My Z1U is officially paid for..... at DVinfo.net

Shannon Rawls · March 10th, 2005, 08:29 PM

Just charged the executive producers credit card a few minutes ago for a narrative shoot in late March.

Now....let's revisit this ....... Can someone tell me again....

How many of you are out there "Waiting on the next big thing?"
LOL

Lord have mercy.

Guys...These cameras are merely TOOLS of the trade. Treat it nothing more then a Carpenter would treat his Hammer. Men, don't sleep with your cameras, don't argue over them, don't come to fist-a-cuffs at your local bar claiming that HDV is better the DVCPROHD with another drunken patron.

Do you wait for the "Next Best Automobile" to come out before you go get a car?? No....you buy the best car at the best deal TODAY and trade it in later when the new models come out or another manufacturers design catches your eye.

So now aside from my labor and about 30 measley hours running time on the drum of my Z1U, I am basically sitting here with a Free Camera. Did I wait for the NEXT BEST THING? no...I got the CURRENT BEST THING and went to work. Please, I urge you all who does this professionally to do as I did and take the same approach with ALL your gear.

Now, forget about NAB...NAB is just a bunch of 'announcements' and 'coming soons'. Most likely, the "NEXT BEST THING" won't be here until August or September. And after the summer, if JVC or Panasonic or even Fisher-Price comes out with a better HAMMER then My Z1U hammer? What do you think I am going to do? And how much more productivity do you think I will have attained between now and then? *smile*

Gee wiz fellas!

- ShannonRawls.com

Steven White · March 10th, 2005, 08:40 PM

Congrats Shannon. That's just plain awesome. All I have to say is:

I was shooting 1080i HDV 2 months before you on my FX1 ;)

-Steve

Bill Sepaniak · March 10th, 2005, 08:48 PM

Amen, Shannon. Well said!

Luis Caffesse · March 10th, 2005, 09:21 PM

"Amen, Shannon. Well said!"

I'm sorry, what was said? I must have missed it while I was out shooting instead of posting.

:)

jk

ps.
for those who loved this post, here's another great one.

James Darren · March 11th, 2005, 05:58 AM

totally agree with what your saying...

most of the people who constantly go on about "the next big thing" & "wait until next year there'll be a new super duper HD camera with proton thrusters & 1.21 gigawatts of image power from 3 linear flux capacitors" are usually the people who are just tech geeks & don't actually work or regularly participate in video/film making of any sort (although I hate to admit but I "sorta" use to be like that)... these people also believe its the camera not the person behind it that makes the pictures. But I guess the camera manufacturers love these type of people!

like Shannon said they're just tools. i've had some of my shots taken from my now "ancient" Sony PDX10P used in some reasonably big name surfing videos because i'm a competent water cameraman, not because I have the latest camera.

Christopher C. Murphy · March 11th, 2005, 06:31 AM

This is exactly why I'm moving back to LA...congrads Shannon.

Before I forget to ask - has the latest tax changes for "runaway productions" helped you at all? It's suppose to help with (I think) under $5,000,000 productions.

Shannon Rawls · March 11th, 2005, 10:56 AM

<<<-- Originally posted by Christopher C. Murphy :
Before I forget to ask - has the latest tax changes for "runaway productions" helped you at all? It's suppose to help with (I think) under $5,000,000 productions. -->>>

Those taxes don't apply to me. I haven't shut down Hollywood Blvd. for a day or aquasitioned the 2nd Street Tunnel for a car-chase scene just yet. *smile*

Most of my shoots are simple city permitting and 1 LAPD officer on the scene type stuff and I deal with building owners directly to gain access to their facilities.

DVD's are managed through deals I have with small distribution companies who handle most of the sales taxing paperwork.

Now when I shoot the next 28-days later and I need to lock down the 405 freeway to have a helicopter crash on it on a friday afternoon and screen the movie in 2068 theaters across the US ....then I'll tell you how those taxes go for me. *smile*

- ShannonRawls.com

Christopher C. Murphy · March 11th, 2005, 10:57 AM

Thanks for the info :)

Bill Pryor · March 12th, 2005, 10:22 AM

Shannon has done what I've always done, ie., buy appropriate gear when there is a job that either pays for it or brings in enough money to justify the purchase. Back in my still photography days that's how I acquaired lenses. Of course you are accepting gear instead of money, basically, so you have to have enough coming in to survive. Some years ago when I bought a Betacam SP camera, I justified the purchase because I had a job coming in that would provide enough additional income to make the payments for 6 months, and I could do the work much better with that camera over what I had been using.

There really does seem to be too much "religion" around the boards when it comes to cameras. I'll reiterate the point that they are only tools. I've seen the Z1 recently, ie., the footage from it on DVD, and although I was a naysayer about HDV at first, this changed my mind. It looks better than anything else I've seen for the money. If I were in the market for a camera now, I don't see how I could justify a $20,000 camera and a $10,000 lens when the Z1 looks so good. Not that it looks as good as a 2/3" chip camera, but it's good enough for what I do.

Some people are bitching that it doesn't have "real" 24p. For me that's irrelevant, because nothing I do ever goes to film anymore. In past years it did, and 24p would have been nice; however the labs do very nice transfers from 60i video. And some documentaries I've worked on in which the producer wanted that look...it was done in post and looks great.

I have heard recently, and this is second had from a reliable friend...he talked with the customer service rep his organization deals with at one of the major distributors, and that rep said the FX1 and Z1 is selling like crazy and sales of the other 1/3" chip cameras have tanked. It seems we are finally entering an HD world, at least in the form of HDV for acquisition.

There will always be a newer, better, cheaper, cooler camera out there, and it will come on the market right after you buy whatever you buy. You can't always have the newest toy, and it doesn't matter. You use the tools that work the best for what you do and the money you have to spend. If somebody comes out with a whole different format, it doesn't matter. No matter what you shoot with or what format it is, it is most likely never going to be distributed in that format anyway. It will go to DVD, or maybe to 1080i HD for some festivals. If it's corporate, it may go to the web, DVD or even VHS. If it's a local TV spot, it'll go to Betacam SP or Digibeta. Nobody really cares what it's shot on if it looks good.

March 10th, 2005, 08:29 PM	#1
Shannon Rawls Major Player Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Los Angeles, California Posts: 853	My Z1U is officially paid for..... Just charged the executive producers credit card a few minutes ago for a narrative shoot in late March. Now....let's revisit this ....... Can someone tell me again.... How many of you are out there "Waiting on the next big thing?" LOL Lord have mercy. Guys...These cameras are merely TOOLS of the trade. Treat it nothing more then a Carpenter would treat his Hammer. Men, don't sleep with your cameras, don't argue over them, don't come to fist-a-cuffs at your local bar claiming that HDV is better the DVCPROHD with another drunken patron. Do you wait for the "Next Best Automobile" to come out before you go get a car?? No....you buy the best car at the best deal TODAY and trade it in later when the new models come out or another manufacturers design catches your eye. So now aside from my labor and about 30 measley hours running time on the drum of my Z1U, I am basically sitting here with a Free Camera. Did I wait for the NEXT BEST THING? no...I got the CURRENT BEST THING and went to work. Please, I urge you all who does this professionally to do as I did and take the same approach with ALL your gear. Now, forget about NAB...NAB is just a bunch of 'announcements' and 'coming soons'. Most likely, the "NEXT BEST THING" won't be here until August or September. And after the summer, if JVC or Panasonic or even Fisher-Price comes out with a better HAMMER then My Z1U hammer? What do you think I am going to do? And how much more productivity do you think I will have attained between now and then? smile Gee wiz fellas! - ShannonRawls.com

March 10th, 2005, 09:21 PM	#4
Luis Caffesse Major Player Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Austin, Texas Posts: 704	"Amen, Shannon. Well said!" I'm sorry, what was said? I must have missed it while I was out shooting instead of posting. :) jk ps. for those who loved this post, here's another great one. __________________ Luis Caffesse Pitch Productions Austin, Texas

March 11th, 2005, 06:31 AM	#6
Christopher C. Murphy Trustee Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Boston, MA Posts: 1,707	This is exactly why I'm moving back to LA...congrads Shannon. Before I forget to ask - has the latest tax changes for "runaway productions" helped you at all? It's suppose to help with (I think) under $5,000,000 productions. __________________ Christopher C. Murphy Director, Producer, Writer

March 11th, 2005, 10:57 AM	#8
Christopher C. Murphy Trustee Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Boston, MA Posts: 1,707	Thanks for the info :) __________________ Christopher C. Murphy Director, Producer, Writer

March 10th, 2005, 08:40 PM	#2
Steven White Major Player Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Canada Posts: 547	Congrats Shannon. That's just plain awesome. All I have to say is: I was shooting 1080i HDV 2 months before you on my FX1 ;) -Steve

March 10th, 2005, 08:48 PM	#3
Bill Sepaniak Regular Crew Join Date: Jan 2003 Posts: 62	Amen, Shannon. Well said!

March 11th, 2005, 05:58 AM	#5
James Darren Major Player Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: New York, NY Posts: 235	totally agree with what your saying... most of the people who constantly go on about "the next big thing" & "wait until next year there'll be a new super duper HD camera with proton thrusters & 1.21 gigawatts of image power from 3 linear flux capacitors" are usually the people who are just tech geeks & don't actually work or regularly participate in video/film making of any sort (although I hate to admit but I "sorta" use to be like that)... these people also believe its the camera not the person behind it that makes the pictures. But I guess the camera manufacturers love these type of people! like Shannon said they're just tools. i've had some of my shots taken from my now "ancient" Sony PDX10P used in some reasonably big name surfing videos because i'm a competent water cameraman, not because I have the latest camera.

March 11th, 2005, 10:56 AM	#7
Shannon Rawls Major Player Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Los Angeles, California Posts: 853	<<<-- Originally posted by Christopher C. Murphy : Before I forget to ask - has the latest tax changes for "runaway productions" helped you at all? It's suppose to help with (I think) under $5,000,000 productions. -->>> Those taxes don't apply to me. I haven't shut down Hollywood Blvd. for a day or aquasitioned the 2nd Street Tunnel for a car-chase scene just yet. smile Most of my shoots are simple city permitting and 1 LAPD officer on the scene type stuff and I deal with building owners directly to gain access to their facilities. DVD's are managed through deals I have with small distribution companies who handle most of the sales taxing paperwork. Now when I shoot the next 28-days later and I need to lock down the 405 freeway to have a helicopter crash on it on a friday afternoon and screen the movie in 2068 theaters across the US ....then I'll tell you how those taxes go for me. smile - ShannonRawls.com

March 12th, 2005, 10:22 AM	#9
Bill Pryor Contributor Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Kansas City, MO Posts: 4,449	Shannon has done what I've always done, ie., buy appropriate gear when there is a job that either pays for it or brings in enough money to justify the purchase. Back in my still photography days that's how I acquaired lenses. Of course you are accepting gear instead of money, basically, so you have to have enough coming in to survive. Some years ago when I bought a Betacam SP camera, I justified the purchase because I had a job coming in that would provide enough additional income to make the payments for 6 months, and I could do the work much better with that camera over what I had been using. There really does seem to be too much "religion" around the boards when it comes to cameras. I'll reiterate the point that they are only tools. I've seen the Z1 recently, ie., the footage from it on DVD, and although I was a naysayer about HDV at first, this changed my mind. It looks better than anything else I've seen for the money. If I were in the market for a camera now, I don't see how I could justify a $20,000 camera and a $10,000 lens when the Z1 looks so good. Not that it looks as good as a 2/3" chip camera, but it's good enough for what I do. Some people are bitching that it doesn't have "real" 24p. For me that's irrelevant, because nothing I do ever goes to film anymore. In past years it did, and 24p would have been nice; however the labs do very nice transfers from 60i video. And some documentaries I've worked on in which the producer wanted that look...it was done in post and looks great. I have heard recently, and this is second had from a reliable friend...he talked with the customer service rep his organization deals with at one of the major distributors, and that rep said the FX1 and Z1 is selling like crazy and sales of the other 1/3" chip cameras have tanked. It seems we are finally entering an HD world, at least in the form of HDV for acquisition. There will always be a newer, better, cheaper, cooler camera out there, and it will come on the market right after you buy whatever you buy. You can't always have the newest toy, and it doesn't matter. You use the tools that work the best for what you do and the money you have to spend. If somebody comes out with a whole different format, it doesn't matter. No matter what you shoot with or what format it is, it is most likely never going to be distributed in that format anyway. It will go to DVD, or maybe to 1080i HD for some festivals. If it's corporate, it may go to the web, DVD or even VHS. If it's a local TV spot, it'll go to Betacam SP or Digibeta. Nobody really cares what it's shot on if it looks good.