Shooting with RED for the first time...

[Erik Franzén]

From experience my one and only advice...: plan, plan, plan!
And then plan some more. Once you're done with that, you're ready for some planning.
Oh, and before you start planning you ought to have the script in the can and ready to go!

 

[Alexander Ibrahim]

I'll second the DSLR recommendation.

A DSLR requires a crew with roughly the same competence, and it requires about the same support gear as a RED or other "real" cameras.

Just make sure to get a a good audio input adapter- I have a Juiced Link for my 7D. Audio is the weakest link of the DSLR... so make a second system recording.

Other than that, you still need to select lenses, and you'll need a follow focus, mattebox etc. Most of that gear, if you purchase with a modicum of forethought, will work just fine on a RED or an Alexa.

If you can't produce something good with that kind of camera, then you can't produce good work. Its very cheap to learn all the relevant skills on a DSLR then move up to the more expensive camera systems after you have learned.

Let me put that differently: I would stage, set camera movement, direct and light exactly the same for 35mm film, RED MX, Arri Alexa and a Canon 7D. Oh all the more expensive cameras will look better than the 7D, but that's just details. If you take a 7D and a RED and point them both at white walls, your audience will still be asleep.

If you have a lot of money burning a hole in your pocket I advise spending it on mics and lights.

A light will last you a lot longer in your film career than anything else even a film camera or a lens. I have 50 year old Moles sitting on sets right next to brand new KinoFlo fixtures.

I do suggest starting your light kit with a 650 fresnel or three and KinoFlo DivaLite's. Dimmable soft lights are almost like cheating. Be careful not to overbuy lighting though. I try to buy only the lights I rent for every shoot anyway.

 

[JustinBrown]

You know, not long ago, people used to make their first films on film! Even with no experience...

Haha! Yeah, I remember that time period...

Or shoot 8mm and learn how to conserve film and shoot only what you need. You'd benefit and learn a lot doing this.

I still have my tiny moviola super 8 editor.

Cameras don't make the story/show.

I totally agree. But they do have varying degrees of image quality. I just feel that if I can manage to find a couple qualified people and have the money to pay for the rentals then why not shoot on the highest quality?

 

[Alexander Ibrahim]

I just feel that if I can manage to find a couple qualified people and have the money to pay for the rentals then why not shoot on the highest quality?

Well, if you have a qualified crew and money to pay for rentals, then sure.

I would say that improving camera quality should be near the bottom of your list.

To me better talent, better lighting and better audio is far more important than improving camera quality.

So, yes, if everything else is completely up to par on your project, then renting a top notch camera is worthwhile.

Let me put that differently:

If what's in front of the camera isn't good looking, a great camera will just make that slightly more obvious.

The obverse is true as well, if what is in front of the camera is subtle and sublime, then only a camera capable of subtle and sublime detail will truly do it justice.

For most independent films, especially those on a very low budget, a low end camera, like a DSLR, can render great images.

I'll put my work on Starship Polaris shot on a 7D up against BrownCoat: Redemption shot on RED any day.

Frame grabs for Polaris can be found here:
http://www.starshippolaris.com/wordpress/?p=720

Browncoats: Redemption trailer
http://vimeo.com/12102735

I can tell you that the Polaris framegrabs are not color corrected, and the black details are a bit crushed. (All of those shots were from a scene where the ship was on reserve power... the lack of black was intentional, but will require some CC to meet my intention.)

I of course can't speak to the current look of the Redemption trailer, I can only guess it was uncorrected and mangled by Vimeo.

It doesn't make the DSLR a better camera- far from it! Had I been able to shoot on RED (and we would have needed an M-X to make it work) the result would have been much nicer. There was a lot more work and attention in what was in front of my camera.

I think if Redemption had spent some of their RED budget on lighting it would have helped their look tremendously.

 

[JustinBrown]

Well, if you have a qualified crew and money to pay for rentals, then sure.

I would say that improving camera quality should be near the bottom of your list.

To me better talent, better lighting and better audio is far more important than improving camera quality.

So, yes, if everything else is completely up to par on your project, then renting a top notch camera is worthwhile.

Let me put that differently:

If what's in front of the camera isn't good looking, a great camera will just make that slightly more obvious.

The obverse is true as well, if what is in front of the camera is subtle and sublime, then only a camera capable of subtle and sublime detail will truly do it justice.

For most independent films, especially those on a very low budget, a low end camera, like a DSLR, can render great images.

I'll put my work on Starship Polaris shot on a 7D up against BrownCoat: Redemption shot on RED any day.

Frame grabs for Polaris can be found here:
http://www.starshippolaris.com/wordpress/?p=720

Browncoats: Redemption trailer
http://vimeo.com/12102735

I can tell you that the Polaris framegrabs are not color corrected, and the black details are a bit crushed. (All of those shots were from a scene where the ship was on reserve power... the lack of black was intentional, but will require some CC to meet my intention.)

I of course can't speak to the current look of the Redemption trailer, I can only guess it was uncorrected and mangled by Vimeo.

It doesn't make the DSLR a better camera- far from it! Had I been able to shoot on RED (and we would have needed an M-X to make it work) the result would have been much nicer. There was a lot more work and attention in what was in front of my camera.

I think if Redemption had spent some of their RED budget on lighting it would have helped their look tremendously.

Thanks for the comparison. I see what you are saying. I am not sure I would use that particular camera as I would have to get an external audio recording device, but the images are very comparable.

 

[JustinBrown]

I think if Redemption had spent some of their RED budget on lighting it would have helped their look tremendously.

If you don't mind me asking, what was the budget for Redemption? How would you have spent the money differently on lighting?