A Pre-Video Recording Equipment Checklist

At Early Rising Productions, we know that video recording and filmmaking are tricky endeavors, and in the course of creating a video, a lot can go wrong. While technology has become more accessible and automated, recording a video is no easy feat. However, with a little bit of preparation, you will be able to handle the next film or video project effortlessly.

With our expertise in videography, we’ve created a handy checklist to help you prepare for the shoot with the least amount of stress possible. Follow our recommended checklist of double-checking all the gears you need before you hit record so that you can start your video project on the right foot.

First off, you need to check:

1. Battery
Check to see if your batteries are fully charged and that you have enough batteries to last the full shooting time (with extra to spare). If you will need to swap batteries during your shoot, is there a time when not recording that you can do that? If you don’t have enough power, consider using an electrical outlet as your power source, so you don’t run out of energy during your shoot.

2. Media
Do you have enough memory cards to capture everything you will need? A good rule of thumb is to have enough media to cover the entire time you are working (just in case you have to record everything).

3. Color temperature
When you get to your location, what is the lighting condition? It’s a good idea to match the color temperature on your camera to your filming environment. 5600K Daytime, 3200K nighttime, 4600K, a mix of both.

4. ISO
Speaking of light, how much light do you have? or how much will your camera have to work to record a good image? During the day, you should have plenty of light and can lower the ISO on your camera. At night, and without additional lighting support, you are going to need to boost the camera’s sensitivity and increase the ISO to compensate. However, the more you increase the ISO, the grainer you image.

5. Shutter speed
The faster your shutter speed, the shorter the exposure. This setting has a lot to do with the type of image you are trying to capture. It’s also closely related to your frame rate. A good rule of thumb is to double your frame rate; 30 FPS=1/60 shutter.

6. Aperture
This is somewhat up to your discretion. Are you looking for your background to have that nice bokeh? Then you want a larger aperture. Do you need maximal focus range/depth? Then you’ll want a smaller aperture.

7. Focus Mode
This one is also up to the camera operator. Manual or automatic. While this checklist is not an exhaustive list of everything you need to think about before you record your video, it’s a good start to covering the basics.

Wrapping up
Performing this checklist each time you shoot will help you save time, lower the risk of filming issues, and make your life easier overall. But if you have questions, or this checklist already seems like too many things to worry about on your video shoot, reach out to Early Rising Productions for help.

We are a leading video production company in Chapel Hill, NC, and we provide high-quality video production services for our clients. We are equipped with the latest tools and technology and can deliver to each client’s unique needs. Our services are available to clients across Chapel Hill, Durham, Raleigh, Greensboro, Cary, Roxboro, High Point, Oxford, Henderson, Burlington, Hillsborough, Wake Forest, Pittsboro, Asheboro, Sanford, Carthage, Fuquay-Varina, Lillington, Smithfield, North Carolina, Danville, Virginia and beyond.

To learn more about the services we offer, please click here. Have a question? We’d love to hear from you. Contact us here.