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2nd AC KIt


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Tools -

 

Screwdrivers: fat stubby screw driver (flat) and skinny long handle screw driver (flat) for camera plates, jeweler's screw driver set (I like this one: http://eshop.macsales.com/item/NewerTech/TOOLKIT14/).

 

Hex keys: standard, metric, and Torx key sets.

 

Also: A sharp knife, 5" blunt nose Fiskar scissors, 16' Fat Max tape measure, flashlight, headlamp, Channel Lock, space blanket (until you can afford a camera cover), 1" label maker, ratchet straps, radio surveillance headset (get the ear mold).

 

Tool bags: It's good to have a few. Portabrace makes a few good run bags for things you need to keep close to camera like filters, batteries, and media. I like the RB-1 and 2, and also the Lens Bag (LB-1). The RB's are loosely padded and open top for extra room, while the LB is square and more densely padded with a closed flat top for more protection.

 

You'll need a larger more general tool bag that you keep on the cart for all your tools. As long as you can keep it organized and can find what you need, you can use anything. A simple Husky construction bag from Home Depot works. Eventually, you may want to invest in a more film specific bag like an Arri or Panavision bag but those are pretty expensive. Also, heavy canvas shopping bags are great for things like BNC cable and matte box hard mattes and side wings.

 

Expendables -

 

Tape: 2" matte black paper tape, 2" white gaff tape (for labeling and shipping cases), 1" red paper tape (for mag tags), 1/2" green paper tape (for labeling mags 'ok to format'). Assorted colors either 1" or 1/2" for marks. If you expect to be loading film, then mag labels will be 1" gaff tape (white, black, assorted colors).

 

Pens: Twin tip Sharpies, fat chisel tip Sharpies, Lumocolor wet erase fine tips, dry erase slate pens, ball point for time cards, white grease pencil, chalk chuck.

 

Other: canned air, soft 2" paint brush, Kimwipes, Panchro, lens cloth, mint gum or Altoids, 2" Velcro, Bongo Ties.

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  • 7 months later...

Bongo ties are the best invention ever, I keep some on me all the time, they come in handy in the least expected situations.

Apologies for hijacking the thread, but I have another question relating to kit, I didn't think it was worthy enough to start a whole new thread.
Basically I've built up a fairly big collection of different kinds/colours of tape now, enough that they fill over half of my small panavision floor bag. Does anyone have any tips on better ways to store/transport tape to and from set? I'm thinking of using a separate run bag (stanley tool bag that I own) to store tape, and then for batteries and camera accessories once on set. Thoughts?

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Also, little plastic tackle boxes that you get at the hardware store are good for keeping BNC barrels, elbows, and T's, 1/4-20 and 3/8-16 screws, etc. And separate color-coded small Pelican or other small pouches/boxes to keep fresh media and exposed media separate. Blue locktite. Assorted shortie 3' BNCs.

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Yeah my tape is on a lanyard. I work in London, so to get to jobs I have to take the underground train everywhere. Carrying a lanyard of tape can get annoying, but as you said I should probably pick the right tape for each job, instead of carrying everything to each set.

Thanks for the tip for keeping BNC barrels organised, i'll definitely give that a go!

I always keep cheap paper tape on my lanyard, just for Art Department :)

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I have two bags, a big Arri Standby bag where I put all the things that I need for the job, let's say matteboxes, Preston, sometimes filters in a filter pouch, follow focus, my tools and such things so the cases can go to the end of the truck.

 

I have another bag with raingear, such as plastic covers, preston covers, towels, tarps, etc, this one is a bag which is always (unless I'm in Spain or in Morocco under the sun with no clouds ) in the handles of the cart, it is a harrison one.

 

I also have another bag (a thing that I learnt while working in Ireland and makes a lot of sense!) a small Panavision standby bag that I bring with me everywhere, I put there: Batteries, cards, notebook, slate, velcro, bongo ties, glue, space blanket and some other things needed on a daily basis. Sometimes I even put lenses if I have to go very far away from the cart, there is no way to bring the lenses case and the cinematographer needs more than one.

 

I also have a 2" gaffer tape in there.

 

I usually bring all my tapes with me everywhere and they are in a rope, however I have a couple of 35mm film cores with some tape hanging off my belt so if I need tape super quickly I have it.

 

And I have another bag! The marks bag which is a small roundy 1st ac bag with marks of different colours all around.

 

By the way, am I the only one using "exposed" tape to put it over an exposed card?

 

Bradley

You need a car!

 

Have a good day!

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Thanks for you input Miguel. I think when I start working on bigger productions, I will probably use multiple bags as well.

Could you explain more about your 'marks bag', and how you would use it? Do you mean you place little bits of tape, ready to mark the follow focus with?

I use red camera tape to mark an exposed card. Now here is another question for everyone, what are your thoughts on placing the camera tape over the end of the card/mag? I was told to do this, to eliminate anyone accidentally formatting the card, as it would involved taking tape off to do that. A DIT was telling me a few weeks ago that I should never do that, as the tape residue could damage the contacts/pins on the car really badly.

A car would be amazing, but there is no way I could afford to run one in London.

Edited by Bradley Stearn
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My "marks bag" is made of marks that I bought (from Panavision / Cinetools / etc) and marks that I made myself with rubber.

 

I cut the rubber on T's and stripes and then I put camera tape from different colours on them, easy and cheap! i have like 10 of every single colour I have gaffer tape of , fluo pink, fluo yellow, fluo green, red, blue, etc.

 

I also have a 1' 1/2" (aprox!) piece of wood where I have gaffer tape in stripes all ready to go in the four sides.

 

I have bern trying to get a good portable floor brush for when I have to remove chalk for years now with no success so I am stuck with a "good enough" portable floor brush

 

The "marks bag" hangs from the cart and in my standby bag I have just 5 or 6 marks just in case.

 

Regarding your other question it depends on the DIT I think and it is his / her call.

 

I like having a small case to place the exposed cards when they are exposed so I can put the gaffer tape with the number of the card closing it and the "exposed" tape.

 

Sometimes the DIT doesn't have that case and tell me to put tape on the end as usual.

 

Obviously the best option for me and the one I consider the safest is to have a small case for the card but that's something that you might want to ask to your DIT in the preparation day, something like: How do you want me to mark that a card is exposed, do you want me to place tape over it or you have a case I can have in my bag so I place the exposed card there.

 

Have a good day!

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I use red camera tape to mark an exposed card. Now here is another question for everyone, what are your thoughts on placing the camera tape over the end of the card/mag? I was told to do this, to eliminate anyone accidentally formatting the card, as it would involved taking tape off to do that. A DIT was telling me a few weeks ago that I should never do that, as the tape residue could damage the contacts/pins on the car really badly.

 

As long as it's paper tape, I think it's fine. If you're in very hot conditions and the tape stays on there for more than a day, then sure the residue could come off. In that case, you can put the tape on the card case if SxS or on the long end if Redmag. CF and SD are so small you kinda have no choice.

 

Either way though, I would put a little square of blank p-touch on card itself and write the roll # on it with sharpie. That way, you can be sure that the roll # stays with the mag until it is safely to the DIT or loader. I also recommend writing the roll # on the red mag tag (maybe you do this already) and having the DIT put green tape with roll # and check mark on the copied card. That's so you can recycle cards in order and make sure they all get cycled evenly, and also so if there are problems then the cards are easy to track down. If I get a card back with no tape on it, I send it back right away to get it checked.

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