Camera Drama

DRAMA 1 

I really really really wanted to film my film on an old VHS camera. It would complete my home made 'Be Kind Rewind' style film. I found one on ebay for and ordered it, when it came I tried to work it and then suddenly a really weird smell came out of it and it would not turn on again!!! I was so upset. I really did not want to stress about getting a new one and run around like a headless chicken so I decided to just use my digital one. I was at a gig a few days later getting footage of some bands playing and watching how they act and behave. I was talking to a friend of mine about my project and he tells me he has an old VHS camera that hasn't been touched in years and I could borrow . The angels began singing a chorus of hallelujah at that moment, the midnight sky tuned bright blue and the the stars shone brighter. I was so happy. My low-fi dreams seem a little more real now.

DRAMA 2 

 I go to collect this camera and find out that it is operated by power mains. So the camera only works when connected to a box that holds the VHS tape which is connected to the battery which is the size of a loaf of bread which is then connected to a socket in the wall. This basically means I can't run around and film, I can only really get still shots or panning shots. Also, shooting on locations is going to take a whole lot of effort. It is going to take at least three people to move it around while shooting. I am thinking that I may use my digital camera for some shots and just mix the digital in with the VHS videos. 

Although shooting this way has a lot of challenges including transferring the footage from VHS to digital, I think it will be worth it. It is also really fun to experiment with new mediums and expand my horizons a little bit. 

This is the camera.

I have also gone ahead and figured out how to digitalize the videos. There is a special software and chord that you connect to the computer and you record them straight from the machine onto your computer. 

(All images authors own)