Directive Studios Blogs

Being able to break down equipment to make it easy to carry is always a bonus. This foldable Zacuto shoulder rig does exactly that. It's gunstock design makes it easy to carry while a DSLR is on top of it, not to mention angle adjustments that allows you to personalize a fit just for you. The single articulating handgrip gives you a molded and comfortable grip for your hand, freeing your opposite hand for what ever tasks you might have to do, such as adjusting the focus, zoom, or even changing camera settings. A great tool to help hold your DSLR for whatever shot you need. B&H Link: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/997526-REG/zacuto_z_dmr_dslr_marauder.html

Capture your every move by connecting your GoPro to this head strap. This fully adjustable strap allows you to mount any GoPro model right to your head or helmet. Wearing this strap allows any audience to see exactly what the talent is seeing. Simply connect any GoPro it it's QuickClip, adjust the strap to fit your need, and you're on your way! Definitely a must have GoPro accessory for the camera bag!  B&H Link: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/search?N=10999128&InitialSearch=yes&sts=pi

Consider this half cage as our camera's back bone. We rely heavily on mounting several things onto this cage, including our monitor, handheld audio recorder, and of course can connect to our rail system that our Pad Prompter sits on. This hand fitting maple wood handle is easy and light when attached to your gear! You may have different cameras that vary in size. If that is the case, you can adjust the four screws to raise or lower the height of the handle to fit your camera. A must have tool when you need to carry around equipment that could be attached to the camera! B&H Link: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1014498-REG/zacuto_z_hc_half_cage.html

Some people have bad experiences with wireless devices. There's a lot to worry about when it comes to trusting your audio equipment without anything attached to it. This is why we recommend the Sennheiser ew 100 ENG G3 wireless kit. The EK 100 receiver is not only reliable, but durable. This features 4 preset memory locations which can be customized to any of the 1,680 frequencies. This kit also comes with the ME 2 lavalier microphone that is capable of capturing audio in the most demanding environments with its sensitivity and frequency response features.  B&H Link: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/618735-REG/Sennheiser_EW_100_ENG_G3_A_Evolution_G3_100_Series.html

Get every angle and instinctive motion with this BH-55 LR BallHead. The stainless steel ball bearings allow for you to have complete, smooth control over any camera movement you need for your photography. Have no fear about your unwanted movement, the B2-AS-II quick-release clamp lets you lock and secure the ball within seconds. Sometimes the photographer isn't always on level ground. The highly-visible bulls-eye level tells us the exact adjustments we need, even in low light situations. 

Now-a-days it is very unlikely to not have a tablet or mobile device on set. Its nice to easily access the information on your device while filming. This can help you access things such as your photography or video apps, to even client and talent information. This flexible legged tripod is ideal for holding your device where it is easy to access in either portrait or landscape modes.  The foam rubber padding helps secure your device without risking any scratches or damage. Have your devices out and ready to go with this great little tool! B&H Link: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/995447-REG/istabilizer_isttabf01_tabflex.html

This Transceiver Radio Slave for canon is a combination of both a transmitter and receiver. This PocketWizard has High-Speed Sync Technology provides an auto flash with camera's shutter speed up to 1/8000th of a second. It's channel 1 and 2 settings come programed, however you can adjust to any 20 ControlTL channels for TTl photography. The FlexTT5 is also ideal for manual flash photography where you can also pick between 32 standard channels. Slide this piece of equipment right onto your camera's hot shoe for easy access.  B&H Link: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/605720-REG/PocketWizard_801_150_FlexTT5_Transceiver_Radio_Slave.html

The faster you can charge your equipment, the better. This PROPAC battery pack for canon and Nikon flashes can charge a Speedlite flash in just one second! This speedy device allows up to 1800 flashes in full brightness settings. The PROPAC can also charge different brands by simply replacing the plug-in connector cable. Having more flashes and more control with the LED display panel gets your lighting where it needs to be! 

By doubling the amount time you can use your camera, the less times you need to swap batteries! This battery grip is designed specially for our Mark III. This is extremely helpful when shooting in movie mode or any trip you don't have access to charge a battery. This grip also allows you to not only double the amount of battery your camera has, but you can also fill the magazine with six AA batteries for any backup situation!  B&H Link: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/search?Ntt=Canon+Bg-e11+Battery+Grip&InitialSearch=yes&gclid=COqBxeyds8cCFRCCaQodIoAICQ

This right handed camera strap can be worn diagonally or from your shoulder to your hip. It's fully adjustable length allows you adjust it perfectly for your cameras position. It's Ballistic and cordura nylon material supports it's extreme strength for whatever camera you own.  B&H Link: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/661579-REG/Black_Rapid_RS7_1BB_RS_7_Camera_Strap.html

Sometimes you have to put your equipment at risk to get the perfect shot, especially if it involves vehicles. With the Fat Gecko Triple Mount you can securely attach your DSLR to any smooth surface with it's three suction cup design. Of course no body likes to have their camera hanging out of a moving vehicle, however this Triple Mount allows you to do just that. B&H Link: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/912694-REG/delkin_devices_ddmnt_triple_fat_gecko_camera_mount.html

It's a lot nicer to have all of your memory cards in one spot than have to look all over for them. However, this Pelican Memory Card Case does a lot more than just that. This case also protects our footage from just about anything with its water resistant seal and polycarbonate casing. It's very portable that keeps you organized with one of your most important things in film and photography, your footage! So what better way to protect it than this Pelican case. B&H Link: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/828755-REG/Pelican_0910_015_110_0915_Memory_Card_Case.html

Scratching and damaging a lens can be a nightmare for any camera operator. A great little tool to help prevent that is to carry around a LensPen with you. This tool can help you brush off any hair, dust, and other unwanted residue from your lenses and eyepiece. We have a couple in our camera bags just in case. Definitely something to have in your pocket or camera bag to help prevent any unwanted things from your camera! B&H Link: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1091759-REG/lenspen_nlp_1cpb_lenspen_professional_black.html

Because we do a lot of traveling we're always looking for gear that can be be portable and also worth carrying with us. This is why we recommend a portable green screen. This very easy set up takes away the "carrying too much gear" hassle many people run into when traveling. This is a great piece of equipment that helps us replace the background behind our talent while being able to get the screen to the sets we need!  B&H Link: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/838264-REG/Digital_Juice_CHROMA_POP_SCREEN_WC_5_x_7_Chroma.html

A video slate, or clapper board, can serve multiple purposes in production. When using multiple cameras in a scene, having a slate can help confirm which roll, scene, and take you're looking at in post production. By clapping the sticks together, you can also easily sync multiple microphones as well! Not only can you write and erase easily with a dry erase marker, you can also note who the director and camera operator that are running the production.  B&H Link: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/292535-REG/Birns_Sawyer_425007_Economy_Dry_Erase_Production.html

The Kessler Pocket Jib allows us to put the camera where our arms and tripods aren't willing to go. By being able to fully maneuver the jib, its 100mm bowl allows you to mount a fluid head which will give you even more angle opportunities. This is a great support system for both in and out of the studio. We wouldn't mind if it was a little more portable, but with the fully collapsible body allows us to get it where it needs to go!  B&H Link: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=&sku=1088121&gclid=CN_2qbTHl8cCFQ6RHwodHWgPlA&is=REG&m=Y&A=details&Q=

Sometimes you don't have enough room for a tripod, or any other stabilization. That's where monopods come in handy! Having a monopod is an excellent backup of not being able to lug around a hefty tripod when you need some stability. With its adjustable leg and fluid head, it is a great reliable source on getting the stabilization you need.  B&H Link: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/5535-REG/Manfrotto_680B_680B_Compact_Monopod_Black.html

Talk about having every tool when we need one. Any gear we have with screws and knobs can be a hassle. We keep this Gerber Multi-tool on us at all times no matter where the set is. This assures that we're not messing around with looking for a tool box or ways to get something done. Anything we need to use on our gear is right here in the palm of our hand. B&H Link: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1051894-REG/gerber_22_01470_diesel_multi_plier_stainless.html

We can't always film in the studio. Therefore, we enjoy when we stumble upon equipment that is easy to travel with. The 5-in-1 Reflector helps us prevent those unwanted shadows on our talent, yet can fold up into something worth traveling with. All we need to do is point it directly at the unwanted shadow from any light we choose, and it's gone. Great little tool to help our lighting. B&H Link: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/501357-REG/Westcott_301_5_in_1_Reflector_Disc.html

We're always looking for gear that will bring better resolution pictures and videos to the table. The GoPro Hero 4 Black does exactly that. Supporting 4K footage, the Hero is great for aerial and underwater film and photos! The fully waterproof housing allows us to get the image we want no matter what the elements are. With the auto low light and night photo modes, we can now use the Hero 4 throughout any part of the day. B&H Link: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1078001-REG/gopro_chdhx_401_hero4_black_edition_adventure.html