Competitive

[sundazz]

very competative as compare to more than 10 years ago when started off with linear editing, u-matic, svhs camera...
struggling to keep afloat

[JaPhotos]

yes...because now anyone with any avg miniDV/HDV cam plus a pc with video editing s/w is a potential competitor.

[sundazz]

yes u r rite.. oso + those Poly grad.. my time don even heard of tis cos when i started off..
but have to admit some of them are rather good!

[alvinsclee]

Originally Posted by sundazz very competative as compare to more than 10 years ago when started off with linear editing, u-matic, svhs camera... struggling to keep afloat

All these recording formats evoke nostalgic memories for me too. I remembered handling those gigantic 2" tapes machines and have done some film splicings too I think I'm beginning to miss the touch of a Betacam's jog dial...

Technologies change fast!

[devilboy]

Originally Posted by sundazz very competative as compare to more than 10 years ago when started off with linear editing, u-matic, svhs camera... struggling to keep afloat

Not to start any war among our neighbours in Photography, some couple really think Video is much easier as compare to Photo, yes I agree Photo needs a degree of skills but Video is no joke.

Just to share a story with you... A client approached us to cover their wedding, after finding our prices too expensive, infact we are reasonable and thats why her friend A strongly recommend her to ask and tell her no need to bargain, but she still decides to ask her friend B to cover for her... Her friend B only have a miniDV tape on hand... and really records very poorly for her, she brings the tape to me and ask us to do a DVD for her, out of the 60mins he recorded, I only managed to used less than 15 mins to create a summary for the couple, as I edit I feel really sorry for her wedding, all those jerky and jumping scenes is like "Saving Private Ryan Chapter 1, Boat Assualt on Normandy Beach. She can still complain saying we did not put in effort... anyway, I sat down with her and watch the entire 60mins, she actually cried, saying her wedding videos is in ruins. But there is really nothing my team and I could do... do a 3D animation film for them??? Not possible with my skills!!!

Sometimes, videographer is just like a photographer, its quite stressful working in the AD.

[danel]

anyway what are the current rates for vidoegrapher nowadays?
sometimes i'm puzzled... it seemed that AD photographer are paid better than videographer even though the cost(camera) and time(editing) in video is often more than photo... one thing i like abt videography is that...many say a picture tells a thousand words... but a video tells a thousand pictures... heee...coupled with audio (sound and tracks).. wow... brings you into wonderland...

[devilboy]

Originally Posted by danel anyway what are the current rates for vidoegrapher nowadays? sometimes i'm puzzled... it seemed that AD photographer are paid better than videographer even though the cost(camera) and time(editing) in video is often more than photo... one thing i like abt videography is that...many say a picture tells a thousand words... but a video tells a thousand pictures... heee...coupled with audio (sound and tracks).. wow... brings you into wonderland...

It really depends who you are looking at, what equipment they are using and whats the final output. There are Videographers who commands over 2K for a AD and also commands $400 for a AD. I personally think current singapore AD wedding range is from $400 ~ $2500... strange thing is if compare side by side for the best equipment and computer setup, video PC systems does seems ultra heavy as compared to Photo system...

[sundazz]

Originally Posted by alvinsclee All these recording formats evoke nostalgic memories for me too. I remembered handling those gigantic 2" tapes machines and have done some film splicings too I think I'm beginning to miss the touch of a Betacam's jog dial... Technologies change fast!

yes, i missed tat to.. those AB roll linear editing suite.. mark in, mark out, insert, assemble editing, the Jog dial, etc.
but we still owns a few Beta SP VT machine, AV mixer and controler.. but not set up for any linear suite.. more for export and importing footages to the non linear suite.

well, still remember tat i use BetaSP cam to shoot wedding! very sheong! imagine the batteries. tapes and lites tat i have to carry alone! tat was the younger day lar.. now no such energy.. old man liao!!

[sundazz]

Originally Posted by devilboy Not to start any war among our neighbours in Photography, some couple really think Video is much easier as compare to Photo, yes I agree Photo needs a degree of skills but Video is no joke. Just to share a story with you... A client approached us to cover their wedding, after finding our prices too expensive, infact we are reasonable and thats why her friend A strongly recommend her to ask and tell her no need to bargain, but she still decides to ask her friend B to cover for her... Her friend B only have a miniDV tape on hand... and really records very poorly for her, she brings the tape to me and ask us to do a DVD for her, out of the 60mins he recorded, I only managed to used less than 15 mins to create a summary for the couple, as I edit I feel really sorry for her wedding, all those jerky and jumping scenes is like "Saving Private Ryan Chapter 1, Boat Assualt on Normandy Beach. She can still complain saying we did not put in effort... anyway, I sat down with her and watch the entire 60mins, she actually cried, saying her wedding videos is in ruins. But there is really nothing my team and I could do... do a 3D animation film for them??? Not possible with my skills!!! Sometimes, videographer is just like a photographer, its quite stressful working in the AD.

badly shoot camera works = difficult editing.
many tot editing can do miricles to sarvage thier shot which is totally wrong!!

some people don understand the concept of how video work.. can even tell u just edit to 5 min final clip from few hours footages... they will say "5mins oni wat, very ez very fast one!" they don understand the more footages u have to edit to shorter clips need so much more work and time.

[devilboy]

Originally Posted by sundazz badly shoot camera works = difficult editing. many tot editing can do miricles to sarvage thier shot which is totally wrong!! some people don understand the concept of how video work.. can even tell u just edit to 5 min final clip from few hours footages... they will say "5mins oni wat, very ez very fast one!" they don understand the more footages u have to edit to shorter clips need so much more work and time.

They think editing video is as simple as cut and paste... not to forget you need a decent PC system to render the files, DVD-R to burn the DVD, encoding and etc.... Sames goes to couple looking for photographer... thinks everything is as simple as ABC... hahahahaha

[danel]

its like dat bah... like we eat hokkien mee... you think so easy to cook meh... but we never consider how it is cooked ahhaha... crapping... anyway be it video or photo as long as the person doing it is passionate can liao... if go find those do just to earn $$ you can probably tell a diff...observe a standard pattern... sian man... which is now i thinking if i should do business with video not... dunno if business will kill my passion...

[PIXX]

Originally Posted by danel "sian man... which is now i thinking if i should do business with video not... dunno if business will kill my passion...

Thats something that you need to consider! Dilema rite? Hobby is do what you like, business is do what HE (customer) likes.

To all the experts here, I am interested to learn videography. Am thinking of taking up a beginners course for a head start.

Any advice on the trainings that I will need for both videography and editing.

Can recommend reasonably good courses in the local market?

[devilboy]

Originally Posted by PIXX Thats something that you need to consider! Dilema rite? Hobby is do what you like, business is do what HE (customer) likes. To all the experts here, I am interested to learn videography. Am thinking of taking up a beginners course for a head start. Any advice on the trainings that I will need for both videography and editing. Can recommend reasonably good courses in the local market?

I recommend you do the online BBC course for a start http://www.bbctraining.com/television.asp in doing video, it requires alot of patience and discipline, website, library are the best places for you to start. Trial and Error to get your headstart before you start paying the fee for courses, it will give you better understanding and more efficient in the class...

[devilboy]

Originally Posted by danel its like dat bah... like we eat hokkien mee... you think so easy to cook meh... but we never consider how it is cooked ahhaha... crapping... anyway be it video or photo as long as the person doing it is passionate can liao... if go find those do just to earn $$ you can probably tell a diff...observe a standard pattern... sian man... which is now i thinking if i should do business with video not... dunno if business will kill my passion...

No point thinking, it eventually leads you to nowhere, start trying a few videos for friends on wedding budget, where they think wedding videos are secondary, provide free services to know where you are heading... and from there you can know whether it is good for you or not.

[PIXX]

Originally Posted by devilboy I recommend you do the online BBC course for a start http://www.bbctraining.com/television.asp in doing video, it requires alot of patience and discipline, website, library are the best places for you to start. Trial and Error to get your headstart before you start paying the fee for courses, it will give you better understanding and more efficient in the class...

Thanks for the advice. As for equipment, what do you recommend for a start. Do I start with a semi-pro if I intend to excel my skills? Or a general.

As for photography, I started with a semi-pro for better features for more potential play rather than to spend another amount to upgrade.

[devilboy]

Originally Posted by PIXX Thanks for the advice. As for equipment, what do you recommend for a start. Do I start with a semi-pro if I intend to excel my skills? Or a general. As for photography, I started with a semi-pro for better features for more potential play rather than to spend another amount to upgrade.

I would recommend you to rent from "trucatus" first, he have a good range of semi-pro equipments. Semi-Pro stuff are extremely expensive, it will easily crash your bank account.
Not only that, once you get your camera, you need at least a decent Dual Core Processors with at least 1GB of RAM to start your editing.
Semi-pro camera is quite a chore to use, take a look at Sony Z1, there are so many functions that you have to jot it down on your notebooks, maybe even more than semi-pro photo cameras.

[devilboy]

Originally Posted by PIXX Thanks for the advice. As for equipment, what do you recommend for a start. Do I start with a semi-pro if I intend to excel my skills? Or a general. As for photography, I started with a semi-pro for better features for more potential play rather than to spend another amount to upgrade.

After you have your video camera, you will still need a good PC to do editing.
If your budget allows you, go for a dual Xeon dual core (Woodcrest) setup, capable for HD and SD NLE. If you want to keep it low, get yourself a Dual Core like AMD X2 5000 or Intel Conroe E6600 and dump in 2GB of RAMS, it will turn out to be an excellent SD NLE system.

Some say SCSI HDD is the best, however, I think for Price and Performance ratio, I would rather get 02 X 500GB and raid it with 0.

Come to think of it, video just suck my money dry... But than again, if you have passion for something, money is secondary.

[devilboy]

Originally Posted by sundazz yes, i missed tat to.. those AB roll linear editing suite.. mark in, mark out, insert, assemble editing, the Jog dial, etc. but we still owns a few Beta SP VT machine, AV mixer and controler.. but not set up for any linear suite.. more for export and importing footages to the non linear suite. well, still remember tat i use BetaSP cam to shoot wedding! very sheong! imagine the batteries. tapes and lites tat i have to carry alone! tat was the younger day lar.. now no such energy.. old man liao!!

Bro Sundazz, I hereby standing and saluting you. Using BETA CAM for wedding events is like carrying 20KG of load or more doing SOC. I think I am lucky, I start with MiniDV and its enough to set me crying with the lights, batteries and hanging on my body.

[ParadiseStudios]

Originally Posted by devilboy Bro Sundazz, I hereby standing and saluting you. Using BETA CAM for wedding events is like carrying 20KG of load or more doing SOC. I think I am lucky, I start with MiniDV and its enough to set me crying with the lights, batteries and hanging on my body.

I agree to that... Betas are heavy weights...

[sundazz]

Originally Posted by ParadiseStudios I agree to that... Betas are heavy weights...

tat time (abt 8yrs to 10yrs back), was working freelance for a production hse specialize in wedding videography (a very well known prod hse at tat era, call AxxxxxyVideo). bo bian la.. tat time DV and mini DV not out yet mah.. they do hi end wedding video tat the rate can be sky high. but now.. cannot liao la.. even after 1 full day wedding shoot with miniDV i aredy shack out liao.. old man no stamina liao.. tat's why nowaday prefer to do post instead.

but i also ever worked for an agency for few years tat mainly used Beta for productions doing more on corporate sturf.. but they have a team of atleast 3 to 4 crews for any outdoor productions including sound and lighting.. atleast not so sheong with few people.