Amateur Filmmaking Equipment – Tips For Beginners

Finding the right amateur filmmaking equipment for your needs will greatly depend on your filming habits and the location of your project. Time and time again, we see that many new amateur filmmakers will show their work on YouTube or any video sharing site just to be criticized for the lack of good equipment used in their film. The problem is that most amateur filmmakers do not know what is the best equipment for them. Many times it is just the fact that they do not have the funds to get the equipment, which is why their films looks, well, amateur. So what kind of amateur filmmaking equipment should you have? Well, let us take a look and see.

Tripods are a must for every filmmaker. Of course, there is a lot more to it than just any old tripod. You have to consider the weight, height, strength, and the kind of head the tripod will provide you with. If you are in need of just a basic tripod, then consider a light, sturdy tripod with a basic head. If you have the funds to go big, then consider going for a heavy duty version. There are plenty to choose from online and at any electronics store.

Lighting equipment is another essential gear for amateur filmmaking. Have you ever noticed that when new filmmakers post their films online, that it seems dark in the background or that the subject is completely pale and dull? Well that is because the filmmaker did not know that he or she needed the right lighting gear to make there subjects shine. Consider using construction lamps for the film. They are usually cheap, lightweight, and convenient to use. If you have money, go for the big leagues by purchasing background lamps and foreground lamps.

Microphones for your films also is a must. There are an array of microphones to choose from. You have your shotgun, wireless, and lavaliere microphones. Shotgun microphones are used in just focusing on what is directly in front of the camcorder. Wireless microphones are used if the camcorder and the subject are separated at a considerable distance. Lavaliere microphones are used in having a interview type film, like on the news.

Carrying cases are needed for every filmmaker if you are going from place to place. Plus, they offer a safe place for your amateur filmmaking equipment. You have your soft cases and hard cases. They are both the same except that the hard cases are more for the professionals because they offer a little bit more protection against damage and carry more expensive gear.

Well, hopefully this has cleared some things up on how to choose the right amateur filmmaking equipment for your projects. Just remember that with the right gear, your movies will turn out awesome and will earn you more respect as an amateur filmmaker.

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Question by librogirl: how to become a video artist?
I wanna be a music video director,so I”ve taken a couple work shops on filmmaking, that included focus on writing, editing and of course directing….however i c in the music videos i like a lot of art work and animation involved….like michel Gondry’s videos…so what courses should i take or should i take art course or something…any tips?

Best answer:

Answer by Middler
Filmmaking in general is a collaborative work. One person can not do all the work. The first step is to decide what area of filmmaking you want to specialize in. Director knows a little bit of almost everything that goes into making a film because he/she needs to understand what is happening on set, what can be expected of the crew, talent, and equipments, and how to capture a shot with the post-production in mind. However, most Directors are able to preform only one or two aspects of filmmaking with a degree of professionalism. Michel Gondry, for example, seems to like patterns in his music video. His videos are well thought out. He figures out how the final cut is going to look like before he shoots the video. Then he shoots the video in a way that will allow him to make the effects. Most of his effects are not so much as graphic as they are excellent directing and editing techniques. That comes from experience. That is the best advice I can give you. Experience. I love education, but when it comes to the entertainment industry, education can give you only a little bit of advantage. Most clients or studios don’t care if you have a degree or not. It all comes down to your portfolio and if your portfolio is not showing them what they would like to see, it will be thrown in to the pile by the corner that is waiting for some poor intern to finish with his 101 tasks so he can take it to the recycling bin. Now, I’m not saying going to film school is a total waste of time. I went to film school for 4 years. Luckily for me, I went to a University that taught filmmaking with a hands-on approach. Even so, much of what I know now – and what I know isn’t all that much – comes from additional hands-on training I keep on taking and experimental films I keep on making. If you admire Mr. Gondry so much, start with imitating his shots and edits. Try to recreate a scene from his music video. Then try to personalize it and push beyond what he’s done. After that take the skill you just learned and try to come up with scenarios you could utilize it. What If is a great phrase for filmmakers. What if I did this? What if I reversed that? What if I substituted this for that? What if I combined this and that?
Filmmaking is a big topic. I apologize I’m not able to provide a straightforward answer that takes care of the problem. As a final advice, I’d suggest that you prescribe to www.lynda.com. It is an online library for people in the entertainment and technology industries. They have video tutorials in music capturing, editing, mixing, videography, video editing, animation, graphic designs, and so on. It will not disappoint you. For more graphic editing tutorials, you may be interested in www.videocopilot.net as well. Check out their Tutorials section.

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Filmmaker Mat Whitecross shares his top filming tips and shows how you can make someone fly in your videos. Get hold of any filming gear, like a handycam or a camera mobile phone, and hit record. Transcript: Hi, my name is Mat Whitecross. I’m a film-maker, director, editor, cameraman. I come up with ideas, I go out to a location and shoot them with a crew and we come back into the studio and edit them. I was obsessed with making films from a very early age and when I finished college, I went to work for a local TV station. Then I came to London and started making cups of tea for famous people, being a runner. After a while I started working on films, as an editor. I do this because it’s creative, it’s exciting, it’s fun and you meet different people every day. Every single day is different, and you get to tell stories the way you want to tell them. Filming Demos Get a strong story, good idea and be original. Once you’ve got your idea the best thing to do is prepare yourself for the shoot, and the best way to do that is to draw a storyboard. You don’t have to be a great artist, just get the pen out and start drawing an idea of what you’re going to do with each shot. Once you’ve got your storyboard, you need to go out and find a place to shoot it, find your location. The best thing to do is to try and find somewhere that’s slightly out of the way, so you’re not in other people’s way. Also, find somewhere that’s quiet. Once you’re on set, the main thing is to be able to …

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