Video: 8 Ways to Put Your Mafer Clamps to Work
99% of filmmaking is rigging stuff up. Okay, maybe not, but sometimes it can feel like it takes up the lion's share of your time and effort if you don't have the right tools/know-how at your disposal.
Rob Grimm of RGG Photo shows you 8 ways to utilize a very ubiquitous and versatile piece of gear, clamps, namely Mafers (specifically he uses Tether Tools' Master Clamp) for rigging up everything from lights to trays. Check out his demo below:
The great thing about this video is that Grimm's 8 tips barely scratch the surface of how to use clamps to rig stuff up. With a little bit of creativity and inventiveness, the possibilities become endless, but knowing a few key ways to put them to use will help those who might've never used them before.
Like I said, Grimm uses the Master Clamp from Tether Tools, which is about $36 on B&H, but there a ton of other less expensive clamps and clips out there for mounting. A quick search on B&H for generic Mafer and Super clamps, shows that they start at around $20 for the models with ratchet handles and studs. Of course, having a bunch of $2 pony clamps lying around, as well as an assortment of other rigging tools, like those loc-lite arms or even clothes pins, can only add to your cinematic erector set. You can even go full DIY and rig things up using household items (chiefly duct tape), but some of the rigs I've seen look -- questionable -- and dangerous. So, if you're looking for something sturdy (and safe!) that can hold/mount lights, electronics, and even your camera, then getting your hands on some Mafers is well worth it.
When it comes to rigging, what would you say are some absolute must-have items?
Source: RGG EDU -- YouTube
