Basic lighting Package.

[James Steven Beverly]

I wanted to get opinions on what you would put together for a basic professional lighting and grip package capable of supportting most smaller, independent features and comercials that would fit ionto a 3 to 5 ton truck or delivery van and would keep equipment rentals to an acceptable minimum. How many C-stand, combo stands, flags of each size, babies, tweenies, soft lights ect. I have an idea of what I'm going to do but wanted to check my list. Thanks :)

[Barry Cheong]

In my own kit + additionals i normally try to carry (pending budget) the following:

 

LIGHTING/ELECTRIC

(1) 575 HMI Par

(1) Redhead c/w small Chimera

(2) 1K Open-face

(3) 650 Fresnel

(2) 300 Fresnel

(1) 150 Fresnel

(1) 4' 4bank Kino-Flo c/w both tube types

(1) 2' 2bank Kino-Flo c/w both tube types

(2) 1K Dimmers

(1) Practical bulbs, sockets, china balls

- 500ft total AC cable

- Adapters, cube-taps, etc

 

GRIP

(8) 40" C-stands c/w arm and head

(1) 20" C-stand c/w arm and head

(1) 2K combo

(4) Kit-stands

(1) 6x6 Butterfly kit complete

(4) Cardellini

(4) Maffer's c/w pins

(3) 18x24 flag/net kit (3 flags, 2 singles and doubles each, 1 wood cookie, 1 cello cookie, 1 empty)

(2) 4x4 Floppies

(2) 3x3 Gel frames (light grid, fulll grid cloth)

(16) 25lb sandbags

(4) Each Full/Half/Quarter/Pancake apple boxes

(1) Box of wedges

(1) Dolly/hand cart

(1) Sound blanket

(1) 8ft step ladder

Variety of pony clamps, furniture clamps, reg c-clamps, safety cables

Misc 1" conduit pipe various lengths

Expendables - gel, foamcore, sash, duvetyne, dulling spray, etc, etc)

 

I'm mainly shooting small budget student/independent films in residential houses, etc, etc...

[Michael Collier]

whats your budget and wattage limit? its easy to make lists, but if you wouldnt have the money or power for the lights, then we have nothing to go off of. also what do you consider 'typical' typical to me is natural light on top of a mountian (ie, low weight light control) typical to someone else might be a huge set housed in a hanger or sound stage.

[James Steven Beverly]

whats your budget and wattage limit? its easy to make lists, but if you wouldnt have the money or power for the lights, then we have nothing to go off of. also what do you consider 'typical' typical to me is natural light on top of a mountian (ie, low weight light control) typical to someone else might be a huge set housed in a hanger or sound stage.

 

The budget is what ever it takes to get what I need. Most of the stuff I'm going to buy will be used. Apple boxs and flags will probably be fabricated (I'm thinking of going w/ aluminum sheetmetal). I have an old military genny but will probably keep my eye out for a bigger one. Some stuff I have, other stuff, I'll wait for a deal on. The previous list is sorta what I'm looking for although along the same vein as your post, I would add, 3 reflectors (2 checker board and silver, 1 mirror and checker board) and more combo stands, along w/ bead board, show card, a 12 x 12 frame and foam core. Also a riding skateboard dolly and speedrails

Edited May 25, 2006 by Capt.Video

[Michael Collier]

This is my list for my upcomming feature ISOTAC. some will be rented, others would be purchased. I am not sure how much this would run total, but we will see. (for my budget its 10K, but who knows what it would cost to buy them all outright)

 

Lights:

 

(3) 2K arri fresnals w barn doors

(1) 5K altman

(3) 650w omnis (the guy who wrote the script already has these)

(2) 2K colortran fressnals (got the GM at work to approve borrowing these, just gotta convince the engeneer)

(2) 150w arri fressi's

(2) 1K openface

(5) 80w pars (homebuilt, using the pars you would buy for an ENG toplight, socket attached to spring clamps, powered by a E.E. test powersupply at 30v)

(1) homebuilt LED pannel

 

Light control

 

(2) chimera soft boxes/speed rings + CTB front faces for them (cheaper than dicroric)

(2) 8x4' bounce boards (one silver/gold, one white/sunfire)

(1) 4' round bounce (white/silver)

(1) 8'x8' overhead (with full grid, non-bleached muslin, and a white bounce/negative fill black)

(1) set of scrims for every light

(1) flag survival kit (as listed on B&H)

 

Grip

 

(5) 8' C-stands

(2) 20' C-stands

(3) mic stands with the spring mic clip (these work great indoors to hold reflectors, and are very inexpensive)

(2) heavy duty stands (load rating of 80lbs, not sure what they are called exactly)

(2) boom kits

(3) door hangers

(10) 25lbs sandbags

(n/a) assortment of appleboxes

(1) homebuilt doorway dolly

(1) homebuilt ridding dolly (I have built like 5 of these in the past, they work for the shots I need)

(n/a) lots of foam core in varying sizes.

(3) rolls of blackwrap

(4) home dimmers built into electrical boxes

(1) 2K professional dimmer

(2) 4x4 frames

 

Thats my list. I generally have more time on set to get creative with very little, so some blackwrap and gaffers tape can do wonders. Also note how much of my list is homebuilt. Thats common on my sets to save money. Also note theres no use of kinos. I know one day I will overcome my fear of them, but after years of ENG shooting I loath overhead floros, and thats all I see when I look at kinos. I am always afraid that even though balanced to keep the greenspike out, that they would still have the horrible skin tone rendering that you would get with normal floros. Probably totally unfounded, and the first film I get where kinos are the only way to go practically, I will look foolish asking to test the lights, just so I know how they render skin tones, but oh well. Also note no HMIs. the only HMIs for rent in this state are owned by one person, and when I called them looking for support (I was willing to pay fair rental rates for gear of course) I got the distinct impression that he was worried about loosing business to new production company, and felt he was trying to keep me out of the biz. Oh well, hes small potatos, as everyone is in this state. I wanna make films and sell them elsewhere where I can make a profit and a name) I digress. (a major problem for me if you follow my posts. I post in stream of conciousness. Probably not a good thing. Hmmm. cigarette break. that sounds good.)

[Tom Bays]

I like the Dedolight DT 12-4 kit.

[James Steven Beverly]

This is my list for my upcomming feature ISOTAC. some will be rented, others would be purchased. I am not sure how much this would run total, but we will see. (for my budget its 10K, but who knows what it would cost to buy them all outright)

 

Lights:

 

(3) 2K arri fresnals w barn doors

(1) 5K altman

(3) 650w omnis (the guy who wrote the script already has these)

(2) 2K colortran fressnals (got the GM at work to approve borrowing these, just gotta convince the engeneer)

(2) 150w arri fressi's

(2) 1K openface

(5) 80w pars (homebuilt, using the pars you would buy for an ENG toplight, socket attached to spring clamps, powered by a E.E. test powersupply at 30v)

(1) homebuilt LED pannel

 

Light control

 

(2) chimera soft boxes/speed rings + CTB front faces for them (cheaper than dicroric)

(2) 8x4' bounce boards (one silver/gold, one white/sunfire)

(1) 4' round bounce (white/silver)

(1) 8'x8' overhead (with full grid, non-bleached muslin, and a white bounce/negative fill black)

(1) set of scrims for every light

(1) flag survival kit (as listed on B&H)

 

Grip

 

(5) 8' C-stands

(2) 20' C-stands

(3) mic stands with the spring mic clip (these work great indoors to hold reflectors, and are very inexpensive)

(2) heavy duty stands (load rating of 80lbs, not sure what they are called exactly)

(2) boom kits

(3) door hangers

(10) 25lbs sandbags

(n/a) assortment of appleboxes

(1) homebuilt doorway dolly

(1) homebuilt ridding dolly (I have built like 5 of these in the past, they work for the shots I need)

(n/a) lots of foam core in varying sizes.

(3) rolls of blackwrap

(4) home dimmers built into electrical boxes

(1) 2K professional dimmer

(2) 4x4 frames

 

Thats my list. I generally have more time on set to get creative with very little, so some blackwrap and gaffers tape can do wonders. Also note how much of my list is homebuilt. Thats common on my sets to save money. Also note theres no use of kinos. I know one day I will overcome my fear of them, but after years of ENG shooting I loath overhead floros, and thats all I see when I look at kinos. I am always afraid that even though balanced to keep the greenspike out, that they would still have the horrible skin tone rendering that you would get with normal floros. Probably totally unfounded, and the first film I get where kinos are the only way to go practically, I will look foolish asking to test the lights, just so I know how they render skin tones, but oh well. Also note no HMIs. the only HMIs for rent in this state are owned by one person, and when I called them looking for support (I was willing to pay fair rental rates for gear of course) I got the distinct impression that he was worried about loosing business to new production company, and felt he was trying to keep me out of the biz. Oh well, hes small potatos, as everyone is in this state. I wanna make films and sell them elsewhere where I can make a profit and a name) I digress. (a major problem for me if you follow my posts. I post in stream of conciousness. Probably not a good thing. Hmmm. cigarette break. that sounds good.)

 

I spoke w/ my friend how has a lighting truck and showed him the lists. He said he didn't use Kino's either though on the 2 features I worked on with him, He rented Kino's for both :lol: Old habits die hard.

[Tim O'Connor]

(5) 80w pars (homebuilt, using the pars you would buy for an ENG toplight, socket attached to spring clamps, powered by a E.E. test powersupply at 30v)

(1) homebuilt LED pannel

Also note no HMIs. the only HMIs for rent in this state are owned by one person, and when I called them looking for support (I was willing to pay fair rental rates for gear of course) I got the distinct impression that he was worried about loosing business to new production company, and felt he was trying to keep me out of the biz. Oh well, hes small potatos, as everyone is in this state. I wanna make films and sell them elsewhere where I can make a profit and a name) I digress. (a major problem for me if you follow my posts. I post in stream of conciousness. Probably not a good thing. Hmmm. cigarette break. that sounds good.)

 

 

Michael,

 

What do you use for a 30v power supply for your 80w pars? Can you describe your LED panel?

Also, if you can say, what state are you in? Sounds oppresive.

 

Thanks.