Two tripods travel with the ACOCA Media kit. The main one is a Sachtler aktiv8 fluid head on flowtech 75 carbon fibre legs. The second is a SmallRig AD-50 Max carbon fibre video tripod.

The Sachtler aktiv8

Sachtler is the tripod most network camera crews trust, and it is what Sam has worked on for years. The aktiv8 head gives smooth, controlled pans and tilts, and it levels in seconds without the usual fiddling under the head. The flowtech legs open and lock from the top with one hand, so the camera is up and steady quickly, on a pavement, a hillside or a hotel carpet.

What it means for your shoot

Less time setting up and more time filming. Steady, professional-looking moves on long lenses. A camera that stays level on uneven ground.

The SmallRig AD-50 Max

A light carbon fibre tripod for the second camera on interviews. It holds a locked-off shot reliably and adds very little weight to the travel kit.

GEAR -

Tools & Toys

FIELD NOTES

How I Approach Interview Lighting

Lighting real people isn’t about creating something perfect. It’s about creating something honest.

25 Years in Network TV: Storytelling Explained

Storytelling has very little to do with the gear you use, and almost everything to do with people.