It’s so easy to get addicted to gear \u2014 the unending stream of video equipment<\/strong> that hits the market weekly tempts every filmmaker and video producer. This is especially true this time of year, after we’re all\u00a0still decompressing from NAB\u00a0highlights<\/a>. That makes it\u00a0a great time to get back to the basics.<\/p>\n What do you really need<\/em> in your filmmaking kit that’s going to produce consistent results<\/strong> for you and for your clients?\u00a0It can be challenging to decide which tools you actually need to keep in your kit.<\/p>\n My filmmaking kit is modest at best. No single piece of equipment exceeds $1,000. And using this kit, I’ve shot award-winning, feature-length documentaries as well as shorter docs, brand films, and several short narrative vignettes<\/strong>. This kit has delivered quality and reliability for almost two years now, and my ROI exceeded my\u00a0investment<\/strong> (roughly $5,000 USD) almost overnight.<\/p>\n I\u00a0call it my\u00a0“barebones kit,” and you can purchase each item as it’s listed below or use it as inspiration to build your own filmmaking kit<\/strong>.<\/span><\/p>\n The Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera is a powerful little camera. I\u2019ve shot feature-length documentaries <\/em>with the BMPCC, and its thirteen stops of dynamic range are incredibly forgiving in post<\/strong>. Skin tones are lovely, and\u00a0colors tend to pop with the\u00a0slightest grade without becoming oversaturated. The BMPCC shoots ProRes and RAW, though I usually shoot ProRes 422. (Disclaimer: It does not shoot\u00a04K.)<\/strong>\u00a0However,\u00a01080p is still a\u00a0standard in online video<\/strong> \u2014 your clients will be more pleased with strong lighting and composition choices<\/strong> than they will with simple\u00a04K resolution.<\/span><\/p>\n The only drawback of the BMPCC for me is that it doesn’t record high frame rates<\/strong>. Even 60fps would make me a very happy shooter.<\/p>\n Another\u00a0drawback is power \u2014 native power runs on EN-EL20 batteries<\/strong>, and they just don’t cut it. Plus, if you’re shooting with a few\u00a0active lenses on the Metabones Speedbooster<\/strong> (like the Tokina 11-16mm<\/a>), the voltage of the EL20s isn’t high enough, and the BMPCC will shut off, even at full charge.<\/span><\/p>\n Therefore, I recommend a battery solution.<\/p>\n The IndiPro Tools battery solution<\/strong> for the BMPCC is the most reliable<\/em> that I\u2019ve used with this kit, and it will give you a solid 2.5\u00a0hours of recording time<\/strong> with two Canon LP-E6 batteries. If you’re turning the camera on and off, it lasts much longer: somewhere between 3.5-4.0 hours of battery life. It does however require rods or a camera cage\u00a0to mount (see Tilta ES-T13 BMPCC Rig below).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The Canon EF 24-105mm is a workhorse lens that has powerful image stabilization<\/strong>. It’s an all-around versatile lens that I always recommend, especially as a first purchase. The Metabones Speedbooster is also a\u00a0must-have<\/em> for the BMPCC and will give you the flexibility of upgrading your lens kit<\/strong> when you\u2019re ready. I use the EF mount adaptor, and I’m able to use tack-sharp Canon CN-E primes on higher-end projects for clients.<\/p>\n Furthermore, you can take full advantage of the\u00a0BMPCC’s thirteen stops of dynamic range<\/strong> with a variable ND filter like the Genustech Eclipse, which will greatly help when setting exposure for shots in full sunlight<\/strong>.<\/p>\n The Zoom H4n is also an industry standard workhorse<\/strong> for the price. Paired with the Rode NTG2 Shotgun Kit, you\u2019ll have everything you need to record decent audio.<\/p>\n Tilta has yet again designed a wildly intuitive rig and camera cage<\/strong>, this time for the BMPCC. This versatile and aesthetically pleasing cage will let you mount just about anything to your BMPCC<\/strong>, while still giving you access to all the buttons, LCD screen, inputs, and SD\/battery slot. Furthermore, it\u00a0will also provide\u00a0plenty of legroom when you’re ready to\u00a0update and rig out your filmmaking kit.<\/span><\/p>\n Get ahold of a reliable (and lightweight) fluid head tripod<\/strong>. Any model will work; I use some Benro sticks that my colleague sold to me dirt cheap.<\/span><\/p>\n Finally, you’ll need SD cards and external hard drives<\/strong> for offloading your footage. Therefore, I recommend a minimum of two\u00a0Sandisk 64 GB Extreme Pro SDXC and one LaCie 2TB Rugged Hard Drive.<\/p>\n $4,495 + tax and shipping.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n That can be a bit hefty if you’re just starting out; however, this is still considered a micro-budget filmmaking kit<\/strong>, and the cost can change significantly if you’re augmenting your kit rather than starting from scratch.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n For\u00a0less than $5,000 you can start shooting immediately.<\/p>\n The hard truth is that filmmaking demands capital<\/strong>. You need money for cameras, lenses, lights, crew, etc.\u00a0This especially true for freelancers or small production companies who may not have access to equipment otherwise.<\/p>\n However, acquiring high-quality, reliable equipment<\/strong> is a big\u00a0part of the job.<\/p>\n Let’s assume that you’re modestly successful;\u00a0you’re reining in a few paying clients here and there, and your investment capital is growing.\u00a0Try this strategy for building your filmmaking\u00a0kit from scratch<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Step 1:\u00a0Set aside a portion of your profits\u00a0for purchasing your\u00a0filmmaking kit<\/strong><\/p>\n As you line up more\u00a0work, and your checking account slowly grows, stockpile the cash and don\u2019t touch it<\/strong>!<\/span><\/p>\n You\u2019ll need to use this money to reinvest in your production company<\/strong> in the form of equipment purchases.<\/span><\/p>\n Step 2: Rent equipment until you’ve saved enough for an initial\u00a0equipment purchase<\/strong><\/p>\n It may take time for you to save up enough for your first few equipment purchases. Therefore\u00a0add equipment rental costs to your project budgets<\/strong> and list them as hard costs. If the amount for equipment rentals is too high for your client, try to split the rental between two projects.\u00a0In other words, schedule shoots for two different clients back-to-back and split the rental cost between the projects.<\/p>\n There are several great online rental companies out there.\u00a0<\/span>I personally enjoy using LensProToGo<\/a>, and LensRentals.com<\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Step 3: Build\u00a0your basic filmmaking kit by purchasing equipment in order of importance (or preference)<\/strong><\/p>\n Once you begin stockpiling your cash, begin purchasing your own equipment. <\/span>Start with the most important\u00a0pieces of equipment first. I would recommend the following order:<\/span><\/p>\n This is a “barebones kit” for a reason: it includes the fundamentals and gives\u00a0you the flexibility\u00a0to upgrade<\/strong> when you’re ready.<\/p>\n![\"Build](\"https:\/\/www.premiumbeat.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/NAB-show.jpg\")
\n<\/a>Image via NAB Show<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n
\nCamera and Power<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n
\n<\/a>![\"Build](\"https:\/\/www.premiumbeat.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/blackmagic-camera.jpg\" "\\"Build")
\n<\/a>Image via Blackmagic Design.<\/em><\/p>\n\n
\n<\/span><\/li>\n![\"Build](\"https:\/\/www.premiumbeat.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/tokina.jpg\" "\\"Build")
\n<\/a>Image via Tokina<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n
\nLenses and Glass<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n
![\"Build](\"https:\/\/www.premiumbeat.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/24-105.jpg\" "\\"Build")
\nImage via Bud Simpson<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n
\n<\/span><\/li>\n
\n<\/span><\/li>\n
\nAudio<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n
![\"Build](\"https:\/\/www.premiumbeat.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/zachary-staines.jpg\" "\\"Build")
\nImage via Zachary Staines<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n
\n<\/span><\/li>\n\n
\n
\n<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
\nGrip<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n
![\"Build](\"https:\/\/www.premiumbeat.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/tilta.jpg\" "\\"Build")
\nImage via Bud Simpson<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n
\n<\/span><\/li>\n
\n<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
\nMedia<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n
![\"Build](\"https:\/\/www.premiumbeat.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/lacie.jpg\" "\\"Build")
\nImage via Bud Simpson<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n
\nTotal Estimated Cost<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n
\nHow to Build Your Filmmaking Kit from Scratch<\/h3>\n
![\"Build](\"https:\/\/www.premiumbeat.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/camera-bag.jpg\" "\\"Build")
\n<\/a>Image via Expertphotography.com<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n![\"Build](\"https:\/\/www.premiumbeat.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/shutterstock_547555246.jpg\" "\\"Build")
\n<\/a>Image via Shutterstock<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n
\n
\n
\n<\/span><\/li>\n
\n<\/span><\/p>\n\n
\n
\nUpgrading Your Filmmaking Kit<\/h3>\n