Hey Tobytea. Yeah im good thanks.
Wow so many thoughts going through my mind wow um
A backpack is a good start. Try ebay. Manfrotto Tripod, Dolly Slide for Tripod. Familiarize yourself with different lens types with different depths of field. Video Stereomic and some lens wipes to keep them clean.
I use Sony Vegas 11 and have done for nearly 10 years now.
It's all personal preference, I'm comfortable with it and does exactly what I need it to.
Although Adobe Premiere seems to be quite popular these days so it might be best to start there as most companies would prefer you to use it.
I agree. The Rode Videomic has been great for my Canon 60D and I think it will benefit you greatly especially if you're just starting out. It's easy to set up and good for filming on the go.
Keep up the good work Toby. You da best.