My son is very interested in becoming a filmmaker. It's his birthday coming up soon so I figured we'd look at getting a camera and a computer to get him started.
He's looked around a lot but still can't decide. Here are some questions he wanted to ask:
In terms of a camera, he wants to start off simple and not get something too complicated. At the same time he wants a camera with good enough sound and image quality and settings (such as 5.1 sound, widescreen shooting), so he could submit parts of his films into a college film course. He thought a mini-DV camera would be best to start off with but after looking around he's not sure if it would produce the right quality he wants. He's looking at DVD & HD ones now as well but he's aware that he should start off with something simple. Is there any mini-DV camera that would have the appropriate functionality or a place where he could get them?
In terms of a computer, he wants one that he will be able to edit his movies on (the fact he wants a camera that will hook up to the PC and upload no problem goes without saying). I'm afraid he has gotten confused by the whole Mac/PC debate but here's what he has observed. He is used to using PCs, particularly Windows XP, and as such thinks it would be best for him to stick with what he knows, besides he needs the Microsoft Office application as well. What he has noticed also is that PCs tend to freeze a lot when you are editing a movie. He wants to know if Macs are any better, as he has noticed lots of filmmakers using Apple computers and Final Cut software.
Other Apple software that he is keen on is the iLife package that comes with every Mac. This includes not only movie-editing software but also website-authoring, DVD-authoring, photo-editing & music-making software, all things which he would love and may need to use. He cannot understand why they don't have something as great as iLife for PCs and this may be one of the main things attracting him towards getting a Mac. Another factor in this is also the fact that there are so many different types of PCs out there that he thinks he'll get confused and get one that doesn't do the things he wants whereas Macs are pretty much the same, so you know what you're getting. He's still open to the idea of a PC but wants to know what are the minimum (memory, hard drive, video card, sound card) settings he'll need to do what he wants.
He wants to know is it worth the few extra hundred euro to get a Mac. Will it be able to use Microsoft Software if it's running on Mac OS X or the iLife software on Windows XP etc.? Is a Mac something he should look at getting a few years down the line when he's in a film-making course in college? Is a Mac basic enough to justify getting it for a first-time filmmaker or should he get an even more basic PC that can still do the same basic things for cheaper? Is a PC good enough to use for film editing and other applications akin to the ones featured in iLife? And he also hopes that when he gets a computer getting it onto our house's wireless internet connection isn't an issue.
One more thing he wants to know is should he get a laptop or a desktop? His reasons for getting a laptop or Macbook instead are because we already have a desktop in our house, he may need a portable computer for college and the main issue. He is currently in a situation where his school are going to see if he could use a laptop for the Leaving Cert as he is a slow writer but a very fast typer. He's aware that a laptop keyboard is slightly different to the desktop one he's accustomed to. He wants to know if he should get a laptop for himself so he can get used to using one? Or would it matter that much, if he's good with one he should be good with the other? Will a Macbook have a keyboard different from a PC laptop in any way at all? He is also aware of the increased likelihood of damage to a laptop as opposed to a desktop but he wants to know can a laptop/Macbook have the power and requirements to do the other things he wants with it?
His birthday is coming up and this would be really great for him so any help or direction to help would be greatly appreciated.
Homer.
He's looked around a lot but still can't decide. Here are some questions he wanted to ask:
In terms of a camera, he wants to start off simple and not get something too complicated. At the same time he wants a camera with good enough sound and image quality and settings (such as 5.1 sound, widescreen shooting), so he could submit parts of his films into a college film course. He thought a mini-DV camera would be best to start off with but after looking around he's not sure if it would produce the right quality he wants. He's looking at DVD & HD ones now as well but he's aware that he should start off with something simple. Is there any mini-DV camera that would have the appropriate functionality or a place where he could get them?
In terms of a computer, he wants one that he will be able to edit his movies on (the fact he wants a camera that will hook up to the PC and upload no problem goes without saying). I'm afraid he has gotten confused by the whole Mac/PC debate but here's what he has observed. He is used to using PCs, particularly Windows XP, and as such thinks it would be best for him to stick with what he knows, besides he needs the Microsoft Office application as well. What he has noticed also is that PCs tend to freeze a lot when you are editing a movie. He wants to know if Macs are any better, as he has noticed lots of filmmakers using Apple computers and Final Cut software.
Other Apple software that he is keen on is the iLife package that comes with every Mac. This includes not only movie-editing software but also website-authoring, DVD-authoring, photo-editing & music-making software, all things which he would love and may need to use. He cannot understand why they don't have something as great as iLife for PCs and this may be one of the main things attracting him towards getting a Mac. Another factor in this is also the fact that there are so many different types of PCs out there that he thinks he'll get confused and get one that doesn't do the things he wants whereas Macs are pretty much the same, so you know what you're getting. He's still open to the idea of a PC but wants to know what are the minimum (memory, hard drive, video card, sound card) settings he'll need to do what he wants.
He wants to know is it worth the few extra hundred euro to get a Mac. Will it be able to use Microsoft Software if it's running on Mac OS X or the iLife software on Windows XP etc.? Is a Mac something he should look at getting a few years down the line when he's in a film-making course in college? Is a Mac basic enough to justify getting it for a first-time filmmaker or should he get an even more basic PC that can still do the same basic things for cheaper? Is a PC good enough to use for film editing and other applications akin to the ones featured in iLife? And he also hopes that when he gets a computer getting it onto our house's wireless internet connection isn't an issue.
One more thing he wants to know is should he get a laptop or a desktop? His reasons for getting a laptop or Macbook instead are because we already have a desktop in our house, he may need a portable computer for college and the main issue. He is currently in a situation where his school are going to see if he could use a laptop for the Leaving Cert as he is a slow writer but a very fast typer. He's aware that a laptop keyboard is slightly different to the desktop one he's accustomed to. He wants to know if he should get a laptop for himself so he can get used to using one? Or would it matter that much, if he's good with one he should be good with the other? Will a Macbook have a keyboard different from a PC laptop in any way at all? He is also aware of the increased likelihood of damage to a laptop as opposed to a desktop but he wants to know can a laptop/Macbook have the power and requirements to do the other things he wants with it?
His birthday is coming up and this would be really great for him so any help or direction to help would be greatly appreciated.
Homer.
