've got a Canon A1 Hi-8 I'd sell for that. It doesn't work, but then that would be a minor detail when talking about video cameras for under $100, wouldn't it? :)

Left out an 0 there. Should have been $1000 not $100. LOL That would put me at about me daughters old fisher price black and white play camera.

Ok I have a camcorder that IF sony does what they said and actually fixes it(still not word on it) I'll be using that camera and will be able to spend more on mics and lights and whatever. If the camera does not get fixed(this is sony we are talking about so not holding my breath) then I am set back about a grand for a replacement unless there a camera with a 3ccd set up that gets great video and sound(mics help I know) for under say...$800? Anyone? Anyone at all? Ok then let me try this.

IF the camera is fixed and I get it back I'll be looking for things to go with it like higher end mics and any filters that will fit a sony handycam dcv hv-20 of which I know of none but then the only filters I ever really with were for an older 35mm still camera. I'll repost everything later when I can type with out sounding like a 15 year old kid with his first camera.

Posted 5 years ago #
;0)
Member

agree that you get what you pay for. but with the trv350, I've found that in my studio, with powerful worklights (gelled to colorbalance)
the picture quality, is indistinguishable from any dvd I've watched. there fore it is safe to say that a cheaper cam CAN do pro work, Under IDEAL controlled light. (Hell, if you're going to use a seperate recorder for sound, then even an external mic jack won't be missed). But you're screwed as soon as you take it out of your studio. So for podcasters and Interview type, in studio work, a lesser cam, good lights, voice recorder, and computer could get you up and running for less than half the cost of a "Proper" set up.
still, best to get the right tools, and do it right.
But I didn't let cost stop me from learning.

Posted 5 years ago #