Life for me seems to come in unpredictable cycles, almost as if I'm embroiled with an unseen opponent in an ongoing tug-of-war. Sometimes, with the weight of new ideas and a swell of strength gathered during a recent period of latency, I manage to pull the rope to my side. Other times, for all my efforts of digging my heels in, leaning my weight back, I end up eating sand
Right now I've managed to still the rope, but in a bit of sportsmanlike conduct, and maybe a little cockiness, I'm thinking I might warn the guy at the other end. Lately I've been waking up with this compulsion, maybe it's a fear, that kicks me out of bed and into my days with a sense of purpose. That compulsion is a voice that tells me one day all of this, it says, casting its hand wide across the contents of my life, all of it, will be slipping from your grasp.
And what do you want to feel then, the voice continues, as the energy seeps from your aging body, that you were content to subsist on the efforts and energies of others, or that you took risks and stood to be counted with those brave enough to create?
Holy shit, I'm just wakin' up man - let me at least get a shower...
So, I finally did it. Wednesday, May 30th, as ordinary a day as any, I'm walking back from the Laundromat with a pair of freshly pressed slacks over one shoulder. I glance to my right to look in on a used camera shop, past the sign that reads "We offer student discounts!," past the used Nikon and Pentax still cameras, past the vintage cameras with the accordion-like lens housings, to stop dead in my tracks, slack jawed at one of the most beautiful sights to grace my vision - a Canon Xl1 in near mint condition. I spent the next ten minutes asking the sales rep a spate of questions - what's the cost, what's included, how much of a deposit do I need to leave, can I get a student discount -- probably among the best ten minutes a fella could spend fully clothed.
Ten more minutes has me returning with the deposit, and so within the next month I'll be paying off the remaining balance and sending the camera off to Canon's New Jersey maintenance center for a twice-over.
Come July I'll be in pre-production, production and then post on a short or series of shorts. I'm gearing up for a fundraiser (*ahem*) in August, so I need to generate some rapid turn-around material for show. I'm going to keep you posted with every step, so consider this the Forward to a public journal on my adventures in moviemaking.
For now, there may be those of you reading this who are in the same, or similar position as I am - you finally got the money to spend on the goods, now what? Well...
Step 1 : Here, my new motto might be Let your abilities exceed your ambitions. As antithetical as this sounds to any number of inspiring, Tony Robins styled mantras, at step one it's the best way to think. This is the part of the production process where you're deciding what equipment to outfit your little studio with, and here there's no room for excess. I've personally gone with miniDV for a variety of reasons, chief among them being turn-around time. I can shoot, edit, and print to tape all in the same day, for a pittance of the cost of film. I was lucky enough to find my camera in great condition for a great price - I've since learned that similar deals can be had on eBay. Figure yourself for spending $2,500 for the camera, $300 for a nice shotgun mic (again, look around for used), and while you're at it, you should probably pick up a decent tripod, which range anywhere from $200 to upwards of $1,000. One of the most comprehensive online stores for all things miniDV that I've found is this one, or slightly more expensive, but with a solid rep are these guys. Tapes can be had on the cheap here. Read, read, read. I can't stress how important it is to work things out before swiping the card or flashing the green. The XL1 Watchdog is no doubt the most valuable online resource for XL1 owners. Check it out.
Step 2 : Now...here's where you roll up your sleeves and start flexing your ambitions. Next month I'll publish my little script for all eyes to see (and critique). I'll discuss choices I made, both creative and technical, and I'll let you know how things are coming along.
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