Bob, you're right about the batteries and I edited my post to correct it.
The other thing I've found useful (has nothing to do with getting older!!) is a back brace for those days hunched over a camera.
Saves me a trip to the chiropractor :)

Mike

I question the use of the 3 prong to 2 prong AC adapters as they are illegal in some provinces/states/countries.

or just snap off the ground prong on your extension chord. :p

but there's some locations where they don't have 3 prong outlets. I've never heard of using a converter there as being illegal.

The 3-2 prong adapters usually have a ground pigtail that you can, and should, ground via the coverplate retaining screw.

I know that in my province (Ontario, Canada) those adapters are, according to the electrical code, illegal.
That doesn't stop anyone from using them but, if there was a problem such as a fire and it got traced back to the use of an adapter, you could be in a whole lot of insurance company trouble.
A 100 ft. spool of 12 ga. electrical wire can usually get you to a proper 3 prong outlet with very little line loss.
It's a PITA to coil up afterward but, IMO, it's better to be safe than sorry.

Mike

A 100 ft. spool of 12 ga. electrical wire can be lethal if you plug a heavy load into it without uncoiling it.

Excellent point Alan.
Not as bad as a regular extension cord though.
I remember covering an event a few years ago and discovering that someone had plugged a 1KW. light into a 100 ft. extension household cord (16 ga. as I recall) that was still coiled up.
Needless to say, the wire was very warm to the touch.

Mike

Taking a chance that everything is wired in correct phase indoors is a crapshoot at best. Not all two-prong outlets are polarized, and some polarized outlets are wired backwards. The little three- light circuit tester is always in my toolbox.


Outdoors, it's a game of russian roulette. Using anything but a properly grounded GFCI is a death wish, and an accidental earth loop from portable generators magnifies the risk many fold.

Nice list. One thing better than zip ties IMHO, is velcro ties because they are removable, can be used to tie or bundle up cables dress them snug to the stands and those same strips can be used to bundle up coils of cables. In a pinch if you can tie up some cables around a larger object and still re-use after. Oh, and no tools necessary to remove them.

When you're in older buildings the ground lifters are good to have, along with some screw-in household fuses. It's much better to have them than to have to send someone to get them.

Best thing to have on set? Smart help.

Rob Mack

My most recent gadget and probably the best so far purchase is here. I got two for USD20 delivered.
I have lights and even a mic mount with cold shoe fittings. With these they can now be mounted onto light stands. I've also got a couple of uber cheap el crappola light stands that are more than adequate to hold LED lights and mics at a pinch. The best kit on the planet is a bust if you can't carry it !

Bob.

about "ground lifters"....
"That doesn't stop anyone from using them but, if there was a problem such as a fire and it got traced back to the use of an adapter, you could be in a whole lot of insurance company trouble."

.... and of course some embarassment explaining a death to various relatives.

Here, use of such devices will lead to instant dismissal and criminal charges. Also illegal to use any 'mains' electrical equipment that hasn't recently been tested & tagged as safe by an electrician.

Here, use of such devices will lead to instant dismissal and criminal charges.

Where do you live that they takes things so seriously?
And rightly so, I might add.

Mike

A 100 ft. spool of 12 ga. electrical wire can usually get you to a proper 3 prong outlet with very little line loss.

Carry / store that cord on a "cord reel" Any hardware store will have them. Just wind it up when you are done.

http://www.amazon.com/Designers-Edge-E-102-Heavy-Storage/dp/B000FPDKPM/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&s=lamps-light&qid=1283823250&sr=1-7

If you are going to use Ni-MH batteries have a look at the Sanyo eneloop batteries. Sanyo claims new batteries will hold a 75% charge for 3 years. My own experience has been very good especially compared to run of the mill Ni-MH batteries which I've recorded anywhere from 3 days to 2 weeks to get to 50% charge or less. eneloop

Side note: The only reliable rechargeable battery tester I've found are those made by ZTS.

Larry

why hasn't anyone mentioned CASH!

it's all well and good taking every precaution you can possibly think of technically, buy find yourself stuck in (and i've experienced all of these on 'remote' locations):

a. a store that doesn't take plastic for some reason (eg. power outage)

b. breahfast / lunch / dinner at a cafe that doesn't take plastic in the first place

c. actually buying something from someone - petrol from a farmer

and having the appropriate amount in your pocket keeps you on schedule.....

One thing I've been contemplating to get/make, and never get around to, is to take a multi socked power extender and replace it's wall plug with a male C13 or C5 socket (very common connectors, C13 is the standard power on PC's, C5 is the "Mickey Mouse" socket used on DELL laptops and Mac's).
(Edit: the male versions of C13 and C5 are C14 and C6 respectively)

It's that or a male C14/C6 to a female version of which ever socket all your equipment uses (European, British, US etc.).

All you then have to contend with is voltage differences, and most chargers handle both 240V and 110V automatically these days.

Of course that is only useful if you travel a lot. You can always get a cheap C13 power connector with the local plug, and the solution is a fair bit more stable that what ever travel "multi-plug" connector you might get your hands on, especially or anything more demanding than a laptop.

ChristoC, where's "here" ?

Rob

Leslie, you're very right. Cash is important to have with you. Lots of it.

I find all this talk of "16 Essential things" to be a little dumb. My 16 essential things as a gaffer are not the same as a First A.C.s 16 essential things, or a production manager's essential things, or a prop master's essential things, etc, etc.

So who are we talking about here?

Rob

Rob, the full title of the article is "16 Essential Things to Have on Set For the Litte-to-No-Budget Filmmaker".
I suspect that "Litte" should actually be "Little" :-)
I hope that clarifies things.

Mike

...Litte-to-No-Budget Filmmaker

That eliminates Leslie's recommendation to have cash on hand. Especially if you can't even afford all the "ells" you need.

A list like this is a little like a backpacking list. There are certain things you always forget like pens, paper, sunscreen, a jacket, batteries, a working flashlight, water, lunch, tape or memory cards, the tripod, money, snacks, a hat to keep your brain from baking, aspirin if you forgot the hat...

Bring two or three friends who want to work but don't want to do your job. I've had many occasions where the low budget producer brought students and all they were interested in was shooting (which was the one thing they weren't needed for). They tended to wander off when they realized they weren't going to touch the camera.

Still photographers tend to use people as sandbags. It's good to have a few and you don't have to carry them.

That eliminates Leslie's recommendation to have cash on hand. Especially if you can't even afford all the "ells" you need.

I wouldn't say that. a $5 can get you a ton of things. A new 1/4" bolt if you need to mount your camera on something, for example.

To many times I've said "damn! I forgot my pen!" Stores don't like you using CC/check on a $0.30 item. :)

Very nice list. Here are a few things I've found useful and might not have been mentioned yet:

1. Pec Pad non-abrasive wipes for cleaning lens.
2. Spare camera battery and charger
3. Full set of XLR gender changers for when you need to connect into a sound board.
4. Recently I've added a Leica Disto A3 laser range finder I bought used on ebay. This is a great device for getting exact distance to a focus target when shooting from a tripod.

/jerry