Hey all -
I landed a gig shooting 1-minute promotional videos for apartments in urban areas (San Francisco, Denver, etc.) a few days ago, and I need to get the proper equipment for the shoots.
Some details:
- I have a budget of roughly $1,500 to $2,000, with some flexibility.
- I currently own a Nikon D7000, with a f1.8 50mm, f2.8 20-70mm and f3.6 10-20mm. I also have a solid tripod, very basic reflectors, Redrock shoulder-mount, and a Zoom H4N.
- I will be travelling around the country, so airline travel is a consideration when transporting gear.
- The customer wants a more gritty, documentary-style video of the various locations, rather than the basic Ken-Burns-Pan-With-A-Nice-Voiceover format. I'd expect a decent level of audio required, but nothing too intensive.
Some notes:
- I'm not too worried about lighting, as a documentary-style shoot with a DSLR should be decently flexible, but then again I've never shot something like this, and I'd hate to go in without any light to work with. Night shooting may happen, not too positive.
- At the moment I borrow a slider from a partner, and it's become pretty pivotal to my aesthetic and the aesthetic that the customer is looking for. I usually don't need more than about 1 to 1.5 meters of track.
- Yes, I'm good on backup SD cards
Thus, the questions:
- Sliders: Is there a consistent, smooth model or brand that you have had a good experience with, in the price range of $400 to $800? Or do you need to go higher than that to get something decent? This is my biggest question, based on the discussions I've had with the customer.
- Cranes: A.) Worth it? B.) Any that are airline-ready? C.) Any personal experiences/recommendations?
- Lighting: I'm looking at Cowboy studios, purely based on seeing them around. Anything better or any personal experiences? Worth it?
- Anything else I should invest in? This can include non-film related gear as well.
Thanks so, so much in advance! Much appreciated.
- Sam
I landed a gig shooting 1-minute promotional videos for apartments in urban areas (San Francisco, Denver, etc.) a few days ago, and I need to get the proper equipment for the shoots.
Some details:
- I have a budget of roughly $1,500 to $2,000, with some flexibility.
- I currently own a Nikon D7000, with a f1.8 50mm, f2.8 20-70mm and f3.6 10-20mm. I also have a solid tripod, very basic reflectors, Redrock shoulder-mount, and a Zoom H4N.
- I will be travelling around the country, so airline travel is a consideration when transporting gear.
- The customer wants a more gritty, documentary-style video of the various locations, rather than the basic Ken-Burns-Pan-With-A-Nice-Voiceover format. I'd expect a decent level of audio required, but nothing too intensive.
Some notes:
- I'm not too worried about lighting, as a documentary-style shoot with a DSLR should be decently flexible, but then again I've never shot something like this, and I'd hate to go in without any light to work with. Night shooting may happen, not too positive.
- At the moment I borrow a slider from a partner, and it's become pretty pivotal to my aesthetic and the aesthetic that the customer is looking for. I usually don't need more than about 1 to 1.5 meters of track.
- Yes, I'm good on backup SD cards
Thus, the questions:
- Sliders: Is there a consistent, smooth model or brand that you have had a good experience with, in the price range of $400 to $800? Or do you need to go higher than that to get something decent? This is my biggest question, based on the discussions I've had with the customer.
- Cranes: A.) Worth it? B.) Any that are airline-ready? C.) Any personal experiences/recommendations?
- Lighting: I'm looking at Cowboy studios, purely based on seeing them around. Anything better or any personal experiences? Worth it?
- Anything else I should invest in? This can include non-film related gear as well.
Thanks so, so much in advance! Much appreciated.
- Sam