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yoyo5280

macrumors 68000
Original poster
Feb 24, 2007
1,910
0
Melbourne, Australia & Bay Area
I am looking at all these 15+ year old video producing mac users and all I can say is wow.

I have been making movies in iMovie for a little while now but I want to make Indie Films (or whatever they are called) good indie films. But, I have some problems:

As typing this I sound REALLY REALLY snobby and spoiled. Tell me if you think I am spoiled or snobby. :)

1) Computer: My Mac Mini G4 is great, but runs very slow when even using iMovie. I want at least a better mac mini or maybe an iMac or a decent macbook but my dad is NEVER going to buy it for me and I can't make that kind of money. I don't get an allowance and I live in Japan, but don't speak Japanese and there are no lawns to mow. How do I make money?

2)Cameras: I have a very nice Sony DCR-TRV310 that was my dad's a long (not to long :) ) time ago. I have been using it for a couple years and really destroyed it, it works, but it is in almost two pieces it is so bashed up. My dad gave it to me, reluctantly, 6 months ago. I have noticed that video is fuzzy and the very top of the screen looks like it is playing on an old tape in an old VCR (when in iMovie). I also don't have a tripod. Bad. Is that a good way to start my career? :)

3)Skill: My video editing skills are not that great. I get really frustrated in iMovie. I want to learn, but how...?

4)Software: iMovie. It is for home movies. Not for what I want to do. SUre iMovie is great, but even with my little skill I feel like I am outgrowing it. I also use pulpmotion, which is cool, but... sometimes I even use keynote. Bla

5) Space: In Colorado I had a big desk, in my room to spread out all my junk, now the only room we have is in the kitchen\eating area. Leaving my drives and other junk out for a week really ticks my parents off.

6) Time: How do I make films and deal with school?

7) Crew: My friend in colorado was a great actress and script writer (or, er.. improviser) and we made funny films. Unfortunately I lost that tape. Here I can't find anybody to help me. I will try again when back in school.

If you have some suggestions on how I can make money, get better at editing, manage my time, or be less spoiled please tell me. Thanks!!
 

ppc_michael

Guest
Apr 26, 2005
1,498
2
Los Angeles, CA
Where there's a will, there's a way. :)

Could you maybe get a job at some post production firm as an editor or something? That way you would be making money AND doing a LOT of editing, which I believe is the only way to get better.

Does your school have any kind of television production class? Maybe a student-produced news show or anything? I did that in high school and it was pretty cool. I didn't learn a thing but once again I did a lot of editing so I improved with practice.

Good luck!
 

66217

Guest
Jan 30, 2006
1,604
0
I think you are far from being spoiled. You are willing to work to get what you want, and that is a great attitude from someone your age.:)

As for being in school and how to make time for editing, you need to realize that what is more important for you right now is school, but that doesn't means you can't make some time for editing. Just don't let your grades suffer because of this.

As for how getting better at editing, the only way is practicing. You may want to ask your school if they would let you make videos for them (like promotional videos for some school party or something else).

One good way to make money and improve your skills in editing at your age is by making videos for the family and friends. You'll be amazed how well they pay.:D Or try announcing yourself in a small spot in the newspaper, or in your school news.

Good luck!;)
 

Macvideopro

macrumors newbie
Mar 1, 2007
5
0
I agree with Roco. You need to start off with what you have right now and start trying to get business from family and friends. I would do my first couple of jobs for free in order to get some demo footage to show to potential clients later on. Consider what kind of videos your area needs. As soon as you have mastered the ropes start charging for your videography and editing service. Gain experience and put all of the money that you receive back into your editing equipment and materials. You will be amazed at how simple this concept is. I started small producing videos (sports highlight films) when I was 13 with a slow compaq computer and digital camcorder and now I am 18 with a busy video production business with a wealth of professional camera and editing equipment. Profit will start to roll in once you have skill and equipment. And always try to get yourself "out there" in everyway possible!
 

techlover828

macrumors 68020
Jun 28, 2007
2,358
2
Maine
I am in a similar situation, although I'm 15, and I am just making videos for birthdays, and memorials. My grandmother just past away and I am currently working on a video for her, now a lot of people are asking me to make videos for them and are paying quite will, anyway, good luck.
 

elfin buddy

macrumors 6502a
Sep 16, 2001
608
0
Tuttlingen, Germany
I convinced my high school to give me a customised course where I dealt with all the video production and editing. They basically gave me full access to all the equipment (awesome digital video cameras, fastest computer in the school, etc) and software (Adobe Premiere, etc), gave me a task, and left me alone. In the end, they got me to teach some teachers how to do video editing so that they could incorporate it into the standard technology courses.

I produced a lot of educational videos for a web-learning initiative at our school, but the highlight was filming a provincial basketball tournament and streaming it live on the internet.

It was a pretty sweet deal and I learned a heck of a lot more than I would have in gym class ;) I'm not a professional or anything, but I've used what I learned to produce videos for various organisations and personal stuff.

Moral of the story: ask for special treatment at school :p
 

Cromulent

macrumors 604
Oct 2, 2006
6,801
1,096
The Land of Hope and Glory
On the equipment front you can also find some decent deals on eBay if you look hard enough. I've been looking for a decent video monitor for a little while to see what the average price is and I have found some interesting pieces of kit for fairly cheap.
 

bennyboi

macrumors regular
Jun 1, 2006
133
0
West Coast
Advice

Yeah man. Be careful- Some advice says do videos for friends and family, and it kind of necessary to get the $. But, in my younger days, I just had fuuuuuuun with whatever resources I had. You're not spoiled, you're stressed! Take it easy and make some interesting videos regardless of resources- some of us started tape to tape :cool:
show your videos around, and people with similar interests (and cameras) will gravitate toward you. You will combine forces, and take over the world.

If you really want to start making $, which may limit your creative freedom so important in growing, take a family's digital photo collection and edit it to music in iMovie. Don't be afraid to charge a pretty penny either because that stuff takes tiiiime. Any weddings not in japanese? Try your hand at that. I made a KILLING with picture slide shows and weddings before jumping into corporate videos and then eventually moving out to hollywood and cutting tv shows. On the money making side, the weddings helped the most with the craft. You get to tell a story, you get to plan around the events (cake cutting / speeches / etc) and you learn in the edit bay what to do better for next time (better audio, steady camera, etc), and- you capture the emotion of 2 people's best day in their life and when they watch it, they cry no matter what. That's more inspiring than a training video on how to fold industrial linens (yep, spent a good 2 weeks on that wanting to jump off a building).

But it all started with having fun with my mac os 9, imovie to Final Cut Pro beta 1.0, DVD studio 1.0, crappy cameras, flood lights, and friends goofing around. Do that, and the great indies will follow. Good luck young Jedi
 

killr_b

macrumors 6502a
Oct 21, 2005
906
444
Suckerfornia
When I was 13 I started working in production as a second unit camera operator, and as camera operator during large live events when 5 or more cameras were running. Around 15 I learned the jib and just kept on learnin'.

Eventually you'll know everything if you can regularly work for the same crews and then you will know what it takes as far as physical labor. And you will have been raking in the dough while learning. $$$

When you get to your twenties you'll realize that you almost know everything, except the business part- paper pushing. Then you'll want to learn how to manage the budget and pitch your ideas. Film school.

When you make it to college you will have a ton of real world experience and a nice computer and your own camera- if you spent your hard earned money wisely. You will use your advanced knowledge to impress the professor and therefore, will get to make a film of your very own.

Before college, films aren't something you want to look at. It takes a lot of concentration and dedication (and money), and may cost you friends if you spend your youth in a studio instead of on campus. You will need a crap-load of friends to work on your first film.

George Lucas says film is the highest art form, and he's right. But only the director needs to know it all. If you start now, you will have the chance to be a director.

My advice is to work freelance until college, save your money until senior year of high school then get a mac and a camera, get your AA locally, then transfer to USC or Columbia ect., then bust out the ideas you have been polishing for 4-6 years and wow everyone. If you wow them, the check will come. :p This is what I did, except I bought a car when I was 16 and didn't make it to USC until next fall, '09- when I'll have the cash- and the new facilities will be opened. Couldn't afford it this year, but I did get accepted based on a little flick I made during Community College and my ability to demonstrate my knowledge using real-world scenarios as examples.

I'd say the hardest thing is waiting. You form a 20 year plan to make a masterpiece in a few days. Then you spend the next two decades slowly bringing everything together. It's like, a form of torture. :D
 

yoyo5280

macrumors 68000
Original poster
Feb 24, 2007
1,910
0
Melbourne, Australia & Bay Area
I have been thinking about all of your suggestions. I could try to work something out with my school when break ends.

I am making a DVD for my cousins who live in Australia with the pictures of their trip to Tokyo and a cell phone video of a Disney Sea show (great show, cellphone videos aren't that great so I am trying to enhance it somehow) and I was thinking about charging them. But I feel like a scumbag, what do you think?

I have also been thinking about the post production firm idea. How do I arrange such a thing?
 

RJS9S

macrumors member
Jun 28, 2007
37
0
hwy bro, make use of what you have. its not all about the equipment but the skill. so just take a camera and get some friends together and start making little videos. as time goes on you'll start to get much better and maybe even start making come coin to start upgrading the equipment. take it from me, im 15 and own my own video production company. I work with guys from mtv, under armour, underground rapers, models etc... as far as the machine goes, you defiantly want to upgrade, especially being an aspiring film maker. you mentioned your dad not allowing you put your videos online. like i said grab your friends and start making video (id imagine he wouldn't mind as long as you wernt in front of the camera, juts make sure the other kids parents agree with it). good luck :apple:
 

yoyo5280

macrumors 68000
Original poster
Feb 24, 2007
1,910
0
Melbourne, Australia & Bay Area
dam. errr.....how do I pay for that??

Pet watchin?:confused::confused:

Looks like the mini may be better, look

MAC MINI
* 1.83GHz Intel Core Duo
* 2GB 667 DDR2 SDRAM - 2x1GB
* 80GB Serial ATA drive
* SuperDrive 8x (DVD+R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW)
* Mac OS X - U.S. English
* Intel GMA 950 graphics
* Accessory kit

iMAC
# 1.83GHz Intel Core 2 Duo
# 1GB 667 DDR2 SDRAM - 2x512
# Keyboard & Mighty Mouse + Mac OS X - U.S. English
# 160GB Serial ATA hard drive
# Intel GMA 950 graphics with 64MB of shared memory
# 24x Combo Drive (DVD-ROM, CD-RW)
# 17-inch widescreen LCD
# AirPort Extreme

Does the mini have wifi and blutooth? I NEED those
 

skimaxpower

Guest
Jan 13, 2006
70
0
I want a studio, to greedy?

At the risk of sounding snarky....

Before investing millions of Yen into new video equipment, perhaps you should study some grammar: 'to' is not the same as 'too.'

I'm just saying that there is basic, prerequisite knowledge for any job. Literate English is one of those prerequisites.

You're 13. You've got lots of time to master Final Cut. Hell, by the time you're legal to work, your new iMac will be outdated. Decent grammar will never be outdated. Focus on the big picture.
 
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