Putting together the equipment you need for video production is fun and exciting.

But…

With varying projects, budgets, experience as an amateur or pro, location and personal preferences, there’s no one-size-fits-all equipment package.

With production necessities to source for your production studio ranging from audio recording to lighting accessories, here’re a few things to get you started:

19 Must-Have Production Studio Gear and Tools

• A tools kit for repair

You may also need simple tools for basic repair jobs as need arises. Include protective gear like those at https://bestweldinghelmet.review/, especially if you intend to use welders during repair or maintenance of your production studio gear.

Some tools to consider include:

• Pliers
• Screwdrivers
• Crimpers

• Video camera

The centerpiece of video production is a video camera. Choose one based on your shooting type (stealth, static, run-and gun, etc.), budget and where you intend to show your film (theater, web-only, broadcast, etc.).

Accompany your camera choice with great audio recording. Whether you decide to use a DSLR camera, your iPhone or an advanced digital camera for cinemas such as the RED, you can use it to produce high quality films.

• Camera light

Eliminate shadows from your footage with a good pop of light. Whether you’ll be working on a news style or documentary shot, you need a camera light accessory. This is necessary because you may not get time to setup a full 3-point lighting station.

• Tripod

You need a tripod to keep your video footage professional and steady-looking. If you want smoother looking pans, opt for a fluid-head tripod.

• A shoulder mount rig for your DSLR camera

Give your DSLR a professional touch when in use with a shoulder mount rig. Designed to deliver smoother-looking video footage when shooting in ‘run-and-gun’ scenarios, a mount rig can be used instead of a tripod.

• A 3-point lighting kit

If you intend to do lots of shots indoors, opt for a 3-point lighting accessory. The kit is ideal for creating well-lit footage scenes.

• A boom pole

When you want to capture audio from crowd scenes, a group interview or any scenario that requires you to collect professional audio faster, you’ll find a boom microphone handy. Also get a shotgun mic and a shock mount gear to use with the boom pole.

• A shotgun microphone

What separates amateur video producers from the pros is the quality of audio they produce. With a shotgun microphone, you’re prepared for almost any kind of production job. You can set it up at the top of a boom pole or your camera.

• A shock mount gadget

You need this mount to use your shotgun microphones as a boom pole mic. The shock mount ensures that the microphone on the pole is steady, blocking “bumping” sounds whenever the pole moves around.

• A wireless microphone

Although a wired mic is less costly, it limits where you can use it. This is truer when making documentary shoots. A wireless mic, on the other hand, gives you the flexibility of movement during video production.

Opt for a wired mic if there’s an audio person to help you around with the boom mic while conducting interviews.

• Audio (XLR) cables

XLR cables come in handy when you need to use your camcorder in a professional audio setup. It helps you transition easily from your camera to the microphone in use.

• A portable digital audio recorder

Get your hands on an external microphone or a portable audio recorder such as the Zoom H5 when working with DSLR cameras. For instance, when working with the Canon 5D Mark IV during a documentary shoot, find a digital audio recorder you can use on the go.

• Light reflector

A documentary filmmaking kit isn’t complete without a light reflector. It’s designed to turn bad-looking amateur shots into golden, beautifully-lit video scenes.

• Headphones

You need to track or monitor audio during shooting to ensure that you produce high quality sound. Invest in a pair of high quality headphones to prevent bad audio surprises upon returning from a video shoot.

• Lenses

A special lens with wide angles can produce cool fish-eye video scenes. Consider a circular polarizer or ND filter to shoot dramatic images in sunny environments.

However, a macro lens is ideal for close-up shots of flowers or bugs. Other types of lenses for use in other situations include:

• Clear ‘protective’ lenses
• Wide angle lenses
• Macro lenses
• Zoom lenses

• External hard drive

If you intend to do shooting outdoors, you’ll need external hard drives for storage. They’ll come in handy when your camera’s memory cards become full, hence need offloading to create free space.

• Additional batteries

When out on a video shoot, your gadgets can easily run out of battery power when you least expect it. Make sure each gear has about 3-4 additional batteries for backup purposes.

• Storage media

You need enough space to record or store all the footage captured. Consider the following media:

• Flash memory cards
• Video tapes
• DVDs

• A photo or video camera bag

Find a strong and weatherproof storage bag for your gear such as video or photo cameras. The right bag fits your shooting style and personal preferences for colors and materials.