Essential kit knowledge for PCs and PMs

As part of our Step Up strand, we’re offering training to help individuals coming back into the industry after a break, moving into a new role, or improving their skills in unscripted TV. 

How many cards do I need for my shoot? What am I supposed to order if I’m asked for a prime lens? What equipment do we need to back up rushes on location? What type of tripod should I order? This informal two-hour session takes you through the step-by-step process of what kit may be needed for unscripted tv productions and why.  

Aimed at anyone working in production management, the course will introduce trainees to the various elements of filming kit across unscripted genres and why your team has requested them. It will also provide tips on how to work with your kit house to balance kit requests with your budgetary constraints to make the best programme/series possible and how to avoid common mistakes.  

Questions and contributions are welcomed so that trainees leave with a good knowledge of what items make up a filming kit, what they look like and what your team mustn’t leave base without.

This session is supported by the ScreenSkills Unscripted TV Skills Fund which invests in training for the unscripted workforce thanks to contributions from broadcasters, SVoDs and production companies.

Who it's for

This session is aimed at production coordinators, junior production managers and production managers in unscripted TV who deal with kit on a day-to-day basis and would like to gain a better understanding of why certain kit is being requested and how that impacts their budget.  It is also open to other production roles such as production assistants, production secretaries, production management assistants, line producers, production executives and heads of production who would like to learn more about kit.

We generally require applicants to have at least 3 credits (unless working in a traditionally uncredited role). If you strongly feel you would still benefit from the training, please email USF@screenskills.com

We are committed to ensuring all our courses are accessible to everyone. Please email the above address with any access requirements so that we can make the arrangements you need.

What it covers

The course will provide an overview of the following:

• A breakdown of typical kits for each genre 
• Types of lenses 
• Making sure you have all of the accessories 
• Sound kit
• Tripods/rigs
• Lighting
• Drones
• Working with your kit house 

Trainers: 

Films@59 have facilitated 1000’s of hours of content using their kit since their launch in 1990 and are approved suppliers for the major streaming platforms and channels worldwide. As a result, their kit rental and post production facilities contribute to award-winning content filmed and broadcast across all genres, at every scale, all over the world.

Hannah Gosney is an experienced HoP/Snr PM. She has worked closely with directors/producers/camera operators and kit houses over the years to ensure the kit needs are met whilst balancing the budgetary constraints to produce high quality TV programmes/series. Throughout her career she’s been passionate about nurturing and training crew and understands the importance of best practice in the industry. She now focuses her time on providing training for the media industry via her company Media Career Advice, with an emphasis on those working in production. She has a Level 3 Train the Trainer qualification and is a Level 3 qualified ILM Coach & Mentor.

How to apply

This session will take place online via Zoom. Click ‘get ticket’ at the top of the page and follow the instructions to book your place; you must login or register before you are able to book your place.

Our courses are popular and often book up quickly. If you are no longer able to attend, we ask you to please use the “decline ticket” function on the right-hand side of the page so that we can release your place to someone on the waiting list.