Hello Creatives!

Today I’ll be rounding up a list of filmmaking equipment for beginners and where you can get them. Videography is an art form that sometimes requires a large investment, but not always. For the filmmakers at heart, here is where to get started with filmmaking on a budget.

The Basics of Filmmaking Equipment

The basics of filmmaking equipment are three main components: a camera, a microphone and good lighting. While you can definitely splurge on some top-dollar stuff, it’s not necessary if you are trying out filmmaking as a hobby or building a portfolio. Let’s break down the types of equipment in each category that you can use on a budget.

Budget-friendly Filmmaking Equipment

Your Phone Camera

First and foremost, if you are just starting out, you can use your phone to film. Take a look at the brand Moment. They have entire lines of products to help you film on your phone. From camera lens to tripods and more. For the most part, this is a good beginner’s step into filmmaking if you don’t want to buy a wildly expensive camera.

Mirrorless Camera

The next step up from a phone is to get an entry level Mirrorless camera. Mirrorless cameras have started to replace the DSLR camera as the go-to for videography. Be mindful that budget options in this category are usually in the $700-$1000 range.

I personally have a Olympus EM-10 Mark IV that I’ve just started to use for videography. It’s predominantly designed for photography, but it does shoot in 4K which is really nice. Another down side is that it doesn't have an external microphone jack, which for my purposes isn’t too big of a deal, but more serious filmmakers might want something that can connect to external audio accessories.

External Microphone

There are a wide range of microphones that can be added to your phone. Shotgun mics are usually the starting point. But, you can also get lavalier mics as well. As you can see once you start browsing some of these brands and equipment can get a bit pricey ($200+), but you can also find budget options under $50.

Good Lighting

This is a broad category. The type of lighting you need will depend on the type of videography you want to dabble in. Studio lights tend to be the pricier items to buy. Video conferencing lights might be good to use in a pinch if you can’t afford studio lighting. Of course, cameras on your phone have become fairly advanced and if you are good at editing you can do light color correction afterwards.

And there you have it. That’s the basics of filmmaking equipment. Camera. Sound. Lights. What that looks like for you will vary on what exactly your projects will look like. But, I hope this was a good jumping off point for you.

Until Next Time,

Rochele

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