2nd ACing a Commercial tomorrow.

[ben goldberg]

Hi I got a gig to 2nd AC a commercial shoot tomorrow.

I have done films but this is my actual first time getting paid to be a 2nd AC. I assembled a small AC kit with some lens tissue/solution, slate marker, AC pouch, flashlight, sharpie, pens, color tape rolls, insert slate, bongo ties...

 

Anything else you think I might need?

 

Any tips? I am not sure of what I should be "expected" to bring.

 

Thanks

[Evan Luzi]

Hi Ben -

 

I realize this is a bit late of a reply but I figure the information could be useful nonetheless. I point you towards a similar thread about essential tools for a toolkit here: http://www.cinematography.com/index.php?showtopic=48720

 

I will re-post what I wrote in that thread now:

 

It's hard to describe what would be in the "perfect" kit because each AC uses slightly different tools or does things in their own way. A good place to start for a list of items would be in David Elkins' "The Camera Assistant's Manual." In one of the appendices of the book he has a list of tools that you can pick and choose from what you will absolutely need. You could also go to Filmtools and browse around their Camera section and try to remember some of the tools the 1st and DP had that you had used.

 

If you don't want to be carrying around everything in a pouch, you can always buy a smaller/cheaper toolbag at a Home Depot or Lowe's until your tools outgrow it and you can afford a more sturdy production bag.

 

With that said, here are some items that I use on EVERY job: Allen Keys, Screwdrivers, Tape (cloth and paper), Space Blanket (to protect the camera during lunch and breaks), Camera wedges, flashlight, Dust Off Plus, Kimwipes, Pancro, Sharpies, Staedler Marking Pens, Dry Erase Markers, Fatmax tape measure (if you expect to first), Soft tape (again if you plan on 1st AC-ing) and much more.

 

There are a bunch of other small things I have in my kit that I can't think of right now. My initial investment of my kit was somewhere between $300 and $500. As Rob said, a good toolkit is essential and likely will be personalized to suit your working conditions.

[Jonathan Bowerbank]

2" Velcro with adhesive comes to mind. Whenever I 2nd, it almost always gets called for. For attaching accessories to the camera body, or just so the 1st can attach his china pencil/pens & ID tags to the mattebox.

 

 

Get a space blanket for covering the camera when you go to lunch, or if there's any downtime and you're out on location.

 

Take a cube tap for plugging in chargers, and above all else, make sure you're on top of that aspect :)