where to learn to operate film camera??

#1

i m living in vancouver, what is the best place to learn how to operate film camera and cinematography…
i operate HD cam, DVCAM,DV cameras for 3-4 years now as an ENG shooter…tried VFS and AI vancouver but they dont have film cameras…not sure bout BCIT…
please help…

#2

VFS doesnt have film cameras? that sounds very weird

#3

but i didnt go there and ask them…but on their website there is no indication of any film camera course…for AI i know for sure because i studied there for 2 years…

#4

Usual way apart from filmschools is starting as material assistant working your way up to camera assistant and camera operator.

but on their website there is no indication of any film camera course

In case of doubt just mail 'em.

#5

hi, i called them (VFS) and they said “we provide film camera to our 1 year full time students, and there is no part time course for it”. and when i asked that do your school owns film cameras?? there was no clear answer. but for me, i cant goto school full time now. i do 1000 to 1900 monday 2 friday. I m looking for something part time…
and still looking for the answer…

#6

Depending on what exactly you were hoping to learn, I would probably suggest you start out playing around with 8mm film.

You can buy 8mm film stock for no more than $40US, and you can pick up 8mm film cameras for around $100US or less. Telecine can be done on the cheap for $30US as well. Granted, it’s not the proper colour grading process, but you’ll certainly get a feel for film.

16mm is a pretty big leap as far as costs. Don’t know what the situation is like in Canada, but in Australia you can rent a good 16mm camera kit for $900AUD per day, then the film stock costs more, and I’d probably want to go through a proper lab for the telecine/colour grading.

Not sure if I’ve been helpful at all, but I would seriously recommend you just start playing around with some cheap 8mm. You’ll learn a lot as far as light levels and worrying about exposure.

#7

i don’t think you’ll learn that much from a cheap 8mm camera. if you want to opperate a camera you should at least go with a 16mm and learn to work a wide array of lenses and different filmstocks.

#8

so i buy a camera. then try to shoot something, but i dont know abc of film cameras, is there any good tutorial or website or manuals if i buy 8 or 16 mm to try it out…
thanks for help…

#9

just become friends with a good dop :wink:

#10

i hope its that easy just to show up on a movie set and ask a DOP to be a good friend of mine…
if life is like that we could have no problem at all… but i will try to find some DOP and ask him to be my friend…do you have somebody in mind…
thanks,

#11

The rules of photography apply across the board - as far as learning exposure, film responses, lighting, color and black and white. Take a basic photo course to learn that, and experiment like crazy.

To learn how to use a film camera - couple of methods:

1 - Grip for as many productions as you can contact who will have you. If you work for free, you’ll have abetter chance on “getting in” and then when they start to remember your name you’ll get some paying gigs. Yes, it takes a lot of time but it’s worth it because a truckload of experience will accompany this - and a lot of times it’s not necessarily what you know, but WHO you know - and at this point THEY know you can handle a camera - or at least load it for them.

2 - Rent a camera for a day and find someone who will show you (the rental tech, a local DP who’s not busy at the moment, etc.) how to “use it” as far as loading, settings, lens attachment, magazine attachment, accessories like matte boxes, focus assist, lens support, video assist, blimps/barneys, etc. This won’t teach you exposure, or how to shoot a movie, but it WILL teach you the nuts and bolts of operating the camera.

3 - The most expensive method - buy your own camera and take all the time you want to learn it. An Eclair ACL or NPR can go for under $3,000 on ebay. An Arri SR1 can go for sometimes under $6,000, as can an Aaton LTR7. You might even be able to find an LTR54 for under $10,000.

Places like pro8mm.com have “packages” for even 16mm to save some money - get a small package, shoot, edit on your computer once you get it transferred - and for learning purposes, I’d just do DV at this point - HD is a whole other beast with more hardware requirements as DV can be edited in any computer you buy off the shelf right now.

Find people who have shot film before to help out on your productions - let them know you’re learning - and what you’re trying to get out of this experience - and they’ll understand and help out accordingly.

Hope this helps-
-Lew :wink:

#12

thanks for reply,
I shoot DV and DVCAM ｌｉｋｅ ｃｒａｚｙ ｆｏｒ ｌａｓｔ ｃｏｕｐｌｅ ｏｆ ｙｅａｒｓ．．
ａｎｄ Ｉ ｏｐｅｒａｔｅｄ Ｐａｎａｓｏｎｉｃ Ｐ２ ＨＤ ｃａｍｅｒａ ｆｏｒ ａ ｔｖ ｓｅｒｉｅｓ ｐｒｏｄｕｃｔｉｏｎ ａｓ ａ ＤＯＰ．．
ｂｕｔ ｎｅｖｅｒ ｉｎ ｍｙ ｌｉｆｅ ｅｖｅｒ ｕｓｅｄ ａ ｆｉｌｍ ｃａｍｅｒａ（ｎｅｖｅｒ ｅｖｅｎ ｈａｄ ａ ｌｏｏｋ） ， ｅｖｅｎ ｆｏｒ ｓｔｉｌｌ ｐｈｏｔｏｇｒａｐｈｙ，
Ｉ ｅｄｉｔ ＤＶ ＆ＨＤ ａｔ ｍｙ ｈｏｍｅ ｃｏｍｐｕｔｅｒ． ｂｕｔ Ｉ ｗｏｎｄｅｒ ｈｏｗ ｔｏ ｃｏｎｔｒｏｌ ｅｘｐｏｕｓｅｒ ｏｒ ｗｈｉｔｅ ｂａｌａｎｃｅ ｏｒ ｌｏａｄ ｔｈｅ ｆｉｌｍ ａｎｄ ｈｏｗ ｔｏ ｐｒｏｃｅｓｓ．．Ｉｆ ａｎｙ ｆｉｌｍ ｃａｍｅｒａ ｉ ｃａｎ ｂｕｙ ｕｎｄｅｒ ＄５０００ｉ ｗｉｌｌ ｈａｐｐｉｌｙ ｂｕｙ ｉｔ．．
ｔｈｎａｋｓ ａｇａｉｎ ｆｏｒ ｈｅｌｐ．．

#13

Wait - I just realized something - is there a reason you NEED to learn how to use a film camera? Is there a job you want or something where you’ll HAVE to know how to operate a “film” camera?

Basically, if you’re a DP shooting low-budget movies, get yourself a 35mm lens adapter like the RedRock Micro or the P+S Technik adapter or something to give your P2 camera (or ANY at least prosumer video camera for that matter) a film “look” by controlling your depth of field.

They’ll be needing to transfer to video ANYWAY for editing, so why not just go that route?

Unless, again, there is a direct reason for you to need to learn to use a film camera…

#14

u just gave me a shock…i have no reason to learn it…
i think i am just curious to know how to operate a film camera…
and i will seriously consider to put a 35 mm extender on hdcam…
is film camera is going to be a thing of past…like george lucas already using hd… and we can shoot on hd or even RED and its good to go and film is going to be dead??..
and i am trying to sink with a sinking ship…
I should try to concentrate on Hd and keep film camera away from me…
thanks for opening my eyes…

#15

Don’t get me wrong - film is still the media king for narrative productions.
But if you’re never going to USE a film camera, why learn?
Just concentrate on getting better at the routes and methods of the productions you work with - with the equipment being used.

Honestly, each brand of camera threads differently (as well as different models within the brand - Arr for instance), but the concept is still the same. Same with mounting mags, attaching accessories, etc. Once you get past that, the only thing left is learning photographic exposure and the atitude of each film emulsion you use - which is why DPs often use the same stocks unless they specifically LOVE to experiment - they basically know what it’s going to look like before they shoot it.

But that’s a LOT of time that could be spent getting awesome with a RedRock or P+S Technik setup while getting to know how your camera exposes…

#16

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