The Night Everything Went Dark
We were three hours into shooting “Camping Discovery” in the middle of nowhere—literally, a farmhouse thirty minutes from the nearest gas station—when the power died. Not flickered. Died.
Our gaffer looked at me. I looked at our producer. We had about forty-five minutes of battery power left across all our equipment, a crew of eight people, and no backup plan worth a damn.
That’s when I learned the difference between having gear and being prepared.
Most filmmaking advice focuses on cameras, lenses, and lighting. Nobody talks about what happens when your shoot location loses power, someone gets hurt, or a storm rolls in and you’re miles from civilization. But if you’ve been doing this long enough, you know: it’s not if something goes wrong, it’s when.
This isn’t about doomsday prepping. This is about not looking like an idiot (or worse, endangering your crew) when reality punches your shooting schedule in the face.
The Problem: We Plan for Creative Challenges, Not Actual Emergencies
Here’s what we do before a shoot:
- Scout locations ✓
- Create shot lists ✓
- Check weather forecasts ✓
- Pack camera gear ✓
Here’s what we don’t do:
- Plan for medical emergencies
- Prepare for power failures
- Stock backup communication tools
- Consider what happens if we get stuck
I’ve been on sets where someone sliced their hand open on a rusty gate (no first aid kit). I’ve watched productions scramble when cell service disappeared and walkie-talkies died (no backup communication plan). I’ve seen crews freeze their asses off during an unexpected cold snap (nobody brought proper layers).
The pattern? We assume professional locations mean professional safety. They don’t.
Remote shoots, abandoned buildings, rural areas, winter locations—these aren’t controlled studio environments. They’re unpredictable. And when you’re responsible for a crew, “unpredictable” can turn into “lawsuit” real quick.
The Underlying Cause: Production Preparedness Isn’t Sexy
Let’s be honest: emergency preparedness doesn’t get you followers on Instagram. Nobody’s making YouTube videos called “Look at My Dope First Aid Kit.”
We’re creatives. We think about shots, not survival. We budget for gear rentals, not emergency supplies. And when you’re already over budget and behind schedule, spending money on “what if” scenarios feels wasteful.
Until it isn’t.
The truth is, most of us have never been trained for location emergencies. Film school teaches you the 180-degree rule, not how to treat a burn from a hot light. Production handbooks cover call sheets, not what to do when someone goes into anaphylactic shock.
We assume someone else has it covered—the location manager, the producer, the PA who seems organized. But I’ve been on enough sets to know that assumption is dangerous.
The Solution: Build a Filmmaker’s Emergency Location Kit
After the “Camping Discovery” disaster (we finished the scene using car headlights and phone flashlights—it looked terrible), I built what I call my Filmmaker’s Emergency Location Kit. It lives in my car. It goes to every shoot. And it’s saved my ass more than once.
This isn’t a 72-hour survival kit for the apocalypse. It’s a practical, compact setup designed for the emergencies filmmakers actually face:
- Power failures
- Equipment malfunctions
- Medical situations
- Weather exposure
- Communication breakdowns
Think of it as insurance you can carry in one backpack.
Implementing the Solution: What Actually Goes in the Kit
Power & Lighting Backup
The Problem: Locations lose power. Batteries die. Generators fail.
What I Pack:
- Portable Power Station (like a Jackery or Goal Zero)
- I use mine to charge camera batteries, phones, and run small LED panels
- Saved us during “Married & Isolated” when the cottage we rented had a blown fuse and the breaker was locked
- USB Battery Banks (minimum 20,000mAh each, bring two)
- For phones, tablets, small LED lights
- Production assistants will love you when their phones die at hour ten
- Solar-Powered Lanterns (LuminAID PackLite or similar)
- Lightweight, inflatable, rechargeable
- I used these on “The Camping Discovery” for fill light in wide shots—worked better than expected
- Double as crew morale boosters when you’re shooting past sunset
- LED Headlamps (one per crew member)
- Hands-free lighting is crucial when you’re rigging, moving gear, or doing anything in the dark
- Buy good ones that won’t die in two hours
- Chemical Light Sticks
- Mark exits, hazards, equipment cases in the dark
- Visible from far away
- Last 12+ hours
Pro Tip: Keep a laminated list of what’s charged and what needs charging. Check it before every shoot. I learned this after showing up with three dead battery banks.
Communication When Everything Fails
The Problem: Remote locations = no cell service. Walkie-talkies die. Crew gets separated.
What I Pack:
- Hand-Crank Emergency Radio (with NOAA weather alerts)
- You need to know if a storm’s coming when you’re shooting exteriors
- Ours warned us about an incoming thunderstorm during “Elsa”—we had twenty minutes to wrap and get equipment inside
- Backup Walkie-Talkies (with extra batteries)
- Keep them separate from your primary communication setup
- I use Motorola Talkabouts—cheap, reliable, widely available
- Whistle & Signal Mirror
- Sounds ridiculous until someone wanders off in the woods (yes, this happened)
- Saved our ass on “Watching Something Private” when a crew member got turned around scouting a location
- Printed Contact Sheet
- Everyone’s emergency contact info, location address, nearest hospital
- Laminated and waterproof
- Because when phones die, you can’t Google “nearest urgent care”
First Aid That Actually Matters
The Problem: Film sets have sharp equipment, hot lights, heavy gear, and tired people. Injuries happen.
What I Pack:
- Comprehensive First Aid Kit (go beyond basic band-aids)
- Gauze pads and rolls
- Medical tape and scissors
- Antiseptic wipes and antibiotic ointment
- Pain relievers (ibuprofen, acetaminophen)
- Antihistamines (for allergic reactions)
- Burn gel (hot lights, exhausts, equipment)
- Tweezers and safety pins
- Elastic bandages for sprains
- Instant cold packs
- Trauma Shears
- Cut through clothing, tape, rope without scissors
- Necessary if someone’s actually hurt and you need fast access
- EpiPen or Equivalent (if anyone on crew has severe allergies)
- Ask during pre-production. Keep it accessible.
- I don’t carry one by default, but if someone needs it, it goes in the kit
- CPR Face Shield & Gloves
- Hope you never need them
- Be glad they’re there if you do
- Emergency Blanket
- Reflective, compact, retains 90% of body heat
- Used one on “Blood Buddies” when an actor was shivering between takes in the cold rain
Real Talk: Take a basic first aid course. Knowing how to use this stuff matters more than having it. I took a wilderness first aid course after nearly panicking when someone twisted their ankle badly on a shoot. Worth every penny.
Weather & Shelter Protection
The Problem: Weather changes fast. Locations that seemed fine become miserable. Crew morale tanks when people are cold, wet, or exposed.
What I Pack:
- Emergency Ponchos (one per crew member + extras)
- Cheap, compact, keep everyone dry
- Used these on “Chicken Surprise” when surprise rain nearly destroyed our sound equipment
- Emergency Bivvy/Tube Tent
- Compact shelter if someone needs to stay warm and dry
- Also works as rain cover for equipment in a pinch
- Hand Warmers (chemical heat packs)
- Keep crew comfortable during cold shoots
- I buy these in bulk and hand them out like candy in winter
- Work Gloves (multiple pairs)
- Protect hands when moving sharp/rough equipment
- Essential for grip work in cold weather
- Duct Tape & Paracord
- Emergency repairs for everything
- Duct tape has saved torn rain covers, ripped sandbags, broken c-stands, even a wardrobe malfunction mid-shoot
Food & Water
The Problem: Shoots run long. Locations don’t have facilities. Dehydration and hunger destroy focus and morale.
What I Pack:
- Water (minimum 1 liter per person)
- I carry collapsible water containers—they take up zero space when empty
- Water purification tablets if you’re shooting somewhere truly remote
- High-Calorie Emergency Bars
- Not for daily snacking—these are backup fuel if you’re stuck
- 3600-calorie bars last for years and won’t melt in your trunk
- Protein Bars & Trail Mix
- Actual snacks for crew energy between meals
- Replace every few months
- Can Opener
- If you’re packing canned food as backup, you need a way to open it
- Sounds obvious, but I once watched someone try to open a can with a screwdriver
Survival Tools You’ll Actually Use
- Multi-Tool (Leatherman or similar)
- Pliers, knife, saw, screwdrivers, wire cutter, bottle opener
- I use mine on literally every shoot for something
- Headlamp + Backup Batteries
- Already mentioned, but seriously: hands-free light changes everything
- Sewing Kit
- Quick fixes for ripped gear bags, torn wardrobe, broken backpack straps
- Also useful for improvised equipment repairs
- Zip-Lock Bags (various sizes)
- Waterproof electronics, organize small items, emergency water collection
- I’ve used these to protect lav mics from sweat more times than I can count
Organization: What Holds It All Together
Get a Good Backpack (30-50L Capacity)
I use an Osprey pack because it’s durable, comfortable, and has enough compartments to keep things organized. North Face and Kelty also make solid options.
The key: you need to be able to grab it and run. Don’t bury your emergency kit in a production truck under C-stands and apple boxes.
Use Clear Zip-Lock Bags Inside
Group related items together:
- First aid supplies in one bag
- Power/charging gear in another
- Food/water in a third
- Tools in a fourth
Label them. When someone’s bleeding or the power dies, you don’t want to dig through fifty loose items.
Real Stories: When This Kit Saved Shoots
“Going Home” – Power Failure
Lost power at a remote location. Used my portable power station to finish essential coverage and LED lanterns for basic lighting. The footage wasn’t what we planned, but we got usable takes. Without backup power, we’d have wasted a full shoot day.
“The Camping Discovery” – Weather Turn
Temperature dropped twenty degrees after sunset. Hand warmers and emergency blankets kept crew functional. Without them, we’d have wrapped early and missed our best shots.
“Chicken Surprise” – Rain Surprise
Sudden downpour mid-shoot. Emergency ponchos protected crew and equipment until we could pack up. Duct tape sealed a torn equipment cover.
What This Kit Won’t Do
Let’s be clear:
- This won’t replace proper location scouting
- It won’t fix terrible planning
- It won’t make up for skipping safety meetings
- It won’t protect you from every possible disaster
What it will do: give you options when things go sideways. And on independent film sets where budgets are tight and schedules are insane, having options is the difference between finishing your shoot and going home empty-handed.
Start Small, Build Over Time
You don’t need to buy everything at once. Start with the essentials:
Phase 1 (First $100):
- Basic first aid kit
- LED headlamps
- Multi-tool
- Emergency ponchos
- Water and emergency food bars
Phase 2 (Next $200):
Phase 3 (When Budget Allows):
Keep this kit in your car. Check it every few months. Replace expired items. Update it based on lessons learned.
The Bottom Line
You’ll probably never need 90% of this stuff. And that’s great.
But the one time you do need it—when someone’s hurt, when you lose power, when weather turns nasty—you’ll be the person who saved the shoot instead of the person who had to cancel it.
I’ve been both. Being prepared is better.
Your crew will feel safer. Your shoots will be more professional. And when something inevitably goes wrong (because it always does), you’ll handle it like you knew it was coming all along.
Because you did.
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About the Author:
Trent Peek is a filmmaker specializing in directing, producing, and acting. He works with high-end cinema cameras from RED and ARRI and also values the versatility of cameras like the Blackmagic Pocket Cinema.
His recent short film “Going Home” was selected for the 2024 Soho International Film Festival, highlighting his skill in crafting compelling narratives. Learn more about his work on [IMDB], [YouTube], [Vimeo], and [Stage 32].
In his downtime, he likes to travel (sometimes he even manages to pack the right shoes), curl up with a book (and usually fall asleep after two pages), and brainstorm film ideas (most of which will never see the light of day). It’s a good way to keep himself occupied, even if he’s a bit of a mess at it all.
P.S. It’s really weird to talk in the third person
Tune In: He recently appeared on the Pushin Podcast, sharing insights into the director’s role in independent productions.
For more behind-the-scenes content and project updates, visit his YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/@trentalor.
For business inquiries, please get in touch with him at trentalor@peekatthis.com. You can also find Trent on Instagram @trentalor and Facebook @peekatthis.