So are you tired of looking at
equipment that can't afford, just follow some of Boardumb Films
Productions steps to building your own equipment. Building equipment is
a great way to cut the cost of an independent film-makers budget. In
this equipment guide we're going to provide instructions on how to
build equipment with everyday products. Now lets get down to business
and start building.
List of Equipment: (click on the
equipment name to jump to instructions needed)
Two Platform Boards 3/4" (plywood) 2.5' wide by 4.5'
long
Twelve Rollerblade Wheels and 24 Bearings (1 for each
side of the wheel)
Twelve Bolts/Nuts with a large supply of washers for
Axles.
Four Long Bolts/Nuts
Twelve 12 washers (helps with spacing)
Three Pieces of steel piping for the handle (make any
height you want)
Two Pipe Flanges
Two 90 Degree Pipe Elbows
Three 3" diameter PVC Pipe End caps
Three 1" Screws for PVC Pipe End caps
Two 3ft steel 90 degree bend (Rails used to hold up
Garage Door openers to the ceiling.)
Four to Six V-Rail Mounts
Two 10ft Lengths of PVC Pipe for Track
Steps:
Cut the 3/4" Platform boards approximately 2.5' wide
by 4.5' long. Have the store cut them before you leave.
Solution to use two boards 3/4" thick bolted together
to create a 1.5" thick dolly platform.
Use 1" PVC pipe as track rails for my wheels to ride
on, so I decided to use Rollerblade (In-Line Skate) wheels since they
have a thinner profile. Mount wheels to V-Rails to test movement on
track.
To help support the platform run the two 3ft long of
steel in a 90 degree bend. Attach the wheels to the V-Rail with the
bolts and spacer washers. Evenly space 1ft apart.
The two rails were then attached to the underside of
the platform via the four bolts I used to couple the platform boards
together. (May have to shave away some wood to create a wheel wells).
The next thing you'll want to put on your dolly is a
grip handle use pipe flanges and pipe elbows to create a U-Shape. Take
the three sections of pipe we used used 2.75' pipes for the rise and a
2.25' long pipe for the cross bar. These were connected by 90 degree
elbow joints and then screwed onto the platform with pipe flanges.
The final touch to the dolly was to place foot
holders for the tripod. To create the footers use three PVC Pipe End
caps of 3" diameter and simply screwed them into place on the platform
(another option is remove footers and have someone sit on dolly for low
shot).
Last step lay the 10ft track and begin shooting your
movie.
Supplies:
Camera
Drill and 1/4" drill bit
10ft of 3/4" PVC
1/4" 20 bolt
1/2" long blot and washer
PVC Glue
Flat Black Paint
Steps:
Design the piece to fit your camera and be sure to
leave room to swing open the camera's viewfinder screen.
Drill a 1/4” hole in the top and bottom of the
3/4" PVC plug.
Insert the 1/4" 20 bolt and 1/2" long bolt with a
washer this is what you attach the camera to.
Lay the PVC piles on a flat surface and test fit the
pieces before you glue (unit measure 18” across).
After you place bolt into plugs begin gluing PVC
together (make sure you drill prior to gluing).
Assemble it on a flat surface to keep it symmetrical.
Paint it flat black to avoid stupid questions.
Supplies:
Camera
Drill and 1/4" drill bit
5ft of 3/4" PVC
1/4" 20 bolt
1/2" long blot and washer
PVC Glue
Flat Black Paint
Steps:
Design the piece to fit your camera and be sure to
leave room to swing open the camera's viewfinder screen.
Drill a 1/4” hole in the top and bottom of the
3/4" PVC plug.
Insert the 1/4" 20 bolt and 1/2" long bolt with a
washer this is what you attach the camera to.
Pre-assemble all parts and mark them for reassembly
during gluing. Assemble on a flat surface.
A cross fitting was chosen for the bottom and begin
gluing the PVC pipe.
Assemble it on a flat surface to keep it symmetrical.
Paint it flat black.
Supplies:
Camera
Tripod
Rolls of coins
Black duct tape
Scale to weigh your camera
Steps:
Take the extending legs off the tripod until your
left with three little legs.
Next, weigh your camera to figure out how many rolls
of coins you need.
Once, you figure out the weigh of your camera grab
the coins and begin taping to the smaller legs left on the tripod.
Your finally ready to use the Glidecam and move like
a professional with your camera.
Supplies:
Camera
Hammer
Power Drill
1/4" Drill bite
Monkey wrench
Vise
Three 10"Iron Pipes (Should be 1/2" pipes)
Three End Caps
2.5 lbs weight
T-Joint
Two 1-1/2" 1/4" machine bolts
One 1/4" wing nut
Three 1-1/2" diameter flange washers for 1/4" bolts
Three lock washers for 1/4" bolts
Two 1/4" machine nuts
Steps:
This first step is attach the tee and end cap to one
of the pipes to form a basic handle.
Put one of the end caps in the vise, then drill a
1/4" hole in the center of the cap or close as possible (Does this to
two of your end caps).
Then bolt, two lock washers, flange washer, nut, wing
nut, and a drilled end cap. Put a lock washer on the bolt and the put
it through the end cap with the bottom of the bolt coming out of the
top of the outside of the end cap. Put another lock washer on and then
the nut (Please tighten since your camera mounts here).
Use a hammer to dent the center of the flange washer.
You can do this by putting the washer across the hole of the weight,
putting the head of the bolt on the hole, and hammer the bolt. You want
to have the center area of the washer higher than the rim. So when you
attached the mount to the camera, the rim of the washer pushes up
against the area around the bolt (Use your fingers to tighten the wing
nut on the mounting).
You'll need the barbell weight and the remaining
bolts and nuts. Take the bolt place a washer on it and then place the
bolt through the weight.
The bolt goes through two washers that sandwich the
weight. Then stick on the end cap, put on the lock washer, and then
finally the nut. Hand tighten the parts until they are snug (tighten
until outer washer bends inward).
Lastly, take the remaining two pipes, screw them into
the T joint of the handle, and attached the base and the mounting. And
your done! You can tighten these parts as much as you'd like.
Supplies:
PVC Cement
2ft 1/2" PVC pipe
Two 1/2" Male Bushings
Two 1/4" Female Bushings
1/4" Pipe Thread Fitting
1/2" Slip
Female Threaded Coupling
PVC Primer
Air Compressor (Bike pump works as well)
Wax
Steps:
Take your 2ft of 1/2 " PVC pipe.
Glue on a 1/2" SLIP x Female threaded coupling to one
end of the PVC using cement and primer.
Get a 1/2" male to 1/4" female bushing and screw it
into the coupling (This makes the barrel).
Hook up the Air compressors use 1/4" pipe thread
fittings (air triggers are also made with male threads).
Screw the barrel onto the trigger.
Fill the barrel, turn on the compressor and test it
out.
You might have to plug the end with wax to build up
pressure.
The fittings and pipe will only cost you about a
$1.50. The cement goes for $2.49 and the primer is $1.79. That should
do it.
Supplies:
Pump Weed Sprayer
Clear Thin Tubing (find the length that works for the
project)
Gallon of Fake Blood (the more the better)
Gaffer Tape
Sponge (car sponge)
Blu-Tak (putty for posters)
Old Clothes
Power Drill
Steps:
Cut the length you need from your tubing. One inch
from the end drill a hole about the size of a dime (This is where the
blood will be ejected from).
Plug the end with Blu-Tak this will forcing the blood
to fly out of the extra hole instead of the end of the tube it sprays
out rather than jets out.
Unscrew the spray nozzle from the weed sprayer.
Attach the unmodified end of the tube to the empty sprayer. Now pump
the sprayer about 150 times.
Pour in the amount of blood you want to the modified
end of the hose (recommend 20ml of your fake blood). Plug the hole with
a pieces of sponge (try to find a red sponge looks lie flesh when pull
the trigger).
Cut a hole in the shirt or run up the actors pants.
Tape the tube to the actor where their going to be shot make sure the
hole is facing forward (make sure you allow the blood to file the tube).
Score the clothes with a knife "make sure the
hole matches up with the tube" Use gaffer tape on the inside of the
shirt to close the shirt up.
Now it time to fire the weed sprayer, make sure the
sprayer is out of the shot (make sure you don't get blood on your
camera)
Squeeze the trigger Blood flies everywhere.
Supplies:
Four 3/4"x10' Sch. 40 PVC Pipe
One 1 1/4"x10' Sch. 40 PVC Pipe
Two 3/4" Sch. 40 PVC Elbow
Two 3/4" Sch. 40 PVC T-Connector
Eight 3/4" Sch. 40 PVC Cap
Two 3/4" Sch. 40 PVC Coupling
Two 3/4" Sch. 40 PVC Cross Connector
PVC Pipe Cuter
Hacksaw
Fabric Types For Backgrounds:
Cotton
Rayon
Polyester
Use the greenest green or bluest blue if your on a
tight budget. You can buy these from any fabric or paint store (make
sure paint is a flat based paint).
Steps:
Cut eight pieces of 3/4" pipe about 1 1/2' in length,
and put a cap on one end of each.
Now, cut two pieces of 3/4" pipe about 2" in length,
and firmly stick them into one hole on each of the cross connectors
(they look like a + sign). Caution: Always make sure you securely
tighten each joint every time you use or move the stand.
Stick the T-connectors on the 2" pieces of pipe, and
stick one of your 1 1/2' cut pipe sections into the other end of the
T-connector
Stick your other 1 1/2' pipe sections into the other
open holes on the cross connectors, so you have two large "+'s," with a
T-connector on the same side of each.
Cut two of the other 3/4" pipe pieces to whatever
size you'd like (these will determine the height of your backdrop
stand). Make sure the height is low enough to not hit the ceiling.
The length of your 'crossbar' depends on the wide of
the fabric you have. You would want to cut the crossbar pipe 6”
wider than the fabric.
Now, take the two side support pipes and stick a
90° elbow on one end of each one, then stick the crossbar pipe into
the two elbows.
Finally, stick the two side support pipes into the
tops of the T-connectors on your base, and see how your backdrop stand
looks.
If you want, you can simply use this frame and clamp
on your backdrop with clamps. Also can use blue or green tape that
matches your color of fabric exactly.
