DVX100a, computers, college, expenses...

[Glenn Chan]

I wouldn't buy a thing.

If the school uses Final Cut, I don't really see why you would need a Final Cut system of your own. They should give you enough time to edit your projects in Final Cut.

If not, you might be able to do offline/online. You'll have to export a project file from one system, which you use to re-capture all your footage on the other system. This avoids the file systems issue, and quicktime versus AVI, but does take time to re-capture footage. Or just edit everything at home... it doesn't make all that much difference whether you cut on Final Cut or Premiere.

Be aware if you buy a computer, it will lose value to obsolescence very quickly.

As far as the camera goes, I would wait till you get to school first to see what the availability on them are. Why buy a camera when you can borrow it for free?

2- College may be overrated. The degree, at best, would land you an entry-level job. Some entry-level jobs are really competitive but if you did your own thing + networked, you'd probably be able to land an entry-level job too.

School does give you:
A degree/diploma, which is useful for non-film/video jobs.
Networking opportunities with fellow students, because you're working with them.
Motivation to work on projects. Sometimes it's hard to motivate yourself to work on projects.
A broad education, so you learn a little bit of everything.
Gear + crew (your classmates) if you want to do short films (which sometimes can lead elsewhere).
Some of the teachersmay be good mentors for you and have networking connections.


If you already have some friends whoa re interested in film/video stuff and you know you can motivate each other, maybe just try to do your own thing, pool money for gear instead of spending it on tuition, and network (i.e. go to user grou's meetings) and try to find entry-level jobs.

[Chris Hurd]

School is primarily for learning how to learn. That's really what the big payoff is, plus all the friends you make along the way. Immerse yourself in the experience and keep an open mind at all times. Oh, yeah.. I agree with the majority of folks here who are advising you not to buy anything yet. Wait until you get there. Then see what you can actually get your hands on.

[Patrick Jenkins]

If the school uses Final Cut, I don't really see why you would need a Final Cut system of your own. They should give you enough time to edit your projects in Final Cut.

(kidding)

It's been a while since you were in school I assume ;-)

(/kidding)

There are NEVER enough resources for everyone - especially when it's crunch time and everyone is fighting for access to labs to finish projects all due at exactly the same time.

Besides, having your own gear (don't get the camera - do get the computer) gives you even more time and advantage to learn your craft and teach yourself and put you hopefully a step above and beyond all of the other students in the same perdicaments.

If the gear can't be afforded, that's one thing. But to say 'nah, use what's provided and don't consider extra effort' is IMO a real disservice.

Don't buy anything til you get there - you don't want to get the wrong stuff and make life harder than it needs to be ;-). But don't say to yourself 'eh, I can get by with what is here'.

( To clear up confusion, I'm talking about the mentality of doing 'just enough' as being a bad thing - being resourceful and creative with what you've got on hand is a valuable tool in the belt, but doing just enough is really only calculated laziness and won't teach you anything about using what you've only got on-hand :-) )

$.02

[Kevin Beswick]

Listen to Barry about the DVX, not Marcin, sorry. It is an incredible camera and is TRUE 24p. As far as the computer, its true that the longer you wait, the cheaper everything becomes, but I would definitely take advantage of educational discounts while in school. Waiting is ok, but at some point you have to jump in. There will always be better equipment coming down the pipe, but you only have so much time here, and having your own equipment is a definite advantage over having to rent, borrow, or go to the labs to edit. 24 7 access to your own stuff is a great way to really learn.

[Bob Costa]

Editing is a 24 x 7 event. Once you get to school, get a computer if you need to. Production on the other hand can be planned. Using school cameras, with the restrictions on availability, will make you a better filmmaker. You will be forced to learn how to pre-plan, how to schedule, how to get things done within a window of time, how to accept good enough "moving on....". Going back for a reshoot or for pickups will be a big deal, as it should be. It will be harder, but it will make you stronger.

[Marcin Tyszka]

Then again. isn't that true that is you want to edit in final cut or premiere you need to transfer at 30 frames which will give you 29.97fps?? Then after you go back to 24 fps. What if you would have dvc80 which shoots at 30 fps and then upload it to premiere or final cut??

[Michael Galvan]

Originally Posted by Marcin Tyszka

Then again. isn't that true that is you want to edit in final cut or premiere you need to transfer at 30 frames which will give you 29.97fps?? Then after you go back to 24 fps. What if you would have dvc80 which shoots at 30 fps and then upload it to premiere or final cut??

Hi Marcin,

The DVX shoots in true 24p, just like any of the other 24p cameras. The way it stores the 24p on tape is what may be confusing you. The footage has to comply to NTSC standards and therefore all footage, regardless of what framerate it was shot with, is layed down as 60i. In the 24p and 24pa, a pulldown is used to conform it to 60i (2:3 pulldown in 24p and 2:3:3:2 in 24pa). When you capture into FCP for example, u can remove the extraneous blended frames in the cadence (24pa) to extract the orginal true 24p footage.

Its motion sampling is exactly 24fps. It is just layed to tape in 60i to conform to NTSC standards. Otherwise, the footage wouldn't play on our US television sets.

Hope this helps,

Galvan