The great thing about participating in various levels of the entertainment industry over the last decade or so is that I have been able to watch first-hand the transition of the industry from film to digital and all the gear in between. I have lugged heavy Arri kits (heavy professional lights) over half a mile to remote filming locations, as well as clipped a selfie light onto my phone to get some nice macro/Extreme Close-Up shots on my cell phone.
It is important that you know that my focus is for the beginner or intermediate who wants the best quality for the lowest budget but that also wants at least a little longevity with the gear, software, and courses recommended on this page.
If you have taken my course, you know that within the course I have been reluctant to specifically name required gear because the speed at which filmmaking technology is improving is overwhelming at times.
But also often unnecessary. There are a lot of tried and true pieces of equipment that will allow you to make the movie you want with good quality that looks good on a large screen at film festivals but that you can use two or three years from now when you are still making movies.
So to sum up, I base a lot of my reviews on a balance of:
- Longevity of Equipment or Education (not just durability but how it stands up to becoming obsolete)
- Cost vs. Quality
- Ease of Use & Learning Curve
- “Bang For Your Buck” / Value