Setting up a production studio around FCP

[Todd Gillespie]

Oh boy, the list and options are endless. Plus you will get different options from everyone. So to save you some time, just listen to me!! 😛
There are a couple of questions that need answers before someone can get you a full answer.
What’s your camera format? And what’s

[romprec] “setup that will meet the needs of a semi-professional filmmaker for the next 5 years”

Does this mean that you will be only doing documentary films? Or will you take on the occasional corporate/commercial gig? What will your distribution format be? Beta? DVD? DV? Questions, questions.
All of this will affect your decisions. Kona? Great cards from an innovated company. But if you are only going from and to DV then there’s not much reason to get a card. But if you are going to another format (the occasional commercial gig for example), then your going to need a card to use with a professional deck. Also even if you were only making DVDs, Kona cards can make your picture quality better when converting to DVD. Many more pro and cons. I won’t go Cinewave, old technology.

[romprec] “How powerful of a mac should I be looking at? Is G5 the minimum? “

Apple designs their software to take advantage of newest and fastest machines, but if you’re only cutting documentaries on it, then you probably don’t need the fastest. But defiantly a G5, with lots of RAM.

[romprec] “Is it alright to stream video right off of a DV camera, or should I be using a deck?”

You need to get a deck. Can’t answer which deck until I know which camera. But the deck can also become a switcher of sorts; it will get you a feed to connect to a NTSC monitor (required for any edit station) and a possible video output to record to VHS or DVD dubs.

[romprec] “Are there other things that I should be thinking about?”

NTSC monitor, audio mixer, nice speakers, good desk, probably more, but, again, don’t exactly know your needs.

Good Luck,

Todd at UCSB
Television Production

[Graeme Nattress]

For DV, no need for any card at all.

Best:
Big G5
DV Deck (DSR-11, or DSR-25 etc.)
Video monitor (NTSC or PAL or both, as appropriate)
Audio mixer
Powered monitor loudspeakers
Nice desk and chair – you need good ergonomics
External storage – anything from a HUGE drive, to a bunch of firewire drives, or an Xserve RAID.
Cheap:
Small G5
Use a cheapo camera instead of the deck
Get a cheap Monitor
Put a big internal SATA drive in the G5 for storage
Cheapest:
iMac (G5)
Use your camera instead of the deck
Use your 14″ portable TV for a monitor
Use firewire drives

So you’re in Ottawa eh? So am I. Take a look at the cheap JVC NTSC (actually dual standard) monitors, you can get them from Cinequip on Camelot. They also sell practically everything for video productions – cameras, lights etc.

Basically, you need a camera, mac, lots of hard drive space, and a way to monitor both audio and video properly. If you’ve got that, you’re laughing.

For shooting, get decent mics, and sound makes a documentary more than the picture.

Graeme

– http://www.nattress.com – Film Effects and Standards Conversion for FCP

[Romprec]

Thanks so much for the advice Todd and Graeme.
There is *so much* stuff out there, that it’s really hard to know what you really need and what you can do without.
Graeme, thanks for the tip on Cinequip in Ottawa, I’ll cruise down there and check it out some time.
Thanks again,
Chris

[Graeme Nattress]

Cinequip is where I get a lot of my video gear from. They don’t do Sony, but other than that, they do practically everything and tend to be helpful in the extreme.

Graeme

– http://www.nattress.com – Film Effects and Standards Conversion for FCP