The Camera Package is usually a large line item in your film budget. Motion Picture Cameras are one of the few items in a film production that can be reused. Obviously, food cannot be reused. Film stock cannot be reused and unused film stock has a ticking shelf life. But cameras can be used and reused no matter what kind of story is written or actors are cast. A way to amortize the cost of a camera package is to use it for multiple films. There are several questions you must ask yourself before you make the decision to buy or rent a camera.
1) How many films do you realistically expect to make?
If you only plan to film two films over the next decade, it will not make sense to buy a camera because it would be less expensive to rent a camera.
2) In what time frame?
Digital camera technology is constantly changing. If there is too much of a time lag between films, your digital camera may become obsolete. If you buy a motion picture film camera, it will cost you to maintain the camera. You can rent out the camera when you are not using it but you run the risk of it being damaged or not being available when you need it.
3) Do you plan to use digital tapes or film stock?
Film stock is much more expensive than digital tapes. Also, the cost to develop film and create the film elements is much more expensive than a DI. Be careful that your story will not be hurt by using digital cameras since some natural elements like light, fire, and water sometimes distorts on digital tapes.
Check QuickFilmBudget.com for a sample film budget.
Showing posts with label camera. Show all posts
Showing posts with label camera. Show all posts
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Easy Film Production Cost Saving Tips p.6
Donations
On independent films, donations are key to making a great movie. The reason I say "a great movie" is that if you don't have to spend your money on certain film budget accounts, then you can spend it in other places. The two key donations that every indie film should pursue is film stock and a camera package. These two products can cost a film around $200,000.
Both Kodak and Fuji have programs where they award filmmakers with filmstock. A key way to win this filmstock is to understand how they evaluate projects. Both companies try to hook cinematographers to their brand of filmstock to create lifelong customers. These two companies try hardest to create relationships with DPs more than producers and directors because it is the job of the cinematographers to create the visual look (ex: black & white vs color, colorful, dark, monochromatic, etc.). The look of the film is heavily influenced by the choice of filmstock. The director looks to the DP for advice on which filmstock to choose.
The other key donation is the camera package. There are two ways to get a camera package for free. First, some camera companies, like Panavision, also participate in programs where they award films with a free camera package. These camera companies also try awarding it to promising DPs for the same reason as the film companies. The second way to get a camera package is to hire a DP who owns his/her own equipment. You will have to negotiate the camera package in conjunction with their salary. Keep in mind that you should choose DPs based on their skill level most of all.
Check www.QuickFilmBudget.com for a sample film budget.
On independent films, donations are key to making a great movie. The reason I say "a great movie" is that if you don't have to spend your money on certain film budget accounts, then you can spend it in other places. The two key donations that every indie film should pursue is film stock and a camera package. These two products can cost a film around $200,000.
Both Kodak and Fuji have programs where they award filmmakers with filmstock. A key way to win this filmstock is to understand how they evaluate projects. Both companies try to hook cinematographers to their brand of filmstock to create lifelong customers. These two companies try hardest to create relationships with DPs more than producers and directors because it is the job of the cinematographers to create the visual look (ex: black & white vs color, colorful, dark, monochromatic, etc.). The look of the film is heavily influenced by the choice of filmstock. The director looks to the DP for advice on which filmstock to choose.
The other key donation is the camera package. There are two ways to get a camera package for free. First, some camera companies, like Panavision, also participate in programs where they award films with a free camera package. These camera companies also try awarding it to promising DPs for the same reason as the film companies. The second way to get a camera package is to hire a DP who owns his/her own equipment. You will have to negotiate the camera package in conjunction with their salary. Keep in mind that you should choose DPs based on their skill level most of all.
Check www.QuickFilmBudget.com for a sample film budget.
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Easy Film Production Cost Saving Tips p.1
The decision to shoot with a second unit requires taking many aspects into consideration. The impact of shooting with a second unit can have tremendous cost saving or cost creating effects on your film budget.
When deciding to shoot with a second unit, you need to consider whether a second unit would speed-up your shooting schedule or bring it to a grinding halt. A second unit has the ability to cover multiple shots simultaneously. Consequently, the amount of time it takes to film a shot could be reduced. This could result in weeks being shaved off your shoot schedule. However, you must realize that if the crew is not experienced enough, a second unit will get in the way of the first and slow down production. Orchestrating a second camera requires experience and planning to capture what the film shoot needs and avoid "crossing cameras". "Crossing cameras" is a term that means that a camera is in the shooting sight or picture frame of another camera.
If a DP is not good at orchestrating a two camera shoot, then production could grind to a halt and negate any time savings. In theory, shooting with two cameras should have no effect on the amount of film used since the second camera would have been used to shoot the scene even if there was only one camera. There is also a cost increase to your camera package that needs to be taken into account.
One more benefit to a second camera unit is that towards the end of production, if the scene does not require two cameras, the second camera unit can work on insert shots and pick-up shots.
This decision should involve the input of the producer, director, DP, UPM and 1st AD. The bigger the movie budget, the more probable that it would benefit from multiple camera units.
When deciding to shoot with a second unit, you need to consider whether a second unit would speed-up your shooting schedule or bring it to a grinding halt. A second unit has the ability to cover multiple shots simultaneously. Consequently, the amount of time it takes to film a shot could be reduced. This could result in weeks being shaved off your shoot schedule. However, you must realize that if the crew is not experienced enough, a second unit will get in the way of the first and slow down production. Orchestrating a second camera requires experience and planning to capture what the film shoot needs and avoid "crossing cameras". "Crossing cameras" is a term that means that a camera is in the shooting sight or picture frame of another camera.
If a DP is not good at orchestrating a two camera shoot, then production could grind to a halt and negate any time savings. In theory, shooting with two cameras should have no effect on the amount of film used since the second camera would have been used to shoot the scene even if there was only one camera. There is also a cost increase to your camera package that needs to be taken into account.
One more benefit to a second camera unit is that towards the end of production, if the scene does not require two cameras, the second camera unit can work on insert shots and pick-up shots.
This decision should involve the input of the producer, director, DP, UPM and 1st AD. The bigger the movie budget, the more probable that it would benefit from multiple camera units.
Friday, January 8, 2010
Easy Pre-Production Cost Saving Tips p.4
I once worked with a great DP on a short film where for sake of saving money, he agreed to do the camera test with the film stock on a still camera instead of the motion picture camera. This was supposed to save our 35 mm film for the shoot and would also save us a weekly rental fee on the camera package. Well the film developed beautifully so our lighting and film selection was correct; however, after we watched the first day of shooting's dailies, we noticed a blur on the film. After inspecting and checking everything, we realized that one of the lenses was damaged. By trying to save a few hundred dollars in our film budget during pre-production, it ended up costing us thousands of dollars during reshoots and post production. I have always found that when I tried to cut corners to save money in my movies that it always ended up costing more. However, if I often saved money by planning and coordinated as much as I could.
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