Best Gear for Small Spaces
Filming in hotel rooms and on the trade show floor have one thing in common: small spaces. Hotel rooms are not designed with filmmaking in mind - of course. Also, the Realestate at say, CES, is very expensive! When you're not in a studio or wide open spaces, the right gear is crucial for success. Here are some of our favorite "small spaces" items:
Cinevate Duzi 4 slider. This amazing item gives you a 24 fantastic inches of sliding glory. It's light weight, and unassuming.
Edelkrone Slider Plus. Another awesome solution for motion, this item is great with DSLR cameras. The addition of the Steady Module was a game changer; adding much needed tension for smooth slides.
DJI Ronin-S. One of our favorite items, the Ronin-S immediately increases production value. DSLRs are easy to balance, and the Ronin is so simple to operate.
Sound Devices 633. While great in the studio, the 633 is really compact for how much versatility it gives you, and how many channels of audio you can capture. (Make sure to have a harness so you don't wreck your back!)
Litepanels Gemini 1x1 LED. You can do Man-on-the-Street interviews and b-roll all day with just one of these lights. They output a tremendous amount of light for their size and weight. Four batteries should get you through the day.
Canon 5D Mark IV or Sony a7S II. Both of these cameras are easy to use, capture great images, and can be used with all the above listed gear. The only caveat is audio capturing; however, if you have the 633, you can just record audio to your mixer. Less cables, more smiles.
Anytime you're here in Fabulous Las Vegas, make sure to hit us up and get the video production rental gear you need to succeed.
Why Insurance is a Must-Have on Set.
Nothing is worse than broken gear... okay, stolen gear is worse than broken gear. Cameras are expensive. Lenses are expensive. Microphones are expensive. Everything we use in this industry costs a lot, especially to those who own it. Breaking or losing your gear is horrible, breaking or losing someone else's gear is worse. It sucks something fierce to pay $1,500.00 to buy a new drone, and you have no drone to show for it. Like most rental companies, we require insurance; this protects us and our clients. A $300.00 policy and $500.00 deductible is way better than a $25,000.00 bill for a stolen C300/Sigma Prime/Sachtler setup. So, while we know it's not fun to buy insurance, it's definitely the best way to go. For your next Las Vegas video production rental, reach out and we'll walk you through the whole process.
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!
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.
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.