It is days like today that remind me just how darn lucky I am to make a living doing what I love.  You see, today a very good friend of mine name Alex Waxman brought over what has to be one of the coolest toys ever made with an indie or guerilla filmmaker in mind.  What he brought over was so cool, in fact, that for a split second I considered hitting him over the head and running away with it for myself.  Luckily for him, Alex is a very big guy with a very hard head, so I was too scared to try it.

I’m not going to tell you what that toy was yet.  No, I’m going to be a tease and tell you why you, my fellow low budget filmmaker, will absolutely want to have one for your next shoot.  Why, if you were in my place today, you too would have contemplated braining one of your best friends in the world in order to make off with his new toy.

What is it that ever low budget, indie or guerilla filmmaker wishes he had more of in his films?  The one thing that could make the difference between a sellable film and something that sits on his shelf at home and rots?  Nooooo…I’m not talking about more boobies.  What I’m talking about is that mythical and ever elusive “production value.”  In films, production value comes in many forms:  it can be a giant submarine set, or explosives, or a car chase through downtown Chicago.  Or, it can come in the form of aerial footage.  And that, my friends, is where Alex’s new toy comes in.

If you’ve ever dreamed of getting some low budget aerial footage of a scene, of a car chase, of a neighborhood or of anything else, then the Draganflyer Stabilized Aerial Video System (SAVS) is the answer to your prayers.

I know what you’re asking yourself, “what the hell is a Draganflyer Stabilized Aerial Video System?”  Well, that is just the fancy name for a remote controlled helicopter with a DV camera built in to it.  In other words, it’s a cool as hell new toy for the arsenal of the low budget or guerilla filmmaker. 

The brief rundown on the Draganflyer Stabilized Aerial Video System (the Draganflyer SAVS for short) is that it is a small, but incredibly durable RC helicopter (30″ in diameter and under a pound and a half in weight) with a wireless video system build in.  The video system itself has a resolution of 480 lines, making it on par with the video output of most SD camcorders.  The camera itself comes in an anti-vibration camera mount and the Draganflyer SAVS’ 4 rotor design provides an amazingly stable shooting platform for the indie filmmaker looking to add the spice of some overhead or aerial footage to his next flick.

Click here to view the embedded video.

I was a bit hesitant at the idea of using an RC helicopter to grab usable footage for a film, but Alex told me to wait until I saw the Draganflyer SAVS in action.  So, about 45 minutes after he arrive at my house, we took his unit out for a quick spin.  Having already logged around 100 hours with the Draganflyer SAVS, Alex took the lead and did a run around my neighborhood here in Covina, California…much to the shock of my neighbors and their pets!  In the hands of an experienced user, the Draganflyer SAVS provides some incredibly slick footage that would be impossible for an indie filmmaker to get otherwise…he flew over trees and houses, followed a car, chased a dog through some trees and generally piped out very workable aerial footage for a filmmaker on a budget too small for a real helicopter or even a crane shot. 

Now, there were definite limitations to the unit.  First up, you’re not going to be taking it up thousands of feet into the air.  From what I could tell, there was an effective range of a few hundred yards.  It’s batteries last right around 15 minutes (I think we were getting a bit under that during our testing) and take somewhere around an hour to recharge.  And, finally, it is a lightweight unit that can get damaged in a crash.  As with any high end piece of filmmaking equipment (be it a camera, a steadicam or anything else), getting a lot of practice in before taking it on set is a necessity. 

I also really wish there was an HD option for the camera now that a lot of shoots are heading in that direction.  I know the Draganflyer X6 exists, but I’m not sure a $15,000 system is in anyone’s budget these days.  Replacing the SD camera on the Draganflyer SAVS with an HD one would make this system unbeatable, especially for the price.

A very nice feature, is what they call Thermal Intelligence.  What that means is, if you lose control of your Draganflyer SAVS, if you are quick enough, you can just let go of the controls and the unit will auto-correct itself, using the horize as a guide.  In other words, if you start to crash, just let go of the controls and there is a very good chance the Draganflyer Stabilized Aerial Video System will save itself.  Alex demonstrated the feature for me a few times and I have to say it was very very impressive to see.

All-in-all, the Draganflyer SAVS is an incredible little piece of equipment with a lot of potential to add a lot of production value to your next shoot.  The only downside to it is it’s price.  The Draganflyer Stabilized Aerial Video System comes in at just under $2500 for the top of the line version.  There are some lesser versions available for between $950 and $1500, but they don’t come with the full set of features the Draganflyer SAVS comes with…and, I haven’t had the chance to take a look at any of them to see if they’re as effective.

If you’ve got the money and can get the mileage out of some decent SD aerial footage, then I have to say you have got to check one of these things out.  They really are one of the best new tools for an indie or low budget filmmaker with a little extra cash in his budget.

That’s it for me for today…I’m going to go see if I can take another crack at Alex’s Draganflyer SAVS.  It’s too cool to resist.  Until next time, keep shooting!

- Mat Nastos, Film Sensei
http://www.FilmSensei.com

The number one problem for every indie or guerilla filmmaker out there is:  “Where the heck do I find a distributor for my low budget film so people can see it?”  In other words, “will I make enough money to pay off all those damn credit cards I ran up to make my film?”  Yup, the age old question of what to do with that film after you’ve finished shooting and editing it. 

And you thought making a film was the hard part?

Well, like a lot of you, I’ve asked myself those same questions a number of times and have even taken the dreaded path of self distribution.  Over the course of following that path, I ran into a very cool little website, Caachi.com, that offers an interesting take on digital or online film distribution.  You may be surprised by what I discovered.

That, my friends, is what makes Caachi interesting for the low budget or guerilla filmmaker.  You now have access to any web page, blog or social network on the entire internet to advertise and sell your film.  Even better, the Caachi “vidget” (video widget) allows a web owner to show off a film’s poster image, a brief description or even its trailer, all with a very simple and easy to paste piece of code. 

Will placing a film on Caachi alone make an indie filmmaker rich beyond the dreams of Michael Eisner?  Um, sadly, no.  What it will do, however, is give guerilla and low budget filmmakers a fantastic marketing and sales tool to use in their eternal search to have their low budget film shown before the masses.  It gives them a great little marketing piece to encourage webmasters to run their trailer or film info by offering them a 20% commission on any sales made off of their site.  This will encourage reviewers, fans and even internet-saavy mothers to put your trailer on their websites. 

My only negative remarks come from the look of the Caachi website itself.  It looks very much like a stock OSCommerce template site and really isn’t as slick as it should be.  For an idea as cool as it is, and in an industry as cool as film, I really expected to see something a lot coolor and more user friendly.  My advice to the powers-that-be at Caachi is to get yourself a site redesign and fast!  I’d also like to see some sort of a scrolling vidget, similar to the Amazon Carousel Widget, allowing webmasters to list multiple films as part of a single piece of code. 

For those indie, guerilla or low budget filmmakers out there with a film to sell and no clue how to get distribution, check out www.Caachi.com for a nifty option to add to your sales and marketing utility belt.  Price your film with sales in mind ($9.99 for an indie short film you download is a bit crazy…but $4.99 for a feature might be the sweet spot for you) and with a little inventive self-promotion you might find yourself actually able to pay off those credit cards you used to finance your film.  All thanks to the fine folks at Caachi.

Well, that’s it for me for now.  I’m going to go and watch a couple of films over on Caachi (Mind Flesh looks interesting…and it has boobies in it!).  Until next time, Keep Shooting!

Is any one else as tired as I am from the holidays?  Sheesh, I think I get more worn out from the end of the year holiday “vacation” than from any amount of work.  Something about large numbers of relatives and in-laws decending upon my home just plain sucks the energy out of me.  I’m ready to get back to work and get some rest!

One of the upsides of this particular holiday season is that I always wind up getting some pretty cool gadgets I might not have otherwise purchased for myself.  My beloved wife seems to pay extra attention to all the gear I talk about in the final months of the year, makes a list and then goes out and picks the stuff up.  I’m pretty sure I’ve got the best wife in the entire universe!

For this particular Christmas, I found a handy little item waiting for me Christmas morning, the Sony DVP-FX820 Portable DVD Player…and more than that, I found the answer to my long standing prayers for an affordable solution to the problem of trying to focus a high definition image on my tiny Canon HV20 LCD screen (and the near impossible task of doing so with a 35mm lens adapter strapped to the front of my camera).

As any indie or guerilla filmmaker out there knows, HD (high definition for the neophytes out there) monitors are expensive as heck, which puts them out of reach for most low budget filmmakers.  Unfortunately, with more and more of the industry turning to HD for production, it’s quickly becoming a requirement to have one.  This is even moreso the case for those of us who have 35mm adapters, such as the Letus, Brevis, JAG35 or TwoNeil adapters, in our toolkits.  The LCDs on even the larger cameras can be a pain to focus with and the tiny little LCD on the Canon HV20/HV30 is just plain brutal.

So what are guerilla and indie filmmakers to do?  Well, the answer comes in the form of the Sony DVP-FX820 Portable DVD Player. 

The Sony DVP-FX820 Portable DVD Player has a lot of incredible features that are quickly making it the external monitor of choice for low budget filmmakers: 

1. The Sony DVP-FX820 has a resolution of 800×480
2. Its screen size is 8″ (which is a lot more managable than the 10+” screens a number of us had been using)
3. The Sony DVP FX820 is foldable  (meaning the screen folds flat onto the base)
4. It swivels so you can mount it upside down, has controls on the screen itself instead of the DVD tray (so it is still accessible when folded)
5. Comes with a car charger
6. Has a battery which lasts approximately 5 hours (mine ran for about 5 hours and 10 minutes in one stretch this past week).
7. Displays more image than the HV20/HV30 built in LCD screens (has less overscan and shows nearly the entire area you are filming, keeping you from accidentally getting unwanted items in your shots)
8. Sells for under $145!  That’s more than $800 off the cost of an external HD monitor!

This DVD Player is one of the best accessories to come on the market for the indie, guerilla or low budget filmmaker in a very long time and finally gives us a fantastic option for viewing HD or 35mm adapter footage while filming. 

The only downside is that the monitor is a little bulkier than a normal external camera monitor and will add a little less than two pounds to your rig’s weight.  That being said, I ran around with one mounted on my Canon HV20 shoulder-mounted rig this past week while filming a music video and had absolutely no problems at all.  If you shoot on a tripod, a steadicam or with a shoulder mount you will be golden…if you’re shooting all handheld then you’re going to need to make sure your arms are buff!

If you are a guerilla or low budget filmmaker looking for a great HD-quality external monitor for your camera, with a bright screen, long lasting battery, swivel base and a car charger, for under $145, then the Sony DVP-FX820 Portable DVD Player should be at the top of your Buy List…just make sure to let your wife know you want one!

That’s it from the DOJO for today.  Until next time, Keep Shooting!

- Mat Nastos, Film Sensei
http://www.FilmSensei.com

I wanted to follow-up my earlier post on DVD courses for learning filmmaking with something a little different.  About a year ago I was working on a low budget indie action film of my own — I’d worked on tons of them in the past as a storyboard artist and have put together an insane number of action sequences as a comic book artist, but this was the first time I was going to be directing an action flick of my own.  Since I was on an incredibly low budget (anemic budget would be more accurate), I knew we weren’t going to have a big stunt team or have weeks of training for our actors.  To try and avoid the crappy looking action bits that plague low budget indie and guerilla films, I wanted to do as much pre-work as I could for the fight sequences we’d be filming. 

Sure, I am a rabid fan of martial arts and action movies and have hundreds (if not more) in my collection.  And, sure, I’d storyboarded 30 or more action flicks over the course of my career.  But, the truth is, I had no practical knowledge on putting together a fight scene on set.  What was worse was, I had absolutely no idea where to start.

Luckily for me a quick Google search resulted in one of the best low buget indie filmmaking finds I’ve ever had the pleasure to discover.  What I’m talking about is a down-and-dirty instructional DVD called “Fightscenes for Motion Pictures” by the Kerby Brothers (www.kbproducts.com).  I’ve stolen some of the images from their website — here’s hoping they don’t get upset and come to kick my ass!

From what I can tell, the Kerby Brothers are a couple of stunt guys from the Las Vegas area who have quite a bit of stunt/fight experience under their belts.  What they’ve done is take all of the essential, must know elements of putting together a fight sequence — falling, selling a punch, the impact line, time and more — and put them together in an approximately 30-45 minute video.  They go over all of the necessary steps from planning to performance to editing and sound work, and they do so in a very precise, very clear manner which is easy to understand and use on set in a practical manner.  They aren’t showing you techniques beyond the budget of an indie filmmaker, they are showing you what it takes to shoot and edit a convincing and powerful fight or action scene that works on any budget.

The guys do an excellent job and this DVD is must-see for directors, fight coordinators, actors and editors alike.  If you’re looking to punch up the fights for your next indie or guerilla action flick, then “Fightscenes for Motion Pictures” from the Kerby Brothers is the place you need to start.  The DVD is only available on their website and can be picked up for $19.95 plus shipping.  I for one am hoping they expand upon the information with future volumes.  Great stuff!

Check it out at: http://www.KBProducts.com

Until next time, keep shooting!

- Mat Nastos, Film Sensei
http://www.FilmSensei.com

Woooo!  It’s time again for a new bit of wisdom from the Film Sensei.  Now that the holidays are over and the in-laws have all gone home and left the DOJO quiet and peaceful once more I can get back to the important things in life…enlightening to unlightened. 

While I do make fun of my wife’s family from time to time, one of the benefits of the holidays is a chance to hang out with her cousin, Cousin Frank.  You see, Cousin Frank is a wannabe indie filmmaker — and I use “wannabe” in the best possible way.  He loves film and is incredibly interested in the entire filmmaking process — from low budget, indie or guerilla filmmaking all the way up to the $100 million Hollywood films.  He buys DVDs just for their behind-the-scenes featurettes and is the only person I know to have scoured the internet for copies of every season of Project: Greenlight — heck, he’s probably reading this post right now!

Cousin Frank’s problem (aside from a receeding hairline he hides by shaving his head) is that he wants to take his passion to the next step but doesn’t know where to start.  He works fulltime and doesn’t really have the money for film school…even if he did, he’s read far too many articles online telling him that film school is a complete waste for most people.  Well, when I met with Cousin Frank at my wife’s Aunt Mary’s house on Christmas Eve he announced he was ready to make the leap and wanted to know what the best way to learn filmmaking — was it online?  DVDs? Books? Workshops?  All he knew was he didn’t want to waste the time or money going to film school.

What I told Cousin Frank was:  there is no universal way for someone to learn filmmaking.  For some people books work, while for others book-learning doesn’t.  Same for DVDs or online courses.  But, I did agree that film school really wasn’t the best place to learn — the best place is to get out and work on some sets and then to put together your own indie or guerilla films.  However, if he wanted to learn the how tos of filmmaking, then one of the absolute best courses I’ve had the pleasure to come across is the Digital Cinema Filmmaking DVD course by Rush Hamden (also called the Digital Filmmaker’s Training Course DVDs).

 

The Digital Cinema Filmmaking DVD Course

If you’re like me, then the best way to learn is by watching and listening to someone else as they do things.  Reading works fine for a foundation but things really only click when you can see a task being done.  The Digital Cinema Filmmaking DVD course is a perfect example of that.  The filmmaking course comes on a set of 25 DVDs loaded with practical examples and information on almost every aspect of filmmaking you can image — anything you could ever want to learn about filmmaking can be found in this DVD collection.  Hamden goes well beyond his own expertise and recruits experts in the field to help you out — learn basic lighting techniques from techs at Arri, learn lighting control and correction from Rosco techs and more.  These guys give some fantastic information.  As someone who has been on tons of low budget and big budget films, I was still learning stuff while watching the DVDs. 

The DVDs cover filmmaking equipment and gear, basic filmmaking, feature filmmaking techniques, lighting techniques, audio and even digital compositing.  And, as I mentioned, these topics are covered by some of the top people in the field — pros working every day for the top companies in the business.  This is the key to the success of these DVDs — you’re getting information from working pros with verifiable credentials versus training or film web schools by people with iffy credits at best.

I just can’t say enough good things about the quality of the Digital Cinema Filmmaking DVD Course.  The DVD is simply spectacular and will be a huge boon to low budget, guerilla and even big budget filmmakers alike.  There is something in this set for everyone.  There is no other how to learn filmmaking course available out there online or on DVD with the level of information and learning found in this set by Rush Hamden.

The only downside to the courses, if there is one, is the price.  The full course costs a little over $500.  However, you’re getting an entire filmmaking course that would costs $20,000 or more if you were forced to go to filmschool.  This set is an investment in your career and is far beyond any of the cheaper film courses advertised online.  The Digital Cinema Filmmaking DVD Course is something that every indie filmmaker should have in their DVD player 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  If you are serious about wanting to learn filmmaking, this is the DVD course set for you.

If you are a newbie looking to get started in low budget, guerilla filmmaking or a seasoned pro looking to expand your knowledge, then you are doing yourself a disservice by not checking out the Digital Cinema Filmmaking DVD course set by Rush Hamden. 

Anyway, Cousin Frank placed his order for the Digital Cinema Filmmaking DVD Course set today and I’ll be posting about his progress as he works his way though the course.  Maybe I’ll even be able to convince him to write about his experiences as well. 

That’s it from the DOJO for today.  Check back tomorrow for a new post.  Until then, keep shooting!

- Mat Nastos, Film Sensei
http://www.FilmSensei.com

It was another fantastic holiday season here at the Sensei household, filled with fun,with friends and with family.  It was also filled, surprisingly enough, with some indie / guerilla filmmaking questions from a most unexpected of places: my in-laws!

Now, it’s not surprising to have various members of my wife’s family want to talk to me about making movies or ideas for films (heck, her father gives me hour long movie pitches at every dinner we go to with them!).  The unusual part was to have one of her relatives come up to me while attending the yearly Christmas party at Aunt Mary’s house and start to fire off some very specific questions on indie filmmaking equipment in general and guerilla lighting equipment in specifc.  Cousin Frank, you see, was very interested in what it takes for someone with limited funds to put together a low budget lighting kit — one that won’t break after a couple of uses and will still hold up to the rigors of independent filmmaking!

As somone whose career has spanned ultra high budget films all the way down to $5000 features shot over a week, I not only understand the necessity of a good lighting kits but also the need of an indie or guerilla filmmaker to put something reliable together on a low cost.  While the big boys have fantastic equipment from Arri, Mole, Lowell and Kinoflow, that same equipment is oft-times way out of budget range for a low budget filmmaker.  Cousin Frank wanted to know if there were any alternatives out there for him outside of working with Home Depot work lights.  Was there a way for him to get some “real lights” (his words) for under $1000, for under $500 or for less?

The answer I gave Cousin Frank was a resounding “Yes.” 

First up, I want to say that I’ve used Home Depot style work lights on almost every shoot I’ve ever worked on and I love the things.  They’re sturdy, they’re reliable and they’re cheap.  But that’s not what Cousin Frank was looking for.  He wanted something with a bit more versitility — light stands, soft boxes, barndoors — and something a bit more professional looking. 

While there are a few different options out there, one I have a lot of experience with and have found to be incredibly reliable on a budget is Britek Lighting.  If you’re a regular on eBay then you’ve probably seen these lighting heads and kits on sale from a number of different vendors.  And, as an indie filmmaker, you’ve probably wondered if these very reasonably priced (read: cheap) lights are worth taking a chance on.  To be honest, a couple of years ago I was in your exact same position — needing a decent lighting kit for an upcoming shoot but only having enough in my budget to purchase a single Arri 650w fresnel. 

My need being very desperate and not having much time, I took a chance and contacted one of the Britek sellers on eBay about putting together a guerilla lighting kit for me for what amounted to the cost of a couple of the “pro” lights.  For well under $1000 I put together a set of two 1000w, three 600w and three 300w focusable lights, with stands, softboxes, barndoors, extra bulbs and cases, all from Britek. 

I know what you’re saying to yourself right now, “C’mon, Mat Nastos, you may be the film sensei, but are you telling me that these Britek lights are better than a $3000 Arri kit?  Are you stoned?” 

To answer your second question “Not at the moment.”  To answer your first question, “Not at all.”  If you’ve got the money for an Arri or Lowell kit or a bunch of Kinoflos, there is no comparison.  You’re talking about the difference between a Nissan Sentra and a BMW Z4.  That being said, tho, a Nissan Sentra is still a pretty darn good car for the price, and so are the Britek Lights.  They may not come with the style, brand name or bells and whistles of Arri lights, but the Britek lighting kits still produce some fantastic results for those of us on a more modest budget and, even more important, they’ll hold up to often frenzied pace of an independent or guerilla film shoot.

My own Britek lighting kit has lasted for over two years now, gone through numerous low budget film shoots and has prooven itself to be some of the most reliable gear in my guerilla filmmaking arsenal. 

The lights themselves aren’t as heavy duty as Arri fresnels, but as long as you aren’t knocking them over 3-4 times a shoot, their construction is incredibly sturdy.  Like everyone, I’ve had a few mishaps where a PA or actor stumbled over a cord or stand and dropped a light to the floor and, aside from the occassional popped bulb, the Briteks have always come up swinging. 

My only complaint about the Britek lights so far is with the softboxes.  They are a bitch to put together and almost impossible to take apart easily…I just leave mine together and have to deal with them taking up extra room in my production van.  They perform beautifully, I just wish the design was a bit better then it came to breaking them back down.

In addition to the halogen lights I have, Britek has also introduced some flourescent kits.  I haven’t had a chance to test those out but if their quality is similar to what I’ve seen in the halogens, then low budget or guerilla filmmakers should be very happy with them.  I look forward to picking up a few for my next shoot and will give a full review here on www.FilmSensei.com when I do. 

If you are in need of a low cost, high quality lighting kit for a price that won’t break the bank, then definitely take a look at Britek lights.  I know I plan on adding more units to my low budget lighting kit in the near future.  I picked up my own Britek lights from a place here in Southern California called Linco Inc (http://www.lincoinc168.com).  Their customer service and sales teams were fantastic and I was able to pick up my lights the same day I ordered them.  You can also find them on eBay and Amazon.com for some great prices.

That’s it from the DOJO for today.  Thanks for dropping by www.FilmSensei.com.  Take care and keep shooting!

- Mat Nastos, Film Sensei
http://www.FilmSensei.com

Yes, I know, it’s been way too long since my last post on here.  And, yes, I know I haven’t finished my Top 10 Essential Equipment for Filmmakers list.  Things have gotten a bit hectic here over the past couple of months and I have been neglecting my responsibilities as the Film Sensei.  I am hoping to make up for things and get back to posting and shooting videos for this site here in the next week or two.

An interesting thing has happened here since I put up my initial post on the TwoNeil DIY35mmPRO 35mm Adapter (the TwoNeil to most people):  I have been getting a ton of traffic and half a ton of questions about the thing.  It looks like there are a lot of you out there with a Canon HV20 or its newer counterpart, the Canon HV30, who are on a budget and looking for a low cost alternative to high priced 35mm adapter rigs. 

Now, before I get to today’s reader email, I do want to point out a couple of things.  First off, these DIY static adapters (and even vibrating/rotating ones) are no replacement for the higher end units like the Brevis or Letus (or Redrock or one of about 10 other ones out on the market now).  Anyone expecting to get the same results from a $200 homemade unit that they would from a $1500 manufactured one is going to be sorely disappointed.  They are two completely different things and can’t really be compared.  However, for what it is, the TwoNeil 35mm adapter can produce some very spectacular results if you know what you are doing.

Second, the TwoNeil 35mm Adapter is based on a design which is readily available online (and even TwoNeil points that out) for free.  If you have the technical ability and the patience, you can save a few bucks by building one yourself.  That being said, if you’re like me, building one can be a scary thing to consider.  I would rather spend a few extra bucks and have an expert put one together for me.  Not only does that guarantee the unit will be put together properly, but it also gives you someone to ask questions about its operation and design.  For me the slight extra cost of purchasing an assembled TwoNeil adapter versus building one myself was completely worth it.  As I mention below, the unit I received (and the help I received) from TwoNeil was easily worth the money I spent.  Even with the long lead time (TwoNeil is a one-man shop) and the often slow email response time, I have absolutely no complaints about the TwoNeil 35mm Adapter and feel that it can give an experience user results far beyond the price I paid for it. 

Anyone who asks me about the TwoNeil DIY35mmPRO 35mm Adapter gets the same response, “Every lowbudget filmmaker should absolutely have one of these babies in their arsenal of guerilla filmmaking tools…at its low price there is no excuse not to.”

That’s it for my preamble, let’s get on to today’s reader email.  This time we hear from Ilya, who found the site through YouTube.  She (I think?) has just purchased a TwoNeil, but has some questions and reservations about it.  Take it away, Ilya.

Hi,

First off I got to say that I have watched several of your videos and they have been an inspiration to me. I already ordered a bunch of things that you have described.

I am a little concerned though about the 35mm adapter. I ordered one from the guy you have mentioned, TWONEIL@(emailremoved). I already paid him two days ago through paypal. $199 plus shipping.

If you could tell me please…Is he trust worthy for sure and how does he usually get in touch with his buyers. Is it normal for him not to write right away. it’s been two days.

Do you think the basic adaptor that he is selling is good enough or should I order if I can the better one or does it really not matter what would you recommend?

I really appreciate your time. Thank you so much.  -Ilya
Ilya:

Thanks for the note and the kind words. From experience as a buyer myself (and as a regular lurker on the HV20.com forums), TwoNeil has been very trustworthy. He has been a member of the HV20.com forums forever and has probably sent out hundreds of his TwoNeil 35mm adapters. That being said, as I mentioned in my initial review of the adapter, he can be a bit slow in responding by email at times. Just have patience and he will get back to you. If you need further reassurance about the guy, post on the forums and ask about him. You’ll get 100% positive responses — that’s what happened to me when I asked around about him.

It’s tough to answer your question about “good enough.” The adapter works very well for what it is — a static 35mm adapter. There are some inherent potential issues with static adapters in general (keeping them dust and scratch free takes a lot of care). However, I’ve had excellent results with mine and I know a lot of other guys swear by the thing. There is a difference between a static adapter like this and a higher end manufactured one like the Brevis and, if you’ve got the money, I’d say go for the higher end.

For my money, the TwoNeil is the best low end adapter around (it’s one you can make yourself as well, if you have the time and patience — the instructions for it are all ove rthe internet). I’d pick it up (and did!) over anything short of the highend units like the Brevis. I would avoid the low end vibrating or rotating adapters like the plague. They have too many problems…if you’re looking for a vibrating adapter, just take the time and make your own if at all possible because the ones I’ve encountered online are generally pretty poor in quality.

The only downside for the TwoNeil is that the unit really is made for the HV20/HV30 and I’m not sure what it would take to adapt it for a bigger camera if you eventually move up to something else. That might be something to ask TwoNeil.

I don’t know if that helps you or answers your questions. Thanks again for your note and take care.

Well, that’s it for today’s reader mailbag.  If you’ve got a question about low budget, indie or guerrilla filmmaking, feel free to post a comment or send over an email.  I respond to any emails I receive and there is a good chance I might just post your question here on FilmSensei.com.

Thanks for stopping by and keep on shooting!

-Mat Nastos, the Film Sensei
http://www.FilmSensei.com

If you do frequent the indie filmmaking message boards and communities, then you know that even attempting to ask a basic question will get you flamed, harassed and mocked.  For some reason the majority of people on those boards are more interested in being complete dicks than in really helping…not everyone, but most.  Aside from the insult responses you’ll get, the main bit of “help” offered by forum members will usually be along the lines of a very sarcastic post containing some variation of the phrase “search the archives for your answer.”  Well, we all know that searching a particularly active forum can be a bit like finding a needle in a haystack.  What this does is leave the majority of newbie indie or guerilla filmmakers scratching their heads on where to get started.  None of us has an unlimited amount of cash to throw around and for a new filmmaker finding the right equipment for the right price is an absolute MUST…throwing away $500 on the wrong piece of gear can sometimes make or break someone.

What I’m going to be doing over the next week is going over a list of the top 10 must-have essential pieces of equipment for any indie or guerilla filmmaker looking to get started.  This is the basic equipment you’ll need to go out there and put together a professional looking piece of film together.  This list isn’t going to include anything on editing because that is a list unto itself.  Right now we’re sticking with the essential equipment for any beginning filmmaker or someone looking to start their own guerilla production studio.  And away we go!

#1: The Camera

First up, the most essential pieces of any filmmaker’s gear is a camera.  What type of camera you choose is going to be completely based upon your budget.  The main thing to keep in mind is that you absolutely must get a camera with a MIC input.  Onboard mics for even higher end cameras tend to be terrible and having the ability to add on a shotgun or wireless lav mic is essential.  Unfortunately, a lot of the lower priced camcorders are now being designed with out the needed MIC input, which sucks.  What this means is you’ll have to be a bit more selective when it comes to purchasing a lower cost camcorder than with one on the higher end of the spectrum. 

Using the MIC input as our guidepost, as I mentioned before, your budget is going to pick your camera for you.  Starting at the lowest budget around is the Canon ZR900 camera.  This is a nice little camera available for under $250.  It will give you a very decent picture as long as you have a lot of light (it is great for shooting outdoors during the day, and even at night as long as you have a strong light source somewhere in your shot) and it has the much needed MIC input.  Do not let a salesperson talk you in to the slightly higher end model, the Canon ZR950…it will provide you with an equally fine image and a few additional features, but it doesn’t have the option to plug in a MIC.  Definitely a strange oversight on Canon’s part.

If you’ve got a little bit more money in your wallet and want to take your filmmaking to the next step, I suggest the Canon HV20 or Canon HV30 HDV camera.  The amazing little Canon HV20 and its equally awesome successor, the HV30, have taken the indie and guerilla film community by storm.  With their ability to shot some fantastic footage in HDV coupled with the ability to shoot in a beatiful 24p mode, it is no wonder why the HV20 / HV30 are now the only real choice for filmmakers with a budget of under $2000.  These bad boys are now priced at well under $800 and, when coupled with a few add-ons, will have you shooting footage comparable to what you see on higher priced cameras like the Canon XHA1.  Even if you’ve got $2000 to spend, I’d fully recommend you check out the Canon HV20 / HV30 as a base and then use your additional funds to upgrade it with additional lenses, microphones, rails, a mattebox and get yourself a tweaked out little filmmaking monster on your hands.

Stepping up from the Canon HV20 / HV30 range of under $1000 cameras, your choices become a lot wider.  If you’ve got a budget in the $2000 range and don’t mind shooting in standard definition, the Panasonic DVX100B (and all of its predecessors) is still a great choice.  Tons of films are still being shot on it. 

Moving up to the $3000+ price points choices become a bit more difficult because the number of very good cameras in the pro-sumer level.  My personal picks are the Canon XHA1 and the Panasonic HVX200.  The Canon XHA1 is probably one of the best choices for a low budget filmmaker, at least in my opinion, with the HVX200 coming in neck-and-neck.  The HVX200 is basically the HD upgraded version of the DVX100 series and anyone who has used one of those older cameras will find the new HVX200 surprisingly similar to operate.

Ok, so my #1 must have piece of indie filmmaking equipment has really just given you a lot of options to think about.  The thing to keep in mind is that when it comes to cameras, as with everything, the more money you can spend the better equipment you can get.  However, with options like the ZR800 and HV20/HV30 from Canon, there are some excellent choices out there for those of us on a budget.

My personal cameras for shooting my low budget projects right now are the Canon HV20 and the XHA1.  The majority of my first unit shots are with the XHA1, with the HV20 acting as a second unit and for doing pick-ups.  However, from time to time the HV20 steps up and is my prime camera.  I’ll strap on one of my 35mm adapters (more on these later) to the Canon HV20 whenever I want to play around with using depth of field as a storytelling device and the footage cuts together surprisingly well with the XHA1.  The combination of the XHA1 and the HV20/HV30 is an excellent options for those of us who are looking for a cheaper alternative to a second camera for a shoot but are worried about getting the footage to sync up.

Check back tomorrow for the next article in this series of essential equipment for indie and guerilla filmmakers where I’ll be going over numbers 2-5.  As with everything else on here, feel free to leave me a comment with any thoughts or questions you might have. 

-Mat N., the Film Sensei
http://www.FilmSensei.com

As an indie filmmaker I am a firm believer in the power of digital cinema and filmmaking.  I’ve owned and been using various forms of DV cameras since I shot “Bite Me, Fanboy” back in 2001.  However, like almost every indie or guerilla filmmaker on the planet, I still love the look of a project shot on film.  There is just something ingrained into my being that will also respond to the look of a 35mm or, as a fan of 1970s exploitation films, 16mm film.  To me, video almost never looks quite right. 

The rise of digital cameras with the ability to shoot at 24p (24 progressive frames per second) has helped the look of digital video, but there was still something missing.  Truthfully, the main thing missing from most DV (or HD or HDV or whatever your preferred digital filmmaking format is) is creative color correction and post processing, but that’s not what I’m going to talk about today.  What is missing on consumer and “prosumer” digital camcorders is the power of a great lens.  Sure, a lot of the higher end digital video cameras have some very good lenses on them these days.  However, they still don’t quite hold a candle to a professional 35mm camera lens.

In specific, what most dv cameras lack is the ability to change your focal length and the ability to get a great shallow depth of field.  For those of you out there who aren’t sure of what the term “depth of field” means or why you’d want a shallow one, I’ll explain…for those of you who already know, I give you permission to go ahead and skip past the rest of this paragraph.  Your “depth of field” is basically referring to what is in focus on screen (or in your camera).  A deep depth of field means more is in focus (or everything in some cases) and a shallow depth of field means a small portion is in focus with everything else blurred out to varying degrees.  You’ll notice in most films (but not all), when a character is in close-up, the background is blurred out.  That statement over simplifies things, but this post is a product review and not a treatise on DOF (depth of field).  All you need to know is film lenses allow you to obtain a very shallow DOF, which allows you as the director to control what your viewers see on screen and is an important part of film storytelling.  If you want to know more, Google the damn phrase and leave me alone.

While there are a few tricks to obtain a shallow DOF with DV cameras with zooming, they are not always possible to achieve, especially in tight shooting locations.  Thankfully, a technology has been developed in the last few years which allows professional 35mm lenses from still cameras to be attached to most digital video cameras out there, giving the indie and guerilla filmmaker a huge boost to his arsenal of visual storytelling tools — the ability to easily achieve the look of different length lenses and the ability to finally obtain a shallow DOF focus for shots.  This technology is called the 35mm Adapter.

Over the past couple of years, there has been a literal flood of different 35mm adapters, ranging in price from $700 or so all the way up to multiple thousands of dollars for a high end rig.  Unfortunately for the DIY guerilla indie filmmaker, thousands of dollars ain’t easy to come by!  Heck, your camera probably only costs a couple of hundred bucks, why the heck would you want to blow a thousand dollars or more on a gadget?

You know what, I’m right there with you, buddy.  My Canon HV20 only cost about $700 and I’m just not sure it’s worth blowing $1500 or more on a Brevis, Letus or Redrock system.  And that is where my newest filmmaking equipment acquisition comes in:  the TwoNeil DIY35mmPro 35mm Adapter.  If you’ve done any research into low cost 35mm adapters then you’ve probably already heard of this little gem from a filmmaker up in Canada. 

TwoNeil DIY35mmPro 35mm Adapter Review:

The TwoNeil DIY35mmPro 35mm Adapter is a static adapter which is based on a design freely available on the internet and runs for about $199 plus shipping.  Now, your first thought is probably, why the heck would I pay $199 for something based on plans you can download for free?  Two reasons:  first, the cost of the parts takes up the majority of the price.  You’re going to have to pay for most of them yourself and spend the time locating them online.  Second, construction.  TwoNeil puts it all together for you and makes sure everything is properly aligned to work correctly.  If you’re like me, then the thought of some of the tech stuff gets scary.  If I can get an “expert” to build something for me, I will.  Also, I’m lazy.

Ok, enough of all the talk on theory.  I ordered my TwoNeil adapter online from the maker himself (found through a posting on www.HV20.com) and I was very excited to get to try the thing out right away.  Unfortunately, that is where the bad news started.  TwoNeil makes these things in his spare time and turnaround time is about 60 days.  As someone thoroughly entrenched in the Internet and normally getting orders in a few days this was an excruciating reality to have to deal with.  In TwoNeil’s defense, my package from the Canadian post arrived in about 45 days.

The TwoNeil 35mm adapter arrived in a well-packaged, well-padded box containing the adapter unit itself (packed in a small boxed and covered in plastic wrap to prevent dust from collecting in it), a keyboard-style air blower unit and a roll of black electric tape.  It also contained a lot of strangely shaped styrafoam peanuts…but that didn’t affect the unit at all, it just reminded me of how similar yet different our cousins to the North are.  There were no instructions for use or installation or anything like that.  Which is where the problems started to arise.

Because the TwoNeil 35mm Adapater is basicaly a DIY project from another filmmaker, you won’t get the instruction, information or assistance you would get from one of the higher end 35mm adapters.  There is an instruction flyer you can find on HV20.com, but it doesn’t answer all of the questions you’ll have about the unit or how to use.  First up, the unit comes without an achromat.  That means, while the TwoNeil Adapter is technically usable right out of the box, you really won’t get the best results with it that way.  To get optimal results you’re going to need an achromat, as well as a few other pieces to make it work.

After a bit of research on HV20.com, I picked the Opteka 10x Achromat and emailed TwoNeil about it to see if that would work with his 35mm adapter.  What followed was a series of very nice and fairly prompt and, sadly, very painful emails with the maker of the DIY35mmPro 35mm adapter. I say painful very reluctantly because TwoNeil seems like a very nice, very polite guy.  However, actually getting helpful information out of him can be a lot like pulling teeth.  When I asked if the Opteka would work (already knowing it would from my research) and what I’d need to make it work with the 35mm adapter and my HV20, the answer I got amounted to “yes.”  And that was it.  From there we went back and forth where I’d ask a number of questions in an email, get a single answer and send another email with more questions.

As cool as the TwoNeil 35mm adapter is, it really needs a detailed information or FAQ support page online for new users, old users and potential users to get all the facts.  After 10 or so emails, I was basically told that to get the 58mm Opteka achromat (the size he suggested), I’d need to get an additional Nikon Ring3 extension tube and would have to glue the Opteka in to it (because the Ring3 is 57mm).  Cool.  So I ordered up the 58mm Opteka Achromat and the additional Ring3 extension tube (you actually have to order a full set and just use the Ring3…costs around $20…the Opteka cost $30 on Amazon).

Cut to 45 days later when a very excited Mat is opening up the package with his TwoNeil 35mm Adapter in it.  Taking a look at it, I was excited.  The unit look great, very sturdy, and the Nikon mount on the end worked with the set of Nikon Nikkor AIS Prime Lenses I have (85mm, 50mm and 28mm).  Awesome.  Looking at the adapter and looking at the Ring3 and Achromat, I get a little paranoid.  I figure I’ll email TwoNeil to let him know I received the package and just to confirm what I’m going to do before I bust out the Crazy Glue and get to work.

At this point I’m informed I should use a 55mm Opteka Achromat and a 55mm-57mm step up ring instead of the 58mm (which I guess I could still use if I want to glue).  It takes me a couple of more emails to get the answer to my original question, which amounted to “what order do I put this together in.”  All in all, it’s been a little frustrating.  I really think TwoNeil should put together a FAQ or guide for the equipment he sells to help his customers make sure they are getting the most out of his 35mm adapters.  As it is right now, it is a very confusing process.  For me, in particular, I’m still not able to use a piece of equipment I waited almost 2 months for because I have to order additional parts to make it work properly.

With all that being said, the unit itself is pretty slick and well put together.  It is a static adapter, so you’ll have to be extra vigilant in making sure to keep the focusing screen clear of dust or debris which can find its way in to the DIY35mmPro adapter.  Unlike with vibrating 35mm adapters, any dust will show up in your shots.  I did a few tests with the TwoNeil adapter without an achromat attached and it works very well.  Without the achromat you’ll notice a bit more vignetting and distortion than you will if you attach one, but even the footage looks very decent and you’ll be able to pop on your favorite Nikon lens right away.

I do want to give a bit of a warning: if you pick up this 35mm adapter or any other and are expecting to get the kind of fantastic footage you see online right out of the camera, you’re going to be sorely disappointed, especially with the Canon HV20/HV30.  With any digital camera, you’re going to get a more muted, neutral looking footage right out of the camera, even with a 35mm adapter.  Shooting with the 35mm adapter in 24p mode will give you everything you need, but the magic really comes in the post process and what you do to the footage. 

In spite of all the technical difficulties, my first impressions of the TwoNeil DIY35mmPro 35mm Adapter is very good.  If you’re an indie or guerilla filmmaker and want to add a shallow DOF to your shots but don’t want to spend a huge amount of money, then the TwonNeil 35mm adapter should be at the top of your list.  It’s a great little unit and I can’t wait to play with it some more.  I’ll post some footage and a more detailed review once my additional parts arrive and I’ve had more time to work with the TwoNeil Adapter, so stay tuned!

That’s it for today.  Until next time, Keep Shooting!

-Mat N., the Film Sensei
http://www.FilmSensei.com

It’s another exciting week here in Southern California.  And by “exciting” I mean “really freakin’ hot!”  Earlier this summer I promised my beloved wife I would refrain from using our airconditioner as much as possible.  It was an easy promise to make back in early May when the weather was a balmy 75 degrees.  Now that it is early July and it’s hotter than Mila Kunis, I’m very much regretting that promise. 

In an attempt to stave off my upcoming heat stroke, I’ve decided to start documenting the development of my next low, low, low, low, (you get the idea) low budget film.  It’s a horror flick (or, perhaps, comedy-horror is a better classification) called “The Hog” (WGA #1184043), which I originally wrote a few years ago.  I had been given the task of writing the sequel to a terrible little movie called “Tail Sting” — the sequel was called “Tail Sting 2″ at the time, however it was eventually released as “Stinger” in most of the world.  Unfortunately for everyone involved, I really hadn’t done a whole hell of a lot of screenplay writing at that point.  I had come up with the story for “Bite Me, Fanboy” and then co-wrote its screenplay, done extensive re-writing on the “Judge Dredd” screenplay for Shoreline Entertainment and written a bunch of comic books, but that was the extent of my writing experience.

Heck, I went to art school and was thankful I could even read at all!  The thought of sitting down and writing out 120 pages of text for a screenplay was a bit daunting.  In an effort to become more familiar and, hopefully, more skilled with the process, I decided to bang out a low budget horror screenplay in advance of doing “Tail Sting 2.” 

Initially I had intended to write a straight up, serious, hardcore horror movie.  I’ve worked on tons of the things and, at least in my head, know what works and what doesn’t.  Most horror movies suck ass and aren’t scary, so I wanted to do it right.  The thing is, I’m really not quite right in the head.  What started out as serious creature feature quickly turned in to something else.  What began as “Jaws” morphed in to a story much closer to “Jaws meets Porky’s.”  I don’t know if it was my inexperience as a writer or if I should attribute it to my mental issues, but my hardcore horror movie became a strange mix of a horror movie and a college sex comedy.  Not a parody like the “Scary Movie” franchise or “Saturday the 14th” or the “Saw” movies.  It was closer to “Shaun of the Dead” where the characters from a comedy turn the corner and wind up running for their lives covered in gore.

Writing wound up going very quickly — I think I wrote “The Hog” in about 3 weeks and the “Stinger” screenplay took about a month.  I did discover pretty fast that the majority of the writing process gives me a headache.  I enjoy coming up with the story and outline, and I like the final 1/4 or so, but that middle section is painful for me.  To this day I get that same headache about 20 pages in to every project I work on…and it has Excedrin written all over it.

I’ll go over the writing process I use for pretty much everything (from the Disney TV stuff to these low budget horror flicks) at a later date.  Maybe someone out there will have an idea on how I can ease my mental pain without over-the-counter pain medication.

Having been stuck writing for TV and animation for most of the last couple of years, I am very interested in getting back and directing another low budget feature.  So, I decided to dust off the screenplay for “The Hog” and give it a new draft to punch things up a bit.  With the pitiful state horror is these days, I believe now is the right time for a different kind of horror flick to come out and, if nothing else, I think shooting “The Hog” will be a total blast to do. 

Over the next weeks, months or God-only-knows how long, I’ll be detailing my efforts to get this film made.  I’ll talk about budgeting, the search for financing, pre-production, production itself and then post.  From there I’ll tell you everything we go through trying to get distribution and eventual release for the film.  It’ll be fun, it’ll be painful and it’ll be informative for those of you interested in all the little details of filmmaking and putting together an indie or guerilla film.

We’ll be doing the majority of our casting and recruiting here online as well, so feel free to send over headshots or resumes if you’re an actor or crew member. 

In the meantime, feel free to post any questions or comments here on the Film Sensei website.  Oh, and if I get enough requests I’ll post the full screenplay for “The Hog” for download here as well.  Make sure to stop by later this week for my ramblings on budgeting for the film. 

Until next time, keep on shooting!

-Mat N., the Film Sensei
http://www.FilmSensei.com