How to Plan Your Equipment List for a Commercial Shoot

A commercial shoot is one of the most logistically demanding production formats. Client expectations are high, schedules are tight and there is rarely an opportunity to go back for a reshoot if something goes wrong. Getting your equipment list right before the shoot is one of the most important things a producer or director of photography can do to protect the production.

A poorly planned gear list means arriving on set without essential equipment, scrambling to source replacements on the day and wasting expensive production time on problems that should have been solved in pre-production. A well-planned gear list means your crew can focus entirely on making great work.

Step 1: Start With the Treatment or Shot List

Every equipment decision should be driven by the creative treatment and shot list. Before you think about specific gear, map out every shot in the script or storyboard and identify the technical requirements of each one.

Does the treatment call for handheld movement? You need a shoulder rig or gimbal. Are there overhead shots? You need a jib or drone. Is there a night exterior? You need high-output lighting and a camera with excellent low-light performance. Is there a complex dialogue scene with two speaking subjects? You need at least two wireless lavs or a boom with a backup.

Going through the treatment shot by shot and identifying the technical requirements of each scene is the most reliable way to build a complete gear list.

Step 2: Spec the Camera Package

Once you have a clear picture of the creative requirements, spec your camera package. This means selecting a camera body that matches your delivery format and visual goals, choosing a lens set that covers the focal lengths your shot list requires, specifying the camera support equipment you need for each type of shot and identifying any specialized camera accessories like wireless follow focus or remote heads.

Commercial productions typically require at least a primary A-camera and a B-camera for coverage. Factor both camera packages into your gear list from the start.

Step 3: Build Your Lighting Package

Lighting is where commercial shoots most commonly under-plan. Review each location and each scene and assess the lighting requirements honestly.

Consider the size of the space and the output required to fill it properly. Consider the natural light situation and whether you need to supplement or overpower it. Consider the number of setups you are shooting in each location and whether the lighting package needs to move quickly between setups.

Build a lighting list that covers your key light, fill, backlight and any practical or background lighting the treatment requires. Then add grip and rigging to position and control those lights.

Step 4: Plan Your Audio

Map every scene that requires recorded audio and spec your sound package to cover each one. For commercial work involving on-screen talent, you typically need at minimum one wireless lavalier per speaking subject, a directional boom microphone as a backup or primary and a professional field recorder or mixer.

In noisy environments or locations with RF interference challenges, you may need frequency-coordinated wireless systems. Plan for this in pre-production rather than discovering the problem on the day.

Step 5: Account for Power

Every piece of equipment on the gear list needs power. Add up the wattage requirements of your full lighting package and confirm that the locations can supply adequate mains power or that you are renting a generator with enough capacity.

Power is one of the most frequently overlooked elements of commercial shoot planning and one of the most disruptive to deal with when it goes wrong on the day.

Step 6: Don't Forget Utilities and Expendables

Gaffer tape, cable ties, extension cables, lens wipes, extra batteries, memory cards and spare bulbs are the items that nobody thinks about until they are missing on set. Build a utilities and expendables line into your gear list and your budget.

Step 7: Review Against Budget and Timeline

Once your gear list is complete, review it against your budget. Identify any items where a lower-cost alternative would serve the production equally well. Identify any items where cutting the gear would create a genuine risk to the production.

Then review the list against your shooting timeline. Make sure you have booked the right rental period for every item and that the returns schedule aligns with your shoot days.