movie production

getting to know eachother (post your bio) has shown that many of us take interest movie production. I thought it would be better to open a new thread on this topic. So that the original "get to know each other thread" would not become a trash can for discussions on our interests.

Personally I am eager to know how far you have gone in the process of actually making a movie or if you haven't gone too far what your ideas about that are. Kanadian has mentioned that he wrote a comedy and even won a prize with it. I would be very much interested in reading that piece. And I am also wondering if there was anything actually staged on it?

Penguinpedia wrote that digital camcorders are not very cheap. Well that's true, even for a Canadian. But think about the situation here in Russia. With prices on electronics about the same and sometimes even higher than in the West. And the avarage salaries of about $100-150. Think about how tough it is for us to shoot amateur movies. But we are still trying. Right now friends and I are only in the process of writing the script for our first movie only, but well, we are full of zeal and we are intending to actually shoot something. However we realize that something very unprofessional might come out in the result, but we will not be discouraged. After all this is just the first experience and the point of the whole thing is to educate ourselves and to see how bad we are so that we know how much we need to improve and in what direction we should move

In terms of making a feature lentgh FILM, I'm still early into the writing process of my first draft..I am determined to finish it and have it made. If you're not paying your actors you can make a film for under $20,000 (film stock being a huge part of the cost, so I will look into other medias) In terms of production...within 3 hours of me, there are probably 5-6 schools which have courses on film/TV production...I could set up postings there and rake in people willing to work for free on a film that will actually be made and get them experience.

Once I've completed the script, (other than financially backing it too) I expect that will be the extent of my involvement. I have no interest in directing it or appearing in it (although I'd likely give myself a small part just for fun)

what would be other expenses besides film stock? What if you use digital cameras? What about shorter movies? Have you has any experience in that field?

I'm very interested in filming. Although i like to be in front of the camera, i like acting. It expresses my emotions. I have interests in the technical aspect of filming such camera angle, directing, editing.

what would be other expenses besides film stock? What if you use digital cameras? What about shorter movies? Have you has any experience in that field?

Other expenses include (but certainly aren't limited to) equipment for lighting, sound, tracks, locational fees (ie renting out a restuarant for a few hours) etc etc etc.

I had experience working as crewmember for a commercial, but it was nothing.
I also spent a summer working on a feature film which was a tremendous experience for me...even got to go to the screening of it @ the Toronto film festival

I've made numerous DV short films, and would love to work on a feature-length production, but even in the so-called "affordable" world of indie-film, I can't even begin to come up with the funds for a decent camera (ah, to have a DVX-100), decent sound recording equipment, decent lighting equipment, or decent actors (I'm fully ready to accept the fact that I can't act my way out of an open box).

How much would one cost, roughly?