videobear
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Mar 6, 2006, 9:04 PM
Post #16 of 28
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Re: [spicerack] editing software
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You should look up RustyB's old post with the Most Extensive Equipment List In the World. 
Here's my current setup (with a couple of near-future planned upgrades included). Maybe it'll give you an idea or two.
Field Production: Sony HVR A1U, Sony Z1U camcorders. For each camera: tripod, on-camera light and battery belt, case, basic filter set, spare batteries, head cleaning tape, headphones. Monopod. Two wireless microphones, plug-on wireless transmitter for handheld mics, minidisc recorder, 3 iRiver MP3 recorders, and associated lapel microphones. Gear bag with spare batteries, assorted connectors and adapters, gaffers tape, small toolkit. 2 FRS walkie-talkies and headsets for crew communication. For corporate video and other "staged" shoots, add a lighting kit (either purchased or rented for the occasion). Folding dolly to lug it all around.
Studio gear:
Computer: Homebuilt PC, Athlon fx64 4800+ dual core, 2 GB RAM, EGA Nvidia 7800GT display card, 300x4 GB video storage, 200 GBx2 program and data storage, 2 Pioneer A108 DVD burners. (You don't need that much computing power for editing DV; I was upgrading to be ready for HDV work. My previous computer was a Pentium IV 2.53 GHz, 1 GB RAM machine, 128 MB ATI Radeon 9700 Pro display adapter, 300 GB A/V storage. Worked just fine.)
Software: Windows XP Pro, Vegas, DVD Architect, Pinnacle Liquid Edition, Boris Graffiti Ltd, Title Deko Pro, Adobe Encore, Photoshop, Corel Draw, Painter, Sound Forge, Acid, SmartSound, LightWave, Ulead Cool3D, spreadsheet and word processing for invoices, contracts, letters, etc. (You don't need all that software -- just an editing program, a DVD authoring program, and a paint program.)
I/O: Contour Shuttle Pro controller, Wacom Intuos II 6x8 tablet (but you can get by with just a keyboard and a mouse). 1100 watt-hour UPS/power conditioner.
(Note: if you do a lot of work, and need to turn it out fast, you might want a real time system, one that relieves you of some or all of the need to render the final product. Systems are available for both DV and HDV, from companies like Canopus, Matrox, Avid, and NewTek. These can be very slick and nice to have, but these days, I think most of us are using one of the slightly slower, but less expensive, software-only systems).
3 VHS deck dub rack with distribution amplifier, proc amp, and video monitor. The dub rack is slowly dying as decks give up the ghost.
Dolby 5.1 sound system: M-Audio Delta 1010LT sound card, LX4 powered subwoofer and satellite speakers. (You can do just fine with the AC97 audio on your motherboard, and a less expensive stereo speaker system. Cambridge Soundworks has some nice offerings.)
Dual Dell 24" widescreen monitors (you can start with one monitor, though). NTSC video monitor.
Sony Japanese-market WV-DR-7 dual DV/SVHS deck, Sony EV-S7000 Hi8 deck (for legacy tapes). Turntable (for when I finally get around to putting our LP collection on CD).
Epson scanner, Epson R-300 printer for printable DVD labeling.
dual 8 movie projector, for film transfer work.
Cables. Lots and lots and lots of cables.  I recently upgraded my studio (still in work, actually). I simplified the audio setup considerably; the 1010LT card (plus software applications) now does the work that used to be handled by a Mackie mixer, a patch panel, a graphic equalizer, and an Alesis compressor/limiter. I must've pulled out 300 feet of audio cabling! I'm sure that there are times I'll miss the simplicity of hardware (just reach out and turn a knob), but with more and more tasks going digital, a lot of analog equipment didn't seem to make sense for a small home studio like mine. Even so, budget several hundred dollars for cables. They add up.
If you do a lot of DVD duplication, a DVD tower or a robot duplicator like the Primera Bravo series is a good addition. If you provide projection of Love Story or photo montages at the reception, add a projector, screen, and audio system. If you do Same Day Edits, add a fast laptop, an external Firewire drive, and/or a couple of Direct to Disk recorders for your cameras. If you also offer photography services, see the Photography forum...it's a whole 'nother pile o'gear!
Some tips:
1. Start small, but buy quality. Rent or borrow if you need extra gear, but when you do buy something, get good quality. A cheap tripod or light will be around for you to cuss at for fifteen years. Cameras don't stay around so long, but you still cuss at ones that limit you or that are unreliable.
2. Find what's right for you. There is no one "best" camera or editing system. Try out several before buying one; the one that feels right for you is the one you should get.
3. Make sure each purchase is justified from a business perspective, and don't go deeply into debt. Bootstrapping your business takes longer, but it is much safer, and you'll sleep sounder at night. A husband or wife with a second income is a big help, but a "day job" of your own will also provide a financial safety net.
4. Standardize wherever you can. Duplicate cameras allow you to swap batteries and other accessories. Matching monopod and tripod mounting plates speed changeovers.
5. Reserve some of your budget to invest in yourself. Continuing education can be worth a lot more to the bottom line than the latest piece of gear.
Regards,
Doug Graham
Panda Productions
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