For our series What’s in Your Kit, we ask a range of working cinematographers to share the gear they can’t live without.
This week, Blake McClure (Drunk History, Big Time in Hollywood, FL) reveals what’s in his kit.
The Kit
A. Laptop
B. Canon 5D
It’s probably the last thing I use in my scout kit these days. I use it mostly to capture stills on set while shooting.
C. iPhone Apps
Artemis: Great app for quickly finding a frame with specific focal length. The info is all attached to the photo and can easily be emailed for future reference.
Sunseeker: Absolutely need this app. It contains all the coordinates for the sun in any part of the world for everyday of the year. You can’t trust the iPhone’s accelerometer though; that’s why I use this app for the numbers, but carry my Suunto Tandem compass with me to guarantee the sun’s location in the sky.
Swatch: This is a great app to find specific color gels used for lighting.
Adobe Color CC: I recently stumbled upon this app that will sample the colors of a photo and create a swatch of those colors. Great for finding and creating a color palette.
D. Suunto Tandem Compass and Clinometer
As I mentioned above, I use this compass while scouting to determine where the sun will be at any time of day.
E. Mophie
Can’t live without an iPhone mobile charger! A 12-hour scout day will quickly drain your phone’s battery.
Cinematographer Blake McClure
My Indulgence:
I’ve started to collect vintage lenses. I have a set of Lomo round-front anamorphics and an almost complete set of Zeiss B-Speeds. A lot of my projects don’t call for them, but when I get the chance to use them, it’s exciting.
Item I Can’t Live Without:
Honestly, I don’t think I could do anything without my laptop. So much of what I do revolves around research and gathering inspiration. I also usually build a lookbook for each project, which helps me gather my thoughts, even if I never look at it after starting a show.
Gear I’d Love to Have:
I own a couple of cameras and a set of Cooke Mini S4s. I’d love to get a set of Master Prime or Cooke 5/i lenses! MM
Four cinematographers show off their kits in MovieMaker‘s Spring 2015 issue, currently on newsstands. See previous editions of What’s in Your Kit here.
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