Unless you want to spend a bunch of money replacing broken cables or hours untangling a rat's nest of rubber and copper, you'll want to learn the proper way to wrap those things. It might seem like a pretty straightforward thing to do, but there is definitely a little finesse that goes into it, and luckily the team over at The Film Look shows you how to get your cables under control in the video below.

Wrapping cables is a skill than is often overlooked. With so many different departments handling cables, from XLRs to extension cords, it'd be wise to understand the correct way(s) to wrap them, just in case you find yourself working in one of them. Even if you're not working on a professional set, knowing how to wrangle cables will help you avoid damaging them and spending money on replacements.

The over-under method is standard, but certain companies, countries, and department heads may prefer over-over. Since you may not know which you'll be required to do, it's best that you learn both techniques and then confirm which one you should be doing while on set.

To make your cables more pliable, try lying them out in the sun for a couple of hours if at all possible. The heat will give them more flexibility when you wrap them and will let you train them a whole lot easier.

Be aware, though, that rope, which you'll find plenty of in the Grip Department, is wrapped differently than cable. If you try wrapping cable like you would rope, you could stress out the cable and cause serious damage.

Source: The Film Look

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