What equipment is needed to make a film?

I would like to create a short film and eventually a full-length film. As of right now, I have no equipment, no experience and a limited budget. What is the least amount of money I can spend on a decent camera to get the most out of it (maybe roughly in the $500 range)? I'm not looking for amazing quality, but I don't want it to be noticably bad either. Also, does anyone know anything about software I would need for editing? What about extra film equipment? Thanks for any help you can give.|||If you have a Mac, you can start out using the software included for editing: iMovie. But as you gain experience, you'll want to get something more professional like Final Cut Pro studio. You'll also want to get some equipment to move the camera, like dollies, steadicams, car mounts, etc. Check out www.DVcameraRigs.com. You can buy a book there that shows you how to build all that stuff yourself and save a ton of money. As far as a camera goes, try to spend as much as you can possibly afford for a mini DV camera. Be careful as to where you buy as well. There are a lot of crooks out there. B and H photo is amazing: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controll鈥?/a>





I prefer Panasonic cameras, but Sony is a good way to go as well on the lower end cameras.