Toolkit

I was reading a similar thread over at cinematography.com and one of the guys mentioned a "contrast eye piece", do any of you have, or use, one?

I can't seem to find what it is online but if it serves the purpose of allowing you to look toward bright lights without burning your eyes out then I could definitely use one.
 
ok, after looking some more I found this, "gaffers glass"



Gaffers Glass
[FONT=Arial,Helvetica]Needed by every gaffer and LD.[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial,Helvetica][SIZE=-1]This very dark glass filter allows you to look directly at the light when focusing. Approximately 2" in diameter with a lanyard attached, it protects your eyes while you are aiming the light and adjusting the rotation of the bottle.[/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Shown, the gaffers glass has a string lanyard. You will receive it with the upgraded silver snake chain.[/FONT]
 
You can also look at the spot or pattern thrown by the light and it will show the drop off of the light. You may often see directors and DPs squinting at the scene, they're trying to accomplish the same thing. looking for hot spots or voids.
 
I carry one and use it for that purpose - to stare at a light to find the center. It's easy enough though just to get the electric to spot the light all the way in and then you'll know where's it's being aimed. That said I do find them handy...
 
How much are those things? I wonder if there is a way to find some sort of welders glass and use it (if it were cheaper). How do you like the cinebag bcheong? I have been thinking about picking one up someday, they offer a student discount!
 
I love my cinebag - it's definitely gotten its moneys worth. I know that they've reduced the size quite a bit with the new bags unfortunately. The older model I have is a a beast of a bag. My assistant just bought one of the new ones and it's still great for camera accessories and tools, etc - just a little less space overall.
 
I wanted to update my kit list, as well as bring this to the surface because it's very useful information.

Here's the stuff I bring to set, even though 99% of the stuff I do is low-budget stuff, you never know when you'll get saved by that one piece of gear that everyone else forgot to bring.

Here's all the stuff I have in my 26'' Irwin toolbox:

In a small zippered pouch
folding allen key set
offset screwdriver
precision needle nose pliers and wire cutters (for fine work)
Wide and regular full size flat head screwdrivers
paint scraper
jewelers screwdrivers
electricians shears
lighter
1/4'' headphone adapter
full size needle nose pliers
#1 phillips screwdriver, Wiha brand (the best)
Set of precision Wiha screwdrivers
Mag-lite solitaire (uses a single AAA)
pocket magnifying glass
utility knife
allen wrenches for tripod hardware
3/8'' bolt for tripod head
tweezers

In the top shelf
Lee/Rosco filter swatch books
pocket tape measure
extra tapes (mq's)
pencil sharpener
6'' ruler
hand sanitizer
Blistex lip stuff
altoids (wintergreen. yum.)
2'' and 3'' camel hair brushed (for camera body etc)
Kodak Color seperation guide
Spare polarizer/ND grad filters
Extra utility knife blades
calculator
red/green ball point pens
needles
(2) extra LED lights
scissors
Ticonderoga pencils
Pentel P-209 drafting pencil/extra lead

in the main compartment
Silicone lubricant spray
Small bottle of Ronson lighter fluid- great for removing stickers, sticky residue, de-greasing...it burns too!
canned air
Lufkin 25' tape measure
Arrow staple/tack gun w/ extra staples/tacks
Avery 2x3'' white paper labels (useful for gear/people/other stuff)
Mechanics gloves
small omni-grid cutting mat (for cutting gels)
Small clip board with writing pads
bulldog clip
Steno pad
(3) Radios, Icom and Yeasu brand
Micro fiber cloths (NOT for lense, for windows)
Clear plastic bags (useful as camera covers)
Large and small wire cutters
vice grips
10'' crescent wrench
black annealed stovepipe wire
stainless steel wire (really strong, for affixing things to other things)
aluminum wire (I usually use this to make gel "cages" around practicals)
12'' black zip-ties
electrical tape
50' of black trick line
25' of #6 sash cord
550 cord
bicycle blinking LED light
safety glasses
push pins
self-adhesive velcro strips
shoe-goo
multi-meter
small spray can of WD-40
1/2'' white spike tape (for labelling things)
pink marking ribbon
black wrap
torpedo level
Custom RCA cables
small spray bottle of windex
velcro cable wraps
garden wire
scratch awl (for my lens, just kidding)
glue stick
band-aids
china markers
buisness cards
safety pins
dry-erase markers (green/black)
regular and fine-tip sharpies
little green LED light
post-it notes
AA batts
exacto knife w/ extra blades
disposable ear plugs

In a small canvas bag- my camera kit
B+W polarizer
extra filter case
rip-ties
mini-sharpies (red, green, blue, black)
Sekonic studio deluxe light meter
Pancro lense cleaner (GOOD stuff)
other lense cleaner
Kim wipes (in a zip-loc bag)
Micros cloth
rosco lense tissue (also really good stuff)
camel hair brushes
RCA cable (short one)
small canned air
pens
AAA batts
sharpies

On my Grip/AC belt
Lindcraft AC pouch containing:
sharpies (silver, black, micro point and regular)
ball point pen
note-pad
mini-slate
slate pen
fiskars 5'' blunt tip scissors
hurricane blower
screwdriver
mag-lite
filding utility knife
IN ANOTHER POUCH
stanley 50' tape measure/canned air/whatever else I have in my pockets
CLIPPED TO THE BELT
Tape lanyard with 2'' gaff, 1'' pink spike, 1'' white gaff, 1'' paper
Glove clip with hot gloves
Leatherman wave tool (really handy for changing hot-scrims in lights)

Some other stuff includes:

8 small Pony clips

5 medium pony clips

C-47's, I carry these in a canvas draw string bag, approximately 60 of em'

Milk crates- so handy for storing things in

1 can of black BBQ paint

Can of dulling spray

Can of spray adhesive

Can of clear fixative (sort of like clear-coat)

1/4'' aluminum wire

Various practical sockets/bulbs (I wired up a couple to some household dimmers that work well)

(4) full apple boxes

furniture pads (great for protecting floors/walls from damage)

Extension cords (stingers)
***A note about extension cords*** get the best ones you can, I usually try to get 12 guage ones rated for at least 15 amps. I tie a piece of sash cord around the male end and use it to tie the whole bundle up when coiled. Never wrap them around your arm to coil them. With a properly coiled extension cord, you should be able to plug one end into the wall, and run with the other end without it getting tangled up.

Ground drop adapters- alot of older homes were built without 3-prong outlets, these will adapt your 3-prong stingers to the outlets.

Extra clothes- I'm often shooting in either the wet and cold, or a hot humid interior- it's nice to have a clean set of clothes, or at least clean socks and shirt to put on for the drive home.
 
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