Insider Tips on Lugging Film Equipment Around New York City
Navigating New York City is a complex process that few fully gasp and welcome without any baggage. Add filmmaking equipment to the mix, and getting around can feel almost entirely impossible. In fact, lugging film equipment around New York City can be a real drag, literally! As you’re dragging your equipment from one place to the next, shoot-to-shoot, suddenly public transport doesn’t seem so useful. Likewise, the use of private transport can be equally challenging in the city (there’s seemingly nowhere to park!). So, what’s a filmmaker to do?
Few things are more important than figuring out how to navigate a new city with your equipment, at least to a filmmaker, it’s pretty important and high upon the scale of things that just need to make sense. But NYC is like no other city in the country.
There’s subways, and taxis, and backdoors to hotels and main buildings that are set along alley-ways and seemingly hidden entrances. If you’re new, the sky rises alone will scare you purely due to the thought of what effort it will take to get all of your equipment from Point A, to Point B.
If you’re coming to busy NYC for a film shoot, these insider tips on lugging film equipment around New York City.
1. Minimize Equipment Needs As Much As Possible
If you don’t need it, leave it at home! In fact, even if you do need it, but you can get away with something else (and less bulky) to make it happen, do it!
The more you can minimize what you bring with you to NYC to film, the better your chances will be that you can actually capture the footage you desired, at the intended locations and within the intended timeframe.
Reducing the amount of equipment that you bring into the city will limit the space needed during travel early on when flying on the plane (which means navigating the TSA!) as well as later, when you travel by taxi, car, bus, subway or potentially all of them, to your next destination.
2. Bring Handheld Equipment
If you can focus on mostly handheld equipment and minimal gear, you’ll be better off. The reality is, it’s just not realistic to be lugging film equipment around New York City!
However, that’s not to say it’s not happening or that you can only shoot with handheld equipment! Neither are true!
Handheld equipment will minimize the amount of gear that you have to lug around, but you’ll still have bags and equipment for sure.
It’s inevitable – you’ll have tripods, and various lenses and cases, and batteries, and packs and lights, and…the list goes on. Just do whatever you can to minimize it before you travel.
3. Never (EVER) Leave Your Gear Behind
NYC is widely conducive to filmmaking, and you may even find helpful locals that are willing to assist you bringing gear up to your room or shoot location for you.
While this might even seem like a good idea after a long day, when you’re tired from lugging film equipment around New York City all day, don’t do it!
Don’t leave your gear behind with someone to carry for you (unless you know them personally). Don’t give your gear to someone, unless you know them personally. And don’t ever leave your equipment to be “brought up with the next Elevator” or any other similar scenario.
4. Avoid Public Transportation if You Can
Public transportation is the go-to source for most people to get around NYC, but if you’re a filmmaker, and you’re there for a shoot, public transportation is a big “No No.” (at least, you’ll want to avoid it if you’ve got your gear!)
Traveling the subway is a hassle if you’re lugging film equipment around New York City and it could potentially be dangerous if the wrong people see your gear and decide they want it.
If you absolutely must bring gear on the NYC subway, do what you can to hide brand names/logos/and anything that signifies high cost to reduce you chance of being mugged.
5. Rent a Van
Not a car with a bunch of see through windows – a VAN. Lugging film equipment around New York City will literally wear you down! Renting a car may leave your equipment vulnerable to theft, especially if anything is left in the backset where the windows provide extremely easy access ad view.
A van allows you to get all your equipment and gear in, keep it all hidden behind solid doors, and lock it up. Locking up all of your bags of equipment with a cable lock so that they are all together when stored in your van can reduce the risk of theft should your van get broken into when parked or otherwise not in use.
6. Keep Serial Number and Insurance Information
Make sure that you’ve got all the information about your equipment before you travel to NYC. Your gear should be insured before you travel.
Additionally, when you walk around NYC it’s important to carry the most up to date insurance which protects you in the event that your equipment should get lost, stolen, or damaged. Make sure that you’ve got your insurance up to date, and you know your rights (policies differ).
It’s also important to have your serial numbers written down and saved in a place that only you know or that your crew knows. It’s a good idea NOT to keep your policy list on your person.
In fact, keeping your policy information and important equipment serial numbers put away in a safe place accessible online, by you or your remote crew member can reduce hassle if something were to happen with your equipment.
Lugging film equipment around New York City can certainly pose several challenges as you work your way through busy public streets, subway stations, and an interesting mix of architecture and culture that you won’t find anywhere else in the world.
Before you go to NYC to film, make sure you’ve done your planning, and that you’re ready for the next steps – no matter how far and packed down or where they may be!