Video Production Equipment

A video camera is the centerpiece of your filmmaking gear package.

What camera you choose depends on your budget, the type of shooting you're doing (static, stealth, run-and-gun, etc.) and where you plan to showcase your film (web-only, theater, broadcast, etc).

You can shoot a documentary on anything from your iPhone to a DSLR to a top of line digital cinema camera such as the RED. Whatever camera you choose, make sure you capture excellent audio. 

A necessary piece of equipment to keep your footage looking steady and professional.

Get a tripod with a fluid head for smoother looking pans.   

Sometimes a nice pop of light from the camera can help fill in ugly shadows.

A camera light is a nice accessory to have especially in a documentary/news style shoot where you might not have time for a full 3-point lighting set-up.

You only really need a lighting kit if you're planning to do a lot of shooting inside. Creating a well lit scene usually involves a 3-way lighting set-up. 

Great audio often separates the pros from the amateurs. Having a shotgun mic prepares you for almost every situation. It's perfect for setting on top of your camera or a boom pole.

Learn about different types of microphones.

Left: Audio-Technica AT897 Shotgun Microphone

Boom Pole

A boom mic set-up comes in handy to capture audio from a group interview, crowd scenes or any situation where you need to gather professional audio quickly. In addition to the boom pole (right), you'll need a shockmount and a shotgun mic.

Here's the simple gadget needed to turn your shotgun mic into a boom pole mic. A shock mount keeps the mic steady on top of the pole and prevents the mic from picking up "bumping" sounds when the pole is moving around. 

If you plan to use a professional audio set-up with your camcorder, you'll need XLR cables to go from your camera to the mic.  

Sure, you can use a "wired mic" which is a bit less expensive, but I wouldn't go on a documentary shoot without my wireless microphone.

Unless you have an audio person who can hold a boom mic, this is the next best thing providing tons of flexibility for walk-and-talk interviews with your subjects. 

Recommended budget wireless mic system: Rode Wireless

If you decide to shoot your documentary with a DSLR or smartphone, it's highly recommended that you either get an external mic or portable audio recorder such as the Zoom H5 (left).

Getting great audio means monitoring the sound at all times while shooting.

Find a good quality, comfortable set of headphones to make sure you avoid any nasty audio surprises when you get back from the shoot.

This is a must-have item for your documentary filmmaking kit.

A light reflector can turn an ugly amateur-looking shot into a golden and gorgeously lit scene. 

Have you ever seen those cool fish-eye scenes? That's from using a special wide angle lens.

If you're shooting in super sunny situations, an ND filter or circular polarizer can dramatically improve the image. Or what about super close-ups of a bug or flower, that's when you need a macro lens.

You never want to get caught without enough batteries out on a shoot. Unless you're heading out into the Amazon, 3-4 extra batteries should be enough for most shooting situations.

You'll need somewhere to record all that footage you'll be shooting.

A portable hard drive comes in handy if you plan to do a lot of shooting in the field and need to offload your footage from your camera's memory cards.  

We love the rugged lacies (left).

Of course, now that you have all your gear, you need something sturdy and weatherproof to put it in. Lots of great choices here. Just pick something you like that fits the type of shooting you plan to do.

Putting your camera on a shoulder mount can add a nice professional touch. It's especially helpful if you don't want to use a tripod and a rig creates smoother-looking footage in a "run-and-gun" shooting situation.

Gimbal Stabilizer

Tripod Dolly

GoPro HERO

Jib Crane

360-Degree Video

DJI Inspire Quadcopter

PBL Sandbags

Chromakey Green Screen

Reflector Kit

DSLR Movie Kit Shoulder Mount