The Most Necessary Gear for Filmmakers

There's a whole buttload of gear out there for filmmakers to pick from. This list of nine items will set you on the right path.

Ted Sim from Indy Mogul is joined by Caleb Pike of DSLR Video Shooter in this video to bring you their top picks for the most essential filmmaking gear. While being creative with what you've got will get you further than simply owning the best equipment, we all have to start somewhere with obtaining gear. And to that end, no one wants to waste money buying things that didn't matter or weren't of good enough quality to grow with.

Watch the full video above for Pike's specific recommendations on tripods, lighting, cameras, lenses, and accessories that you can look into and see if they are the right fit for your own work. Interestingly, he admits to have never owned a decent set of sticks showing that it's maybe not actually a necessity, yet it made the list. I'm on to you, Pike!

While there are nine pieces of equipment on this list, that can hardly cover all the essentials you might want in your kit. Help out the newbies and let us know in the comments below what you wish you knew really mattered when you started out.

Ryan Mense's picture

Ryan Mense is a wildlife cameraperson specializing in birds. Alongside gear reviews and news, Ryan heads selection for the Fstoppers Photo of the Day.

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6 Comments

15 minutes to list 9 things? pass. may as well have just typed, "here, watch this video."

I'd still give it a look. Caleb does go into more details about why each item is important and I have come to really respect the info Caleb passes along. The info I've gotten from more than a few of his videos have saved me quite a bit of money but finding gear that was "good enough" for my needs and not buying the more popular overpriced new thing.

I would love to get an article about the 9 Unnecessary gear for filmmakers

#1 Camera duh
#2 Microphone
Those are all you really need, but nice to have are;
#3 Camera case, the nice solid kind that will protect your investment
#4 Tripod with a leveling bowl
#5 Lights
#6 Multichannel Audio Field Recorder
#7 Bag for field recorder
#8 More microphones
#9 More lights
#10 Gimbal
#11 Slider

RENT YOUR LENSES! ONLY BUY A COUPLE!
a 50mm an 85mm and a zoom of some sort.

Thank you. Who makes that pretty handle for the cage?