What Should You Bring to a Video Shoot?

Previously on "What Should You Bring to a ____ Shoot", we talked about the equipment you might want to consider when shooting a wedding. On our second edition, we're going to talk about what you might want to bring when you have to shoot video.

I asked Daniel in our rental department what he brings when he does a video shoot, and the big name here is Canon. If you didn't already know, we carry the Canon C100* and C300 in the rental department, and it's become apparent that these cameras are two of the top choices in shooting video. A lot of that is because Canon's Cinema cameras are lightweight and compact; perfect for "run-and-gun" shooting. The file quality the C300 offers is truly impressive and easy to work with when editing. Each camera comes with the necessary accessories, including the grip and monitor.

Let's look at the rest of his list:

Equipment Daily Rental  Weekly Rental Sennheiser HD202 Headphones $8 $24 Sennheiser MKH 416 Short Shotgun Mic $55 $165 LED Video light bi-color 4x6" Gisteq $30 $90 Canon EF 16-35mm II f/2.8L Lens $35 $105 Canon EF70-200mm f/2.8 IS Lens $40 $120 Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0L Lens $30 $90 Canon C300 Video Camera (includes grip and monitor) $400 $1,200 Sandisk 64GB Xtreme CF Card $20 $60 GoPro HD Hero3+ Video Camera with 16GB Micro Housing (includes GoPro Hero3 Battery Backpack) $45 $135 Total $663 $1,989

Let's talk about sound. Generally, you're going to want to shoot with a mic. Whether it's a tiny mic you clip onto your shirt, a handheld mic that you can pass between yourself and your interviewee, or, in this case, a shotgun mic you can affix to the camera, using a mic is the best way to avoid ambient that can really ruin a great video. If you're going to be shooting outside, you might also want to bring a "dead cat" to reduce wind noise. 

Listed above is the Gisteq LED Light panel, which is definitely something you may want to consider, especially if you're going to be talking with guests at an event. You never know how bright, or how dim, the light is going to be, so having this light, which you can attach right to the camera, is a good precautionary step. Not to mention, the ability to adjust the temperature of the light enables you to change the look and feel of your video. (Please note: the Canon C300 is fabulous in low-light situations.) 

Next, the lenses. Here, Daniel chose three different Canon EF mount lenses, which are great, because not only can you use them with this camera, but they also work with other EF mount Canon cameras, like the 5D Mark III. Just be aware, attaching these lenses to your cinema camera will offer a slightly different length than on your DSLR body. You may also want to try out Canon's Cine lenses. We currently have the:

	Daily Rental	Weekly Rental
Canon CN 24mm T1.5 Cine Lens	$125	$375
Canon CN 50mm T1.3 Cine Lens	$125	$375
canon CN 58mm T1.3 Cine Lens	$125	$375
Total	$375	$1,125

All of these lenses are tack sharp and offer amazing image quality and focal control. Play around with them to decide what lenses will work best for your shoot.

As you can see, Daniel also brings along a GoPro. More than anything, it's a nice camera to bring along to any shoot, for time-lapses and first-person video. Bring all mounts and accessories you think you'll need, including housing, because you never know. 

If you're planning on shooting for an extended period of time, as with any shoot, bring extra batteries; you never want to get stuck on a shoot without power. Also, always bring lots of memory and storage back-up. It never hurts to shoot more video than you need and back it up right on-site, just to be safe. Double check your list, and make sure you bring all of the cables, chargers and whatever else you may need. Those small bits and pieces may hold your shoot in the balance! 

For more tips and lists on what to bring to a shoot, stay tuned with our RentalBlog! And for a full list of equipment available in our rental department, click here.

*We also sell the Canon C100 Cinema camera.