Budget video production using camcorders and fixed cameras

Sunday, December 23. 2007

About 18 months ago I bought a camcorder for filming our travels and family gatherings but now I'm thinking of using it to make video documentaries, maybe even submit a few short movies to YouTube or Blip.TV

If you live in Germany or if you can get Viva which is Germany's answer to MTV, then you'll know the soap opera set in Berlin where some of the characters actually do the filming in the show. I can't remember the name of it, the other half loves the show, I could take or leave it since there aren't any babes in the cast, but the concept is really cool.

Anyway, on my search for ideas I came across remote security cameras which are obviously designed for security situations but I sorta thought to myself imagine putting together a documentary using my camcorder, perhaps letting other 'cast' members do their own first-person filming as well, and augment the footage from a fixed security camera.
Ok, so I know it sounds stupid but work with me one this one, what's the major advantage of a securiy camera? Well, for one thing they're designed to capture video signals, can be saved in H264 or MPEG4 format, and can even be transmitted over an Internet connection. No need to convert the video from DV, simply import it directly into software like iMovie and select the clips to be included the finished movie.

I really like the idea of starting a new soap opera or reality show and using a set of inexpensive security cameras instead of more expensive camcorders could be a winner. What do you reckon? Am I onto a winning idea?

Did you take a look the link above? Did you see the management software you can get for security cameras. Upto 30 frames per second, upto 32 cameras can be controlled, and because the cameras are controlled from a single PC I could set myself up as the producer and follow my characters around the set. Low budget, but that's the secret to fantastic alternative movies from what I can see.
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in Carl's Journal   Comments (3)

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  1. John W. Furst said,

    Sunday, December 23. 2007 at 15:48 (Reply)

    I'd love to see some German lawmakers in a daily soap opera. There mission is to run a small Internet Business (starting with almost no capital).

    Wouldn't it be great to watch them struggle, when facing one of the most hostile Internet/e-commerce legislation in the Western world. Something they have created. Let's send them "Abmahnung" (cease and desist order) after "Abmahnung" until they wake up. Or show consumers, who are supposed to deal with 4 pages (new proposal for "Musterwiderrufsbelehrung") of legal text.

    But actually I don't watch TV at all. I enjoy good movies, which have a good story, good actors, ...
    Most important is the story, the script!

  2. Carl said,

    Sunday, December 23. 2007 at 23:00 (Reply)

    Mmm, any other country and I might agree, but here in Germany we already see too much of our respective politicians. Tageschau (nightly news) is about 95% Angela Merkel, SPD, CDU, blah blah

    BTW, my way around the red tape, I don't read it. And dealing with officialdom is easy, simply ask them to help you, most fall over backwards to do just that once they've been asked, Germans are the most incredibly friendly people I've ever met.

    Getting back to movies, your idea could easily work if we substitute the EU Commission and the UK government instead of German lawmakers. Perhaps we could give Barossa, Brown et al lead roles and watch the story of European disunion unfold, wouldn't it be great, one step forward and three steps backward in every episode. Throw in a cameo from the BBC, tabloid reporters, wow, the drama would be amazing.

  3. John W. Furst said,

    Monday, December 24. 2007 at 07:36 (Reply)

    You are right the EU Commission would be a much better target. :-)

    Merry Christmas

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