Advice for enhancing my lighting kit

K

kat.hayes

New member
I am looking for suggestions to get accessories for my lighting kit. I am new to all of this and I would like to purchase anything I might need in the future while I still have a budget. I will mainly be doing documentaries and interviews both in and outdoors.

So far, I have an Arri Softbank 4 kit:
http://www.adorama.com/AR571891.html?searchinfo=ar571891&item_no=1?searchinfo=ar571891&item_no=1

And I purchased some scrims, and a Photoflex Moviedome:
http://www.adorama.com/PFMDL.html?searchinfo=pfmdl&item_no=1

Can anyone recommend any additional stands, lights, or anything else I should consider? I will be using this with the HVX-200.

Thanks!!!!
 
Things to consider while you are indulging yourself:

1. Flags and diffuser panels...it's also what you don't light.
2. on-camera light
3. gels and frost
4. fluorescent lights
5. dimmers
 
I second the dimmers(mostly for practicals)

C-stands(or at least some extra light stands and gobo heads/arms)...can hold flags, lights, boom pole, or a coat!

Black wrap(one of my most used, favorite and versatile items...and mostly reusable)...can use as a cutter, a cookie, control spill around the head.

foam core(black on one side, white on the other)....can act as a cutter or bounce or make a cookie.

depends on time(you have to light) and space(you have to carry it all) and your style!

RJS
 
1.) Can anyone recommend a good C stand. I have no idea what makes one better than the other. I'm not sure of everything that I will need it for, so I would like it to be flexible enough for things I might need to do in the future. I know I will need it to hold a boom at. I was looking at these:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/con...lSearch=yes&O=RootPage.jsp&A=search&Q=*&bhs=t


http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/con...arch=yes&O=productlist.jsp&A=search&Q=*&bhs=t

2.) Can anyone recommend a dimmer from BH?

Thanks!!!!!!
 
Kat:

If you want the best C-stands, American Grip is considered by almost all professional LA grips to be the best money can buy. Much more expensive than Matthews but much better.

Dan
 
I like Matthew's stuff the best. They're not as heavy as Avenger but still sturdy. I think they make the best grip-heads as well. It has a real solid lock as you tighten the head. Rocky mountain leg is a really good idea. I have a Turtle base version as well so I can fit it in a car for smaller shoots.
 
I love the hand grips on the Gobo heads of the American stands...Nothing better. Matthews are 2nd choice, but top quality..No doubt.
 
I do not see and American Grip products at BH. I also searched Adorama and only Avengers come up. I'm guessing they are not the same company, are they?

Thanks.

puredrifting said:
Kat:

If you want the best C-stands, American Grip is considered by almost all professional LA grips to be the best money can buy. Much more expensive than Matthews but much better.

Dan
Click to expand...
 
Hi Kat:

You gotta go to the source. You will not find American Grip discounted on the web or at least over the decades, I haven't. That tells me something from a marketing standpoint. They don't advertise and only self-distribute. From my marketing classes, that tells me that they are a category leader or really naive. Since they have been around a long time, I suspect the former.

If you are planning on buying a decent amount of gear from them, they will deal with you. If it's two C-stands, probably not.

http://www.americangrip.com/

Good luck,

Dan
 
So why do people rag on Avenger over at Cinematography.com? Everything I've bought from Avenger (not much admitedly) has been first rate, felt every bit as good as Matthews.
 
I have worked with hundreds of grips in NYC, Miami and LA. Grips are very opinionated about what works and why. Prison Break a couple of weeks ago in Florida, every piece of grip gear on both ten tons was American. Same in Dallas. Same on 24. Same on the two features I worked on this year. I don't see Matthews very much on big shoots, more on medium to small shoots. I have never seen anything Avenger on a big Hollywood shoot, not say that it is not ever used, just I haven't seen it on the shows that I work on.

Avenger seems to be kind of relegated to more prosumer level of perception, could be that it just doesn't stand up to heavy usage as well as some other brands. The only Avenger I own is a 9' matte black extending boom pole, it's fine. I own a few pieces of American as far as light stands and all of my C-Stands and other light stands are Norms, which I think is the second best brand out there. I have used a lot of Matthews and I think they are also fine, but I don't like some of their design elements on certain items, mainly C-Stands. Their tie down knobs are lame compared to the heaviness and smoothness of both Norms and American (to me). I do have several several Matthews Beefy Babys and they are fine but the Americans I have are built better and look better after years of usage.

My perception is that there are more actual Hollywood and NY working grips over at cinematography.com than at sites like this one. Professional grips are going to be way more opinionated than indie filmmakers since the professional grips make their living solely by using items like C-Stands and sandbags whereas most indie people have a more passing relationship with grip gear. They use it but they are usually also wrapped up in dealing with camera, audio, actors, etc. whereas pro grips are mainly on set to rig and wrangle setups for the DP/Key. Two different breeds of people IMHO.

Best,

Dan
 
Hey Dan, any experience with a 2x4 wall spreader? In theory, it seems awesome to have a beam to work from. But I am supremely worried about either putting marks on someone's nice walls and having to pay to repaint the whole room, or the beam falling mid-take and gouging the eye off my actress courtesy of a falling fresnel.
 
Hi Shawneous:

Nope, I have never used a wall spreader or polecat. I am sure you saw this thread over there about this very subject? http://www.cinematography.com/forum2004/index.php?showtopic=26943

Since I usually use smaller instruments, I often will use the 9' matte boom pole for the same types of situations, usually to get a rim/hairlight in a weird place where there is no convenient way to mount but keep in mind between T-bar holders (scissor clamps), Mafers and Cardellinis, there are usually ways to get a light hung where it is needed.

Best,

Dan
 
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