Creation always comes from the world of imagination even if it
aims at stating reality. Why don't we all meet in this magical world and create something together? Let's turn our imagined futures into a collective reality.
What we aim for

This interactive website aims to change the way that documentary films are made and distributed by capitalizing on the rise user-generated video (UGV). Our goal is to serve as an incubator for non-professional documentary ideas, allowing amateurs to collaborate with one another to turn their ideas into reality. We will then help our amateur film-makers sell their documentaries to interested broadcasting networks and distributors.

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Choosing the Right Camera

Posted by Admin in Tutorial on 20 AUG 2010
  • Cameras can make a huge difference to the outcome of any film; documentaries are no exception. The importance of camera choice lies not only in choosing the right camera for the right scene, but also in getting the most out of the camera once you have decided it is the right one to use. Both the camera crew and the director have a role to play in making sure this happens, and the best outcomes are typically obtained through an open dialogue between the two.

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  • What is the right camera for a non-professional documentary film?” There is no single answer to this question. However, the evolution witnessed in the field of digital cameras means that all older analogue options are now available digitally, and are smaller than ever before (unfortunately, this does not always mean that they are easier to use). Digital cameras not only offer high-quality images, they also make data transfer to PCs, mobile phones, or any other digital storage devices painless. This makes the task of editing easier than ever before.

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  • Digital cameras are now also available embedded in mobile phones, and in many cases without any significant loss of image quality. Some may even offer 12.1 mega-pixels, which is typically regarded as the benchmark for a ‘professional’ camera.

  • Whether you are using a camcorder or the internal camera of your mobile phone, the specifications you are going to need can be roughly summarized as follows:

  • Make sure the camera has a view-finder option; this will allow you to get the most out of your shot. The view-finder feature is available in mobile phone cameras through their integrated monitors, though at different sizes according to the model of the phone. It feature is also available in most camcorders, and in all cases, it should not be less than two inches.
  • Because you are still a novice in the field of shooting, you will need to make your camera has an optical stabilization feature. This will help you minimize any unintended camera movements.
  • You will probably also need a camera with an optical or digital zoom feature, especially if you are planning to shoot a difficult scene from long-range, such as a bird flying across the sky. The camera’s zoom should not then be less than 16x (which means being able to enlarge the targeted subject by 16 times its actual size as seen by the camera when the zoom feature is not in use).
  • In order to move your footage to another device for editing, you will need a camera with a FireWire port. Remember that you will need to make sure that the second device also has a matching FireWire port.