NationStates Jolt Archive

Please, just people that know about this post here. Thank You.


I am in the market for a professional camcorder so I can make my short films and other projects.
I am thinking about getting the Canon XL2 but was wondering if any of you have had any experience using this model, if you have what do you think of it and how did it work for you?
Do you have any suggestions in regards to other models I should look at? (I have been looking at many models for the past 4 months)

All help is good. Thank You Very Much!

i bet Cannot Think of a Name could help you out. I dunno why I think that.....I think hes has something to do with making films though.

Please, just people that know about this post here. Thank You.


I am in the market for a professional camcorder so I can make my short films and other projects.
I am thinking about getting the Canon XL2 but was wondering if any of you have had any experience using this model, if you have what do you think of it and how did it work for you?
Do you have any suggestions in regards to other models I should look at? (I have been looking at many models for the past 4 months)

All help is good. Thank You Very Much!

Go for film, it's a better media to work with. It suited me well over the years. You can find a classic super 8mm camera for under a grand on ebay. Film is still plentiful and available in b&w and color. If you are serious about being a filmmaker, start at the basic level. Shooting on film will help you learn how to use lighting and how to set a scene.

Go for film, it's a better media to work with. It suited me well over the years. You can find a classic super 8mm camera for under a grand on ebay. Film is still plentiful and available in b&w and color. If you are serious about being a filmmaker, start at the basic level. Shooting on film will help you learn how to use lighting and how to set a scene.
Thank You Very Much! :) I will look into that. I allways wanted to work with film more then digital but it is hard to get here and that is why I am considering a Digital Camcorder, I have done most of my stuff with digital camcorders. I am going to film school next year so I want to be very well prepared. Thanks again.

Thank You for the Info.! :)

If you scroll down to 'forum jump' you will find one of the options is buy/sell...

i bet Cannot Think of a Name could help you out. I dunno why I think that.....I think hes has something to do with making films though.
I do, and I can.

You want a JVC DX-100A w/24p. That will give you the best film look and records in 24 frames per second (just like real film) rather than the 29.yadda yadda that regular camcoders record in. This syncs up well with Final Cut Pro HD.

The XL1/2 are good cameras, though. The bonus that they offer is Cannon makes good lenses (probably the best) and you can interchange them. But lenses are expensive. Most professionals still use the XL1/2, but thats largely because dropping $4 grand because something is slightly better when you're a struggling filmmaker just doesn't make sense.

However if you are buying a new camera, I would go with the DX-100A. It's the pimpest pro-sumer camera.

Thank You Very Much! :) I will look into that. I allways wanted to work with film more then digital but it is hard to get here and that is why I am considering a Digital Camcorder, I have done most of my stuff with digital camcorders. I am going to film school next year so I want to be very well prepared. Thanks again.
They'll give you the cameras that you need, though it does help to have your own. Processing 8mm film can get expensive, especially when you are experimenting. In the end run, film does look better and the lighting is different, but only a little-the principles are close.

Most pro-sumer cameras have the same adjustments (f-stop, shudder, etc) and is the cheapest way to learn.

There is something called (I think) pro-8mm, where they cut up strips of 35mm strip for use in old 8mm, though I haven't experimented with that myself.

I do, and I can.

You want a JVC DX-100A w/24p. That will give you the best film look and records in 24 frames per second (just like real film) rather than the 29.yadda yadda that regular camcoders record in. This syncs up well with Final Cut Pro HD.

The XL1/2 are good cameras, though. The bonus that they offer is Cannon makes good lenses (probably the best) and you can interchange them. But lenses are expensive. Most professionals still use the XL1/2, but thats largely because dropping $4 grand because something is slightly better when you're a struggling filmmaker just doesn't make sense.

However if you are buying a new camera, I would go with the DX-100A. It's the pimpest pro-sumer camera.

Thank You Very Much, thats a big help. :) I am going to check out the JVC DX-100A (w/24p) model out tomorrow, no question.
Are you a filmmaker or student?

Thank You Very Much, thats a big help. :) I am going to check out the JVC DX-100A (w/24p) model out tomorrow, no question.
Are you a filmmaker or student?
I graduated last year with a degree in Film & Digital Media with a concentration in production from UC Santa Cruz (not a big film school, but not all bad). I am currently doing documentary work and some grad studies in playwrighting. (so I'm all set to starve) I also have some scripts that are being filmed by others because I myself am very poor. Shorts, because thats what you do first.

Where are you headed?

I graduated last year with a degree in Film & Digital Media with a concentration in production from UC Santa Cruz (not a big film school, but not all bad). I am currently doing documentary work and some grad studies in playwrighting. (so I'm all set to starve) I also have some scripts that are being filmed by others because I myself am very poor. Shorts, because thats what you do first.

Where are you headed?

Thats great, congratulations!
Can't wait to starve either. :(
I am now a student in a school here in Iceland where I am studying filmmaking in class witch the Icelandic Film Academy is sponsoring. I am also doing some work for the Academy on the side.
I have been working for a production company here in Iceland a litle and I will probably be threre this summer too.
Next year I graduate and I will use my life's savings and a litle money from the government to enter the Los Angeles Film School. My cousin is married to a producer and director in L.A. and he will be helping me with that.
I was thinkg about going to Dublin, Ireland or even Germany but I think LAFS is the best way to go really.
Do you have any films of yours on the net?

Have you considered the school of Film and Television at Leeds Metreopolitan University in the UK. Or the Film course at Canterbury. Both have excellent reputations (and are recruiting grounds for the British media, BBC & Chanel 4).

(I am not in this line, but my wife is a PhD In communications, and this overlaps)

I am now a student in a school here in Iceland where I am studying filmmaking in class witch the Icelandic Film Academy is sponsoring. I am also doing some work for the Academy on the side.
I have been working for a production company here in Iceland a litle and I will probably be threre this summer too.You will NOT be able to afford film!

The cost of the one-year digital video film course I took: $NZ 5,000
The cost of the six-month film course in the area: $NZ 14,000

Have a look at development costs for film: www.filmunit.com

Thats great, congratulations!
Thank you.
Can't wait to starve either. :(
Yeah, that sucks.
I am now a student in a school here in Iceland where I am studying filmmaking in class witch the Icelandic Film Academy is sponsoring. I am also doing some work for the Academy on the side.
I have been working for a production company here in Iceland a litle and I will probably be threre this summer too.
You've got a GREAT start. Shit, man-I'm gonna have to tap you for work later...
Next year I graduate and I will use my life's savings and a litle money from the government to enter the Los Angeles Film School.
I haven't heard of that school, but it's in the right place. Unfortunately I hate SoCal (I'm from NorCal) so its making things hard for me. I have a friend who just got a senior editor job with a Discovery Channel show down there, so since thats my best bet right now I think I'm going to have to get over it and go down there. (that, by the way, is the big thing-'networking' which is code for making your friends get you jobs.)
My cousin is married to a producer and director in L.A. and he will be helping me with that.
Thats what you need-with your experience and this, you're made.
I was thinkg about going to Dublin, Ireland or even Germany but I think LAFS is the best way to go really.
Kind of depends on what you want to do. Commercial film is all in L.A.
Do you have any films of yours on the net?
In fact I do. It's an early film I did that I put on the net as a test for a narrative project I never finished (the film has nothing to do with the narrative). Since it's a personal documentary (that was the assignment) and has me, my name, and features my car I'm not super-willing to unleash it on the nattering hord here so I'll TG the link to you.

Woot, other film students. Behold all, we are the proud, the few, the dirt poor! :D

Woot, other film students. Behold all, we are the proud, the few, the dirt poor! :D
hear hear

As long as we're on the subject, I need people to join a group making an indy movie. Anyone who's interested, send me a telegram or respond here.

If you're thinking about going to Germany, consider the dffb (Deutsche Film - und Fernehakademie Berlin), so far I have only heard good stuff about them, which is why I want to apply there, too. As a script writer, though...

Linkydity Link: http://www.dffb.de/

Unfortunately you can't apply at the moment, this year's application has already ended.

I myself am part of a small amateur filmmaking group. Here's our website: http://www.kingstonfilms.com. We make pretty much everything from stop-motion animation to machinima to live-action movies. There's a couple on there if any of you would like to take a look.

Hey Hey - Welcome to the world of high priced equipment and crappy part-time jobs (In and out of the industry).

You may want to also check out the Sony range, I've been using a DSR-PD150P for about 4 years now; you may be able to pick one up quite cheaply as there's a lot of new technology around. Its functionality kicked ass over the XL1, even without the interchangable lenses.

They now have a 170P but an XL2, JVC (which a friend uses - it's very niiice) or a new Sony HD-Cam would be much better. I got to play with one of the first Sony HD-Cam's in Australia about 4 months ago and once they implement/iron out the bugs in Hi-Def editing I think it's going to become the benchmark. But they're kinda expensive... it's only money... who needs to eat :p

What type of films do you want to make?