Hello everyone

A warm welcome to all. Here we talk about films, which people put onto YouTube or Vimeo and embed here. The idea is to allow useful, friendly discussion.
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john ingham
Posts: 221
Joined: Tue May 22, 2012 7:29 am
Location: Exmouth

Hello everyone

Post by john ingham »

Hi
I'm john, just taking up film making,
just purchased a panasonic AG AC 160 which should be here this week..got lots of ideas for some films on kayak fishing and some wildlife filming..looking forward to receiving plenty of help from you guys .."Please" and lots of constructive criticism

many thanks in advance

john
Keep trying, for one day you will get it right
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Dave Watterson
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Joined: Sun Jan 28, 2007 11:11 pm
Location: Bath, England
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Re: Hello everyone

Post by Dave Watterson »

Happy to have you with us, John. I assume you already go kayaking etc and don't want to learn that while also learning to make movies !

When the camera arrives, read the quick-start guide, then get out into the garden or a park where filming is allowed, and use it. Shoot as much as you like and only check once or twice that your recordings are working. Try zooming out (forget zooming in). Try lots of close-ups. Lie on the grass to shoot flowers and insects. Once you have pressed the start button either do not move the camera at all, or move it very slowly and steadily. When it finally gets too dark to shoot ... or your memory card is full - go home and review all your material. Plug into your tv and play back the video.

Your only purpose on this outing should be to have fun and start getting used to the camera. If it is all rubbish, who cares? Delete it. More likely there will be plenty of rubbish and a few shots where you surprise yourself with the quality of what appears on screen.

Now you know why editing is important. You want to keep those odd gems.

The free edit programs, Windows Movie Maker and iMovie will let you get started on editing ...
john ingham
Posts: 221
Joined: Tue May 22, 2012 7:29 am
Location: Exmouth

Re: Hello everyone

Post by john ingham »

Thankyou for the warm welcome Dave
yes ive been kayaking for a few years now..but that camera won't be going on the yak..i'm getting a go pro 2 HD for that side of filming

a few years ago i had a little sony something or other and filled many a tape :lol: plenty of awful shots.but looking back through the tapes I did manage to get some great shots of the grandchildren ...thats when the wife said get a camera :D

Ive also got final cut, but having great fun with the i movie and thier templates :lol:
i think i may buy a idiots guid to final cut....and yes, the camera will be here tomorrow ..so off to the beach (Exe estuary) in the afternoon..there is a massive Bird sanctary...I'm just so gobsmacked in the quality the cameras are producing these days

here is a snapshot from my old sony..I wish i had a better camera at the time , this was a fantastic site to see, we were in france

john

Image
Keep trying, for one day you will get it right
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Peter B
Posts: 63
Joined: Fri Apr 20, 2012 8:43 pm
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Re: Hello everyone

Post by Peter B »

Dave's right. When the camera arrives read the quick start guide and get out and start shooting, there's no substitute to actually using a camera to find out what it can do, and what it can't. Read the BIG manual only when there's something specific you want to know, reading the whole thing from cover to cover will only confuse you and you'll forget most of it anyway. :)

Watch other people's films on YouTube and Vimeo, twice. Once to appreciate the film, and once to observe how the shots were taken.
My attempts at videos & AV sequences can be found on my website- http://www.dragon-sanctuary.co.uk
john ingham
Posts: 221
Joined: Tue May 22, 2012 7:29 am
Location: Exmouth

Re: Hello everyone

Post by john ingham »

Thanks Peter

No worries about reading the whole manual..I'm a man :lol: :lol:
rip the box open, grab the camra and start playing...Ooooo the wife hates me sometimes :lol:

Ive been doing, just what you said, mainly on Vimeo .... its almost like they don't compress so much as Youtube..

anyway..today is the day when the camera arrives :D and I'm so looking forward to sharing thoughts and ideas with you guys

John

ps...Peter..!! your website looks great..loved the steam train pics
Keep trying, for one day you will get it right
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Peter B
Posts: 63
Joined: Fri Apr 20, 2012 8:43 pm
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Re: Hello everyone

Post by Peter B »

Hi John.

Thanks for your kind comments about my website. As you'll gather I'm mainly a 'stills' photographer and my favourite subject is steam trains, but I've started to do a bit of video since my DSLR has a video mode.

It'll be interesting to hear how you get on with your new camera.
My attempts at videos & AV sequences can be found on my website- http://www.dragon-sanctuary.co.uk
john ingham
Posts: 221
Joined: Tue May 22, 2012 7:29 am
Location: Exmouth

Re: Hello everyone

Post by john ingham »

Well impressed ..ok!! shooting in auto and had a few shots down the beach tonight..just uploading now..no story or any planning, just a series of clips, the camera is much bigger than i thought..but really happy.....

just scratching the editing software too... :lol:

my outlook is..you only live once..enjoy it..
Keep trying, for one day you will get it right
john ingham
Posts: 221
Joined: Tue May 22, 2012 7:29 am
Location: Exmouth

Re: Hello everyone

Post by john ingham »

thanks for the help and tips so far..really enjoying this site
Keep trying, for one day you will get it right
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