What You Need To Get Started Filming Hunts

There is so much information out there in the filming space about what you need to film hunts. To someone just getting into filming hunts, it can be hard to figure out what you really need to film a good quality hunting video. In this blog we’ll be covering the very basics of what you need to start filming.

Budget and Expectations

Your available budget and your expectations for your videos will be the driving force when it comes to what you actually need and what level of equipment you need. A lot of people just film their family and friends for fun so the level of equipment they need will be much different from those who are looking to be a professional producer in the outdoor space.

Be honest to yourself about your budget. Also, make sure to consider everything you need before you blow your entire budget on a camera. A great place to start is to check out prebuilt packages like the ones available from Bedford Outdoors. Keep in mind that camera’s drive the price of the package. If you get a small/inexpensive camera you don’t need super expensive accessories to go along with it. However, if you want a more expensive camera, the accessories you’ll need to take full advantage of the camera’s capabilities will be a little more money.

Everyone has different expectations for their hunting videos. Why you are filming dictates what you’ll really need. If you are just filming to review shot placement or show your buddies your archery hunts, sometimes just a cell phone suffices for a camera. If you want a cinematic feel to your videos to submit your films into film fests, you’ll need some better gear. If you want to become a professional, you’ll need high quality enough gear where you’ll be able to create the type of quality content TV shows will want.

Camera

The camera is obviously the most important piece of equipment for filming. As previously mentioned, for beginner filmers sometimes their cell phone will suffice. Fourth Arrow makes some great accessories for people that just want to film with their cell phone. If you want the ability to optically zoom you will want some type of actual dedicated camera. There are a wide array of options out there for cameras. Some cameras are better for people that self film. Some cameras are better for people that want to capture a cinematic look with a shallow depth of field. If you want to figure out what camera might be the best fit for you based upon the type of videos you want to create and your budget, the guys at Bedford Outdoors specialize in helping people do just that.

Support System

If you want decent quality video you will need some type of support system for your camera. There are 2 pieces that are important in that support system: the actual camera support and the camera head.

Your style of hunting will dictate what support system you will need. If you film from the ground or from blinds you’ll want a tripod or a monopod to support your camera. If you want to film hunts from a tree stand, you will need a camera arm. Fourth Arrow specializes in camera arms for any and all level of filmers. Some of us hunt both from the ground and from a tree so we need both types of support systems.

A camera head will be needed with either a tripod or a tree arm. Make sure to select a camera head that is designed specifically for video. You want to purchase a had that pans and tilts smoothly. The great thing about most camera heads is they can be used on both your tripod and your camera arm so you don’t have to buy multiple of them.

Mic

A external mic is not an absolute necessity when it comes to filming hunts. However, the quality of your content will be greatly increased with good audio. A shotgun mic is a great option for upgrading your audio game. Shotgun mics pic up audio where they are pointed so you can get some great audio of deer moving through the woods for example. External mics also do much better with wind than a built in mic. You get a lot of wind noise with built in mics but shotgun mics usually come with windscreens which greatly decrease that annoying wind noise.

SD Card

An SD card is necessary for filming with a camera. Sometimes guys forget to pick up and SD card when they purchase their camera. There are a lot of different speeds and sizes of SD cards. The folks at Bedford Outdoors will be able to help you pick the right SD card for your camera.

Be Careful Where You Buy Your Gear

Now that we’ve covered what gear you need, one final thing to note is its important to be careful where you buy your camera gear. If the deal looks too good to be true it probably is. You want to stay away from grey market cameras that won’t have a manufactures warranty. Its important to purchase your camera gear from a trusted retailer like Bedford Outdoors. If you are looking for the best camera support systems for on the ground or in a tree, make sure to check out Fourth Arrow Camera Arms.

Filming your hunts is a ton of fun and is very rewarding. Now that you know what equipment you need to start filming, go out there and start creating some awesome hunting content! If you’d like to learn more about filming hunts, make sure to check out Film The Hunt. Film the Hunt offers both online and on-site video education. Their on-site courses are phenomenal if you want hands on training with everything in the outdoor production space from storytelling to running your camera to video editing.