The lights are set. The computer is on and ready. Hair and make
up are finished. The photographer is ready to shoot. Your edgy
abandoned Brooklyn factory is looking perfect and gritty. Just one
thing. Its a little too cold in there. No worries. Just get an
couple heaters, plug them in, turn them on and... lights out!
It's very easy in the hustle and bustle of location shooting
to lose track of how much equipment you are actually using. Plugging
to much gear into a specific line of power, can result in power lost,
just like your house or apartment, or anywhere for that matter. Its
something we all know, essentially. The only difference being, at
home, you don't have to deal with photographers, digital techs,
producers, hair stylists, caterers, etc., all trying to take from the
same power you are trying to use for high end, high draw lighting
equipment. The last thing you need is to have the photographer or
producer breathing down your neck, asking you why the computer went
down and now all of the lights are out and you are in the middle of
shooting. That is why it is good to have, at least, a general idea
of how much power your equipment takes. In order to have this,
though, it is important to start from the top of the chain.
First off, depending on where your location is, you must find
out how much power you have to work with. Shooting in the US, unless
in situations with high power, high wattage lights (such as some
large Arri lights), or places that usually operate heavy machinery,
you will be probably be dealng with 110 volt power. Yet, it is
always good to find out, just in case. Plugging in a 110V strobe
pack, or any piece of equipment for that matter, into a 220V outlet
could mean fatal results for your gear. For basic shoots, though,
its is the amperage you need to be conscious of. How many amps does
your location provide, and how is it divided amongst the area? One
must figure out how many and what lines there are in the location,
along with what amount of power is on each line. The line is set up
to provide a few sources of power (multiple duplexes, outlets) with a
limited supply (amperage). What does all of this really mean? Once
you have the understanding of basic electricity and distribution, you
must obtain the information of YOUR electricity and distribution.
This means the location must be properly scouted.
Now that you've scouted your location and you've obtained the
info you need, you have to ask yourself, "does this amount of juice
support the gear I need for this shoot?" Well, that is where things
can get tricky....
to be continued....
***No other discount can be applied to this offer***
