The Most Important Pieces of Movie Equipment

A cinema camera is the brains and eyes of a film set. They have the ability to capture stunning 4K footage and offer different lens options to create unique looks.

Investing in a camera crane or camera jib allows filmmakers to shoot unique overhead shots of action and space. Overhead shots create distance between the audience and characters which can serve a story.

Tripod

When filmmakers want to achieve a precise composition and set up they use a tripod to get the shots. These are known as static shots as there is no movement in the frame. This can be used for establishing character, getting certain angles, or just to create a more cinematic look.

Tripods come in different sizes and styles but all of them offer a stable base for your camera to rest on. Most models also have a bubble level that is very useful to help with positioning your camera. When extending the legs of your tripod, start from the top down to make sure that the most durable sections are used first, improving the overall reliability of your stick. Then spread the legs out optimally to stabilize your camera even more.

When a scene calls for more movement, filmmakers use our next piece of equipment to take their movie-making up a notch. A tripod allows for smooth controlled movements that add to the drama in a scene. Some examples include a pan left or right or a whip pan which is used for transitions and to add energy to a shot. Filmmakers also use camera tilts which are similar to pans but with up and down movement.

Extra Batteries

Whether you’re shooting video or photography, there will come a time when you need to replace or purchase additional batteries. A quick search on Google will reveal a variety of tempting deals that seem too good to be true. Unfortunately, many of these products are fakes, littering the photo / video equipment market and using well-known brand names to lure customers in. At worst, these products may be dangerous to use and could pose a fire or electrical risk.

The Blackmagic URSA camera, for example, uses V-mount or Gold mount battery systems, which are commonly used in the film industry and known for their high capacity and long-lasting power. When selecting batteries, make sure to pay attention to their voltage (expressed in volts) and their capacity, usually expressed in milliampere-hours. The voltage should match that of the camera’s original battery; however, small differences of 0.2 volts one way or another shouldn’t affect the performance of your camera. Additionally, look for a battery with a connector block that matches your camera. Most manufacturers include a standard GP-DV-BMCC connector block with the camera, while others offer a discrete and lightweight variant for shoulder rigs.

Media

The most important piece of movie equipment is the camera itself. This will depend largely on the type of filming you plan to do; a camcorder is great for simple web videos but a cinema camera is required for more professional work.

A movie maker will also need to know about lighting. Different lights give a shot different properties which can affect the mood and feel of the film. This is why a movie maker would be able to describe the differences between tungsten, LED and fluorescent lights as well as how to create different types of lighting setups such as three-point lighting and high-key.

In addition to this, a movie maker will need to be familiar with the different formats of film. Even though digital productions are becoming more common, a large scale movie will still need to be printed onto film for preservation and storage purposes. This is done by a transfer process which prints the digital image data to an internegative, similar to the way film negatives are made. This provides a medium which will not degrade or lose quality over time and is cheaper than storing digital data indefinitely.

Lenses and Filters

Lenses are a critical piece of filmmaking equipment that can make the difference between an average shot and a cinematic masterpiece. Lenses are used to focus light onto the camera sensor, and they can be adjusted to change the image’s brightness, contrast, and saturation. There are many different types of lenses available, ranging from novice kits to ground-breaking prime lengths, and there’s something for every filmmaker.

Unlike photography lenses, cine lenses have an industry-standard aperture ring (also known as an iris) that lets you adjust the amount of light that passes through the lens. This feature allows cinematographers to precisely control their lighting and exposure, even in complex scenes.

Aside from lenses, filmmakers also use various filters to achieve a “film look”. These filters can be used to soften skin tones or add color to an image. They can also be used to reduce glare or create more dramatic shadows. Some examples of common film filters are UV, skylight, and protection. Some people also use them to help correct chromatic aberration, which occurs when colors aren’t sharply focused.