Gear You Didn’t Know You Needed - Part 3: 5 under $100

For my first post of 2025 we’re diving back into the Gear You Didn't Know You Needed series with another look at the unsung heroes of video production. This time we'll be featuring some essential pieces of gear that will come in at just under a Benjamin.

For filmmakers on a budget, making the right choices for the gear to add to your kit is essential. So, I've created this list based on some reasonably priced things that I've acquired along the way to make my productions safer and more efficient without maxing out the credit card. If you're new to video production you may have seen these items on a set or in a class but may not know how, why or when to use them. I hope to explain the use cases where these rock stars really shine but feel free to drop questions in the comments section. As usual, I receive no financial compensation for the recommendations that I make in these posts but the links provided are generally for the exact products that I have  actually used.

Empty Saddle Sandbags - Starting off this list is a real Workhorse in video production, the trusty sandbag. These can be used as a safety measure for your lights stands, mic stands and tripods* to prevent tipping, propping open doors when you are loading in and out of a location, as counterweight for your crane, and many other instances where you just need something heavy. I recommend buying these helpful tools empty and filling them with sand yourself at your local hardware store, thus saving you the added shipping costs of that dead weight. 

External Hard Drive - Having enough storage space is a perennial problem for media makers these days. The good news is that prices for drives, particularly SSD drives, have come down tremendously in the last couple of years. I remember when a drive of the type that I've linked above would cost in the neighborhood of four to five hundred dollars. More and more cameras are being released with USB-C connectivity, allowing you to capture footage directly to an external drive. You can even read and write from an SSD from some mobile phones and tablets. 

Please make sure you are backing up your laptop or desktop computer regularly. Nothing stalls out a project more horrifically than your computer's hard drive deciding to take a dirt nap. with a recent backup in hand you're up and running in minutes instead of days or weeks.

Pro tip: when buying external hard drives for media capture or repository, always buy in pairs so you can clone your footage and projects. As the old saying goes, it's not a question of if your hard drive is going to fail, it's a question of when. Yes, even with SSDs. For a deeper dive into hard drives and backing up your files, check out my free Media Management 101 mini-course.

Fanny Pack - I'll admit, I was not a fan of fanny packs when they first came out and I'm still not a huge fan of them today when it comes to everyday use. In production however, I never leave home without mine. You need handy access to your phone, markers, gaffers tape, wireless lavalier, a pen and notepad, batteries, and other small items while you are running and gunning. Having these things right at your waistline turns you into a superhero on set.

Rugged Watertight Case - Speaking of superheroes, our next entry is a real lifesaver. if there's one thing that you can expect in production it is the unexpected. bad things happen all the time and while we can't protect for all of them, accidental spills drops and collisions can be mitigated with a solid case for your gear that is watertight. all my Essential Electronics go into cases like this when I go out into the field. Of course, unwatched camera bags and cases will grow legs and walk away. so, Keep Your Head on a swivel when you are in production and, when possible, have a designated crew member keeping an eye on all your gear. 

Over-the-ear Headphones - In the field, in the studio and in that cozy café or co-working space, a good set of quality headphones will make a huge difference in how you perceive the audio in your video projects. Over-the-ear headphones do a good job of blocking out environmental sounds even if they don't have noise cancellation built in. Since they fit over your entire year they can be worn for longer periods of time because they're not pressing on the outer ear, at least not as much as regular headphones. A good quality set of cans, as they're called, can really help out when you are gathering audio in the wild (aka on the street) because the difference between what your ears are hearing and what your lavalier or shotgun microphone is hearing is stunning. Of course, you can always use standard earbuds but I don't recommend it, especially Bluetooth earbuds as they do have a tendency to introduce delay which, while short, can be troublesome. 

Final thought: as we creep into higher price points in this series I want to point out that none of these things, or any other gadget for that matter, is in itself going to make you a better filmmaker. It's important to keep in mind as you build your kit that these tools are only a means to solving the everyday problems of production. Nothing in these lists is going to make you more creative. All they can really do is help you to solve variables, remove splinters from your mind (all those little things that you worry about), and help you become more efficient on location. Stay tuned for another free mini course where I address GAS (gear acquisition syndrome), in which we will cover some important tools to help you prevent overspending on production gear and dispel the myth that that fancy new gadget that keeps popping up on your social media feeds is the magic pill that is going to unleash your creativity.

Now hop into the comments and let me know what amazing under $100 tools you’re using on your production that have helped keep you safe and sane. Happy shooting!

Gear you didn’t know you needed - Part 2: 5 under $50

Time for another roundup of unsung heroes of video production. These indispensable items will help you save time and headaches whether you’re a team of one or a team of many. They also happen to be things that you may not know you need until you need them. So, here’s my list of 5 production essentials that you can add to your toolkit right now without breaking the bank.

NOTE: I don’t receive any compensation for recommending any of the following pieces of equipment but I do use each and every one of them. Some of the items listed below are the exact products I use and some of them are just general suggestions. Always do your own research, read the verified customer reviews, and ask your friends and colleagues for their recommendations.

Gaffers Tape - This is an all-time MVP for video productions of any size. Whether you need to mark off positions for your on-screen talent, secure loose cables to prevent tripping hazards or even temporarily fix a busted leg on your tripod, having a roll or two of quality gaffer’s tape in your equipment bag can be an absolute day-saver. Stock up and use liberally.

Note: for productions in locations with expensive, hard to maintain floors, make sure you check with the facilities team to get their policies for using tape before laying it down. You don’t want to get stuck with a budget-busting cleaning bill.

Multi-Tool - This little dynamo will pay for itself just for the flathead screwdriver alone since you’ll be putting cameras on tripod plates all the time. But if you ever need to perform repairs in the field or cut wires for permanent camera installation you’ll be glad to have a multi-tool at the ready. If you’re the outdoorsy type, grab a multi-tool with camping-friendly bits like a mini saw. Just make sure you clean it well so you don’t get wood sap on any of your camera equipment!

Production Slate - A must-have if you’re doing multi-camera or dual-system productions. The slate provides useful information like scene and take number that can really improve your efficiency in post. It also gives you a visible and audible sync point for lining up multiple camera angles or marrying your secondary audio to picture. Added bonus: the white of the slate can be used as a white source during color correction if your camera wasn’t properly white balanced during production.

Pro Tip: try positioning the slate in the frame before you roll camera. This will make all the relevant information part of the default thumbnail for your clips, making it super simple to find the takes you’re looking for when you organize your footage after the shoot.

Label Maker - If a piece of gear ever gets lost or left behind, make it easy for the finder to get it back to you! I label everything, from production equipment to external hard drives to notebooks/folders to storage drawers. Entropy is a real thing and it’s easy for your office, studio and storage bins to descend into chaos. A label maker can help you to get back to a neat and organized workspace so you can easily find what you need when you need it. 

Battery Organizer & Tester - It’s just a matter of time before your batteries die. Having spares on hand and a battery tester to confirm the charge level of a suspect battery can really get you out of a jam. The Zoom H4 portable recorder, for example, is a notorious AA battery muncher. With a fresh set of batteries always at the ready you’ll go from a full stop of production to a quick reset.

Pro Tip: make sure you fully break down any battery-powered equipment before storing it. Not only will this preserve battery life, it will also prevent corrosion at the contacts of your gear which can damage or destroy your go-to tools!

Obviously, this is not a comprehensive list of vital tools under $50 but I think I’ve covered some of the classics. What’s your favorite tool under $50 that I didn’t include?  If I choose your suggestion for a future post I’ll link out to your site and/or socials so make sure to include contact info in your message.

As always, please don’t feel any pressure to run out and buy all of these items right away. Build out your production toolkit at a pace that’s comfortable for you. That said, I can promise you that you’ll never regret having these workhorse items on hand… but you’ll kick yourself for not having them when you need them.