green screen magic

Green Screen Filming Basics

Green Screens are a popular way to create exciting, resourceful, and dynamic videos. Corporate and commercial work is a great example. A green screen enables you to add text, graphics, and logos. Also, green screens can really help when a location is not very attractive to film in.

Lighting a green screen correctly is not difficult, but it is very important for the post process. It is critical to have a very even spread of light across the entire screen. Similarly, it is very important to make sure the screen is not brighter than your subject. A great place to start on your waveform is an even line around 45 for the screen, and then your subject's face should be around 60. There are obviously exceptions with skin tones and wardrobe, but it's a good place to start.

For the budget conscience, I would recommend a set of Kino Divas for the screen, and an Arri Tungsten kit for the subject. 750 with a softbox for the key, 300 for the fill, and 150 for the backlight. About $250.00 will get you that gear with us. However, if you have a larger budget, you could go: S2 LiteMat 4s for the screen, a couple Astra Gemini 1x1s for the key and fill, and then a Dracast 1K for the backlight. That setup would set you back about $700.00, but it would be totally Cash Money of you.

Either way you go, we have the video production rental gear you need!


Best Gear for Music Videos

Do you have some funky beats and dope lyrics that need to be seen as much as heard? Well then, my friend, you need a music video! Whether you spit hot fire, shred metal, or rely on Auto-Tune and lots of makeup, a music video is for you. Music videos have transformed the music industry. A TV channel completely dedicated to music (until "The Real World" happened) resulted from music videos. Music videos not only allow you a glimpse of your favorite artists, they allow expanded creativity and vision of their songs. The sky is the limit on creativity, but you need the right gear!

The overwhelming majority of creativity comes from the director. That being said, you need one heck of a talented director to just grab a handy-cam and strike gold. So, start with the following: Astera Titan Tubes (like Hansel, so hot right now!). Litepanels Gemini 1x1, the most versatile LED panel on the market. Easyrig Vario 5, handheld made easier, dutch-angles made dutch-ier. Rokinon Primes; because no one does snap zooms anymore, and you're artist is probably ballin' on a budget. Hurricane Haze Machine... welcome to the jungle.

Las Vegas is a great place to film music videos; from the Strip to the dry lake beds, hotel suites to Fremont Street! When you're in need of Las Vegas video production rentals, look no further than F11!


Best Gear for Filming the Convention Floor: 2019

Conventions and trade shows are big business these days, and that's especially true here in Las Vegas. With well over 10 million square feet of convention and meeting space, Vegas constantly ranks among the top host cities in the world. Gear requirements of course depend on the project, but some of the best gear on convention floor are as follows... The Sony FS7 Mark II is great for ENG-style shooting, has a 17-110mm servo lens, and can shoot up to 4K. Couple the FS7 with the Sony a7S II and the DJI Ronin-S; b-roll shot over-cranked will really up your production value. Either the Astra 6X or Gemini 1x1 LED kits provide more than enough light, run on batteries, and have a small footprint. If you have an audio technician with you, the Sound Devices 633 is perfect. If you're a one-man-band, an on-board shotgun mic and lavalier is usually more than enough. Finally, the Cinevate Duzi is a great, compact slider to really take your video over the top. F11 Rentals is happy to provide all your Las Vegas video production rental gear for your next convention gig!


Most Popular New Production Lights

While the Astera Titan Tubes have been out for a while, they're still hugely popular with Vegas productions. From car commercials to music videos and short films, these lights are amazing! Their range and diversity make them one of the hottest lights in the industry. What's more exciting for us than the Titans however, are the Gemini 1x1 LED panels by Litepanels. The Geminis are essentially Skypanels in a 1x1 frame. The output is brilliant, the bouquet of built in filters is incredible. They can work well as interview lights or as a key source. For your next Las Vegas video production rental, make sure to include a Titan kit or a couple Geminis!


How to Increase Production Value

Increasing production value is the best way to keep existing clients and attract new ones. Increasing production value doesn't always mean excessive cost and work however. Some of the simplest additions can take your video, commercial, or film to a whole new level, and you past your competitors. The MYT Works slider or Dana Dolly are perfect for almost any shoot; if you are on a budget or have less space, try the Cinevate Duzi. Cinema lenses are noticeably nicer than non-cinema; our Sigma Cinema Zooms and Schneider Cinema Primes work constantly for a reason! No one notices good audio, but everyone will notice bad audio; our Schoeps CMIT 5 shotgun mic is an industry standard from New York to L.A.

Next time your Las Vegas video production needs a littles something extra, reach out and we'll be happy to help. From Litemats to Litepanels, C300 Mark II and Alexa Mini, F11 Rentals is your go-to for the best Las Vegas video production rental gear.


Battery-powered Gemini

The long back-ordered V-mount battery plates for the Gemini 1x1 panels have finally arrived! These plates add a whole new level of mobility and versatility to the Gemini panels. We ran a few preliminary tests for time-of-run just last week. The shortest run-time was 20 minutes, this was with the panel at 100% power using our smallest V-mount. Make sure to include a few batteries with your next Gemini 1x1 rental. For the best selection of high-quality Las Vegas video production rental gear, look no further than F11 Rentals.


F11 Rentals Goes Hollywood

Have your people call our people, and we'll do lunch! We feel pretty "Hollywood" ever since we supplied nearly all the gear for a recent short film. Except for the Audio Department, which we only helped with one of our amazing Schoeps CMIT 5 shotgun mics, we supplied all the gear needed for production and post! We sent out the amazing Arri Alexa Mini and Schneider Xenar Cinema Primes along with a bouquet of G&E. Skypanels, Gemini LEDs, and Industry-standard Arri Tungsten fresnels worked in conjunction with bounces, diffusion, and haze machines. We could go on and on, but we hear the film is just about ready for it's premier, so we'll let the final product do the talking. If you have a film to shoot, let us know, and we'll outfit you with the production gear needed to create your masterpiece!


Compact Slider Delivers Excellent Results!

The Dana Dolly and new MYT Works 4' sliders are great, but sometimes a shorter option is needed. Enter the Cinevate 24" Duzi 4 Slider! True to it's name, this thing is a duzi. An onboard flywheel adds increased dampening, creating one of the smoothest sliders we've come across. Most sliders experience a rougher ride when the camera load is light, not the Duzi 4. The folks at Cinevate perfected the slider with a flywheel driven by roller-bearings, a wider profile, and sturdy construction. For short, smooth camera slides, this is the way to go! Rent one today for your next Las Vegas video production!


Gemini 1x1 LED Panels

We've recently upgraded to the Litepanels Gemini 1x1 LED panels. These panels seem to be a bit sturdier and more durable than the Astra 6X. The Gemini feature accurate full spectrum Daylight and Tungsten light, with 0-100% dimming. Additionally, the Gemini feature full color with hue and saturation control. All Gemini panels include a soft box, perfect for interviews and extended lighting control. These lights are great in a myriad of situations, and, to be honest, you'll feel really cool just being near one. For your next Las Vegas video production, make sure to add a couple of these amazing lights to your G&E package.


MYT WORKS SLIDER

We've recently invested in a new camera slider that promises to elevate our current offerings. The MYT Works Medium Glide Slider is a four-foot slider that offers expert, durable craftsmanship in a user-friendly, easy-to-use design. When a Dana Dolly is too cumbersome, and a smaller, two or three foot slider won't give you the range you need, the MYT Works Medium Glide Slider is the solution. This tool has proven to require a bit more set-up time than some of our other sliders, but it has also proven to be worth the effort. One of the best features of this slider is the magnets built in to the ends of the slider and the slider head; the magnets induce resistance a few inches away from the track end, helping to eliminate abrupt/harsh ends to slides. To experience the glory that is the MYT Works Medium Glide Slider for yourself, simply fill out our Booking Request form, and we'll take it from there!