Same--ordered from a local shop, hoping it gets in by November.
Depends on what you're shooting!
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Video & Filmmaking ERA |OT| Lights, Camera, ERA!
- Thread starter CelestialAtom
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The Panasonic 12-35 Lumix with O.I.S. is one hell of a lens to have. Also, nab a 1TB SSD (The Samsung T5 is recommended) soon before prices go back up. Also, buy a ton of used Canon LP-E6 batteries. Get a shoulder rig and the DJI Ronin-S.
Just came across this thread. Cool that Era's got filmmakers! As a sound editor, I don't make movies myself, but I do work on people's movies. :P Though I've been working mainly on TV shows the past couple of years.
That said I'll be sure follow among and post from time to time. Wish you all great success!
That said I'll be sure follow among and post from time to time. Wish you all great success!
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In need of advice as I currently live in the Central Valley in California and my dream has always been to work on film. So I've been saving money to move somewhere that will set me up to follow those dreams.
One scenario was that I'd move to LA and go to Santa Monica College for their film program either go with the certificate or transfer to CSU Northridge and finish school their.
But would certificate be good enough to start a career in filmmaking?
Second scenario is that I move to New Mexico, go to school their and work in that film industry as the news that Netflix is investing a lot of money to ABQ brings hope to breaking in.
I just need to learn somewhere and be able to work.
One scenario was that I'd move to LA and go to Santa Monica College for their film program either go with the certificate or transfer to CSU Northridge and finish school their.
But would certificate be good enough to start a career in filmmaking?
Second scenario is that I move to New Mexico, go to school their and work in that film industry as the news that Netflix is investing a lot of money to ABQ brings hope to breaking in.
I just need to learn somewhere and be able to work.
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A degree has never mattered for the film industry. It's a tough industry that is all about how well you networked and your job performance. Nothing else matters.
Because even if you graduate with a bachelors from a top school, you're always going to start at the bottom right ?
The work someone has created is infinitely more important. I personally don't care at all about a degree when looking for freelancers or whatever.
Film school or whatever is excellent for building a network of likeminded people. That's definitely the most valuable thing you'll get out of it.
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Yep. A degree doesn't mean snot in our industry. It's who you know and what you can do/have done that matters.
Either start shooting your own stuff or get working on other people's projects. Everyone needs a PA/grip/etc., just prove yourself and get friendly and more work will come.
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This 100%. Just start work and you'll get there. My friends & I made our own short films years ago, which led to local commercials, then work at our local PBS station inside the university nearby. I'm about to do 1st & 2nd AC for a film against sex slavory done by the Nashville Filmmakers Guild here. It's sponsored by the TEC and also has snippets air in front of some movies at our Regal cinemas. It's all about starting and constantly working hard & networking.
I regret not going to film school only for the hands-on experience and community you inherently have.
With how widespread information is, you can gain an understanding of everything you need to know online. The only trick is putting it into practice. I remember my first shoots, even "knowing" what color balance is (from videos, reading, even playing with my own DSLR then), and still fudging it up during the shoot. Repetition/experience teaches you how to handle general and specific scenarios that have to be learned, through practice/repetition.
Having said that--don't approach it like you're at a handicap. People become filmmakers at all ages and through all experience levels. Missing out on certain aspects of film school is something you need to be aware of, but you don't need to let it get you down. Just go make stuff and learn each time.
With how widespread information is, you can gain an understanding of everything you need to know online. The only trick is putting it into practice. I remember my first shoots, even "knowing" what color balance is (from videos, reading, even playing with my own DSLR then), and still fudging it up during the shoot. Repetition/experience teaches you how to handle general and specific scenarios that have to be learned, through practice/repetition.
Having said that--don't approach it like you're at a handicap. People become filmmakers at all ages and through all experience levels. Missing out on certain aspects of film school is something you need to be aware of, but you don't need to let it get you down. Just go make stuff and learn each time.
Hey y'all--I just finished my reel!
This, personally, was a long time coming. I only went freelance full-time this past year and honestly didn't have experience under my belt that I was too proud of. A lot of micro-to-no budget work, handheld, no time to really set shots up or get work I was proud of. Only over the past year did I really get a chance to spread my wings a bit.
Here is the reel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bc0FwWvkdOM
And here's my site: https://www.traviswardvideo.com/
I live in Austin, TX--if any of y'all are in the Central Austin area, I'd love to meet up and talk shop!
This, personally, was a long time coming. I only went freelance full-time this past year and honestly didn't have experience under my belt that I was too proud of. A lot of micro-to-no budget work, handheld, no time to really set shots up or get work I was proud of. Only over the past year did I really get a chance to spread my wings a bit.
Here is the reel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bc0FwWvkdOM
And here's my site: https://www.traviswardvideo.com/
I live in Austin, TX--if any of y'all are in the Central Austin area, I'd love to meet up and talk shop!
What are the best tutorial videos to learn adobe premiere for someone who's a complete novice to video editing?
Nice dude! I'm also an Austinite, hit me up sometime! I primarily work in animation these days, but just directed a short with my girlfriend (she wrote and produced it) whose also in the industry. We're currently in post right now.
Speaking of cameras, I'm looking to pick something up as a workhorse camera. I have connections that give me access to the big guns (Red, Sony, etc), but am looking for something for smaller, faster shoots and for test footage. I've been out of the game for a bit in terms of what's hot right now, any recommendations on what I should give a spin? I'm flexible with mount type, as I've yet to really invest in a solid lens library.
I dig it but I'd cut it by like 20 secs or so. When you start using the same projects over and over it can convey to people you lack experience
So I'm going to start school early next year and I need a laptop. Something that can play games and video editing would be nice but you can't always get everything. If I had the money I would buy a MacBook Pro, but might have to wait on that for now.
Do you guys recommend any cheaper alternatives for video editing laptops?
Do you guys recommend any cheaper alternatives for video editing laptops?
Looking for some advice, I was lucky enough for one of my films to win an award at a small Film Festival in Istanbul. They are now asking me for my bank details to pass on the prize money but unsure about it all. I'm based in the UK and some of the things they are asking for I have no idea about and just a tad wary providing all this information. I have queried if they could just send the money via Paypal but they stated I needed to fill in this form to get the money.
Any help or guidance would be grateful.
Any help or guidance would be grateful.
That seems like a lot more information than would be necessary. I'm no expert by any means but it feels fishy. Even though some of the details seem rather pointless. I've sent some invoices internationally and all the needed was my IBAN. Though it had my VAT (?) number on it by default as well.
So, I had a short get into Slamdance and will be at the Florida Film Festival in April, but I put it online today through NoBudge.
https://vimeo.com/319968456
http://nobudge.com/main/chicken-wraps-and-condoms
Honestly, we kind of made this very quickly as a last minute thing so I'm not completely happy with it, but hey it's done well for me.
https://vimeo.com/319968456
http://nobudge.com/main/chicken-wraps-and-condoms
Honestly, we kind of made this very quickly as a last minute thing so I'm not completely happy with it, but hey it's done well for me.
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Can't listen to the audio since I am at work, but this already looks weird, haha. What equipment were you working with?
Just a gh3 and an olympus 25mm lens. Theres not a lot of dialogue but it was recorded with a rode videomic pro
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Very cool! I'll give it a full watch once I am out of work soon. Thank you so much for sharing!
Mulling over a new camera purchase in the near future. My Ursa Mini has served me well and will still be kept for other specialist work & short films, but my job has pivoted towards a lot of fast and lean productions where I just can't be lugging around a heavy set of gear all day.
The Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 4K really interests me as a reasonably priced alternative, with exceptional visual quality for the money. I've already costed up a £3500-ish acquisition of camera, lenses, grip equipment, and a few extras. I'm sure we've got a few owners of these in here, so does anybody have any real world practical advice about this camera I should know about? I haven't really been keeping up with what's going on as the BM forums are a bit of a mess sometimes, if you're looking for the broad strokes. I know I'll have to keep a bandolier of Canon batteries on me because of how quickly this camera goes through them.
I've also taken a look at the C200, but I'm not sure how lean it'll be compared to the above. It'll cost me a few thousand extra for the camera alone too, and I'm not totally up with what the codec situation is like either. Is it still a choice between a compressed MP4 and RAW-lite?
The Canon XF705 is also of interest. It's the most expensive of the bunch, but as it's seriously impressive as an ENG camera and I wouldn't be surprised if it became industry standard for broadcast work in the way the 305 did. Fast and lean is absolutely what this camera is about by design, but Canon are delivering excellent image quality with highly efficient recording options too. Hoping to try out one of these as a rental eventually.
The Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 4K really interests me as a reasonably priced alternative, with exceptional visual quality for the money. I've already costed up a £3500-ish acquisition of camera, lenses, grip equipment, and a few extras. I'm sure we've got a few owners of these in here, so does anybody have any real world practical advice about this camera I should know about? I haven't really been keeping up with what's going on as the BM forums are a bit of a mess sometimes, if you're looking for the broad strokes. I know I'll have to keep a bandolier of Canon batteries on me because of how quickly this camera goes through them.
I've also taken a look at the C200, but I'm not sure how lean it'll be compared to the above. It'll cost me a few thousand extra for the camera alone too, and I'm not totally up with what the codec situation is like either. Is it still a choice between a compressed MP4 and RAW-lite?
The Canon XF705 is also of interest. It's the most expensive of the bunch, but as it's seriously impressive as an ENG camera and I wouldn't be surprised if it became industry standard for broadcast work in the way the 305 did. Fast and lean is absolutely what this camera is about by design, but Canon are delivering excellent image quality with highly efficient recording options too. Hoping to try out one of these as a rental eventually.
I've been using my Pocket 4K for a few months now and am really enjoying it. Is there anything specific you'd like to know?
Yeah, the LP-E6 battery situation is bad. Unless you bought the $50 official Canon batteries (those are the only ones I can consistently get good life out of), be ready to change batteries every 45 minutes. It's kind of a nightmare, TBH, haha. But, there are lots of battery solutions, including the Tilta cage that has a battery compartment in a handle or a battery mount.
Otherwise, it's as good as expected. BRAW was just added (CDNG removed, which was causing a stir last week), which I love. I like the softer and less red/magenta in the image, and it's a bit brighter, too. I've used it handheld, with a steadicam, on a dolly, locked down, etc. Very versatile. Minor complaints: a dedicated stills button is stupid. Let us at least map it to something else, since it's used so infrequently. Image stabilization would be nice, and I miss the built-in NDs of the UMP.
Yeah, the LP-E6 battery situation is bad. Unless you bought the $50 official Canon batteries (those are the only ones I can consistently get good life out of), be ready to change batteries every 45 minutes. It's kind of a nightmare, TBH, haha. But, there are lots of battery solutions, including the Tilta cage that has a battery compartment in a handle or a battery mount.
Otherwise, it's as good as expected. BRAW was just added (CDNG removed, which was causing a stir last week), which I love. I like the softer and less red/magenta in the image, and it's a bit brighter, too. I've used it handheld, with a steadicam, on a dolly, locked down, etc. Very versatile. Minor complaints: a dedicated stills button is stupid. Let us at least map it to something else, since it's used so infrequently. Image stabilization would be nice, and I miss the built-in NDs of the UMP.
What was this issue I heard about with red highlights clipping? I saw there are some solutions in post, but I was wondering if it was fixed in-camera with recent firmware. Other than that, any general quirks while in use? Not expecting anything major, just impressions of how well day-in, day-out use goes.
Can't say I'd use CinemaDNG very much, but sort of sad to see it removed as an option at least. BRAW interests me greatly, however.
Oh - on the subject of NDs, etc, what's the situation with IR pollution when NDs are applied? It could get pretty bad on my original Ursa Mini without an IR filter, with blacks taking on a tint of red and all that.
Ha, I've actually been doing a ton of research on that issue the past few months. I recently shot a horror short that had a lot of red gels/lighting on set.
I had wanted to shoot in BRAW, but it was released on the Pocket the last day of shooting XD
Shot it all RAW, CDNG. Check this thread here for some really good solutions: http://bmcuser.com/showthread.php?22445-Pocket-4K-red-clipping/page3&p=261532
Basically, it's nothing wrong at the sensor level, the color science just needs to be updated to handle red (and blue, though not as severely) channel clipping and rolloff. I use the solution above that changes the color space to a wider RED gamut and that really helps.
So, related to IR polution, the BMD cameras have always had a bad red of red IR pollution and red/magenta casts. BRAW and Color Science v4 is a correction to that. In fact, now when BRAW is underexposed a bit, it tends to shift cooler. Overall though, it is much better. You can even take your RAW footage in Resolve and switch from Color Science v3 to v4 and watch the reds decrease. It also has some built in noise reduction, which helps bump the exposure up a bit too. I really like the grain in BRAW too vs before.
Ahhhh, okay.
The reason I ask is that I don't really use Resolve, and was hoping with BRAW + the plugin I've seen for Premiere I could enjoy the benefits of RAW from a Blackmagic camera without having to dick about in Resolve much. Of course now it seems I'll have to use Resolve anyway for handling that red channel clipping and switching colour science, assuming Premiere doesn't have similar functionality.
Not the end of the world. I've edited whole projects in Premiere and finished the visuals off in Resolve before.
Got any experience with it on a gimbal? Planning to get the DJI Ronin-S along with it. I know I need to use the offset cheeseplate that comes with the gimbal to get the camera actually on, but I was wondering how close the camera skirts to the weight limit with stuff like a half cage & top handle, maybe an SSD, and probably the DJI follow focus gear.
I've been leaning hard on Resolve lately, largely because I am cutting costs and $40-50 a month for Adobe Creative Cloud is one of my cuts. I am not as familiar with Premiere or AE color grading (outside of Lumetri) but yeah, it seems like the current solutions for the red channel clipping may require Resolve. Then again, if you didn't shoot anything that may have the red clipping, you're fine.
No experience using a gimbal with it yet, just a steadicam. I am pretty sure BMC User has some discussions on Gimbal fitting, if you check that forum. Or maybe even Youtube!
I've slowly been switching from Adobe Premiere to DaVinci Resolve because the importance/impact of color grading. I'm proficient color grading with Premiere, but DaVinci give you much better control. Premiere is better for assembling & editing because keying effects are upfront.
Yeah, I've heard BRAW has more of a 'film-ic' quality to it compared to CDNG, so that's something that really excites me. Going to be awhile before I upgrade from my Panasonic G85 to the Pocket 4K though, as I currently don't make much money at all and currently need to focus on building more of a generalized filmmaking arsenal (i.e. lighting, C-stands, various lenses, filters, gimbal or steadicam).
Speaking of lenses, I just bought a Canon FD 28mm f2.8 and dummy adapter, so hopefully I'll be able to use that in my next project. Aside from my Panny kit lens, I've been working with a Minolta Rokkor 50mm f1.4 (with a Focal Reducer) and a Helios 44-2 58mm f2 via dummy adapter, so I'm looking forward to shooting with a lens that even vaguely resembles a wide angle or standard focal length and not have to worry about the G85's unreliable autofocus getting in the way mid-shoot.
My plan moving forward is to eventually buy a Viltrox EF-M2 speedbooster and buy a bunch of various cheap dummy adapters for my vintage lenses to all match the Canon EF mount, thus turning my G85 (and later Pocket 4K when I nab one) from a Micro Four-Thirds camera into something more akin to Super 35.
Haven't really read up on the BPCC4K but the image quality is looking mighty fine.
How does it compare to an A7SII? I'm filming a wedding for some friends in a month or two but I figured I might give that Blackmagic a test run instead of using the trusty A7S.
How does it compare to an A7SII? I'm filming a wedding for some friends in a month or two but I figured I might give that Blackmagic a test run instead of using the trusty A7S.
Depends what features you really value in the A7SII. Not too familiar with that camera outside of its stellar low-light capabilities.
The BMPCC4K doesn't have image stabilisation, and the auto focus isn't continuous + "breathes" quite a bit finding the focus. I imagine a wedding shoot relies a lot more on run n' gun features you might get in other cameras, whereas the BMPCC4K is genuinely a great pro-sumer cinema camera in a small/cost efficient body.
Honestly the only thing I'm using the A7S for is the fine image quality in a small package. I'm mainly just running around shooting fun slowmotion shots with plenty depth of field. The IBS is nice, but not a must have while shooting slowmotion. And the low-light is quite useful but not necessarily a must.
Just something convenient with good image quality is something I'm looking for. Would be fun to test the BMPCC4K. But if it has abysmal low-light, or has the absolute worst battery life (A7S isn't that great either) or eats data like a mad man if you want to shoot in a meaningful codec, or something else, I might have to reconsider.
You might actually have a good time with the BMPCC4K if those A7S functions are non-essential and you're looking for video quality above all else.
Blackmagic cameras aren't known for good low light performance, but the Pocket 4K has Dual ISO and can be pushed considerably further than any other camera BM have produced before. There are some quirks to Dual ISO you might want to look into and experiment with though, like sometimes it makes sense to shoot on the lowest ISO setting of the second circuit rather than the highest setting of the first, etc. Also a good idea to take a look at the chart that shows how many stops of dynamic range you get on each ISO setting and how they're distributed.
Battery life is bad on the Pocket 4K, but I don't know how it stacks with the A7S. Expect to change the battery every 45 minutes, and stick with official Canon LP-E6 ones as much as possible.
Plenty of codec options available on the Pocket 4K, so data efficiency really depends on the level of quality you're aiming for/what your deliverables are. Blackmagic RAW is now available for the camera too, with even more options to consider if you're into the idea of the flexibility of RAW but more manageable data.
Awesome. Thanks for the detailed respons. I'll be sure to do some research around the Dual ISO and the codecs! Thanks for the tips.
I've been mostly shooting with Sony cameras so far. And after shooting with REDs, Arris and recently the C200 I came to realize I just don't like the Sony color science at all. It's really lacking regarding skin tones. So I'm just really excited to test and try other cameras.
You're in for a treat if Sony's colour science is a hang up for you. Some of that stuff is subjective, but BM's colour science is generally accepted as some of the best out there. Really punches above its weight.
Spaghetti covered most of it, but to reiterate on the Pocket 4K:
- LP-E6 battery life is awful; you'll have to swap batteries every 40-60 minutes or use an alternate solution (there are a lot)
- Supports ProRES and Blackmagic RAW codecs. ProRES is solid but I'm hoping BRAW is the future and is supported by other applications. Compression rates of 12:1 make my hard drive(s) happy
- Dual native ISO makes it great for low light. Spaghetti mentioned this, but there was a lot of misunderstanding of how the sensor works until recently.
- Color science is great, esp if you're coming from Sony. Had a friend recently switch to a C300 because he was just really not happy with how his FS7 was handling skintones.
Bit the bullet - now on a waiting list for the BMPCC4K.
Basically every authorised seller has a waiting list as long as your arm right now, but I'd be at approximately 35-ish with this place and could get it within 5-6 weeks. Pretty reasonable when CVP has hundreds of back orders for the same camera.
Have to start making lens choices now, though. Gunning for an Olympus Zukio for a zoom to start with, then either Voightlander or Meike for primes. Probably not going to be able to buy *ALL* my kit in one go, but I don't mind.
Basically every authorised seller has a waiting list as long as your arm right now, but I'd be at approximately 35-ish with this place and could get it within 5-6 weeks. Pretty reasonable when CVP has hundreds of back orders for the same camera.
Have to start making lens choices now, though. Gunning for an Olympus Zukio for a zoom to start with, then either Voightlander or Meike for primes. Probably not going to be able to buy *ALL* my kit in one go, but I don't mind.
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Yeah, it's insane how poorly BM is handling this. Every time they release a camera, you have to wait forever just to get it.
For the Pocket 4K at least, I hear a parts shortage is exacerbating the supply issues.
In all other cases I just think they severely underestimate how popular their cameras are out of the gate. Maybe it's on purpose to create artificial demand.
My new toy.
Nice. I have the Ronin M and have only really gotten to use it 3 times. The smaller gimbals seem way more impulse-friendly.
Dropbox or WeTransfer should work as long as the files (project file + raw/transcoded material I assume) aren't huge.