Camera switch!

We're not going with the HPX500 camcorder.

Instead, I bought two other ones! The HVR-VU1 and the HV20 , with which as I mentioned before we'll be using the Blackmagic Design HDMI input card mated to a kick ass computer with an 8 drive 7200rpm 16MB buffer SATAII raid 0 array (which will double as our editing deck/CGSFX machine).

Why? Well, for one thing: Money. $16k is a lot of jack. Also, we had to buy a muscular computer for editing HD anyway.

And also because of a fortuitous new development which I just recently found out about: We'll be using Cinevate's Brevis35 - A 35mm adapter that lets you use 35mm SLR (yep, you read it right) lenses on your HDV camcorder. I saw 720p footage from the HV20 shot with the Brevis35, and it was stunning.

With the setup we'll be using, we should be able to go one or maybe two better... Shooting and capturing uncompressed 1080i. however, depending on how easy it is to edit, we might opt for BMD's jpg codec, it sounds like it's pretty darn good.

So now it's just a question of whether the picture quality will be merely awesome, or absolutely amazing.

Gotta go, I have a shot list to draft!

-Dave

Vbloging to commence soon...

Location Manager Mark Lickona has insisted we start a Vblog. Something about my face needing to be all over the place. Who am I to argue.

Things are shaping up nicely with various people helping out, but we still need to lock down a costumer, makeup and some featured extras. Other than that though, things are going swimmingly.

It looks like we're going to go with the HPX500 camcorder. This will preclude any underwater shots, as even though I was willing to risk a $2500.00 camera to shoot under water, I'm not risking a $16,000.00 camera. Mainly because we'll need it for other things, including producing commercials and renting out.

However, if we have the jack available, I might just spring for the HVR-VU1 or the HDR-FX7 using the Blackmagic Design HDMI input card. A few months ago I was toying with the idea of using that setup to shoot the whole thing, but reason prevailed. We've got one shot at this thing, so we're going for it.


EDIT -- Vblogging is gonna have to wait until we get enough principal photography in the disk so we aren't concerned about getting it all done!

Don't have $$$$.$$ for an underwater camera enclosure? Make your own!

Some people will doubtless think it crazy to forgo buying a commercial underwater enclosure and instead build your own... And risk "bricking" a brand-spankin' new full blown HD camera.

However, unless you've got an extra $1500 or so, and really, really *need* something designed for full service production, this page shows how to make one for ~$50.00!

Since Cell is only going to need a very short underwater sequence, this made a hell of a lot more sense to me. Everyone into the pool!

My book picks for independent film

OK, I'm busier than a one-armed paper hanger with pre-production and script polish (I imagine we'll be "polishing" right up until principal photography is finished) in order to meet the August 18th shoot date, but here are my favorite independent film books:


The Ultimate Film Festival Survival Guide - Chris Gore

I Wake Up Screening: What to Do Once You've Made That Movie - John Anderson and Laura Kim

From Reel to Deal - Dov S-S Simens

What They Don't Teach You at Film School - Camille Landau and Tiare White

43 Ways to Finance Your Feature Film - John W. Cones

The Complete Independent Movie marketing Handbook - Mark Steven Bosko

Rebel Without a Crew - Robert Rodriguez

Make Your Own Damn Movie! - Lloyd Kaufman


There may be a couple others I left out, I may include these later - But these were the pick of the litter IMO.

I want to ask everyone who reads this a favor - If you could , leave me a comment, even if it's really short!

-Dave

CELL - The movie. 6.13.2007

Thanks for checking out my Blog for CELL!

Here I plan to give weekly updates as to my experience in producing a low-budget, future fiction, psychological-thriller full-length movie.

Why use the term "movie" instead of "film"? Well, IMO there's a big difference between the two.

A film is determined by quality of entertainment and experience, something which lives up to my definition of art - That which educates while it... A work of love that strives for more than mere crass commercialism.

A movie can also have all those qualities, but (again IMO) it's distinguished from a film by the fact that people actually pay to watch it.

Therefore, I'm making a *movie*: Which means that in addition to the tremendous amount of work that goes into producing something good enough so that people are willing to pay to watch it, I also get to do all the work that is involved in producing a marketing strategy to insure distribution.

And yes, just like the hot Cylon babes from Battlestar Galactica, I too, have a plan.

In fact, I have a plan A, B and C.

But more on that later - Right now I have to start roughing out a production schedule and a to-do/needs list.

More to come! Next entry will have my picks from the 4000+ pages of independent film production and distribution books I've read in the past few months.

Kick Ass Take Names,

Dave Narby