J.D. Frey
Well-known member
Hey Guys. I wanted to post this in case there are any others out there that need encouragement and are in the same boat as me: No Cinema Camera Experience- until yesterday. Sometimes it's good to know that there are other people out there making mistakes. To me that's what this revolution is all about.
1. Fear is good- it keeps you from over torquing your hardware and makes you careful with the electronics and glass- but don't be afraid to play! The only way to learn is hoist the rig on your shoulder and shoot footage
2. It is exactly like sex- All the metaphors work. My first time with the RED was messy and awkward. All the enjoyment was on my end- but I got a taste, and I'm learning how to treat a lady right.
3. Find a pro- there is one in your town, and he knows everything, and even if he doesn't he has a good clue. Starting out fresh on this camera has the advantage of no preconceived notions- but the disadvantage of no experience can be daunting
4. Batteries are heavy, buy them in odd numbers- We have three, one on the camera and two on the charger at all times for two reasons: You obviously always want one charging (the power pack seems to charge one battery at a time not in tandem) and if you take one battery off without replacing it your charger will fall over. I know this sounds dumb- but alas I'm a newbie, and gravity is less kind to newbies. Five batteries and two chargers is probably a very good idea.
5. This is the last time your gear is new- so take care of it. It has to last a long time. Eventually all that nice black hardware with have shiny new scratches. I imagine the exchange will be something like your child scraping their knee for the first time. If it doesn't break and you can still use it- chalk it up as experience and growth.
6. READ- the instruction manual- this website (The FAQ), everything you can find. If you don't know what Bayer data is then look it up on wikipedia- throw away all your Sci-fi novels and start reading about this technology you have in your hands, it is far more rewarding.
7. Don't forget that you are a story teller- It's easy to forget when you have a shiny new camera. Even if you are not a writer or director remember that no matter what camera you use every pixel you shoot is telling a story. It's up to you whether the story is good or bad.
8. Don't Panic!- There will be more Newbies one day, with even cheaper cameras. One day RED will ship their $5,000.00 16K resolution camera and you will be the old pro in a sea of newbies- so find a newbie and help them out.
Thanks everyone for all the great posts- on the message board, and for all the free advice. All my future questions will have the weight of experience (read: stupid mistakes).
1. Fear is good- it keeps you from over torquing your hardware and makes you careful with the electronics and glass- but don't be afraid to play! The only way to learn is hoist the rig on your shoulder and shoot footage
2. It is exactly like sex- All the metaphors work. My first time with the RED was messy and awkward. All the enjoyment was on my end- but I got a taste, and I'm learning how to treat a lady right.
3. Find a pro- there is one in your town, and he knows everything, and even if he doesn't he has a good clue. Starting out fresh on this camera has the advantage of no preconceived notions- but the disadvantage of no experience can be daunting
4. Batteries are heavy, buy them in odd numbers- We have three, one on the camera and two on the charger at all times for two reasons: You obviously always want one charging (the power pack seems to charge one battery at a time not in tandem) and if you take one battery off without replacing it your charger will fall over. I know this sounds dumb- but alas I'm a newbie, and gravity is less kind to newbies. Five batteries and two chargers is probably a very good idea.
5. This is the last time your gear is new- so take care of it. It has to last a long time. Eventually all that nice black hardware with have shiny new scratches. I imagine the exchange will be something like your child scraping their knee for the first time. If it doesn't break and you can still use it- chalk it up as experience and growth.
6. READ- the instruction manual- this website (The FAQ), everything you can find. If you don't know what Bayer data is then look it up on wikipedia- throw away all your Sci-fi novels and start reading about this technology you have in your hands, it is far more rewarding.
7. Don't forget that you are a story teller- It's easy to forget when you have a shiny new camera. Even if you are not a writer or director remember that no matter what camera you use every pixel you shoot is telling a story. It's up to you whether the story is good or bad.
8. Don't Panic!- There will be more Newbies one day, with even cheaper cameras. One day RED will ship their $5,000.00 16K resolution camera and you will be the old pro in a sea of newbies- so find a newbie and help them out.
Thanks everyone for all the great posts- on the message board, and for all the free advice. All my future questions will have the weight of experience (read: stupid mistakes).
