Got pulled in to Volunteer as a Videographer and I'm quite the beginner help please!

ebtechie234 · July 31, 2021

Hello some background:

With my girlfriend's family, I'm known as the techie guy that can find the best moment for a picture or video, and I take it with my pretty high end cell phone.

So, my girlfriend's mother to make a story a little shorter, had me re-record a video of her explaining what her position within an athletic organization non-profit is, I then put it into Windows Video Editor, added her name and title in a lower-third and put the organization's logo at the very end in full screen. And now I'll be doing videography of the events and interviews. The organization is backed by an engineering firm of sorts, so I've been told that I can compile a wish-list of lapel mics or camera's (still think of a non-profit). So, I need help finding a suitable selection of bang for the buck equipment that I could start out with. I'd like to get a good camera that can do both pictures and videos, maybe even a tripod, and how do I get audio from a lapel mic if I'm doing an interview with someone? I can do some more videos with my high-end cell phone. But I'll eventually need to get some things that would have a more professional quality.

Thanks in advance for any advice you could provide.

VFXGuy · August 2, 2021

On 7/31/2021 at 10:53 PM, ebtechie234 said:

Hello some background:

With my girlfriend's family, I'm known as the techie guy that can find the best moment for a picture or video, and I take it with my pretty high end cell phone.

So, my girlfriend's mother to make a story a little shorter, had me re-record a video of her explaining what her position within an athletic organization non-profit is, I then put it into Windows Video Editor, added her name and title in a lower-third and put the organization's logo at the very end in full screen. And now I'll be doing videography of the events and interviews. The organization is backed by an engineering firm of sorts, so I've been told that I can compile a wish-list of lapel mics or camera's (still think of a non-profit). So, I need help finding a suitable selection of bang for the buck equipment that I could start out with. I'd like to get a good camera that can do both pictures and videos, maybe even a tripod, and how do I get audio from a lapel mic if I'm doing an interview with someone? I can do some more videos with my high-end cell phone. But I'll eventually need to get some things that would have a more professional quality.

Thanks in advance for any advice you could provide.

I would get an Adobe Creative Cloud subscription. Though that is quite expensive. You may need to invest some of your own money into which I would recommend. You will get Premiere Pro, After Effects, Audition and more Adobe app which will help with video.

If you want a cheaper one: I would recommend DaVinchi Resolve. Some other cheap/free video editors are: Openshot, VideoPad, iMovie, Lightworks, Hitfilm Express, Shotcut, VSDC and more. (Make sure you download a genuine version of the software).

I don't have the extensive knowledge of the market of cameras to recommend budget cameras or lenses so I will that to others. I will however recommend a site called mpb.com that sell 2nd hand refurbished cameras and lenses.

(I also recommend you buy a UV filter for the lens/es you get as a protection thing. I have UV filters on my lenses so if they get scratched or damaged in anyway, I can just replace a cheap UV filter and don't need to repair or buy a new lens.)

For tripod, I use a Velbon DV-7000N with fluid head. Great value for what you get. Great build quality, very sturdy. The fluid head gives great, smooth pans and tilts.

For lighting, depends where you are shooting.

For microphones, Rode VideoMic Go and Zoom H1n recorder are good options. Get a long cable and a small boom pole for the Rode VideoMix Go and maybe a windshield if you're shooting outside. Not sure about budget lav mics.

Mobile phone cameras are rubbish in my experience. Even the high end ones. Tge marketing behind them is so misleading. Because of this, you should do a good bit colour grading. I would the Red Giant Magic Bullet suite for this, which are plugins for Premiere Pro and After Effects. It includes a plugin called Mojo which is great for making poor footage's colours look professional.

I would recommend taking some online courses so you know what you're doing. Check out Skillshare (there is a free trial that from personal experience, when you try to cancel will offer you anothet free month).

Some people's courses to check out: Phil Ebiner, Jordy Vandeput (Cinecom).

kurapika · August 10, 2021

The maybe most important question: What's your budget?

When looking at cameras for around 500$ (and keeping in mind that your main usage of the camera is filiming) the Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX80 is a pretty good camera to begin with (4K video, 5-way picture stabilization).

As @VFXGuymentioned mpb.com is a good page to buy refurbished equipment.