Beyond the basic lights kit

[ggrantly]

I've read some good posts on basic light kits and have found that many people feel that a set of Arris is a good start. So if I started with an Arri Softbank Kit, what would the lighting braintrust recommend as accessories. I don't have a specific project to discuss, but would like to know what you wouldn't leave home without; Umbrellas, flags, stands, brackets, power distribution etc. I am planning a somewhat long vacation and would like to assemble a kit to take in my RV which might be useful under a wide variety of circumstances. Any or all ideas would be appreciated. I browse through the Manfrotto and Mathews catalogues and imagine what I need, or how some gizmo could be used to advantage.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Gopher_Greene]

Umbrellas were designed for still photography, I personally would rather use a bounce board (or foamcore) then an umbrella. So to start with go to your local hobby store and get a couple of sheets of foamcore, use these for bouncing light.

Next you have to cut light from where you don't need it, for this we use flags, metal frames covered with duvyteen. These are flame retardant and absorb light well, these as well as the next items I will explain are mounted on C-Stands. When you set a cstand you should place a sand bag on the leg opposite the flag. Rule of thumb, one riser up one sand 1 bag, 2 risers up 2 bags etc. One other note on flage the closer to the object you place the flag the harder (more defined) the cut line

Silks are the next thing you should consider, theres a bunch of different types of silks, I really have no preference, some use white, some use black I've used both and like them both. Silks cut and sotften light. You can get frames with three edges called open frame, I'd suggest these it gives you the ability to cut the light on just part of the object.

Scrims are simialr to sikls in that they cut light, however they don't soften light as much as silks. They come in single, double, and triple.

Also you'll here of cuco's or cucoloris these are solid boards (wood, foam core ets) with patterns cut through them. Use these to breakup light. For example you have a solid wall behind your subject and it is just distracting take a light shine on it through a cuco and you now the wall is broken up.

These are just the basics, there is much, much more. From dots and fingers to different hardware to mount all of these item in the must peculiar places.

Hope this helps
Gopher

P.S. you may want to go to www.msegrip.com and just browse, you'll see the industry standard grip equipment there.

A book you may want to check out is UVA,s Basic Grip Book;
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/02...002-0912445-8856019?n=507846&s=books&v=glance

 

[Icarus2005]

It's all relative to budget.

your basic film set brings millions of dollars worth of gear in several large trucks.

a minimalist micro-budget package like mine will between 50,000 to 100,000 not counting a camera or truck it's hauled in. And often you want more than one camera to speed up a shoot.

A small kit that is very limited for say things like interviews, will still have a lot of stuff in like: electrical cords, dimmers, cube taps, variety of gaff tapes, gells, diffusion, ND, scrims, blackwrap, bullets or c-47s, clamps, flags, c-stands, sand bags, gloves, spare globes, low watt replacement bulbs and daylight bulbs, Duvetyne, hand tools, bound and reflectors.

it starts to add up real quick. and of course that's only basic light and grip stuff, you still need a lot of extra goodies for the camera and sound equipment of you want an all around good product.

if you want grip stuff at good prices and you can't find used, then try Norms in North Hollywood CA. 818-766-6676 thay by far have the best prices in town, for example a baby plate that costs 15 bucks at Studio depot or Mathews is only 9 dollars at Norms. An wall spreader set that's 80 bucks at Studio depot or Mathews is just 33 bucks at Norms - HUGE difference.

 

[ggrantly]

Thanks for the replies. Over on the audio board, some folks just hashed out a detailed list of audio stuff....part numbers, prices etc. Anyone want to try that here? One of the things that they did was to set a budget and have the list include stuff that was "good enough" for shooting with a DVX. So if you started with a set of Arris and some power cords for $3000, what would you add for another $2000 ? Do you like Mathews or Manfrotto stands? What brands of flags? What have you hacked on the cheap?

Thanks in advance for your generous responses.

 

[Icarus2005]

except for the c stands (if you get student discount) avoid Mathews, they're expensive. Buy everything from Norms in North Hollywood 818-766-6676 That's where most low budget people in the know buy.

I just cut a pasted a package list which is a basic for small productions. you don't need everything on this list, but bear in mind there have been many times that I, using this package, didn't have enough lights. As large as this list is, it is a very limited package. The key, when starting out, is to write a story that doesn't require a large package. And bear in mind you need something to carry it all in.

forgive format issues when I cut and paste.

Camera: Panasonic DVX100 24p/30p/60i 3,500
Cartoni fluid head Action Pro tripod 650
Chromizoil follow focus gears, support plate & ring (for rack focus) 2,200
Wide angle lens (expensive one, not the adaptor) 800
Two stage pro Matte box 375
Three batteries – 22hrs and AC power 360
4x4 Filters: polarizer; soft FX1; pro mist1/4; Black frost2; clear 1,060
4x5 Grad Filters: Coral 1 & 3, Apricot 1& 2 , Autumn 1, 2 & 3
Cool blue 2 & 3, Red 2. 700
4x6 ND Grad filters: .3, .6 & .9 250
72mm filters: warm black pro mist ½; soft FX1; black diffusion ½ 200
14” Flat screen monitor with 25’ & 50 s-cable 650
14” JVC production hi res monitor 650
Rideable Dolly system with 30’ of Norms heavy wall industry track 2,300
Professional Porta-Jib Traveler with tripod 3,500
Vista pan & tilt remote head for jib 2,300
Varizoom steady cam device 450
Mini tripod, mono pod, Hi hat 250
Dry erase slate 50
Hard & Soft Cases 200
Miscellaneous extras 100

Sound: Two - Audio Technica pro boom mics with wind screens 700
Two - Gitzo 12’ boom poles and shock mount 300
Two - 50 ft cables, 2 -25’ cables, 1 – 15’ cable 100
1- SM58 hand held mic and stand 150
Sennheizer Lav EW112-G2 wireless 550
Shure M367 6 channel ENG mixer 700
2 - Sony professional headphones 200
Hard Cases 200

Light & grip kit: pro tungsten light kits
1- 1k 36x48 Westcott Softbox (chimera) 700
1- 1k 24x32 Westcott Softbox (chimera) 600
1- 1k 12x50 Westcott stripbank (chimera) 500
1- 500 Photoflex Softbox (chimera) 400
1- 250 Lowell Rifa Softbox (chimera) 400
2- 2k B&M Fresnels with doors & scrims 1,200
2- 1k B&M Fresnels with doors & scrims 1,000
2- 650 Fresnels with barndoors & scrims 1,000
1- 300 Fresnels with barndoors & scrims 500
2- 200 Fresnels with barndoors & scrims 700
1- Cinemagic incy balanced dimmable fluorescent 1,500
1- 500 Beatie super highlight fresnel 300
1- 750 Mole Baby Soft 500
1- 650 two light Molefay 500
1- 200 Mole Fresnel with doors 300
1- 200 Mini Mole Fresnel with doors 300
1- 650 mini pro with doors 250
1- 650 Quartz King with doors 250
1- 500 Colortran with doors 250
1- 250 Colortran with doors 250
6- Par 20 cans with clamps 200
2- Brownies 150
5- 250 work floods, 150
8 – mini fluorescents and 1 work flo 250
Clear, blue, green and red rope lighting 150
one 12x12 or 6x6 frame – 12x12silk, single, solid 1,200
High walkers/C stands/ heavy, medium light duty stands 2,200
2- Reflector umbrellas; 4- gel frames 200
1- Westcott 52” 6 in 1 reflector kit 300
Black & white boards/ Duvetyne full roll 200
Flags: solid/single/double/silk. Full plumber cord roll 400
Gels/ND rolls .3, .6, 1.2 /diffusion/ CTO/CTB 700
Cinefoil (black wrap)/gaffers tape/ Tarp 300
Clamps: 2 cardellinies/ 1 quacker/ 4 screw ins 200
2 Baby plates/ 4 scissor clamps/ 1 gaffer grip 120
Grid clamp, offset, 60 spring clamps, mini to #3. 200
3 Wall spreaders, 2 mafer clamps, c-47s 250
2 c-clamps/baby pins 3’-6’, 7’- 12’ mattpoles. 260
3 step to 6 step and extension ladder. 120
Mini grip set with rods. 90 degree gobo grip 120
Extension cords, power strips, cube taps, 1K dimmers, 300
Inverter(for shooting in cars), sand bags 350
Low wattage bulbs for house lights replacement 100
Hand tools and cordless drills and saw. Flashlights. 600
Power tools and miter saw 900
Hard & Soft Cases 600
Total package value: 45,175