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Hi all,



I am in the middle making a few purchases for my AC kit and was wanting some tips/advice on anything I may not have, or alternative suggestions. I generally work as a 1st AC on low budget Short films, Music videos, TV Drama, and Commercials. I want to build a kit that is flexible between job to job and could be used for indie features.



Kit:


SetWear Heat Resistant Gloves


Tweezers


1x 20m (blue) rope


1x 10m (green) rope


Twin Uniden UHF radios


Sunglasses


SupFire LED torch


Head Torch


AC Belt Pouch


Lens Blower


Lens brush


Dentist mirror


Sekonic L-758CINE light meter


MacBeth Colour Chart


Assorted BNC Barrels and Connections


1x Bungee (Small) cord, 1x Bungee (Large) cord


1x Hard Tape, 1x Fibre Glass Tape


Mini Stapler


Adhesive Labels (for identifying cameras on multi-cam shoots)


Reversible Cable ties, Standard Cable ties (Small&Large, multicolours)


WD-40 (250ml)


Falcon Compressed air


Helix Stencils


Notepad


Lighter


XXX mints


Tissues



Misc;


iPhone 4 Charger cable


USB powered LED Light


Portable USB Battery Pack


Spirit Level


Mini First AID Kit


Panadol


2x Rubber Door Stopper


50ml Hand Sanitiser



Tools;


WAVE Leatherman


Screwdriver Set


Gorilla Grip Allen Key set



Tapes;


1-inch Pro Gaff Fluro Camera Tape (Green)


1-inch Pro Gaff Fluro Camera Tape (Pink)


1-inch Pro Gaff Fluro Camera Tape (Yellow)


Nashua Gaffer’s 357 Tape (Black)


Stylus Black Electrical 18mm Tape


Stylus Camera 25mm Tape (Blue)


Stylus Camera 25mm Tape (Red)


Stylus Camera 25mm Tape (Yellow)


Stylus Camera 25mm Tape (Green)


Artist Tape 25mm Paper Tape (Green)


Safety Red & White Tape



Markers & Pens;


Black Sharpie


4x Staedtler Non-Permanent Fine Point (.6mm) markers


Black Ballpoint Pen


Artline Permanent marker


Builder’s Marking Crayon



Follow Unit & Accessories;


BarTech (Analog) Focus Unit


RedRock Micro CineTape (with Redrock Arm and D-Tap power cable)


TV Logic 5.6’ on-camera Monitor (with SDI cables, D-Tap cable, Noga arm).


Paralinx Arrow Plus (with CrossBow and Blackmagic HDMI to HD-SDI)



Ditty Bag:


Notebook


9v Batteries


AA Batteries


AAA Batteries


Coloured Rubber Bands (in Zip Lock bag)


1” Brush & 2” Brush


Bluestar (Large Round) Viewfinder eye cushion


3x Cable Clamps



Currently purchasing:


ARRI Production Bay (Large)


Insert slate


Slate Clapper Sticks


Slate Tags


2x Marker Sausage


Delta 18% Grey Card


70” x 60” Clear Camera Rain Cover


Focus Star Chart


1x Larger Scissors, 1x Small Scissors


Super Glue


1x Bungee (Large) cord


Multicolour Golf Tees


White Tak


Self-Adhesive Tape


Stanley Blade


Tungsten Worker’s Torch


4x Mini Highlighters


Artist Tape 25mm Paper Tape (Blue)


Artist Tape 25mm Paper Tape (Red)


Staedtler Lumocolor Whiteboard markers


Re-Usable Silica Gel (for AC bag)


Magliner Junior (with 24” shelves).




Any other suggestions?



Thanks.



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Hi Jordan,

I would say that besides your tools and follow focus gear, your list consists of mainly expendable purchases that production would pay for. I wouldn't spend your own money on tape, air, etc.

 

G

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I'm not really an AC in that sort of context, but here's my thoughts.

 

I like to carry lots of cables. At some point this is an unscratchable itch, but there's no great expense in having a few BNC patch cables, HDMI cables and adaptors, and so on, in the box. Also a variety of audio cables and adaptors, attenuators, and perhaps a small isolation transformer and distribution amplifier. Audio is often the poor relation and it's often only a trivially inexpensive adaptor or cable that prevents people getting a feed to their ipod earbuds. In a similar vein it is becoming increasingly necessary to own converters from HDMI/SDI and vice versa. 4-pin XLR power cables to and from everything in the world. Learn how to build your own. I suspect more regimented shooting regimes on high end productions might make all of these someone else's problem, but it's always nice to be able to pull out something quickly.

 

What are you doing for power for the monitor? I like the battery systems that are based around the little Sony NP-F series. They're small and handy for slapping on a monitor, and you can get adequately-good third party ones (the Sony types are horrendously expensive, and I've found that the best of the Chinese clones are fine - test first, obviously). You can even get adaptors that take two and put them on an anton/bauer plate for you.

 

Miniature adjustable spanner (er, wrench, americans). Do not use a leatherman as pliers to handle nuts. It damages the nut.

 

Sticky velcro, and solvent for removal (careful you don't melt someone's camera, though). Also velcro cable ties, the type that you can make temporarily captive on the cable.

 

Ratchet straps to attach things to the cart.

 

Wooden clothes pegs and metal clips. Yes, yes, I know, that's grip and electric's job, but better have one than need to beg.

 

Very good call on the USB power pack and USB light. I should get that...

 

P

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If you are doing a lot of digital work, I would add an Arctic Butterfly (non static brush), especially designed for sensor cleaning, a bulb syringe for the same thing and a lit loop magnifier for inspecting the cleanliness of the sensor. Keep your kit simple. Don't overwhelm yourself with crap you won't use or need.

 

G

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A Leica Disto or Hilti laser rangefinder with a viewfinder is a good investment. They'll run you about $500, but totally worth it. Bright Tangerine soft tape (Rabone replica). Stanley Fatmax 16' hard tape.

 

Would be good to have your own headset with a comfortable ear mold. Headlamp for wrapping in the dark. Anton Bauer d-tap splitter can be a lifesaver. Gum. Altoids. Tilley Hat for outdoors (SPF50!). Sunscreen. A good knife. Torx keys for Red cameras. Long shaft flathead screwdriver for those silly Zacuto plates. Extra 1/4-20 and 3/8-16 screws. Extra BNC barrels, T's, elbows. Bongo ties.

Standard and metric allen keys. PCam for your iPhone.

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Never been an A.C. but if I were you, I'd keep that light meter well hidden. Till the DP loses theirs or their battery dies. Then save the day with yours.

Definitely. This is just an item of gear I own that I also listed, but would never want to step on anybodies toes - particularly the DP's.

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