-
What woiuld your dream room have in it?
Hello to all.
My name is Erik. I work for a moderately sized company. I was recently put in charge of supplying plans for a small production studio. I was recently told to give them a list of what I could have for a specific budget(not all that much), which I completed and submitted.
My boss came back and gave me week to make up a wish list of anything I wanted “withen reason”. This list should consist of lights, a camera, a teleprompter, any computing needs(they will not buy me a mac or give me a full editing station, so this is more along the lines of any hardware enhancements you can think of), tripod, and any other bells and whistles that you have found helpful if you had a couple extra dollars in the budget.
The primary use of the studio and the equipment will be doing some green screen shooting, some one and two person interviews, and eventually, streaming some corporate press releases. Any and all suggestions would be helpful. I am not looking to spend a million dollars, but would like this list to consist of items that are of good quality, resilient, and hopefully won’t be obsolite in six months.
Thanks in advance to anyone who leaves suggestions.
Erik
-
5 Replies
-
Eric,
Look, just get the things you’ve really like to own when the company realizes they’re being incredibly stupid and eventually goes to sell everything off.
Because in about 18 months, the bosses will have changed their minds, realized that equipment doesn’t make video – trained people do. And also have come to the realization that trained people are *WAY* more EXPENSIVE to maintain than equipment.
Companies are VERY sensitive about labor costs – because unlike equipment you have to pay those costs, month after month, and as soon as the “ASSET” realizes it’s value, it’s GONE to start their own business.
Last time this all happened was back in the mid 1990s – this huge trend to invest capital into video production assets “in house” will mess things up for a year or so, then all the companies will be selling off the gear cheap.
(Last time here in Phoenix we had a major corporation that did the ENTIRE 23rd floor as a “video studio.” When they came to their senses 5 years later – they literally tossed everything they had purchased into DUMPSTERS.
Such is life.
-
Let me know when it is dumpster time, I’ll bring a van:-)
Bill is absolutely right here. That of course is of little use to you now, because you bosses have made a decision and you are stuck with implementing it, right or wrong.
Not getting you a new computer though is a super red flag to me that this project is doomed from the start. These days the computer workstation is arguably more important than owning a camera. You would use it for editing as well as streaming and authoring the finished product. Everything else could in theory be rented for just the days you need it.
If they won’t spring for an up to date task-specific machine as the heart of the enterprise, nothing else you do is really going to matter.
-
Not to sound flip about it, but make sure you have a decent chair. If you are spending numerous hours in one chair every day, you want it to be a good one. That won’t make it a “dream room”, but it could keep it from being a nightmare one.
As the others mentioned, training is where I’d put any “extra” money. If you don’t have Adobe Creative Suite, I’d set aside for that as Version 5 is right around the corner, and you can’t go wrong having up-to-date versions of Photoshop and After Effects at your fingertips.
The rest of the list really depends on what you already have. Without knowing what to augment, it’s tough to suggest peripherals.
Do you have decent lights? A good clean and smooth chroma screen? Good sound gear?
-Tim
-
4 lavalamps, a nice well-stocked fridge and a hookah.
-
Invest in the right lights and lots of educational books.
What kind of videos will you be doing in your studio? Green screen? Talking heads? Will you ever deal with multiple actors (or non-actors)? Will people be in front of backdrops? On designed sets? Will you be working on multi-camera shoots?
These kinds of details might get you some more specific responses.
I’ve got to agree with what everyone else is saying though, if they’re not willing to buy you a real editing station…. how are you going to complete your work?
Reply to this Discussion! Login or Sign Up