Storing our gear for transport may not be the most fun or engaging thing about filmmaking, but it's definitely essential, and doing it in an organizational way can cut set-up and tear-down times way down, as well as keep your gear safe. Caleb Pike brings us another great video tutorial, this time highlighting a piece of storage that is easy to overlook -- cable bags. Improperly kept cables not only take forever to untangle, but they can also get lost and damaged much more easily, so take a look at the different repurposed and professional bags Pike uses, including one that you won't find at your favorite film gear retailers.

I have to admit, I've never really considered storing my cables in their own bag, which is strange since literally every other piece of gear I own has its own storage container. I'm sure a lot of us wrap our XLR cables, extension cords, etc., toss them in our car, and call it good, but unless you're utilizing a professional grip truck that's equipped to hang cables, finding a place to store your cables for transport is a great idea.

In the tutorial below, Pike shows us a few storage ideas, including repurposing bags from other pieces of gear, as well as a professional cable bag. One thing he says to look out for when deciding on a bag to use is its shape, because a round one will store cables much more tightly (depending on how you wrap them). However, the coolest, and most inexpensive solution is a Bell Under Seat Storage bag (which is just $15 on Amazon). They work well, because they're not only round, but they stack well if you're working with a lot of cables.

Check out the Caleb Pike's video below:

A properly labeled cable bag (you can use gaffer or masking tape) can not only help you save time from not having to untangle cords all day, but it can save you money from not having to replace lost or damaged cables. So, if you don't own any yet, be sure to check out this post from DSLR Shooter, in which Pike takes a look at an assortment of potential bags, providing links to some of his favorites. Until then, make sure you're wrangling your cables like a pro! Evan Luzi from The Black and Blue shows you how in this excellent post.

Do you use cable bags or do you have other storage solutions? If you do use a bag, do you use a professional one or a repurposed one? What bags do you suggest? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

Link: Cable Bag Review -- DSLR Video Shooter

[via Filmmaker IQ]

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Editing & Post-Production