/vid/ sticky 2017

/vid/ sticky – 2017 edition

Cheap beginner cameras:
http://learnaboutfilm.com/making-a-film/equipment-for-low-budget-filmmaking/filmmakingcamera/
In general, we tend to advocate DSLRs and mirrorless cameras due to their large sensor sizes, interchangeable lenses and relatively cheap prices.
DSLRs have historically been used on the set of several feature films, often as B-cameras, including the Avengers and Black Swan.

What gear do I need?:
http://learnaboutfilm.com/making-a-film/equipment-for-low-budget-filmmaking/
Start with a tripod and a microphone.
After that, there’s all kinds of fun things to invest in, from external sound-recorders(the pre-amp in most cameras is kind of shit) to glidecams for stabilisation. And don’t forget lenses, they aren’t cheap. You won’t know what you need until you start filming shit and seeing what you can’t do that you want to do. (Also, I seriously recommend ND filters for your lenses if you plan on shooting outdoors during the day. They’re relatively cheap.)
In general, better sound quality goes a very long way.

What editing software should I use?
This is up to you, based on what you can find/afford.
Industry standard is Avid  Media Pro, but it’s on its way out.
Adobe Premiere Pro is extremely powerful and relatively easy to use. But a license is very pricey.
Final Cut Pro is the preferred program for MAC users and renders videos stupidly fast.
Sony Vegas gets good results.
DaVinci Resolve 12 is free (as of last time I checked) and is also the best colour-correcting program available.

What is colour-correction/colour-grading?
http://www.redsharknews.com/post/item/3294-beginner-s-intro-to-colour-correction
When you shoot footage, it often won’t look how you want it to for a number of reasons. If you’re shooting on a bad consumer camera without paying attention to the picture profile, you’ll want to correct things like contrast and saturation.
If you’re shooting on a flat picture profile (which is advised to maximise the amount of available dynamic range), or shooting RAW (unlikely unless you’re a professional cinematographer or bought a Blackmagic pocket cinema camera) then colour-correction is needed to properly align the colours with what you saw when you were shooting. Colour-grading, on the other hand, is there to make the picture pop in a way that you specifically want.
One way to look at it might be to see correction as a science whereas grading is an art.

Anything else I need to know?
Loads. But that’s why film-school exists and why cinematographers/directors/grips aren’t born overnight.
Standard is to shoot at 24 frames-per-second in the US and 25 fps in the UK. For both, you want your shutter speed to be 1/50 of a second. This is called having a 180 degree shutter-angle. There’s an equation for figuring out what the shutter angle, it’s pretty simple though. Google it.
Using ridiculously shallow-depth-of-field for every shot is the calling sign of an amateur filmmaker using a DSLR.
Here’s some helpful vids/articles
http://nofilmschool.com/2015/03/15-common-mistakes-amateur-filmmakers-make-fix
http://nofilmschool.com/2016/12/8-things-new-filmmakers-should-learn-making-their-first-film
http://nofilmschool.com/2012/05/dslr-beginners-guide-exposure-diffraction
http://www.redsharknews.com/post/item/2966-the-beginners-guide-to-luts
(LUTs are for colour-correction of RAW footage)

Frequently Asked Questions
Q. I only have x amount of money, what camera should I buy?
A. Buy a used canon t3i/600d. If you can't afford that, use your phone.

Q. I have no budget, what camera should I buy for this professional job I'm doing?
A. A Red Helium 8k

Q. Okay, what's the best camera that is affordable?
A. Define "affordable"

Q. Do I really need a larger sensor? My mate uses a camcorder and he says it's good and I trust him
A. Then why are you coming here? Get him to buy all your shit if he's so smart

Q. My friend says 4k is more important than good audio. Is he right?
A. See above

Q. Is 4k a meme?
A. No, it's a resolution.

Q. Should I buy a Sony?
A. Maybe

Q. What's the best lens?
A. The one that captures what you need it to