I’ve got something a little different for this episode as we talk about gear. We are living in a very exciting time to be a filmmaker. An industrious filmmaker can build a powerful production package of equipment for very little money. But where do you begin? There are so many options, and so many pitfalls, that if you’re not a gear head, you can easily get lost and spend money on things you don’t need or can’t use.
I have invited Joseph Palma of B&H Photo & Video to help us navigate the gear landscape. I posed Joseph this scenario:
Imagine I walk into the B&H store and tell you I was making my first low-budget/micro-budget feature film, and i need help buying the gear I’m going to need on production. I might not be a professional, but I’m not Youtuber, nor am I just goofing around. Some people will say use whatever you have to make a film, even a cell phone, but I’m beyond that. This is a serious endeavor. I want to be able to capture a good quality and sound, so that I can make a film that I can sell.
I don’t have time to scour reviews on the Internet, and I don’t have a lot of money. I want to buy wisely — which means I don’t want to spend money on items that are not going to last long — either because of poor durability or because the technology will be obsolete quickly — and I don’t want to buy things with a lot of fancy bells and whistles that I’ll never use.
I also need to know what gear I’m going to need that I might not have thought about. I don’t want to get on location with my actors and find out the batteries for this camera are only lasting 20 minutes and I need 5 more to finish the day. I need your help to build a foundational package that will last me for a good long while.
JOSEPH PALMA’S INDIE FILM GEAR PACKAGE
All links connect to B&H Photo without any affiliate link.
CAMERA
Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 4K
CAMERA ACCESSORIES
Wise Advanced 1 TB Portable Cinema SSD
Sigma 16mm, 30mm, 56mm Contemporary Lense Kit
Be sure to get the correct mount, Micro Four Thirds for the BMPCC 4K, Canon EF for the BMPCC 6K.
Accsoon CineEye Wireless Video Transmitter
IndiePRO Tools Sony L-Series Battery Adapter Plate
Watson NP-F975 Two Battery Kit with Charger
SmallRig Top Handle
(I recommend since it’s only about $20 and is very handy)
SmallRig 15mm Aluminum Alloy Rods 12 inches
E-Image EK60AAM Fluid Drag Video Head Tripod
LIGHTING
Impact 5 in 1 Colapsible Circular Reflector Kit
AUDIO
Tascam DR-40x 4-Track Portable Audio Recorder
Sandisk 32 GB Ultra Micro SDHC Card
Senal SMH-1000 Studio Monitor Headphones
Senal Storage Pouch for SMH Headphones
Senal MC24-ES Professional Condenser Shotgun Microphone
Auray DUSM-1 Shockmount for boompoles
Kopul Studio Elite XLR Cable 10′
Saramonic UwMic9 2-Person Camera-Mount Wireless Omni Lavalier Microphone System
Saramonic SR-UM10-CC1 3.5mm to 2 XLR Male Output Y Cable
OPTIONAL GRIP GEAR
Impact Sandbag 20 lb (You might want a couple of these)