1st 16mm camera
I will be purchasing my first 16mm camera, and I had some questions. I have a budget of $15,000 through American Express Equipment Financing,
and I am interested in getting the best package I can for the purpose of making 16 mm (or Super 16mm) indie films.
I own a recording studio, so I knowledge about recording
sound just not in terms of cameras (sync etc.)
I know Arriflex, but I have little experience with the 16S, 16BL, and SR3.
I have even less knowledge about Bolex.
So ultimately my question is this ... can you suggest the best set up with these budget requirements?
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24fps-25fps
I was recently doing sound postproduction for the movie done with 16mm
camera. the movie has been transferred on beta tape, than edited in PC
computer PAL (which means 25fps).
When I finished I transferred soundtrack on the TASCAM DA 20 and sent it
to the laboratory.
for editing and 35mm blow up. Because of the frame difference the sound was
slightly (but noticeably) pitched down.
Is there any way to avoid this without using expensive sync equipment?
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Are all Nagras Crystal Sync?
Are all Nagra 4.2's crystal? My assumption is that they are, but it seems prices vary so much (I know that's related to condition and such). Can you tell me anything about the differences between Nagra 4.2, 4, and 4L?
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Brand Usage and Product Placement
I have a question about product logos, copyrights. We are making a movie that will be shot in an actual deli that house many household food/ products (ex. Coca-Cola, Land O'Lakes butter, Friskies cat Food, so on........so on).
My question is can we shoot our story with these products visible in the background. The story will not put these products in a bad light. Matter of fact it is a deli where these products sell.
Can we shoot without focusing ion these labels or do we have turn the products away.
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Budgeting an indie film
We have produced a number of scripts for TV. In essence we have, almost accidentally, put together a series of spoofs on the political and social situation in South Africa (where, believe me, people need desperately to start laughing at themselves). Because we've taken a slightly off-the-wall approach, the main-line producers find the lack of a familiar formula slightly disconcerting and too risky. So, in complete ignorance and arrogance, we've decided to produce at least one episode ourselves, and then take it from there. What I need now is to work out a budget! Can you help me with any examples, or standard budgets that I can adapt for our situation?
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Buying Rawstock
I was looking for a good source for 16mm raw stock. I found your site but am not sure as to whether you sell raw stock or just have general
information. Ordering information was mentioned on the production page, but I didn't see any additional information on how to order. Do you sell raw stock and if you do how do I order it?
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C-mount focus
It dawned on me recently that if a C-mount lens is screwed in too far or
not far enough, even by a hair, the focus will probably be off. How can
I optimize focus in a non-reflex 16mm camera?
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Copyrighted Music
I had a few questions about using copyrighted music. Is it necessary to clear all music if an extreamly low budget video maker to run on
cable access or video festivals? If so how do I go about this? I'm still on
the very low end of the budget spectrum. My budgets are usually around 100
dollars and I edit on my computer (Adobe Premiere), so would someone like me be
required to pay royalities? I'm really interested in showing some of my
movies to a larger audience, but I've always been paranoid about the music
thing. And anytime I've asked around I usually get vague answers concerneing
the subject. I would appreciate any help you could give me.
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Eclair ACL 16mm
I'm seriously interested in an Eclair ACL crystal sync camera. It seems to be a decent camera from what little info I can find about it. I really like the fact that I can upgrade it to super 16. It's also shoulder mount and in my price range.
Any input on this subject?
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ECN-II skip bleach
I'm shooting a feature and my DP wants to skip bleach in the negative processing. du art, cfi and the giants don't do it.
Know of a reliable one that does?
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Editors vs. Splicers
I'm just getting started and I want to know more about editors. What is the difference between film editors and splicers? Can I edit with just a
splicer? I need help!
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Film Camera for Shorts
My questions for you are...
A). What is a good, user friendly 16mm camera to start on for independant[sic] short films? I am interested in something flexible...
variable speeds, attachment options, ect...
B). Is it worth while to purchace editing equip. or should I just use
rental suites?
C). Is 16mm still a good format to use or is it going to become the
dinosaur that 8mm has become?
I hope you can help me out with my novice questions, I am anxious to get
started on using film cameras rather than video. From what little I know
your prices look pretty good and maybe you have something I could use.
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Film Editing Equipment
I'm looking to buy some 16mm editing equipment as it seems mush cheaper than renting time at an editing house. But, being rather new to this,
I'm not sure exactly what I need. I'm assuming I need a splicer, a viewer, a sync block and a rewind. Is this all? You seem to have a wide
range of splicers available; what are the differences? I see you also
have a Zeiss Moviscope for sale. Is this just a viewer, or does it an
all-in-one type thing? Thanks a lot for your help,
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film stock storage
If I use reversal film, contrast would decrease when I do push process. Is it true? I heard from a friend of mine he said he read contrast decreases. Please let me know the answer. I am sure I know the contrast increases when I use negative push process.
Second, usually, I think people keep raw stock in refrigerator if they don't have real stock place, stable humidity and temparature. I should do same thing? I really care about food and drink in refrigerator making film so bad. How can I keep raw stock? Do you have any recommendation?
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film underground?
I don't understand why you would use the word underground in the title
of your site. A film festival section devoted to Sundance is hardly
underground at all. It's Indie Hollywood. Underground is more along
the lines of the NY Underground Film Fest as well as the one in Chicago
and various other venues which offer screening opportunitites for
marginalized, non-commercial, uncategorizable movies. Sundance is just
huge. After all, they have their own cable channel and are spearheaded
by Robert Redford. How non-conformist is that?
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flatbed vs. avid
I am producing a 30-35 min showcase film. I've figured that I'll edit it the old way that is on a Moviola flatbed because rates are very cheap in NY for that. ($7-$8 / hr). I do want to send the film to festivals and a lot of them accept actual 16mm film (beside the VHS for preview)
The reason that I'm asking all these questions is because I'm trying to figure out how much will it cost me to post the film. So transfering the film to Betacam for Avid editing and then transfer it back is not much of an option for me due to the fact that I can only afford $13,000 budget for this movie. The shooting ratio is 5 to 1, the sound will be recorded on DAT. Any advice?
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handshake binding?
I'm getting ready to edit an independent feature and I have just found an editor that is willingto do the work for next to nothing. The problem is that I'm getting some interest from some indepedent distributors and I'm not so sure I want to go with this editor anymore. If I shook hands on the deal am I obligated to honor it?
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int'l distribution
What is "international distribution with financials"? I'm unfamiliar with these terms and I'm try to do some research into distribution deals. I would appreciate an answer you can give me.
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LTC vs. VITC
What is the difference between VITC and LTC Timecode and which one would you advise using?
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minidisc recording
Can dialog be recorded onto a minidisc recorder, then dumped down to a timecode dat recorder, or are the two not compatable for some reason? I ask beacuse minidisc recorder are relatively cheap, give great sound, and are really simply to use/portable. Thanx again!
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music copyright I
if I'm making a film can I used copyrighted music if I'm only going tosend it into film-festivals?
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neg vs. reversal
What is the difference between color neg. and color reversal film and which is better?
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negative transfer
I´m an independent filmmaker in Mexico and I´ll be making a b/w 16mm short film. Some people have said to me that there are film labs that transfers the negative straight to video making a positive image on video without the extra cost of having to make a positive film print first. I´d like to know if this is correct and what the transfer quality would be. I hope you could help me.
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NLE with DV
I have never edited on video and only sparingly on film. I know next to nothing about film to video transfers or nonlinear editing (although I understand the concepts: it's the technical details that throw me). I want to be able to edit my mini-digital (Sony mini-DV) video tapes on my home computer and I don't know where to The quality is extraordinary, and I now want to fool around with the stuff I shot to see if I can make something of it. Before I begin an begin. I'm using a Sony DCR PC10 (one of those tiny digital camera with the fold-out screen). expensive and misguided journey, I badly need some guidance: can you offer me any?
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opticals and EFX
I've got a my first formal film project coming up in a few months and I'm
trying to educate myself on the whole post-production process of the use of
timecode, key code, and editing to conform the negative for a finish on
film.
I have been using Premiere for years, I know it by heart and I have my
own editing system. I can drastically save time and money by using my own
computer. I believe that using a window-burn for timecode is my best bet. My
question is, is it possible to use only a window-burn and still be able to
conform my EDL for a film finish? Is there a generic EDL export that
Premiere uses that a lab can work with?
What about compositing, titles or
other opticals. After I have the production sound resolved to 29.97fps, how
does it fit in with the conforming of the negative? Help!?
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PC medialog
I'd like to install MediaLog on my PC (a Compaq with Windows 98). Is it possible?
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phone recording
I'm making a film that requires the recording of a live phone
coversation. Obviously, one end of the phone will not be hard to record.
But getting the other voice on there and make it sound like authentic phone
conversation is proving difficult. i have thought about just recording both
people live and then cut back and forth throughout the conversation via
editing, but it goes back and forth enough to make somebody dizzy. Any
suggestions for a low, low budget amatuer?
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picking boom mics
i have a question i hope you can answer. i am producing a small feature on
an xl1 (with an xlr adaptor), what is a good boom mic to purchase and do YOU
sell them? to rent or buy? and about how much am i looking at in terms of
cost? i want a good mic with good sound. i was told that the sennheiser
416 is good. what about boom poles and zepplins? please get back to me
asap.
Is there a difference between a boom mic and a shotgun mic?
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post syncing
Again, thank you for the wealth of advice you've been giving me on my short film. I am two weeks away from shooting. Here in NY I'm thinking to process the film at DUART, because they do cater to NYU students by offering a discount. It's also good to introduce yourselves to a sales rep. I don't know how are they going to be taking care of my film when it moves to post. I'll let you know. But, meanwhile, burning question. I'm gonna be developing the film and transfer it to video dailies with Timecode for the eventual negative cutting. However, when it comes to syncing sound DUART will do it for video dailies at a rate of $110/hr. That is a lot!!!! Is there any other way beside syncing on a flatbed? I mean for 6000 ft of film at $110/hr that's gonna be about $1,100.00!!!!! Non-discountable!! Help!!
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preselling distribution
I was thinking of including it [Australian Distribution rights] as part of the compensation package to a potential DP, who is too expensive for me to hire at full rate but (since he is Australian) he might see the Australian rights as something of real value. My concern is that I don't know how the foreign sales world works and, if I end up with a good but marginal product, will I have shot myself in the foot by having given away a valuable English-speaking market and make my film an unwanted commodity. (I realize that if I manage to produce Pulp Fiction it won't matter -- and if my movie is awful it won't matter -- but I'm betting on a more mixed outcome).
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product fee
Could you give me an idea of what to charge sponsors for product
placement? How is the cost determined? Should filmmakers guage it by
how many seconds the product is in view; how close the shot is; whether
the lead character uses the product throughout the film, ie. brand-name
clothing, and cheaper rates for minor characters being connected to
product?
Is there some sort of advertising industry standard or guideline for
product placement in films, or is it all negotiated between the producer
and each individual sponsor?
Thank you.
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resolving audio
I have a technical question - I want to shoot s16 - then dump it to Avid -
create an EDL - then cut an answer print. I was told by the Post-Production
house that I have to then transfer my s16 answer print back to avid - make
the soundtrack on protools(myself - because of low budget) and synch it to
the avid - and then they would create the 35mm optical track synched to the
soundtrack(+timecode). I am concerned that there will be synchronization
problems because of the difference in frame rates - and so blow my optical
soundtrack...can you help?
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short ends and recans
I found film for .14 cents a foot, it is short ends, do you forsee this causing problems?
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six string samurai
Just ran into your Six String review while browsing the net. Perhaps we can
rent a theatre and show the film in your neck of the woods sometime, if it's
not too much trouble? I'm just kidding. Sorry you found the film boring. There's no need to rent a
projector, however, because we'll be distributed in the fall by Palm/Island
Pictures in theaters and Polygram on video. I think the strength of the film is in the details and execution, not the
script. It's a basic structure with a visual story. The idea was to make the story subtle to fit within the confines of our
reliance on visuals and limited budget. I guess it's not for everyone, and
that's cool.
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sound mix ETA
...the film will be roughly 33 min long. A thesis. Dialogue, yes. We still haven't shot it. But as the small time producer I don't know what's a rough price for sound mix in post. As I'm
budgeting it right now it will cost about $13,000 without answer prints or
final mix. Help!
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Squibs
Hi, I'm a begining film maker and planning out my first 16mm short story
project, and I've run into a snare. In my script it calls for the use of
squibs (several charactors get shot at at close range), and I can't afford
the REAL "deals". Is there anyone out there that can give me guidance on
making my own with fairly easy to find (and fairly inexpensive) materials??
If you have any ideas or suggestions, they would be greatly appreciated.
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sundance alternatives
Do you know where I would get information, contact numbers, web pages, ect.
concerning slumdance, undance, nodance, slamdunk and other alternatives to Slamdance/Sundance?
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sundance app
I am in need of your assitance. I need to know how to get an application to enter the Sundance Film Festival. If possible, please write
back to me with the info. as soon as possible.
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Syncing DV to DAT
Is it true that digital video(Canon XL-1 Mini DV) runs at a
different speed than DAT recordings, making the task of synching up the sound to the video very difficult? And if so, any suggestions on doing this?
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syncing sans TC
I'm shooting a film, and wanted to know if I could record dialog on a non timecode dat or even a minidisc recorder, and rerecord the sound in bulk to a timecode dat, then sync up the video transfer of my film with the sound on an avid. Is that the way to do it cheaply but effectively? I've heard conflicting reports as to how well sound can be synced to a video transfered picture because of the change in frame rate. Also, when people refer to sound needing to be resolved, is that just aligning the sound speed to picture speed? We would really appreciate your consultation, so when we start filming next week everything will be fine, and we can shoot in confidence!
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tape formats
I am making a short film (16mm) that will contain both b&w and color images. 1) Will this contrast create a problem when i get it transfered onto video? and what format 1/2, 3/4 should i use in order to limit generation loss?
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tape-film transfer
I would like to get infomations[sic] about the betacam digital to 35mm blowup. May you could provice me prices and payment conditions for PRO-8 capted film (negative film Kodak Vision), corrections are all ready done at Super 8 Sound by the way, please send me the same informations about the 16mm too.
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testing sync
I was browsing through your pages on camera testing and I was wondering if there was a way
to test a camera for crystal sync accuracy? The only way I can think to do it is to shoot
the film with sound, develop the film and see if the sync runs off. Do you know a better way?
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top sheet budget
...I'm not sure what a top sheet budget is. Do you know what the difference between that and the full budget is?
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transferring positive
I am a music video director, who has always gone from the negative straight
to video in the telecine, and I am wondering how printing the film before the
telecine would change the look of the image, in terms of slickness, contrast,
and color?
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treatment format
One of my associates and I were discussing what a treatment entails and its format. We are both novices when it comes to movie scripts. If possible, could someone please E-mail me as to what is the correct format for a treatment, what does it include, etc.?
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What digital video camera should I buy?
What digital video camera should I buy?
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what type of avid?
I would like to know about what kind of Avid software usually people use for non-linear film editing? And What do I have to have some instruments for
non-linear editing?
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wild arri S
I do not have a problem shooting with an arri s and recording sound "wild"-in fact if you transfer film to vhs you can do all sorts of things with sound while you edit-re record dialogue, add ambient sound, add music,etc-crystal sync is great but it is not the only way to go as i see it.
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