The Video Animal’s Cave

By far, the most common question I get asked since I started making films for a living is:

Can you get my old VHS, super 8, 8mm or beta tapes on to my computer or on to a DVD?

Unfortunately the answer is no. I don’t have any of the necessary tech to translate that type of video or film on to a computer. The best I can recommend is that you call a ‘video transfer’ place. Almost every city has one. It is not super expensive and they do a decent job. Once your old video is on a DVD it is pretty easy to ‘rip’ and then you can edit it from your PC.

I will eventually talk about ‘ripping’ and editing DVD footage, but we will save that for another day.

The second question I get asked the most is:

What equipment would you recommend and how much does it cost to get started?

First, I hope they are talking about video… and then I take a deep breath, because this question has a really long answer. For the purpose of this site I will break the answer into three separate posts. Today we are going to deal with budget.

Camcorders and editing systems are cheap… and getting cheaper.

When I first started making movies in high school, the editing suite took up the larger part of a studio and was worth about 20k, all said and done.Today you can get everything you need to shoot, do post-production and output your film for less than that. This is why more people are getting into independent film and more businesses are bringing advertising and production of training videos in house. It makes financial sense to handle video yourself these days.

Like most things in this world, the more money you are willing to spend the better your system will be. So start with a budget. Your budget really is dictated by your needs.

There are three levels of videographer and therefore three levels of budget. Think of the levels as: amateur, prosumer and pro. (this lingo will also help you in the camera shop) Here’s how those levels breakdown according to how much you should spend, and what you require.

Amatuer: (Budget $4000-5000)

First off, don’t be offended. This is not a designation, just a type of equipment. If your needs are simple — family movies, slide shows, capturing grandma’s super 8 films and putting them on a DVD — then this is all you need. In fact anything else is overkill and you are gonna wish you had something easier to use. Amateur equipment is generally lighter, simple to use and, best of all, cheaper. (Sometimes… just cuz you got the money to spend, doesn’t mean you gotta spend it.)

Prosumer: (budget $8000-10,000)

This is industry lingo for the middle guy. People who are making wedding video’s, videophiles, most sport videographers, documentarians and independent film makers fall in to this category. You will need to spend time learning how to use your equipment, because it has a lot of professional features… the kind of stuff people go to three years of film school to learn how to use. So, unless you are able to make movies for a living, or have a lot of time and passion for making films… stick with the amateur stuff.

The cost is coming down for prosumer equipment (that’s the good news) but there is a steep learning curve (that’s the bad news). Luckily there are a lot of resources out there to help you get it all figured out. (check out my links for a few places to start)

Professional: (budget $20k and up)

Funny thing… even though video cameras and editing software/computers are getting cheaper by the minute… this stuff still has the audacity to get more and more expensive each year. The great thing is that it is becoming generally accepted that there is no reason to buy this stuff anymore. Prosumer HD technology is SO good there is no longer a need! Unless you are working for a broadcasting company or making films for a really big production company you should never have to spend this kind of money. If you absolutely need this stuff… then the company should be buying for you (and I have no idea what your needs are. In fact… stop reading this blog right now and please start your own blog so I can learn about it…)

The budgets outlined above might seem a bit high. Keep in mind that this is a ‘from scratch’ budget. I am assuming you are starting with nothing. So this includes a computer, a camera and software. You can get away with spending less. But beware, the less you spend the less you can do. I also want to recommend you go HD right away. Almost all editing software, even the easy to use ones, can handle high definition video… the better your footage, the better the result. Even if you don’t have a high definition TV… this really is the way to go. All our current home technology is heading this direction. Buying a non HD camcorder will save you a few bucks, but I guarantee you that you will wish you had gone HD in the first place within a few months. (or until you work with someone who has HD equipment and you start to drool at the quality)

The only other thing I would look at when you consider cost; the abuse factor. Shooting outdoors is really hard on your equipment. Even if you baby the stuff it is still gonna get hot in the sun, get jostled around in your canoe, and someday you might end up having to shoot while hanging off a cliff.

Lisa Utronki hanging off a cliff for an overhead shot.

So consider, the more you spend, the more you will panic when in the rough situations. To get the good shots you are gonna have to get wet, dirty and dangerous — and your gear is gonna have to go with you. Compare how much you are willing to spend with how much you are willing to lose in an accident.

That’s it for this week. Next week we will spend that money, and take a closer look at the camcorders available. For now, remember this. DV tape is king! It is cheap and easily available, and you won’t run out of space like you will on a hard drive camcorder. If you are shopping around before you read the next article, avoid everything but camcorders that can use DV tape.

The Animal

Special thanks to Amy Luscombe for the use of her photographs