Ep. 58 How to Film Your Doc: What Camera do YOU Need?

What camera do you need to film your documentary?  The number one question I'm always asked is ‘What camera do you use?’ It’s a great question and  I love it because I know I'm among friends!

There are a lot of different types of cameras out there, and it can be difficult to know which one is right for your documentary. In this video, we'll walk you through the different types of cameras we use and that could help you decide which one is best for your film.

After watching this video, you'll know everything you need to know about how to choose a camera to film your doc!

The lens models I reference in this episode are:

-Canon 16-35mm f/4L IS USM (x2)

-Canon 24-105mm f/4L IS USM II

-Canon 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM III

-Canon 2x Extender

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Transcript

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SPEAKER_00 0:00

Welcome back, fellow film buffs. And if you're new to the Moonshine Moonshot, then welcome. It is really good to have you here because whether you're dedicating your life and career to filmmaking or you've just got a really curious itch and you can't scratch it, I'm here to support you on your journey. This is part four in the section on the Moonshine Moonshot podcast on film production. And you can easily find parts one, two, and three by jumping back a couple of episodes if you want to catch up. But for here and now, let's launch into all things camera. Because as a filmmaker, the question I am most often asked is, What kit do you have? Yeah, of course, when they say kit, they're referring to film gear and what cameras we use to produce all of our documentaries on. And it's a good question because there's a lot of stuff that you can get out there and knowing which ones are best for you and for your needs, it's not always that easy to find. So that's what today's episode is all about. I am really focusing on camera gear. So in pre-production, the episodes we briefly spoke about getting to know your gear. But in this particular podcast, I am going to do a deep dive into cameras, specs, and other vital tech gear that you'll need for your shooting for your documentary. Now, you might want more visuals on this too, so don't hesitate to check out the companion episode over at YouTube, which is the Moonshine Communications Academy channel, if you'd like to see what I'm talking about as well. Now, why am I the one to tell you about this? And uh great question, glad you asked. I'm Sue Collins. I'm your host on the Moonshine Moonshot podcast on making movies that matter, and I'm part of the team behind Moonshine Agency, an impact film production house producing multi-award-winning films that have a positive social impact. Impact films are films that are designed to take an audience from passive viewing to being an active participant. It gets them doing something, getting involved, and being part of a solution. So I've recognised that learning how to craft films is a challenging process. And when I was just starting out, it was really hard to find information and learn about filmmaking without formal study, without being under the wing of a mentor. So avoiding pitfalls, being pigeonholed, running out of funding, or simply not understanding the business side of the industry has meant that over the years I have seen many people with a lot of talent give up or simply move on to more stable work. So my hope is to see the industry thrive here in Australia and beyond. And I recognize that to do that, I have to be much more open with my skills sharing. So I've decided to share more of what I've learned through many years of filmmaking through this podcast, The Moonshine Moonshot, with also with online courses at the Moonshine Communications Academy. So make sure you check out the Academy, particularly the resource section, where you can access the free downloads like check sheets and ebooks. And if you haven't come across them already, there are some great online courses available through the Academy, such as Define Your Ideal Audience, which is a course that helps you figure out who your project is best suited to well before you even roll camera. And that is gold for any marketer trying to market your film. Alright, so back to today. What are we talking about? We're talking about cameras. Let's roll camera. Now, once upon a time, 1080p was the HD of HD. But those days have long passed, and now the standard is 4K definition. And a lot of broadcasters and distributors are preferring films shot in 4K. We now use 4K cameras. We've got two kits. Our A kit does have two Canon C200s. So that's the specific model of camera that we're using in our A kit. So two Canon C200s. Now, at a bare minimum, I would suggest having two 4K cameras for your production if you can afford it and if you can get it into your kit. If you're doing a two-camera shoot with different cameras, it is not a big deal. We did this for years until we could upgrade, but it creates more work in post-production to match up the footage. Identical cameras means that the shots will look the same and you can use the same settings when you're shooting. So it's much simpler workflow on set and also in post-production. However, if you do use two different cameras, it will generate more work in post to try and adjust them to match the images that they capture. All of our cameras are in the Canon family, so achieving a consistent look in post isn't overly problematic. But when possible, we do try and match two cameras on any given shoot. You could do some testing on your cameras. In fact, you should do testing on your cameras if you're going to use different types of cameras. For example, if you've got one camera that's a Sony and one camera that's a Canon, absolutely test them out ahead of your shoot day to make sure that the shots will come together in post. If the look of the wide and the mid-shot on your interview are too different on screen, then it could be really distracting for your audience and you can't assume that you'll be able to get a good result in post-production when you shoot with two different cameras that are from completely different brands. So another part of this equation is also the lens. Now, depending on whether you're attempting to capture the life events or the speed of Formula Fords, your choice of lens is going to vary. However, just to give you an example of the lens that we use, we lean towards Canon L series prime lenses. That's Canon L series Prime lenses. And I'm about to reel off some words, which I will put in the notes because it's really hard to do this in audio only. But here's four of the lenses that we use. Canon 16 to 35 millimeter F slash 4L IS USM. We've got two of those. Canon 24 to 105 millimeter F slash 4L ISUSM 2. Canon? This is ridiculous. You're never going to be able to write this down. I'm just going to put the four different types of lenses we use in the notes. Forget about this part of it. So next let's get to, and this is what I'm saying, keep it simple. Seriously, K-I-S. Keep it simple. We didn't always have matching cameras. And to be frank, it's not the end of the world if you don't. However, as I mentioned previously, having different cameras can create unnecessary complications, especially in post-production. The last thing you need on a shoot day is to have to muck around and try and align all the various settings between your cameras. And once you're in post-production, your color grading and mixing is going to be far more streamlined if everything matches. Because if the raw footage produced is not the same color or quality, well, anyway, I think this is a whole nother story getting into post-production. Another thing to keep in mind is the size of your equipment. Because being a documentary, it may not be practical to have really big, bulky cameras and numerous attachments and rigs. So keeping your gear simple, light, and efficient is going to give you far more flexibility on your chute. And I'm just remembering, you know, honestly, when we're at the airport, it is ridiculous trying to check bags. We've got a tripod bag, which is just within the size limits that we can put it down as check luggage. But even then, we still have to always take it to oversized baggage to check it. And it's all kinds of things. You've got to be careful of the weight. So definitely keep that in mind when you're picking a camera is how heavy is it and how easy and portable will it be. The next thing, having just mentioned tripods, is your three-legged best friend. So another production veteran is the tripod. The amount of tripods that are on the market these days is astounding and it can be incredibly overwhelming if you don't already know exactly what you're looking for. So when we're looking for tripods, we want it to be light, we want it to be strong, and we want it to be dynamic. If you want specific specs, we go with carbon fiber telescopic legs. Whatever you choose, just make sure it's sturdy enough to support the heaviest camera with its lens on. And one small thing that can be easily overlooked is how does the camera attach to the tripod? Because if it's a base plate that requires a nut to be screwed in, often we're carrying around 10 cent pieces because you need the the to unscrew it to switch it between various cameras. Also, maybe a screwdriver, keeping one handy in your kit could be really smart as well. Mental note of that one. Then you need to be organized. So if you're switching your camera between tripods, just make sure you're you're really prepared with how you do that and you're familiar with the base plates and how they connect and disconnect, etc. The next one I'd like to talk about. So we've talked about which type of cameras that we use in the Canon series, and we've talked about tripods, the type of tripods we use, but there's also specialty cameras. So we've, you know, got a brand new toy here at Moonshine Agency. It's called a Ronan 4D, and not only is it phenomenal with stabilization when filming on the go, but it shoots in 6k. Now my vision isn't even 6k, so I'm not entirely sure how useful that is, but it's pretty incredible how much the technology is advancing. So on top of that, we've got plenty of little action cams that can come in handy when we have to mount them to a car or a bike. And last but no means least is our drone camera. And that's another one of the Moonshine favourite toys is the drone. It gets the most incredible amount of use since we've um gotten really good at using it because it shoots fantastic establishing shots of the landscape. It just they're just great, they just get really good, capture really good footage. So highly recommend um either getting your drone pilot license in a drone or hiring a drone filmer for your shoots if you need to. Okay, MBGBTB and Godzilla Bytes. Yeah, it just all sounds like a brand of potato chips, really, doesn't it? But when you're shooting in high-res, you're gonna need a lot of storage to keep download and back up the footage. So every shoot, check your footage, then copy everything off your memory card onto a hard drive and then make a copy as a backup and be sure to reformat the card so that you're ready for another big day of shooting once you've checked everything is backed up. And you're gonna need some big hard drives to be able to store all this footage. So just a word of warning: hard drives can get expensive because you're gonna need probably quite a lot of them. Another helpful hint don't keep your hard drive and your backup drive in the same place. Sounds obvious, but when you're traveling, you can make the mistake of putting them both in the one backpack. And if that backpack goes missing, you lost it. So separate your hard drives across your gear and uh make sure you always have a backup somewhere off site whenever it's possible. Just a word of warning. You do not want to lose your footage. So accessories for when you're out and about. The list of accessories you could use for your equipment can go on and on and on. But I do have a couple of must-haves. Firstly, if you're hitting a dirt track in your four-wheel drive, chances are your lenses are gonna get dust on them. And I cannot stress enough how important it is to bring some sort of a lens cleaner. And secondly, a super useful tool is a sun guard for the monitor on your camera. Because out in the elements, it can be really difficult to actually see your monitor, and you're not gonna want to have to watch everything through the viewfinder for an entire day shooting. So having that kind of sun visor guard for your camera will make a big difference. And at the minimum, get an umbrella that you can hold up. I have been on many shoots where I've held an umbrella up on a hot sunny day so that I can see the camera. So just do what you gotta do. And I feel like that's a lot from me because it's kind of hard to talk about gear without showing gear. So I do recommend you jump over to the Moonshine Moonshot, uh, Moonshine Communications Academy YouTube channel and watch this episode 57 in the companion video format. There is so much to consider when you purchase a new camera. So I hope sharing a bit about what we've got is helpful and helps you think about what you need to consider for your own. And my parting advice is that no matter what camera you purchase, hire or borrow, make sure you're familiar with how to use it. Test the footage and discuss the workflow with your post-production producer or the editor. And if you're shooting on multiple cameras, test, test, test to make sure that the footage will marry together in post and give you an amazing-looking film. So next week we'll move over from the cameras to the equally important microphones. So unsurprisingly, capturing sound will be incredibly important to your documentary. So knowing your sound gear is equally vital. Do not forget to check us out on Instagram, Moonshine Communications Academy. And if you can't find what you're looking for, shoot me a message, DM me over at Instagram, and I will get back to you. Otherwise, I will be back next Tuesday. See you then.