Looking to expand your filmmaking arsenal without breaking the bank? Look no further! In this video tutorial, we’ve rounded up seven quick-and-easy camera and lighting builds that are perfect for those on a limited budget. We believe that the do-it-yourself work ethic is what makes this craft worth pursuing, and we’re excited to share these innovative ways to light and shoot with you.
First up, the pizza pan light! This is the simplest lighting fixture you can build yourself. All you need is a pizza pan with holes on the bottom, zip ties, and any type of rope or stringed lights. It’s a great way to get your own ring light for almost nothing compared to an actual ring light.
Next, we have the candle light. Shooting with actual candles can be tricky, but with this build, all you need is a knife to carve out the back of a candle, then stick a light bulb (preferably an LED) and tape the candle to the back. The light should be bright enough to properly expose your actor while offering the appearance of a bright candle.
For the vanity light, you just need to find the appropriately sized light at any hardware store, and then buy an extension cord long enough to fit from the light to the nearest generator or outlet. You’ll also need to purchase a baby plate if you’re going to hang the light on a C-stand.
If you’re looking for a dimmer switch, you can buy the actual dimmer switch at a hardware store, as well as an appropriately sized box to accommodate the wires and the switch.
For some simple clamp hacks, grab a quick grip clamp, spring clamp, and an Israeli arm. With the quick grip clamp, you can imitate a quacker clamp, and for the articulating Israeli arm clamp, just screw on the spring clamp to the end of the arm.
Lastly, it’s time to build our own hi-hat. The process is simple. You just need a piece of wood wide and thick enough to support your camera, and another baby plate. Just screw the plate into the wood, and stick your gear head onto the plate. Voilà!
We hope you enjoyed these DIY builds and hacks. For more, check out our other tutorials on creating a Roger Deakins style ring light, a wireless China ball light, building a side car mount, a dolly for $50, and a car rig for thirty dollars. Happy filmmaking!
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