Award-winning filmmakers share their go-to gear
Illustration by Dan Matutina for The Wall Street Journal
IT COST AN ESTIMATED $100 million to launch
Sandra Bullock into space in "Gravity" and $40 million to turn back the
clock in "American Hustle." But not all the films up for Hollywood's top
honors had such exorbitant budgets. A few of the short-documentary
Academy Award nominees were made with cameras that look like something
you might bring to the beach—with price tags that won't send you into a
sweat. "My camera kit literally fits into a duffel bag," said
Edgar Barens,
the director of "Prison Terminal: The Last Days of Private
Jack Hall,
" which is up for best short-subject documentary at this Sunday's
Academy Awards. More compact, affordable equipment doesn't just keep
budgets down; it can also enable a different type of movie making. "To
not have this huge technological thing on your shoulder," explained Mr.
Barens, "also breaks down that wall," making it easier for him to bond
with his subjects.
No less impressive than the Oscar-nominated
films being made for relatively small sums is what amateurs are able to
capture with the smartphones in their pockets. As the price of
cinema-quality gear drops and the consumer-level cameras advance, the
barrier to making a high-quality film has never been lower. No matter
what your skill set or budget, great tools are within reach.
We asked the pros to recommend gear appropriate for smartphone shooters and soon-to-be Oscar-contenders alike.
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