Shooting outside of the studio is great for producing beautiful video content. Whether you want a change of scenery or you’re visiting somewhere relevant to your content, outdoor shoots can be a breath of fresh air. That said, a lot can go wrong while you’re shooting outside, especially on hot, sunny days. Thankfully, it’s far from impossible to film video content in warm weather. Read the points below to learn how to protect your film equipment from heat damage.
Set Up Suitable Shade
The best tip for keeping equipment safe from the heat is to utilize shade. Wherever you’re shooting, part of your preparation should be planning where you can set up tents and other means of shade. First, having a place to retreat from the heat is important for you and your crew’s health. Furthermore, it gives you a great place to keep video equipment from overheating. Anytime you’re not using a piece of equipment, place it somewhere safe, dry, and cool in the shade.
Always Have Backups
Not dissimilar from when shooting indoors, you should always have backups for your video equipment while filming outdoors. Of course, this is important for ensuring you can find quick solutions to broken equipment. Likewise, having backups is a great way to minimize heat exposure to equipment. That way, the moment you notice the camera getting too hot, you can quickly grab the backup, placing your main camera in its storage bag to cool down. Besides camera bodies and lenses, having backups for professional video transmitters and other key equipment is essential for finding quick solutions on set.
Carry Cold Gel Packs
Learning how to protect your film equipment from heat damage will open your eyes to surprisingly effective methods. For instance, using cold gel packs might sound like a novice solution, but it’s a common and useful method for keeping professional equipment cool in hot weather. Wrap the equipment in a towel, placing the gel packs on top until the heat dissipates. However, don’t let the gel packs sit long enough to become wet. In such cases, the towel should keep the moisture from damaging the gear underneath, but better safe than sorry.