On Tue, 15 Apr 2003 16:38:42 GMT, "David McCall"
<davidmccall@attbi.com> wrote:
>"brian a. henderson"
<bah@nautilus.shore.net> wrote in message
news:dPVma.14341$RJ3.6399@news.primus.ca...
>> : I don't believe that any lasting handicap in
videomaking abilities will
>> : be suffered by students that use lower cost or
semipro equipment for
>> : their intoduction to the field.
>> Probably not, and admitedly my first experience was
with Hi8 palmcorders.
>> However, I just sort of fell in to this business as
many of us do. I
>> imgine my chief photographer would be hesitant to
hire some one who had
>> only worked with palmcorders. I wouldn't want to
send a person who is
>> uncomfortable with a big rig out on a breaking news
story. Maybe I'm just
>> thinking in terms of my world.
>We all have to speak from our own perspective.
>
>Most people don't break into professional videography a
director
>of photography, even if they did go to a good school. If
this is not
>true, then it is a sad day for our business. Learning
composition
>and storytelling using inexpensive cameras, with their
auto functions,
>has tremendous merit, IMHO.
>
>If a student wants to learn film, without the expense of
shooting real
>35mm motion pictures, then a used still film camera
might be in order.
>That would be a great way to learn about exposure and
lighting for film
>without the expense of shooting film. Using video to
learn the technical
>aspects of shooting film may be a less than perfect
solution.
>
>I think it is fine to do personal projects with consumer
cameras while
>interning, and ultimately moving up the production
ladder is a good idea.
>One of the things I really missed, once I moved up to
being a full time
>lighting director, was being able to watch, and learn
from, other
>professionals lighting a set. I think it is a mistake to
rush to the top,
>while bypassing the wonderful learning opportunities of
working with more
>experienced professionals, is a sad mistake.
I agree with the above, and I also
recommend buying the DVD of "Spy Kids 2" - not for
its so-so story-quality, or even for its spectacular
special-effects, but DEFINITELY for the voice-over
version of the movie with Robert Rodriguez speaking.
He is convinced that (HDTV) video is superior to film
(at least as it is presented in distribution) due to
its minimal generational losses, better tonality (!!),
and also to its greater ease of use (cameras, lighting
required, editing, etc.). For those into "film
look",
this disk is a MUST! ;-) It is also interesting to see
what short-cuts he took and how much of the production
he did personally, using little more than home computer
gear... (the movie was made for $37 million, a small
budget compared with most major movies). He also
encourages people to just get started, using anything
available/affordable, and get practice...