What camera would be best for me when it comes to color grading?

[Ryan Elder]

I was thinking the blackmagic pcoket 4K, I have $3000 to buy it with, which should be enough according to the store prices. After I pick a DP, I will get their opinion on it, and if it's the camera to use, unless they have something better.

[Pete Cofrancesco]

Originally Posted by Ryan Elder

I was thinking the blackmagic pcoket 4K, I have $3000 to buy it with, which should be enough according to the store prices. After I pick a DP, I will get their opinion on it, and if it's the camera to use, unless they have something better.

Great let us know when you get it. Btw, the camera will not be of much use without lenses, batteries, memory cards and a device needed to pull focus.

[Ryan Elder]

Okay thanks. Do you think I should follow what that actor said before and that I really should let a DP and crew worry about all this and I just concentrate on directing only and stop trying to be a jack of all trades, and leave the rest up to other departments?

[Josh Bass]

Possibly the most logical idea youve ever posted on here.

I 100% support this idea.

[Ryan Elder]

Sure I can just do up the shot list of the whole script. A preliminary shot list and storyboards, and give it to the DP. Let the DP see what he/she can do with it, and possibly make adjustments, if that sounds good?

[Josh Bass]

Sorry did I post in the wrong thread? You had something about buying trying and returning various cams to see which was best in low light.


THAT’’S what I was referring to. I would have sworn it was this thread but maybe I’m wrong cause now I don’t see the post.

Looks like it was edited cause it was definitely this thread.

[Ryan Elder]

Oh yes, I changed the thread, wondering if I should do just be the director and leave it up to a DP instead, and I thought you were referring to that one. My mistake. Yeah I can buy a few cameras and test them all out and return the ones that do not work for me, if that's better.

[Paul R Johnson]

Surely the DP is going to do one of a small number of things?
1. Look at your equipment and refuse to use it because it wont work.
2. Insist on using his/her own equipment which will work
3. insist you hire something.

The three grand could be better spent. If you buy things now, will they be useful to you for the next project? We've told you before about the problems buying kit.

Three grand will get a nice hire package but a limited purchase package.

https://www.dvinfo.net/forum/blackma...-vacation.html
This member posted some rather nice BMC 6K images here

[Ryan Elder]

When you say a hire package do you mean renting? It's in just in past experience if a shoot date changes, then I need the equipment ready to go for the change, so rending didn't work well for me in the past. It did about half the time, but still want equipment ready to go for the possible half it won't work.

However, I can wait for the DP, and then decide what I need to buy, if I buy anything. Or I could rent, as long as everyone can stick to the shoot dates. Some of the items though, the rental store does not have, and may need to be purchased.

[Brian Drysdale]

You should check when people are available, find a period when they're all available and tell them that's when the shoot is taking place, If some crew members or minor members of the cast then become unavailable, you replace them.

You can then hire gear and arrange locations for that period, that's the way films work.

[Paul R Johnson]

If your contributors cannot act professionally enough to be there when they say they can, then strike them off the list. If they think the project not worth acting professionally over - you don't want them, ever.

If you are spending your money, you have a right to expect promises to be kept, and they need to understand the implications of not being available. What you could do, if you don't feel that formal contracts are possible is make sure you create an email trail satisfactory to Judge Judy, and your local small claims court.

You makes sure that one email explains the expense you are committing to and ask them in ordinary language if they can do it.

"Our first shooting date is XXXX and I'm investing a lot of non-refundable funds from my own pocket in hiring equipment, so will you be able to make this date?" They will respond with a yes or no. If they wreck the production, you use their reply and your question and it's going to generate evidence for the court. Few judges would say that after being told the implication to you, they shouldn't honour it! Not 100% solid legal stuff, but small claims courts like any kind of evidence.

Surely you should be having a chat with your prospective DP - they will have very strong opinions on kit.

What kind of kit do you want that a rental store cannot supply?

Rental stores who supply real film makers are always, in my experience VERY happy to help you with suggestions. They constantly buy new and exciting kit, so if you tell them you want to shoot X scene at night, they're likely to tell you "Why don't you hire the new XYZ, it's brilliant at 4K with only local light sources - you won't need to hire any lights or faff with generators?"

My local hire place always listen to me and my wants, then suggest alternatives. Sometimes I reject them, but often I have never thought of what they suggest. They are friends now, not just a business. They often give me more expensive kit for the cheaper price when they are out of stock. Hire packages are rental. BUT - they are a complete package. Everything you need, down to cables, gels, odds and ends - not just a few boxes you then have to search round to put together.

[Brian Drysdale]

Rental companies often do deals, so it's worth checking their best price for the package, For example, short films often get extremely good deals with the big rental companies because they're investing in a future relationship.

[Ryan Elder]

Originally Posted by Paul R Johnson

If your contributors cannot act professionally enough to be there when they say they can, then strike them off the list. If they think the project not worth acting professionally over - you don't want them, ever.

If you are spending your money, you have a right to expect promises to be kept, and they need to understand the implications of not being available. What you could do, if you don't feel that formal contracts are possible is make sure you create an email trail satisfactory to Judge Judy, and your local small claims court.

You makes sure that one email explains the expense you are committing to and ask them in ordinary language if they can do it.

"Our first shooting date is XXXX and I'm investing a lot of non-refundable funds from my own pocket in hiring equipment, so will you be able to make this date?" They will respond with a yes or no. If they wreck the production, you use their reply and your question and it's going to generate evidence for the court. Few judges would say that after being told the implication to you, they shouldn't honour it! Not 100% solid legal stuff, but small claims courts like any kind of evidence.

Surely you should be having a chat with your prospective DP - they will have very strong opinions on kit.

What kind of kit do you want that a rental store cannot supply?

Rental stores who supply real film makers are always, in my experience VERY happy to help you with suggestions. They constantly buy new and exciting kit, so if you tell them you want to shoot X scene at night, they're likely to tell you "Why don't you hire the new XYZ, it's brilliant at 4K with only local light sources - you won't need to hire any lights or faff with generators?"

My local hire place always listen to me and my wants, then suggest alternatives. Sometimes I reject them, but often I have never thought of what they suggest. They are friends now, not just a business. They often give me more expensive kit for the cheaper price when they are out of stock. Hire packages are rental. BUT - they are a complete package. Everything you need, down to cables, gels, odds and ends - not just a few boxes you then have to search round to put together.

Oh okay thanks, but I can't just strike anyone off a list anytime they become an inconvenience, cause in the past, when I did that, finding replacements took longer even, and then everyone else has to wait more. Plus if it's an actor, I can't replace them, if they are have already been in previous scenes, unless I reshoot all those scenes as well. I had people back out of contracts before, and they know it would cost money to take it to court, than it's worth, so they didn't care about the contracts. This only happened a couple of times so far, and hopefully will not anymore. But sometimes it's not the cast and crew that become unavailable but the location owners, pulling our or changing their mind for any reasons. However, when it comes to availability, what if I have situations in the psat, where everyone was available for certain days, but the equipment was not. Should I just bite the bullet and buy all the equipment, since everyone is available for days that the rental stores are not?

As for equipment not available at the store, one thing I noticed was a gimbal was not available. The store has a steadicam to rent, but if I rent it for more than three times, it costs more than the price of buying a gimbal. Plus a gimbal is easier to get practice with, where as a steadicam would take a lot longer, unless I manage to find a steadicam operator.

Also, the store does not seem to have a telephoto lens so I will get a new manual focus one that I can keep, or maybe I can rent one from somewhere else. The rental stores only have shotgun mics, but if I want a hypercardioid for some locations, I have my own for that so far... These are just a few things I noticed so far.

Perhaps I just need to have faith that everyone will be available and nothing will go wrong, it's just I have always had to readjust in past experience. Plus I already do have all this audio equipment, so I figured I might as well put it to use. Do you you think the sound department would mind using my equipment while I direct. That way, I can do record all the post audio myself to save money and I still have the same equipment to match, as long as they wouldn't mind using it? But I will check again on the rental deals and go over things with a DP, before deciding what to do, if that's best.

[Brian Drysdale]

If you're renting kit for making a feature film, you need to work in one week blocks, doing the odd weekend or day doesn't really work. Unless you've got a very tight working structure on the weekends, you'll spend a year or two shooting it.

If you're not paying actors and a paying job comes along, they will obviously go for that. Also, if the DP gets a work on a longer/bigger production, they won't be available for the free shoot, All these are the rules for freebee productions, your contracts probably don't have any legal weight in court if no money has changed hands.

One week shooting blocks force the cast & crew to make a commitment. Have reserve DP(s) in mind who can take over. It's not unusual for production managers to ring around for replacements.

[Ryan Elder]

Okay thanks. I payed before when it came to the ones who broke contract. The free ones actually were more available in comparison. And yes I will definitely want to pay. As for reserves, one short film I did before I had 4 DPs on it, after the first became unavailable, for example. I noticed that the cinematography style, changed from scene to scene because of that, so as long as I can maintain consistency, and it doesn't change.