Everyone knows that having the right gear is essential for any video production job. However, the organization of said gear (or lack thereof) is one of the many things that separates video production beginners from the pros. Not only can improper storage and transportation potentially damage the hefty investment that is video gear, but when gear is poorly organized it can slow you down as a shooter and prevent you from getting the shots you need. Caleb Pike of DSLR Video Shooter has put together another fantastic video that details how he stores and organizes his camera gear so that he can access it as quickly as possible while still keeping it safe. Check it out below.
There are a couple of philosophies regarding gear storage, the most prevalent of which is that flight cases, like those from Pelican, are the only way to go. If you frequently fly with your gear, or if you're carrying wildly expensive cinema equipment (high-end cameras and lenses), then flight cases are absolutely your best bet. One of the issues that many shooters have with flight cases, however, is that they force you to break down your gear into the smallest possible pieces in order to transport it properly, which can be wildly prohibitive in terms of shooting with speed.
For run-and-gun, live event, and documentary shooters, there are a few decent storage/transportation options out there, but few are as reliable and rock-solid as Porta-Brace soft cases. These bags, which come in a multitude of sizes, can be customized with a variety of fitted inserts to accommodate your gear in a fully-built or partially-built state. Here's Caleb Pike, as he takes us on a tour of how he has his Porta-Brace bag set up for ultimate speed and easy transportation.
A setup like the one shown above, while not perfect for all shooting situations, can be instrumental in allowing you to thrive in run-and-gun situations. By customizing a soft-case to hold a nearly complete camera setup, like the 5D with Wooden Camera Cage and a lens, as Caleb has in his video, setup and breakdown times are minimized while keeping the gear protected. Not a bad way to go if you're on the run and need to move quickly.
What do you guys think of Caleb's gear bag breakdown? How do you organize and protect your gear, and how do you make it readily accessible when you need to shoot quickly? Let us know down in the comments!
