Video component

I heard from the video consultant today...He says I should be looking for a 3 Chip Mini DV (digital video) camera. The 3 chip part is important. They range in price from $2000. - 4000. and are broadcast quality cameras.

Some brands are:
Sony PD 150
Cannon XL-2
Cannon Gl -2
Sony TRV 900
Panasonic also makes one that can shoot in 24 frames per second which makes it easier to transfer to film.

In all you can purchase a whole production package for $6000 - 7000. This will include mics, tripod, and some other gadgets.

I should try to find someone who is drawn to the story rather then the cause. If they're willing to work for free great. But even a token payment of 100 per week would go far in creating good will and ensuring dedication. A more reasonable rate would be 500 a week. For this type of project producers are often paid a project rate. Midlevel projects would probably put that rate at least 10,000, so as you can see $500 is not that much. It all depends on how interested they are in the project.

Someone with little experience might be attracted to the notion of receiving money on the back end. But someone with little experience may not give you the best project. When interviewing someone the important aspect is that they bring a vision to the project. It shouldn't just be about documenting the process of the trip. They should have some thoughts on how to tell the story, be organized and have a plan for not overshooting and capturing the true nature of the event ( what ever that means). Of course much of this story development comes in the pre-production stage, but still, the person should realize that there is more to the process than simply documenting day to day events.