If you’re not already a seasoned location sound professional, it’s hard to know which shotgun microphones have a good reputation and which don’t. And since the best shotgun mics can be expensive, making the wrong mistake can be costly. Here are some of the best shotgun microphones for film inRead More →
Good headphones are crucial not only while shooting on location or on set but also editing if you wear headphones while editing (instead of listening to the sound on speakers as some editors prefer to). In our opinion, the best headphones for filmmakers and editors are comfortable, durable, and produceRead More →
Film and video tripods are notoriously some of the most difficult objects to fit into cases but they’re extremely important to protect nonetheless. A variety of case manufacturers have made special purpose-built tripod carrying cases to protect tripods when you travel. Soft tripod carrying cases may work better for someRead More →
Soft equipment cases for camera gear are extremely useful when you’re packing light and need to carry gear on your back or hand carry it, such as in situations where big bulky film and video equipment hard cases can attract the wrong type of attention, such as third world countries.Read More →
A kit full of expensive cameras and film gear is no good if it ends up broken. Cases are important, and they come in two basic categories: soft equipment cases and hard equipment cases. Soft equipment cases are often better for one man band type setups or situations where youRead More →
Pictured above: A Scrim Jim (listed below) for diffusing light, either outdoors or indoors. When you’re first putting together your lighting kit, you’ll obviously get the basics: light and stands. But the difference between a professional kit and a beginner’s kit lies not only in the quality of the lightsRead More →
Today many documentary filmmakers (and other filmmakers) are shooting on DSLRs because of their ability use large sensors with interchangeable lenses which offer shallow depths of field, resulting in a beautiful picture. But the audio side of DSLR filmmaking is a topic that doesn’t get enough attention. (Note: you canRead More →
If you’ve ever been tasked with shooting an event with a live sound feed from a single mic on a podium, you may have run into a startling realization: no soundboard has XLR outputs. We’ve definitely been in situations where we wished we had an XLR audio adapter of oneRead More →
You’ve got the documentary film camera, you’ve got the microphones for documentary film. You’ve got a case, a tripod, but what are you missing? Here are fifteen kit essentials for documentary filmmaking that you may not have considered yet… 1. Extra Camera Batteries (Check reviews & prices) Running out ofRead More →
Lavaliere microphones (or lapel mics) are an instrumental part of every documentary filmmaker’s toolkit. Because film subjects can be mic’d up with wireless lavs, the camera can be quite a distance away and still get great sound. Here are some of the best lavaliere microphones for documentary filmmakers: Documentary FilmRead More →
There are many odds and ends that can help make your documentary filmmaking go smoother. These range from clips, ties, specially-made cases, and other accessories. LaCie Rugged Hard Drive (Check reviews & prices) Documentary filmmakers often find themselves in remote places with unpredictable weather and lots of great footage. SoRead More →
Choosing a lighting kit for conducting documentary interviews is an important task, and if you’re going to be shooting sit down interviews, your production values depend on it. Size, weight, and wattage are both factors for many filmmakers to consider when picking out lighting gear because unless you’ve got aRead More →
Choosing good quality audio gear to use for your documentary film is very important. Finding the right microphones and sound accessories can be challenging because there are many to choose from. There are two categories of microphones that documentary filmmakers typically use: shotgun microphones (highly directional mics mounted on boomRead More →