EXPENDABLES - Before you go to a film supply shop, go back to your local hardware store, Walmart and arts and crafts store. Much of the expendable equipment you require is right there. You'll need clothes pins or what they call C-47 in film the industry. make sure to pick up the wooden kind because the plastic ones will melt to your lights. A good pair of electrical gloves should be picked up so that hot lights can be adjusted without burning your hands. Also a toolbox, extension cords (gauge 12 or higher), pony spring clamps and a good cutting instrument can be picked up in the hardware deptartment. However, gaffers tape, gels/diffusion etc will have to be bought at a production supplier.

TRIPODS - A good tripod is the second most important thing next to having a good camera. Our advice to you is not to just run out a buy a tripod because a really good fluid head costs a small fortune. This is often a good item to rent the full deal can b had for about $40 a day.

PORTABLE POWER - There's a great way to power your lights using regular car batteries. You can use new or old ones depending on your budget. They key to this is to tie a group of car batteries into one circuit and use their combined voltage to power your lights. This should only be considered as a last option. If you do choose to shoot using these batteries you will have to turn your lights off after every take to conserve power. You also have to be careful exposing your film because as the light's voltage drops the film will get a red glowing tinge to it. You can also rent generators from tool shops beware that these generators are not ment for film, they will run much louder and will produce some flickering in the lights because the power out put can fluciate.