5 DIY Filmmaking Gear Tutorials
Have a project you need to get in the can? Running low on cash? Check out these DIY filmmaking gear tutorials to help you get on your way.
Filmmaker and videography gear can bust your budget before you even start shooting. There’s no reason to go broke — affordable gear solutions are easy to find, especially if you’re willing to take a DIY approach. We’ve rounded up a small list of tutorials that show how easy it is to craft your own DIY filmmaking gear. With a few tools and a little patience, you’ll be on your way in no time.
1. DIY Light Stand
In our first video tutorial, Ryan Connolly and the Film Riot crew demonstrate how to make a DIY light stand for around $10. This easy-to-build stand uses no glue, which means you can easily collapse it and take it wherever you want. If you need something a little more heavy duty, you can essentially take this concept and upgrade the materials.
2. DIY Shoulder Rig
Shoulder rigs can get expensive — if you don’t have the cash for a pro rig, then this clip from The Slanted Lens offers a pretty solid solution. Follow along as cinematographer Lars Lindstrom demonstrates how to create a DIY shoulder rig on the cheap. Just remember that this particular DIY shoulder rig works best with DSLR cameras.
3. DIY Bank Lighting
This episode of Basic Filmmaker covers the process of putting together a set of DIY bank lights. Here’s what you’ll need: a shop light, bulbs, and a mounting bracket. Grabbing a C-stand from Amazon will give you a place to mount your finished product.
4. DIY Timelapse Slider
This video from RCexperimental demonstrates how to build a DIY timelapse slider with motor. This one is a little more advanced. For instance, you’ll need to do some soldering. Plus, you’ll need a motor (which can be found at Solar Botics). All in all, you should be able to build this slider for around $20.
5. DIY 3-Axis Gimbal
Here’s what you’ll need to build a DIY 3-axis gimbal, as demonstrated in the video below from Tom Antos. First, you’ll need a Foxtech Falcon Camera Gimbal and a shoulder rig. Since you’ll be using a DSLR, you can purchase a cheap shoulder rig, or, you know, build the one we featured up top. This is the most expensive project on this list; it will set you back about $300. Still, that price is a lot less than what you’d pay for a professional 3-axis gimbal. Plus, you’ll have the satisfaction of having built it yourself!
Got any fun DIY filmmaking gear projects you can share with the community? Let us know in the comments below.
