This kit will not make you a great filmmaker. But it will give you the necessary tools to help inspire some creativity and learn about all aspects of filmmaking, such as shooting, editing and creating 3d animations. In this gear list I’ll show you each item bought separately so that there’s no confusion on what is needed for your project.
18 Best Gifts for Filmmakers in 2026: Tested on Real Sets (Budget to Pro) Picture this: I’m on the set of Going Home in 2024, standing in a tiny apartment we’ve converted into a production space. The DP is trying to monitor focus on a 5-inch camera screen while I’m attempting to direct from three … Read more
Gift Guide for Young Filmmakers: Gear That Actually Matters I’ll never forget watching my nephew try to edit his first short film on a five-year-old laptop that crashed every fifteen minutes. He’d spent three weeks shooting this thing—a zombie comedy about high school drama—and now he was one corrupted file away from losing it all. … Read more
The Day My Audio Ruined a Perfect Shot I was shooting b-roll for Going Home in downtown Victoria when I nailed the perfect take. Golden hour light. My actor hit every mark. The emotion was there. Then I got home and listened to the audio. Wind noise. A bus engine. Someone’s car alarm. My actor’s … Read more
The Moment I Stopped Using Zoom Lenses I was shooting Going Home in my parents’ dimly lit basement when I realized my kit zoom was failing me. The autofocus hunted. The image looked soft. And the depth? Flat as cardboard. I swapped to a borrowed 50mm f/1.8—a lens I’d written off as “too basic”—and everything … Read more
I. Introduction: The Secret Weapon of Oscar-Winning Cinematographers (That You’re Probably Misusing) Got a crumpled 5-in-1 reflector somewhere in your gear bag? Thought so. Maybe you’ve bounced some light with it once or twice. But here’s the truth: most indie filmmakers use it wrong. I did too—on three of my early shorts. This same $20 … Read more