Types of Video Production Equipment
There’s a large variety of types and brands of equipment for all stages of the video making process. Most people know about the barebones tools, but productions from first-time filmers often fall short because people are unaware of the other pieces they need to make a scene come to life.
We’ll examine some of those essential tools, their variants, and what situations they fit best in the sections below.
Please note that this article is written with general education in mind. At Otto Studios, our video production Adelaide services are built on the solid belief that there is no ‘one size fits all’ process in video production. We tailor our approach, including equipment, to each project depending on the needs and objectives.
Camera
Every filming project starts with a video camera, no matter what you’re recording. However, not all camera types work for every undertaking, and choosing the right one goes a long way in making your video look professional.
DSLR and mirrorless cameras are two of the most common types of video production equipment, both of which are durable, multi-purpose, and produce excellent video quality. Still, several other options like camcorders and digital cinema cameras offer improved flexibility and crisper images.
Microphone
You’ll need an external microphone if your video project requires on-site audio. While most video cameras have built-in microphones, the recording quality is dramatically lower than on external microphones. Relying on those two-in-one devices is generally best for projects where sound isn’t a significant factor.
Like video cameras, you’ll have several options for external microphones, each with different benefits and project fits. For example, boom microphones, which attach to large poles and extend overhead of the scene or actor, are good fits for projects where you need audio from a large group or city block. On the other hand, lapel microphones, which attach to actors’ shirt collars, work well for scenes with one performer where clear audio is the most crucial element.
Audio Cables
Audio cables connect microphones to cameras and transfer the sound information to the filming equipment.
These cables are vital video production equipment if your project requires clean audio. However, packing extra cables might be an unnecessary hassle if your video is more casual or doesn’t need perfectly clear sound.
Tripod
Tripods hold cameras in place for two primary purposes: creating a perfectly steady shot and saving an extra pair of hands on the videography team. Tripods are ideal for shots that need to look professional or extended time-lapse sequences that require hours of uninterrupted filming.
You likely won’t need a tripod if your project has a “homemade” or intentionally personal aesthetic where viewers expect shaky camera shots. However, if you want to remove the production team from the screen and give the spotlight to the actors, tripod shots are the best way to do it.
Lighting Equipment
Lighting is one of the toughest things to nail in video making, and you’ll need a lot of lighting equipment to get it right.
Like the other video production equipment above, you won’t need a high-grade lighting kit for every project. For example, projects with a more authentic tone can get away with filming mid-day and using natural light. However, if you want a video that looks studio-made, you’ll need all the tools below:
- Camera light: A camera light is a barebones but vital part of professional lighting kits. They attach to your video camera and add a head-on splash of light that fills in dark scenes.
- Three-point lighting: A three-point lighting cut gives you three high-powered lights you can station throughout a scene to make the subjects shine. Most video producers use these kits indoors, but you can set them up for dark outdoor shots as well.
- Light reflector: These tools absorb light and redirect it wherever they’re angled, so if your lighting equipment isn’t illuminating the right areas, you can use a light reflector to put it in place. Additionally, light reflectors come in several colours and change the shade of the light they’ve absorbed, so you can recolour your lighting depending on the project.
Lenses
Camera lenses let you change the quality and perspective of your shot. Most video cameras come with either a zoom lens, which allows for close-up shots from a far distance, or prime lenses, which don’t permit zooming but have a crisp image quality. Either standard lens will work for basic filming sessions, but experimental video producers can swap lenses between shots for unique perspectives.
Wide angle lenses are one of the most popular non-standard camera lenses. They have a limited focal length but make the frame much wider than prime or zoom lenses. Video creators can use that unique perspective to their advantage for close-up shots that would look better with a visible backdrop.
Of course, there are more lenses than just wide-angle and the two standard ones. Each can make your filmmaking more distinct and provide better shots than you would get with a barebones lens, but they won’t all work for every situation like prime lenses.
Extra Hard Drive and Memory Cards
If you’re out filming for hours at a time, your camera’s memory cards will fill up and leave you no more space to finish your project. Therefore, it’s essential to bring extra memory cards and even an additional hard drive if your videography is an all-day event.
Live Streaming Monitors
Live streaming monitors are vital for keeping tabs on videography as it’s happening. This video production equipment is prevalent in filming because it gives you an exact approximation of what your scene will look like on-screen rather than through a camera lens.
Though smaller productions might not need live streaming monitors, filmmakers planning to adapt their projects for TV and movie theatre screens will benefit from seeing the video play out during filming.
Conclusion
We hope this has been a good introduction to video production equipment and you’ve learned a thing or two. If you’re interested in learning more and starting to plan your own equipment needs for your video production, please don’t hesitate to contact us.