I shot on evenings and weekends over the course of nearly 3 months so, had I rented everything, it would have been a nightmare to pick up and return.

I didn't have a lighting kit and 99% of the film utilized natural and available location lights. Using available light made it possible to shoot very quickly, and because I had to carry everything myself, having more equipment wasn’t an option.

We also had to reschedule 4 shoots due to heavy rain so had I paid for rentals I would have been out hundreds, if not thousands of dollars.

Equipment isn't everything. You will find thousands of unboxing videos, amateur, expert, and sponsored reviews, sample footage, and other filmmaker's testimonials on the latest and greatest.

At the end of the day you have to use what works for you. This will largely be dictated by what you can afford. Your camera choice will largely inform your post-production workflow and budget. Resolution isn't everything and understanding what 4K and beyond means for post production is essential.

LOCATIONS

I can’t count how many times I’ve heard the suggestion that indie filmmakers should find a setting and write their film around one location. I went the other way on that.

The Salesman had upwards of 40 unique locations and I found it much easier to write for many unique locations and ask property owners for just a few hours to shoot, as opposed to asking one for a few weeks. Not having a lot of equipment also helped convince property owners who were skeptical about damage and power usage to let us film.

Like camping, the cardinal rule for location shooting is always leave the space as good or better than when you found it. It doesn’t take much to keep a location safe and tidy and if you don’t treat property with respect then you’ll ruin it for everyone.

PRODUCTION