Is it normal to look bad on a camera recording?

What camera and accessories should I buy to make a professional looking short film?

• So I'm looking for a camera to shoot a short film of mine with. The camera I currently own is (I think, It might be a different model in this line) a PV-GS500. However this camera doesn't shoot HD, and generally the picture quality doesn't look like something I'd see in theaters. This brings me to what I want. I want a camera that will shoot something that will look professional. Now I don't know too much about cameras, so I don't know what it is in them that gives movies that film like quality (I don't even know if describing that look as "film like" is the correct way of expressing it). Perhaps the best way of describing the video quality I'm looking for is less like a documentary, more like a scripted movie. A buzz word I've heard thrown around is 24p, but I don't know what that actually means or why it matters. I've heard good things about the Canon HV20, but that's a bit old and for all I know something better has come along. Also, considering my lack of knowledge about cameras, ease of use is imperative. I've heard with the HV20 that a 32mm lens can make it look better, is that true? When they say make it look better in what way is that true? Is it in that "film like" way? Also would that lens be easy to use? I've never had to manually focus before, is that something I'd have to do if I bought a lens? In addition I suppose if I'm buying a new camera I'd have to buy an external mic, I have even less knowledge about audio recording than I do video so I don't even know where to start when it comes to asking about something like that beyond what mic should I get? Any other accessories that are necessary in making a professional looking short film? What about lighting, do I really need to light? If so what lights should I go about buying and how do I use them? One last thing, I'd like to keep this as cheap as possible, preferably not too much over a $1000, less if possible. Ok, I think that's everything, so in summary: What camera do you recommend for shooting a professional looking short film and what accessories should I buy with it (lens, external mic, lights, etc.) Thanks a lot for any help you can give me!

• Answer:

  24p looks like film (the "look" you are looking for as it is used in many of the big screen productions you are trying to mimic) because traditionally film was exposed at 24 frames per second, so having a video camera that has the same frame rate will make it look a little more like film. There are many other things that are necessary to look like film as well. One of the biggest things is the depth of field -- in film cameras it is very shallow which means the subject is in focus and the background is blurred out. On consumer camcorders, the depth of field is very deep and the reason for this is that consumer camcorders have very small image processors, so they need very low focal lengths on their lenses so that they can see the whole picture and not look like they are zoomed in. Another major aspect is, well, aspect ratio -- many films are filmed anamorphically or in 2:1 which gives the very wide looking picture. However, the biggest giveaway that you are using video and not film is that video tends to have a very low dynamic range, so highlights are blown out and shadows are completely black with no detail -- you need a camera that has a good amount of dynamic range. The average consumer camera has about 6-7 stops of dynamic range while a film camera usually has somewhere around 14-16 stops. Of course there are many other aspects to creating a professional look such as proper lighting on the subject and background so they are more even or for dramatic scenes. Movement is also something you'll see that professional films have -- they are never static scenes, the camera is almost never on a tripod; it is either on a steadicam, dolly, track, crane, or shoulder-mounted. Look at any modern movie and you will notice a lot of movement in any given scene. In essence, there are not many cameras out there that will match the truly professional look, as well as the fact there are numerous accessories needed. I always wanted the most professional look possible without spending hundreds of thousands of dollars so I bought the Red One. It is the most amazing camera I have ever seen or used. It has been used in some recent films and is gaining strength in the industry. Go see Knowing, My Bloody Valentine, Che, or parts of Jumper or Angels and Demons. All these movies were shot with the Red One. In the theater I was blown away by the fact that I could not tell the difference between the $500,000 film cameras and the Red One. It is truly a magnificent camera. It shoots in 4k, by the way, which is 4 times more resolution than high definition. All in all, you are looking at a $30,000 expenditure for a camera (with all the needed accessories for the camera itself) that is just as good or better than the professional film cameras used by hollywood. The HV20 will not deliver anything close to the results you are looking for, so don't even bother.