I want to start shooting my own stuff to edit it.
Anyone recommends a class to learn the basics of lighting, camera use, etc... Cheap, and good of course.

I can't recommend anyplace in LA, 'cause I'm not there. I hope somebody else will chime in and give you a local answer.

But in the absence of that, I can pretty highly recommend Fxphd. They do online courses, mostly related to post workflows and software, but with some cinematography and production scattered in. The cinematography course from a few terms ago was really quite good; it started with the basics of how to use a light meter, then went into how to rate your camera, then got into lighting setups in different situations ? it sounds like it was pretty much exactly what you're asking for. It's worth checking them out, at least.

Great starting point. I'll check it out.
Thx

Wealth of good places and all good. Check here:

[www.lafcpug.org]

Michael Horton
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Oh. Lighting, camera etc. There are a gazillion places on the web to learn for free. Books too. Just google. As for classes in LA, you are really talking about film school as those 1 day workshops dont really cut it for this sort of thing.

Michael Horton
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That's kindda what I thought about these classes, over priced anyways...

Thanks.
But I don't really see camera courses

Fxphd is for motion graphics. Your choice is go on your own and start shooting with books or find a local Community College and hang there for a few months. You cant do this with a three day class or workshop anywhere.

Michael Horton
-------------------

Quote

Fxphd is for motion graphics.

I don't want to give the appearance of contradicting you, but that's a bit of an oversimplification. The current (October 09) term includes courses on cinematography, directing and color grading, as well as 3D tracking, compositing, animation and the business of post. In fact, there's really not much in the Oct 09 curriculum that's related to motion graphics at all.

I don't disagree, though, that you can't just become a cinematographer from taking an online course. All I was saying was that I found the Fxphd DOP class from a few terms ago to be a good introduction to basic concepts. For example, before I took that course I didn't even know that I didn't know how to rate a camera!

That specific course isn't being repeated this term, but that's okay because it's really too late in the term to get your money's worth anyway. They repeat courses pretty regularly, so keep an eye open for it. The class was DOP201, if I remember correctly.

xavpil,

You have not said what kind of shooting you are doing.
Are you trying to shoot industrials?
Documentaries?
Drama
Commercials

It's different for each.

If you are just going to do "doc" type shooting, with interviews for instance, here is a great
place:
[www.efplighting.com]

You will not really be able to learn specific camera operations from a textbook.
You will need hands-on time. So you need to purchase a camera, or borrow one if you can.

There are classes for specific cameras such as Barry Green's classes for the HVX et al.
Go here: [www.dvxuser.com]
They used to give actual classes, but they may only be doing the book and DVD now.

But you can find classes for almost any specific camera. Just do a search, since many of these
kind of classes are one-off courses not taught in a formal school. You are likely to find a class
at you local video equipment rental house. Hang out on forums dedicated to the particular camera you choose.

Once you learn one, you can apply the knowledge to the others as the controls are mostly similar.

Once you get the basics down you can go out and do simple stuff like simple docs and industrials.

If you are set on being an actual DP, you will just be getting started however and need to hang
out on the many DP type forums on the web.

Commercials, it depends. Local car commercials, you can get away with basic training and some hard work on your part.

National or regional agency spots. You would need to be a full fledged DP.

If you really want to learn camera work, your best bet is to forget about school and classes and work on actual high-end shoots with professional DPs. You would begin as a production assistant and hopefully would work your way up to 2nd, then 1st AC. There is no book or class substitute for working on a real set with pros.

The cameras used in high end production in LA bear little resemblance to prosumer standards like the Sony EX1 or the Pansonic HPX170. If you want to learn about the cameras that are really used in high-end production like the RED One, Viper, Genesis, HPX3700, F35, F950, etc. you need hands-on time with them. Same with film cameras like Arri, Panavision and Moveicams. The only way that will happen is as an AC on a real crew.

Dan

Quote

Fxphd is for motion graphics.

No.

If I were to do what you tried to do and grossly oversimplify what fxphd is I would say it is "the best bang for the buck visual effects and post-production training".

Check the current course listing: fxphd courses October 2009.

I took the DSLR Cinematography course last term and it was excellent.

I am an editor, but I'd like to gain some basic shooting skills.
I've had the opportunity to shoot some industrial type of jobs that I chose to decline because I didn't feel I could do a good job.
Thx for your help

As I was saying in another reply (and what I should have mentioned earlier) is that I don't want to become a DP but just want to be able to shoot interviews and basic doc/indust stuff.
Thx for your help

Guess I didn't look close enough. fxphd does look like a good bet.

Michael Horton
-------------------

check costa mesa community college, they have a great program for photography, not sure about video. I know san bernardino valley college offers some TV classes

$330 bucks? damn that aint too cheap...

That's for four classes (three you choose, and one that everyone takes).

And depending on the class, you also get VPN-license access to software for use in your classes during the term.

I'll stop going on and on. But more than once I've paid a lot more for less up here in SF, CA.

Costa Mesa's too far, I'm in Hollywood.
thx