Documentaries give you an inside look at individuals, communities, cultures, and stunning nature—the topic options are as vast as they are for fictional films. Like any form of filmmaking, documentaries require the right gear to tell the story properly. You may be capturing real-life events on camera, but that doesn’t mean you can use just any device.
This list will introduce you to several pieces of indispensable video production equipment for documentaries. Plan your next shoot after reading this list so you can have everything you need to bring the story together for your audience.
Sturdy Tripod
Documentaries contain many different kinds of footage. Sometimes, it’s sweeping shots of nature, while other times, they simply capture the everyday occurrences in a workplace. No matter the subject of your footage, camera clarity and stability are critical. Thus, you should always have a sturdy tripod with you when shooting a documentary. Even when you’re in the studio filming an interview for your documentary, camera stability is key to capturing the footage you need.
The camera shouldn’t shake or be awkwardly placed; this distracts from the footage. Something as easy as bringing along the right tripod and placing it carefully will help you plan your shots. This doesn’t mean you can’t make your camera more mobile. For instance, camera cages can allow better mobility while still providing the necessary stability for your footage.
Quality Microphones
Among the most indispensable video production equipment for documentaries is a set of great microphones. Both interviews and voiceovers help documentarians tell their stories. Sometimes, the footage can speak for itself. Koyaanisqatsi is a film that famously has no dialogue throughout and instead uses music to emphasize the footage.
However, documentaries usually rely on personal anecdotes or researched explanations to elevate the footage and tell a story. In order to capture your voiceovers or on-camera discussions successfully, you need a high-quality shotgun mic or any other mic that best suits your needs that day.
Extra Batteries
Going out to a shooting location, whether it’s a local store or a beautiful location in another country, helps to pull the vision together in a powerful way. However, your time in the field is limited by various factors, including camera battery life. You should charge your camera ahead of time, but always bring along spare batteries too. That way, you have more flexibility with how long you can successfully capture stunning footage.
At Ikan, our video production equipment for sale includes a section for documentary filmmaking, so you can easily find the best hardware for your project. Browse the equipment available today to see how you can start building a better inventory for filming.