won $500, what would you buy?

I just won $500 at my companies Christmas party in a deal or no deal game. This money will be spent on some sort of movie making gear. I want to know if any of you were to win $500 dollars that you have to spend on movie gear, what would you buy? It can be anything related to movie making including gear, props, actors, locations..ect

What I think im getting:

EF 28mm f/2.8 Autofocus Lens
Rode NTG-2 shotgun mic
 
Would depend upon what I already have and what I'd most benefit from (not necessarily what I want).

Software?
A d@mn good tripod?
Slider?
Lights?
Craft services fund?
 
I just won $500 at my companies Christmas party in a deal or no deal game. This money will be spent on some sort of movie making gear. I want to know if any of you were to win $500 dollars that you have to spend on movie gear, what would you buy? It can be anything related to movie making including gear, props, actors, locations..ect

What I think im getting:

EF 28mm f/2.8 Autofocus Lens
Rode NTG-2 shotgun mic

I have a 28mm f/2.8 lens, not the greatest lens you could get for under 500. I suggest paying a bit more if you can get it cheap and getting the Sigma 30mm 1.4, it's what I'll be upgrading to when I get the money. Still a good lens however, used it as my standard wider shots in filming and my 50mm 1.8 for close ups.
 
Well, my answer is pretty obvious - bolster your sound kit. If you're thinking of buying a low-budget shotgun you obviously don't have much in the way of audio gear.
 
If you want a killer lens around $300, the Rokinon 85mm f/1.4 is $279 and is FANTASTIC. Seriously high image quality, like L glass quality. No autofocus though. Not a big deal for video, but I want me some autofocus for stills haha.

Congrats on the $500! Nice little bonus :)
 
Nice XLR Mic + Boom pole (if you don't already have one) + recorder? You'll be pushing it though for cost, but well worth it in the long run :)
 
I guess my question doesn't come off very clear. I want to know what you guys would buy for yourself, not what I should buy. Im a gear junkie so I love seeing what other people have or want to have.
 
Well I have that Rokinon 85 haha, I'd put it towards one of these things:

Rokinon 35mm 1.4 ($500)
Tokina 11-16mm 2.8 ($700)
Larege Lowel Rifa Light ($400)
Arri 650w Fresnel ($380)
C-Stands with Arms and Knuckles ($125 ea)
Digital Juice Flag Kit ($300 ea) - It comes with more than the Matthew Road Rags for $20 less.

Edit: I have a decent Audio set up though. If I didn't, would def invest in that.
 
http://www.soundsonline.com/Hollywood-Strings

I'd really prefer the Diamond version that's currently going for $800, but 5 would get me gold and an upgrade/companion to what I currently use!

Or sock the cash away for an actual orchestra to play my next score (I've read there are some orchestras in the Czech Republic that you can get on the cheap. Not the best orchestra in the world, but a step up from samples).
 
I'm working toward the DSLR world, but I currently shoot on a camera with XLR in, so I need the recorder before I can convert my workflow over and purchase the new camera... so for me, my next purchase is the recorder, and I'm looking at the Tascam DR-100. With the remainder, I'd buy a light or two (500-650w omnis w/ barndoors, focus and stands). These things I can use immediately, the camera I need to upgrade around, so I'll do the upgrades to other parts of the workflow first (remaining $$$ to other wants that work in both the SD and HD worlds), then get the camera to plug into my gear / workflow.
 
If I had to spend it on buying something physical I'd go with a dedicated editing computer with a nice decent monitor and lots of RAM.

But if I had my druthers I would spend it on an awesome 2-3 minute film. Hire a DP and sound guy(that have their own gear) for a day. Paying them each 150, that would leave you with 200 bucks, shop at ALDI and spend 50 on food and drinks, spend 100 on renting a simple light kit, which leaves 50 for incidentals like props, costumes and unexpected costs like last-minute duct tape or C-47 runs ;)
 
Id spend it on hiring the local Scream Queen for my next project, she looks real good in her birthday suit and has a huge following. If any left over after hiring her, the rest would go for Tequila, hey, Id at least get drunk and mebbe get lucky, prolly not w/ her, but a bottle of tequila in me and Im gonna get crazy and something is gonna get nailed. OK.. Im still on probation from the last time and now must register w/ the SPCA...ohhh shame









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