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Audio and Video Equipment for Video Production

by Nancy Sutton Smith

Overview

A video production shoot requires appropriate equipment to get the best possible audio and video quality for your project. Your equipment needs will vary depending upon an indoor or outdoor shoot, sound quality of the environment you are shooting and what type of video you are producing. However, the following basic pieces of equipment are always necessary to provide quality video, sound and lighting for an interview, news story or commercial shoot.
Video

Your video production budget determines what type of camcorder or professional video camera you use. Costs range from $200 for a Mini DV tape camcorder to $25,000 and up for professional ENG (Electronic News Gathering) cameras. Independent filmmakers use Prosumer camcorders in the range of $3,000 to $5,000. Your audio needs may determine what type of camcorder you use. Most new camcorders under $1,000 don't have audio or microphone inputs which is critical to most video production shoots. You also have a choice of camcorder formats including hard drive, memory stick and video tape formats such as DVCAM, DVCPRO and Mini DV. Another consideration is your camcorder's compatibility with your video editing software so check with your software manufacturer before choosing a camcorder format.

Audio

Audio for a video production shoot can range from using just the built-in camcorder microphone to a professional mixing box for multiple microphones including handheld, wireless and long-range shotgun microphones. Good sound can make or break a video project so determine what kind of microphones you need based on whether one or more people will be talking and whether you need to record ambient sound either outside or inside. It's always a good idea to duplicate microphones in case batteries go out in a wireless microphone, you have a bad cable or a camera input is not working properly. Also, some microphones require camera power while others are powered by a battery, so make sure you purchase or rent the microphones compatible with your cameras.
Lighting

Digital technology has increased the picture and low-light quality of camcorders dramatically over the last few years. But you still won't be able to get a high quality image shooting in a dark basement. If you don't have a light kit, it's best to shoot outdoors, always putting the sun to your back. If you are shooting indoors and have multiple shoots in the future, investing in a good lighting kit will really help the quality of your productions. Lighting kits range from $60 for one photoflood light to $1,000 and up for a kit with lights and color gels for all conditions. Reflectors are also a good investment because the large silver or gold disk can be used to direct sunlight onto your subjects.
Accessories

Professionals also use portable green or blue screens for chroma key shots, small video monitors to watch the output of the cameras and camera dollies for smooth, rolling shots.