In the end, maybe our next client hasn’t heard of our reputation before hiring us, but they’ve seen our last video, and the quality impressed them enough to pick up the phone and give us a call. Video Production Equipment With in-house access to a wide range of video production equipment we can stay within your budget while providing a cinema quality end product. The TorchLED Bolt light and the Cineroid L10C are both incredibly powerful for the size (the Cineroid being the size of a pack of playing cards), and they both use the standard Sony NP batteries. A lack of both footage and rapport can seriously impact your ability to make a good video, which then affects your chances of getting hired for the next gig. It does take more time and effort, more accessories, and a lot more investment to be able to shoot with it, but the C300 Mark II is worth it for slower paced corporate shoots. The Sachtler Dr. Bag 3 works really well. (Check out our in-depth article on Aputure Amaran and Light Storm lights). It’s a lot simpler to use than other undercovers. There are 3 versions of the Amaran - the Spot version for a narrow but super bright beam, the less bright Wide version (with an attachable tungsten filter), and the dimmest Bi-color version. RED DSMC2 CINEMA CAMERA SERIES. Bag and stack your stuff way past the normal height, leaving it unzipped yet rigid enough to hold your gear as you carry the bag. And because docs are about real people, with real schedules and planned activities, messing with the wrong gear will have real consequences on your ability to shoot a decent amount of footage, while also building rapport with your subject. The right gear allows you to focus on shooting fantastic images, conducting great interviews, and packing and traveling in a way that doesn’t blow your budget. It’s user friendly, it produces an excellent RAW image at rates up to 75 fps, it offers dual-native ISO, it has thirteen stops of dynamic range, and it includes customizable media storage options. It's a huge time savor! Both lights are Bi-color LEDs with a range of 2300k-6800k. In the back section is a Tom Bihn Lens IO - a neoprene lens bag that can also be carried on its own. It’s extremely portable and has a tube shape remeniscent of a light saber. But you won’t find them as frequently on doc shoots as you will the Audio-Technica AT4053B. Finally, pick up a hard shell case or a travel backpack like this one from Neewer to safely store and transport all of your gear, I highly suggest seeking out something with protection against rain or dust. Alternatively, the Benro S4 does a good job paired with the C100 (but without much else on it). So we come to the digital cinema camera, specifically the Canon Cinema Cameras, notably the Canon C100 and Canon C200. Once you have done that, simply use this guide as a framework for building out your video production equipment kit list. At some point you may decide whether you’re a lavalier kind of person, or a boom mic on a stand kind of person. The IS is very noisy, however, so don't expect to use it in very quiet scenes - it's loud enough to dominate the on-camera microphone recording. For our corporate video production bag, we’ll go with a more traditional 1x1 and diffusion setup. The choices you face when building out your equipment kit can be overwhelming, so we put together this list to help you sort everything out and get started building a kit of your own. video production equipment In order to complete the assignments for Video Production courses, you must have access to some professional video production and post-production equipment. Below, you'll get our thoroughly tested documentary filmmaking equipment list that is the cornerstone of contemporary videography. Partly because you instantly get a ProRes file to start editing with, but partly because having a bigger and better monitor allows you to ensure your interview shot is focused and exposed perfectly. Send us an email and we may publish it on this site. Over 100 institutions use Connect2 to showcase, schedule and track their resources. Alternatively, we also use and recommend the similarly priced Audix SCX1-HC. On the heels of their recent updates in their wireless video monitor lineup, Hollyland has …, ​Nearly a year after its release, custom hardware calibration comes to Apple’s Pro Display XDR. Now it goes everywhere with us. We also use the Portabrace DV4 bag for this same use. This full-frame mirrorless 4K digital camera features a smaller, more traditional camera body style, it has an articulating screen (although it’s rather tiny), and it functions well at high ISOs. But despite their image capture abilities, the early DSLRs were a pain to use in fast paced, run and gun video production. And honestly, we could shoot with the C100 for another 5 years and it will still be just as fun to use, not to mention profitable. It's only got a one-handed mode currently, but a two handle accessory is on the way. Or that microphone that continues to give you trouble, so between every question during the interview, you have to stop the flow of the conversation and go fiddle with the mic. Of course the bigger question for this setup is what fluid head to buy? An Octagon softbox is great but can be a huge pain to put together. Plus the AF and IS make it a perfect companion to the C100. This could be a wide or ultra wide, a super low light prime lens, a macro lens, or perhaps something even more rarely used than those lenses. FEELWORLD FW759 7 inch DSLR Camera Field Monitor LCD IPS HD 4K HDMI Video Assist Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 4K — Best All Around. The “nifty-fifty,” which retails for only $125, is a wonderful option at a price that’s consumer friendly. Here’s a quick list of everything else that we use in our everyday documentary filmmaking kit. (For more tips on improving a documentary shoot, here's an article we put together for ProductionHub.). We place the mic in a popular microphone shock mount, on the shortest boom pole we could find (to fit in our carry-on luggage), the K-Tek KE-79CC with an internal coiled XLR cable, which then goes on the smallest grip head we could find, the Matthews Minigrip Head, and on this solid boom pole holder. There are many other quick release systems out there, but the Manfrotto 394/RC4 system is one of the best values for the money. Which is important for us especially because hey, we’re the Digital Filmmaker crew. The Canon 24-105mm feels the best in your hands, so if you like to focus manually, this is your everyday lens. This is an affordable, must-have when you’re first starting out. It’s the first lens I recommend you buy — honestly, I don’t see it leaving my kit for a long time. Console Design and Fabrication - Video Production Consoles and Equipment Cabinetry. It’s multifaceted, so it can act as a bounce, a flag, and a diffuser. On the far right is Expensive and Complex, but with Superior Results. It’s great for action scenes, it creates a fantastic time-lapse, and it takes up minimal space. Affordable prosumer cinema gear allows us to shoot beautiful documentaries quickly and efficiently, which enables us to shoot more docs, edit them faster, get hired more often, and maybe even make a living at this craft. Audio and Video Equipment Frequently Asked Questions. You can get a very cheap and super light tripod that might be a pain to use, or you could get the biggest and best tripod that is solid but a hassle to carry around, or you could get something in the middle. The main reason for picking up a C300 over a C100 is that the codec meets certain broadcast standards. It’s worth the upgrade, even if you use the mic only wirelessly with the G3 kit. We also carry around the credit card size Aputure M9 light, which isn’t that bright, but it’s so small and has an internal USB-powered battery that it’s worth carrying around. Yes, you absolutely can shoot a documentary on an iPhone, but it will be a pain to achieve the kind of results that a real video camera can do natively. We carry Cameras, Video Converters, Switchers, Video Studios from … Plus, the battery plates and 1/4-20" threads will wear out with heavy use. The full-frame sensor might be the deciding factor for some, but I find the menu system and settings to be quite clunky. Most Video Production Equipment are eligible for free shipping. Click to shop… In business since 1984, our focus is mainly on buying, selling and trading used video We have had the opportunity to use (and own) many other cameras, including DSLRs, various Sony and Panasonic cinema cameras, and we even own the Canon C300 mark II (which we recommend for corporate video production). Finally, you lay these B-roll clips over the A-roll, ideally into sequences that help the viewer understand the who, what, where, when and why. Check out our Canon C200 review for an in-depth analysis. But for the price, the C100 Mark I is a remarkable value, especially with the Dual Pixel Auto Focus (DPAF) installed. Instead of relying on photo and video bags that have rigid dividers, we like to organize everything into small pouches and neoprene wraps, which allows us to be flexible when we pack and carry our gear. It’s an incredibly fast, versatile zoom lens that is usually wide enough at 18mm, and it can go all the way to the coveted 35mm focal distance. About Lorensbergs and Connect2: Equipment checkout software Connect2 from Lorensbergs supports equipment lending programs in colleges and universities worldwide. Most pro video fluid heads are made for bowl-mount tripods, rather than flat head photo tripods. The solution that we’ve come up with is to find a happy medium along the continuum. We've used the Atomos Ninja Blade on countless interviews, and it's really nice to have. You may also want to carry a small car power converter, which allows you to plug in a standard charger into your car, rather than having to bring along a car charger accessory for every type of battery you use.​. We’ve had a number of them over the years, but the most recent version of the Cinevate Duzi (with the Fly Wheel) is hands down the best slider we’ve ever used. In essence, we lose the “suspension of disbelief” and we remember that we’re watching a video that someone made, rather than sitting back and letting a story naturally unfold before our eyes. Cheap, lightweight, and bright, yes, but their plastic housing is not durable and probably won't survive a bad fall. The problem is, many of us have not been at it since the dawn of time. But if you’re a one man band, you may have to pare down the kit to just the essentials for the shoot you’re on. When you shop for your first video lights, you probably assume that the more light output you can afford to purchase, the better off you’ll be. You simply route the lav mic through the Invisilav, then back up through the second hole (to remove tension from the mic capsule), and then gaff tape the Invisilav under your subject’s clothing. We’ve shot over 100 documentaries for PBS national and regional stations, including the original web series "Indie Alaska." Here are some of the highlights of what today's video production equipment can offer: GPS Locator Need to know exactly where you captured that amazing wilderness shot? Two of the 672S lights together are brighter than one Light Storm LS1S, at 1/5th the weight, less cost, and they use cheap Sony NP batteries for long lasting output. The quick release plate that continues to come loose, so every few minutes you have to stop what you’re doing and tighten the screw again. At $800, this camera is a great option that is kinder to your wallet than the other cameras on this list. If your documentary will primarily be interviewed outside, first of all, is there any way you can change that? Video Production Equipment. And finally, the zoom range and the price make the 18-135mm even more attractive. We’ve ended up using the Ice Light more than any other light, on more than 200 interviews across the country, and we still stand by it for our documentary kit. The choices you face when building out your equipment kit can be overwhelming, so we put together this list to help you sort everything out and get started building a kit of your own. Documentary, nonfiction, factual, reality, news shooting - there are many ways of describing it, but the art of making a documentary video requires essentially the same film making equipment tools across the board, no matter what you call it. You may want to add your own voice narration, or place helpful text on the screen, to guide the story forward. The normal, everyday lens for 75% of your needs, the telephoto lens primarily for interviews (but also for B-roll), and the specialty shot lens. Even if chocolate chip is on your mind, our cookies make an important contribution to a great shopping experience. Served with love! Yes, it's bigger and heavier than our Gitzo system, and if we're only shooting interviews with our tripod, maybe that's overkill. You can use them to attach your lights to just about any surface, without having to bring another light stand along. It goes back to the portability/quality continuum from earlier in this article. For $300, it’s a stabilized, wide, 4K camera that you can attach to almost anything. As for the lens being variable aperture (and certainly not parfocal), the C100 enables a feature with the 18-135mm that actually maintains the exposure and quickly refocuses as you zoom from wide to tight and back. The truth is, we make a living from our filmmaking equipment. Just handheld run and gun and get the shots, fellas. Imagine a continuum of equipment from left to right. We bought 3 during a short window then they were available. This shotgun mic might be tiny (coming in at just seven inches), but for something that costs less than $170, this mic delivers low noise with high sensitivity. It is the equivalent of filmmaking , but with images recorded electronically either in analog form on video tape or digitally in video tape or as computer files stored on optical discs, hard drives, SSDs, magnetic tape or memory cards instead of on film stock . Audio often doesn’t get the attention it deserves, but it can make or break your project. Most simply, you’re video recording someone telling a true story, and then through the process of filmmaking and editing, you’re creating a shorter, more interesting version of that story. Here is a list of the basic video production equipment you will need to start your YouTube channel: Camera; Microphone; Tripod or Gimbal Stabilizer; Lighting; Video Editing Software; 1. It has an XLR input (which the XC10 doesn’t), it’s strikingly easy to use, and you can hide in the crowd while shooting purely handheld. Alternatively to the Sennheiser G3 wireless pack, we often use the Rode Rodelink wireless transmitter and receiver. We prefer to use the largest size available - 19" or larger - in various colors. Adorama has the best video equipment for your needs, from compact camcorders, 360 cameras, and post-production hardware to professional monitors and durable bags and cases for your equipment and accessories. Any of them will do the job well - just make sure it’s a video monopod with little feet and a fluid head, rather than a standard photo monopod. If interviews are your specialty, this is a great option for you. That about does it! For shooting on the go, tight spaces, or during a time crunch, it’s very helpful to have a light wand handy. And why do we recommend specific filmmaking equipment for the various types of documentary video productions? It helps students to make the most of the video production equipment available to them, build their kit lists, and achieve superior results in their productions. Seriously, it's probably had the most effect on the quality of our shooting, enough that we now plan many of our shoots around the Helix Jr. We choose the video production gear that will allow us to make the best possible videos, with the least amount of headaches. In this article, almost every piece of gear we discuss is chosen and optimized for portability and efficiency, in order to capture the greatest amount of footage in the least amount of time, while also pushing for cinematic visuals and high quality audio. And then you shoot a series of non-interview footage - or B-roll - of the subject performing an action, along with simple cutaways of objects and nature to use as inserts.​. In one second the audience forgets about the subject and topic, or what is being said or the emotions that are at play, and our attention goes immediately to the lackluster video production as we’re looking for other signs of poor craftmanship. We’ve done this on several shoots, and it’s always fun to imagine what it would take to shoot at a similar focal length. We usually travel and shoot as a 2-man crew, so we can bring everything with us on local shoots, as well as with air travel. Your privacy is respected In fact, we're so smitten by them, we recently shot a whole short doc with just those two lenses, and wrote a long piece on prime lenses for video. But it’s a stop brighter at f/2.8, and it’s wider at 17mm, which makes a big difference on the C100 with its 1.5x sensor crop. Thanks for reading! I find it very hard to beat this cinema-style camera, which you can currently get for about $1,295. For example, on a solo shoot, you may only bring an Ice Light and one light stand, a lav mic rather than a boom kit (with another light stand), and maybe you’d skip the slider. ​The lights we use and recommend in our filmmaking equipment list have been road tested and we really like them for our documentary kit. While many people will want to know which camera you used on your project, your production peers will be asking about the lenses. We'll be happy to give you a personalized demo. 4k ARRI ALEXA MINI CAMERA PACKAGE. But the style and quality of footage you’re aiming to capture - that can mean the difference between shooting with an iPhone, making a documentary with a DSLR, upgrading to a more expensive cinema camera, or shooting with a large crew on cameras that cost more than your house. Even if chocolate chip is on your mind, our cookies make an important contribution to a great shopping experience. They make a multitude of adapters to convert different lenses to whatever lens mount your camera has, and they will increase your aperture range, making you more capable in low-light situations. 8K RED Helium DSMC2 Camera Package. You place the Ice Light 2 within a few feet of your subject, and the light gently wraps around your subject’s face, without blinding them. They’re comfortable on long days, and the quality is exceptional. No sweat - GPS is a common feature on an action camera like a GoPro, so you'll be able to track the video in more ways than one. We also carry around a few other small lights that hardly take up any room, but can come in handy more often than not. Nowadays, you don’t need a huge budget to make a video. They will prove to be an extraordinary resource for cameras and for a multitude of accessories, batteries, cables, media storage, or anything you might need to ensure a high-quality product. Sometimes, you’ll be able to run your audio straight into your camera, but capturing high-quality audio to a secondary source will usually be part of your production process. Video Production Equipment Video Production Equipment Litufoto Dimmable 3200K-5600K RA 96 Portable LED Studio Fill Light Video Production Equipment. In our bag, and in most doc shooter’s filmmaking equipment kits, you’ll find 3 types of lenses. 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