It’s back to school time, and there are sales everywhere. That means it’s time for me to refill the Edios Producer’s Kit! What is the Edios Media Producer Kit, you ask? It’s an extensive kit we take with us on all shoots to make sure our talent and crew are never in need. It covers all the possibilities we might run into on a shoot, and has saved us an extra trip to the store on many occasions. We don’t like going to the store during a shoot day because it means we’re not shooting, which means we’re not on schedule, which means we’re wasting time and money.
Do you need everything on this list? It’s kind of like Murphy’s Law. You don’t need it until the moment that you REALLY need it, and that’s the moment you are thrilled you are overprepared. Here are a few small but mighty essentials that are definite must-haves:
1. Blotting papers. Unless you have a makeup person, you’ll need to keep an eye on your talent to make sure they’re not shiny on video. Some people use powder or full makeup, but blotting papers work in a pinch to absorb excess oil and shine. (You can learn more about looking great on camera in my earlier blog post.)
2. A thumb drive. Email doesn’t always work quickly, especially if you’re in a public space. A thumb drive allows you to transfer scripts, slides, or graphics easily and quickly. For those with the newer MacBook Pros, make sure you have the right adapter so the USB port works.
3. Command Strips. You would be SHOCKED at how much we use these. They can hold a ton of weight, but they won’t mark up the walls and can be easily removed. We all use them at home now too! These are truly the stars of our kit, and were heroes when we filmed Blockchain Revolution for the Enterprise.
4. Scissors. If you want to up the game, add a box cutter and a multi-plier tool, along with screwdrivers.
5. Post-its, pens, and dry erase markers. Post its are great to ask questions of your colleagues during filming so you don’t disturb the talent. Dry erase markers are better than sharpies since they don’t stain as badly. And someone always needs a pen!
You can find a link to our Amazon shopping list here, which has all of our Producer Kit items in it (including a variety of bags you can use to look stylish while being prepared)!
At Edios Media we really believe that the production process should be fun! While the Producer Kit might seem like a small thing, it’s actually representative of how we approach every production – overplan ahead of time so you’re prepared for anything that might happen!
-Elizabeth Madariaga, Co-Founder & Executive Producer, Edios Media