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C-47s
Yes, it's a clothespin, but if you want to sound all technical, you can call it a "C-47." Keep a handful with you to clip gels onto lights. Because they're made of wood, you won't have to worry about them getting too hot to touch, even if your lights are.
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Neutral Density Filters
You should always keep a few neutral density (ND) lens filters handy so that you can control exposure in bright light without having to compromise the look of your image by making unwanted changes to your aperture or shutter speed. Numerous companies make them. The variable ND filters shown here are made by Singh-Ray and let you reduce exposure by up to 8 stops.
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Mini Flashlight
Stick a little flashlight in your bag for all those times when you need to check the electrical connections in a dark corner or scout an ill-lit space. The Mini Maglite flashlight shown here is small but powerful, and it's made of metal to stand up to abuse.
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Gel Kit
Controlling the color temperature of lights is key to achieving a natural look, combining your own lighting with available light, and creating the mood you want in your scene. To do it, you need gels. Diffusion gels can also help you tone down overly bright lights. You should always carry some CTO and CTB gels to balance incandescent and fluorescent lights on location with your hot lights, and there are dozens of other varieties that can help you fine-tune your look. Check out the options from Rosco and Lee.
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Gaffer's Tape
No filmmaker's kit is complete without a roll of gaff. Use it to tape down cables on set or on location, help secure lighting modifiers, and patch up damaged gear in a pinch. Because it won’t leave
any goo behind when you take it off, you can use it on expensive gear
and objects wherever you’re shooting. Black gaffer's tape like the roll from Kupo shown here keeps things discreet, but if you need to mark a spot for equipment or actors, brightly colored gaffer's tape is useful too.
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Tape Measure or Laser Measurer
A tape measure comes in handy when you're scouting a location and figuring out where to place your lights. A laser measurer like the one from Bosch shown here can help you measure areas that are out of reach.
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Flat-Head Screwdriver
When you're working on set, a flat-head screwdriver is essential for tightening (and loosening) the tie-down screws used in camera mounting plates and adapters. You can pick up a standard screwdriver for a few dollars or go with the deluxe T-handle version from Filmtools shown here.
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Markers
Carry a marker or two to write scene names on your clapper, mark measurements and other information on white tape on set, and take a few notes on your hand if you're one of those forgetful types. A Sharpie is fine for most purposes, but if you use a dry-erase clapper, don't forget to carry a dry-erase marker like the ones from Expo shown here.
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Rain Covers
Lots of Tenba bags come with built-in rain covers, but cameras do not. If it's raining out and the shoot must go on, you'll need a cover to keep your camera dry while giving you access to the controls and keeping the lens unobstructed. Covers like the one from Ewa-Marine shown here will do all of that and fold up to slip easily into a pocket in your bag. Make sure you get one that fits the type of camera you use.
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Grip Gloves
Carrying heavy gear, tightening connections, and working with hot lights is a good way to end up with burns and chafed skin. Get some gloves. The ones made for working on set—like the Kupo Ku-Hand grip gloves shown here—are ventilated and padded in all the right places.
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