Video Production

[satriani5902]

Gents,

I am looking into getting my feet wet in video editing. Mostly I would be creating documentary type films. Is there a resource that you found helpful? I have the computer that can handle the editing, I just need some advice on a camera and video editing software. Thanks for any advice.

 

[mobiux]

camera really depends on the budget,
you can get by with a $250 consumer dv camera, or you can drop thousands on a nice semi pro dv setup.

As far as software goes, premiere elements does a lot of what premiere pro will do.

I've found that it's not really the camera or the software that makes it good, it's the shot setup, the editting/scene cutting, and the story line that really make the difference.

Like the golf saying goes, "it's not your club's"

 

[Zepher]

The best thing to do is watch documentaries on the History Channel and Discovery Channels to get a feel of how they present the documentary.

you will want a decent camera, I recommend a Canon GL2 or a Canon XL2..

 

[MScrip]

Welcome to the world of digital video!

Off the top of my head, here are some questions:

What is your budget?

What kind of documentary?

Who is the audience?

To save money, you might start with a consumer camcorder, just to get your feet wet. I like Panasonic 3-chip camcorders, such as the Panasonic PV-GS300, $550. And maybe start with some budget video editing software, such as Adobe Premiere Elements or Pinnacle Studio, each about $100.

If you're gonna be interviewing people, you'll need a camcorder that accepts a good quality microphone. Most consumer cameras only have a 1/8" jack... and you'll have to add a separate box to use a professional microphone. On-board audio won't cut it in most situations.

Lighting could be an issue. Consumer cameras have difficulty in low light... so night shots will look bad, unless you have external lights.

A professional camcorder can fix those problems. But, be prepared to drop $2000+ on a pro camcorder.

Likewise for professional software. Premiere, Avid, Vegas and Liquid are all very expensive, but will offer the most capability for editing professional video. $500+

Who is the audience? Is the documentary for family and friends, or are you gonna try to sell it to PBS?

I guess it all comes down to how much you're willing to spend. You will make the best out of any equipment and software you have. Then the artistic side takes over. It's how you tell the story, regardless of what equipment you use.

 

[satriani5902]

Thanks for the replies. I need to be more clear on my intentions. I am looking to make amateur documentaries. Nothing too fancy, but something that I can be proud of. My budget is less than 1k. The documentaries would be along the lines of "a day in the life". The audience would just be my friends at first but when I get the hang of it, I would like to sell to someone

 

[GJSNeptune]

you will want a decent camera, I recommend a Canon GL2 or a Canon XL2..

Seconded. See if you can stretch your budget. One of these cameras will last you a long time. Better to invest in one of these now and start to use it, get the hang of it, and become an expert with it.

 

[muzzle79]

Also look into the HDRHC1 from Sony. I own one and love it not to mention a good used camera with a few extras can be had on ebay and other places for a reasonable price.

forums with info on it

As far as editing software that once again depends on where you want to start.
Adobe Premiere Elements is a good starting point when factoring in cost.

I would recomend eventually investing in a good tripod and lighting setup as thats probably
the next most imporant item you'd need. More so the tripod than the lighting dependant on where you film.

It's a lot of work and a lot of fun. Just make sure your computer can handle processing the video

 

[Lamont]

Look at the 3CCD Panasonic camera for as little as $800 bucks. From there go to B&H and get a lighting kit with softbox for $300 or less. Then grab Premire Elements... OR grab a Pyro bundle that has Premire Pro 1.5, Encore 1.5(DVD layout/Authoring) and Audition 1.0(Sound) for as little as $400.

Oh... ALWAYS white-balance.

 

[Mike Clements]

VIDEO GUYS is a good resource. They (in the past) have a lot of useful info to assist in choosing your gear.

 

[satriani5902]

thanks for all the replies, I do continue to watch this thread .

 

[w1retap]

I work in a TV studio for one of my part time jobs.. I do a lot of non-linear editor builds. For a reasonably priced video production software, Edius Pro 3 or 4 by Canopus is incredible. Very easy to use, TONS of advanced features when you want to use them, Title Motion Pro for creating any animated title or lower 3rd you want, Procoder for re-encoding or DVD burning, HDV support, and the cleanest chroma key function I've ever worked with.. it even creates a cleaner chroma key than our Globalstreams Trinity. Previously we were using Adobe Premiere Pro 1.5, and I like Edius about 10x better.

But as people have already said, dropping the dough for a decent prosumer camcorder will be in your best interest, and you'll thank me later. I would go with a full body size miniDV setup with 3CCD's. You'll get the cleanest picture you've ever seen out of SD video, and its a good way to start into the video realm. I would recommend a Canon GL2 or XL1/XL2. At the studio, we have a bunch of XL2's and they are a dream to work with. I will never ever buy a 'consumer' camcorder ever after working with one. With a full bodied camera you can get a much much steadier professional looking shot, plus you get all the added features like XLR inputs, manual control over everything, manual whitebalancing, and options alternate lenses or tons of other 3rd party hardware pieces. If you look around on ebay, you can find some really good deals on used XL1's.

Along with the camcorder, get a nice fluid head tripod as well. Handheld shooting what amature newbs do unless that is the look you are going for in the scene you are shooting. Proper lighting and sound is a must as well. The shotgun mic on the camera should only be used for ambient audio, never to record the person's voice. A decent lavalier mic would be a nice addition down the road after you get familair with everything. Shure makes the best ones, but they are pricey. Its all up to how far you want to go, and how much money you have to spend. Its addicting, but there is nothing more fun than going out to shoot your own program, then sit down and edit it.