YukonMontanaTannerTrapper
Explorer
My son just switched majors and is going with film. I'm thinking of buying him a video camera for Xmas and was wondering if anybody knows what to get a college film student ? Thanks.
Purchasing A Video Camera
- Thread starter YukonMontanaTannerTrapper
- Start date
huntoon
Adventurer
cam
As far as I know, the Sonys are the only ones that offer night vision, which I loved in my film classes. Cheezy? Yes. Awesome? Yes.
Canon I have heard are on the small side (in the hand) but are overall highly rated.
Also, Aiptek is the only on market offering full hD 3d filming and viewing for like $300.
As far as I know, the Sonys are the only ones that offer night vision, which I loved in my film classes. Cheezy? Yes. Awesome? Yes.
Canon I have heard are on the small side (in the hand) but are overall highly rated.
Also, Aiptek is the only on market offering full hD 3d filming and viewing for like $300.
YukonMontanaTannerTrapper
Explorer
He mentioned that HD is preferred but I've never heard of that model. I'll check it out. Thanks. Anybody else ?
YukonMontanaTannerTrapper
Explorer
Film and Video Production.
I went to Best Buy today for a quick look. I liked the Sony HDR-XR150. It has a hard drive instead of a memory card and has 20 hours of recording time. I'll have to talk to my son first though. Probably not the best idea to surprise him with the wrong product. Still would like thoughts from experienced users as he's new as well. Thanks.
I went to Best Buy today for a quick look. I liked the Sony HDR-XR150. It has a hard drive instead of a memory card and has 20 hours of recording time. I'll have to talk to my son first though. Probably not the best idea to surprise him with the wrong product. Still would like thoughts from experienced users as he's new as well. Thanks.
Ok I work in the Film Industry so I'll go for it:
Anything within a reasonable budget is to be honest not going to be used very much, most of the equipment he will be learning to use will be provided by the college as it costs tens of thousands of dollars. Any video productions that he does are going to be made on college or rented equipment.
Something useful in the 100-200 dollar range would be a very fast hard drive system for editing video or a very nice editing monitor for 300-500 dollars.
Or another thing that is quite useful is a digital SLR stills camera, a used one can be picked up in good condition for about 300-400 dollars.
Anything within a reasonable budget is to be honest not going to be used very much, most of the equipment he will be learning to use will be provided by the college as it costs tens of thousands of dollars. Any video productions that he does are going to be made on college or rented equipment.
Something useful in the 100-200 dollar range would be a very fast hard drive system for editing video or a very nice editing monitor for 300-500 dollars.
Or another thing that is quite useful is a digital SLR stills camera, a used one can be picked up in good condition for about 300-400 dollars.
YukonMontanaTannerTrapper
Explorer
We've got the camera............a Nikon D70 with a few assorted lenses. He'd like to have something that he can use outside of the classroom. He loves to watch junk on You Tube and I think it's more of something to goof around with as opposed to using for classroom projects. Last night we had a discussion about the idea of making this a Xmas gift and I think we've decided that it might be best not to buy anything until he gets started with this major (his third).
As a side note, how's the employment outlook for college graduates in this industry ? As I mentioned, this is his third major and I'm anxious for him to be a full time worker as opposed to a full time student. Thanks again.
Jerry
As a side note, how's the employment outlook for college graduates in this industry ? As I mentioned, this is his third major and I'm anxious for him to be a full time worker as opposed to a full time student. Thanks again.
Jerry
To be brutally honest a degree won't give him much more of an advantage in the industry, if he has a real passion for it I would say to start on the bottom as a runner and work up from there. The degree will give him the fundamentals in the theory, but very little practical experience. Even after college he's going to be a good 2-5 years of working for peanuts in order to make the connections and getting the on set experience that are required to get any substantial work.
Also if its to be a full time profession for him, productions are centered around a few major hubs, LA, NYC, London, Tokyo, so moving to one of those locations is a must. A second language will see his usefulness jump up very high, French or Spanish to a good conversational level will make him useful on a lot of sets.
What profession does he want to pursue within the industry after the degree?
(Feel free to respond in PM's if you'd like) I'll give any advice that I can as its a bit of a black art/industury in some ways.
Also if its to be a full time profession for him, productions are centered around a few major hubs, LA, NYC, London, Tokyo, so moving to one of those locations is a must. A second language will see his usefulness jump up very high, French or Spanish to a good conversational level will make him useful on a lot of sets.
What profession does he want to pursue within the industry after the degree?
(Feel free to respond in PM's if you'd like) I'll give any advice that I can as its a bit of a black art/industury in some ways.
Marcie's Disco
Adventurer
Good advice here. That sheep skin is nice and the credibility will help sell him with investors in the future but experience and producing his own content for now is what he needs. Digital video can be "technically" produced anywhere but I firmly believe you must hone your skills in the industry centers. There are so many subtlties in the business that you will never really grasp without exposure to successful people working in the industry. He may find himself doing a lot of gratis work but the exposure is valuable.
I sense that there have been several switches in majors, is this direction his calling? Prior to major hardware and software investment, I would suggest he continue to create content and post on Youtube. This can be done on the cheap with what you may already have. Vid isn't too tough to shoot on a variety of platforms and it would shock you what people can do with MS Movie Maker. Might be best to try it on before a big investment.
YukonMontanaTannerTrapper
Explorer
He started out in Fine Arts and was working towards an Associates Degree. Two classes short of that degree he transferred to a four year school (George Mason). He majored in Marketing and Business Administration (decided he wanted a career that paid well). After a year of hating his business classes, he quit for a semester. Now he's decided that Film is the way to go and it's what he's always dreamed of (in high school he talked about it often).
I've heard him talk about producing films. I know he's interested in documentaries. He plans to look for volunteer work in the business while he's in school. He'd love to leave the area and move to a big city. He has taken quite a bit of Spanish so maybe he'll be OK there.
I've heard him talk about producing films. I know he's interested in documentaries. He plans to look for volunteer work in the business while he's in school. He'd love to leave the area and move to a big city. He has taken quite a bit of Spanish so maybe he'll be OK there.
Yeah a degree with do him in good stead if he's looking to be a producer, tell him to take as many classes as possible in economics and marketing and even sit in on their lectures if he's not taking the classes, being a producer is as much about being able to talk and move socially as it is about the production side.
Tell him to apply to all of the production companies locally, and anyone who rents camera equipment, or anything production related and offer his time as a runner, box packer, truck unloader basically anything to get onto set and start understanding how the business runs on the ground not how it runs in film school as he two are very different.
If he hated the business classes he should be let know that being a producer is very very business based, its math, its timetables, scheduling, money raising, budgets, spreadsheets, its not a glamorous position as it sounds.
As for documentaries I've only ever been involved in two so I wont profess a deep knowledge in that area but its much more journalistic, great spoken and written english, great people skills, and a really thick skin are a must, tell him to join as many social activities after school as possible, think about things that require him to interact with people but in some form of official capacity, steward at concerts, umpire at matches something like that.
Tell him that its a hard business that takes a long time to break into. And if I can offer one word of advice, be kind and nice to EVERYONE you meet in this industry, you have no idea who they are or who they know and how they will effect your career. Its a family and if you burn or annoy one member of the family it spreads very quickly and you become unemployable very quickly.
If he ever finds himself in Europe he can feel free to contact me and I'll get him some contacts and some work on the side.
Tell him to apply to all of the production companies locally, and anyone who rents camera equipment, or anything production related and offer his time as a runner, box packer, truck unloader basically anything to get onto set and start understanding how the business runs on the ground not how it runs in film school as he two are very different.
If he hated the business classes he should be let know that being a producer is very very business based, its math, its timetables, scheduling, money raising, budgets, spreadsheets, its not a glamorous position as it sounds.
As for documentaries I've only ever been involved in two so I wont profess a deep knowledge in that area but its much more journalistic, great spoken and written english, great people skills, and a really thick skin are a must, tell him to join as many social activities after school as possible, think about things that require him to interact with people but in some form of official capacity, steward at concerts, umpire at matches something like that.
Tell him that its a hard business that takes a long time to break into. And if I can offer one word of advice, be kind and nice to EVERYONE you meet in this industry, you have no idea who they are or who they know and how they will effect your career. Its a family and if you burn or annoy one member of the family it spreads very quickly and you become unemployable very quickly.
If he ever finds himself in Europe he can feel free to contact me and I'll get him some contacts and some work on the side.
YukonMontanaTannerTrapper
Explorer
He had to declare a minor so he chose Business Administration (as I recall) since he had some of the classes already completed plus he said that it would help him in his future job (and you seem to indicate that this correct........nice to hear). He will make it to Europe (again) and that would be so nice if you could help him one day. He has a brother that works in London and half of my family lives in France.
I think he's a good looking kid with a nice personality and will be very employable (again in my opinion) if given the chance. Hard worker, no drugs nor alcohol. Maintaining a 3.5 GPA.
Are you anywhere in particular or all over Europe ?
I think he's a good looking kid with a nice personality and will be very employable (again in my opinion) if given the chance. Hard worker, no drugs nor alcohol. Maintaining a 3.5 GPA.
Are you anywhere in particular or all over Europe ?
YukonMontanaTannerTrapper
Explorer
Thanks. I plan to show him this thread next time he's here. Maybe he'll contact you...................
YukonMontanaTannerTrapper
Explorer
So the son went out to California for the holidays and visited with his cousin who has just "made it" in the movie business. He just completed producing a movie with a big name Hollywood actor and now has landed a multimillion dollar contract with the armed forces to produce a documentary. He has offered my son a position on his staff of 30 people to work on the project this summer. First big break !!