McElroy Films’ 10 Essential Tools for Video Production. We’ve compiled this list of professional grade industry tools for video production. McElroy Films is a professional HD video production company in Massachusetts. We specialize in corporate, non profit and wedding video production.
1. Software – The most important part of any production is the script. We’ve worked with other popular word processors but nothing beats Final Draft AV. We’ve had great success writing our scripts in two-columned format and it’s served us well. Its fast and easy and we love the automatic formatting it offers.
http://www.finaldraft.com/products-and-services/final-draft-av/
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2. Lighting – At McElroy Films lighting is an essential part to any business. ARRI lights are the “Cadillac” of lights, they’re put to use across the world on feature films, TV productions, TV studios and major sporting events. That’s why we’ve chosen ARRI lights. Our kit consists of 1k’s, 650’s, 300’s, and 150’s.
http://www.arri.com/
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3. Camera – The best tapeless camera on the market is the Sony PMW-EX1 XDCAM. The EX1 utilizes Sony’s three newly designed 1/2-inch type “Exmor”™ CMOS sensors, each with an effective pixel count of 1920 x 1080.
Resolutions supported are1080p, 720p and 1080i. It also includes variable frame rates up to 60fps. The EX1 supports SxS memory card technology, utilizing high data transfer rates that enhance the High Definition content creation workflow.
http://pro.sony.com/bbsc/ssr/micro-xdcamexsite/
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4. Camera Support – Sachtler makes some of the best tripods in the industry. They’ve been the choice for camera operators for 50 years. They are extremely resilient and break proof under extreme circumstances. We use the Speed Lock Carbon Fiber sticks with the FSB 6 fluid head.
http://www.sachtler.us/index.php?id=1108
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5. Audio – The next tool you’ll need is professional audio. Some of the best microphones in the industry are from Sony. We listed both wired and wireless mics that we use.
http://pro.sony.com/bbsc/ssr/product-ECM44B/
http://pro.sony.com/bbsc/ssr/product-UWPV1%2F3032/
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6. Headphones – Now that you have professional grade mics, you’ll need to monitor everything. That’s why we listed these headphones from Sony. They’re perfect for any crowded camera bag because of their compact folding desgin.
http://pro.sony.com/bbsc/ssr/product-MDR7506/
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7. Dolly – Another great tool in the video production line up is a dolly. They’re not just limited to movie sets and big budget project. Dolly systems have come down in price and are very reasonable. We’ve used the Indie Dolly for years and strongly recommend it. It’s well build and lightweight.
This system comes with foam-padded cases that make it easy for transportation and storage.
http://www.indiedolly.com/
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8. Portable LCD – Every shoot needs them, they’re great for the camera operator and for producers. Ikan makes some very affordable high definition LCDs. Their latest model comes with an HDMI port for fast output from popular video SLRs.
http://www.ikancorp.com/pages/monitors/V8000hdmi/index.htm
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9. Equipment Cases – Now that you have all this expensive equipment you’ll need a place to store it for transportation. Porta Brace from Bennington VT, are experts when it comes to cases. All their bags come with Genuine suede straps, durable leather handles and rugged blue Cordura® fabrics.
From cameras to tripods, Porta Brace has a case that will fit your needs. They’re well built and will last for years.
http://www.portabrace.com/
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10. Postproduction – This is the final step of any video production. After the preproduction and all the shoots it’s off to the editing suite. One platform we’ve trusted for years is Final Cut Pro. We’ve grown up with it and now it’s industry standard.
The workflow from our HD cameras to FCP is seamless. We can edit with out any interruption of system lag or errors. Apple and Final Cut Pro are the best in the business.