Film Production Tip: Sandbags!

More info: tomantosfilms.com/5769/sandbags/
You can buy these great sandbags here: amzn.to/1xhulvC
Also on eBay here: ebay.to/1zya1mN
Sandbags are the best way to secure your light stands so that you don't damage your lights or hurt someone on your set. Every film or video production should use sandbags. In this video I'll show you the proper way to setup and use sandbags.
_____________________________
Follow me on:
Twitter: / tomantos
Facebook / tomantosfilms
Google+ bit.ly/18oyRJB
My name's Tom Antos and I make videos. I am a film director and cinematographer with over 12 years experience in VFX & animation. Jak sie masz?! I'm originally from Poland ;) Check out my channel here: / polcan99

[@dougle03]

One way to know if your counter weights are adequate is to loosen the pivot lock and see which way the weight wants to go; like a seesaw. Add more weight or move the weight further away from the stand to increase the balance force and the do the reverse if the weight side is too heavy. Ideally you want the boom (with weights) to balance on it's own first without requiring the friction lock in the middle doing very much.

[@Obliviatora]

I didn't think I could learn anything more about sandbags but in the first two minutes you already proved me wrong!

[@dphotos007]

I always learned those bags to be called Flyaway Sand Bags because they can be used for traveling well on location. I always packed them in my luggage and added rocks to the bags at the location. One tip with C-Stands always point the larger bottom leg towards the direction of the weighted boom.

[@lindamuvic8110]

Thanks Tom whenever I go doing a studio equipment search I invariable see your face giving an excellent explanation on what I am investigating, in this case sand bags, Thanks again.

[@philippeschultz2660]

Great and a happy new year to you Tom ! Phil (France)

[@RoyalPointEnt]

Kinda crazy how many jobs I've been on when they have no sand bags safety first plus they have many uses

[@ThomasGrillo]

Thanks for the sandbag tips. I wish I'd seen this a long time ago. When I went on my last few lighting gigs, I noticed sand leaking. It actually walked the inner zippers open, and sand was getting out into the outer zipper, and leaking that way.

[@SS8styles]

Haha from the thumbnail I thought you were reviewing a handbag...Great video, having just taken physics I finally get the whole counterweight thing. This will be useful to come back to when I can finally afford light stands

[@AlchemistPersians]

Great idea about using zip bags for the sand! I put bottled water in one of my bags until I could get some sand. :)

[@RFCpatologiaoral]

Muchas gracias.

[@DjsVideoProductions]

Great video. That is a nice light stand. Did you get that on Amazon? Do you have a link for that?

[@antonc108]

If the sand bag is touching the ground, it is not doing its job. Put it on the tallest leg of the c stand.

[@RichDenmark]

YES!! You only need to put a bag on a spreader if it's a small bag. Large bags drape well over the top of the stand legs and can rig slide stops it not. Has to be off the ground!

[@arthurwoo]

Great tips on the zip lock bags

[@jjzel69]

Great tip Tom! Do the bags say how many pounds they are rated for? Do you use different weights of sandbags?

[@jumaigac]

what kind of c stand and boom are you using?

[@ebinrock]

My big question is, which weight of sandbags do you use for different applications? I've seen mostly 5 lb., 15 lb., 18 lb., 25 lb., and 35 lb. bags. Which poundage for, say, just mounting a typical kit light (650W tungsten or equivalent) on a stand? In the past I just guessed 18 lb., but I wanted to be sure. Any rule of thumb you can tell me?

[@UnseenSpartan]

Does the knuckle on your c-stand not lock further (After being locked with the handle first, of course) when rotated clockwise? (In the perspective of facing the handle of the knuckle.) Kinda echoing what the guy below is talking about with the right hand rule.

[@nuckinfuts5481]

To be honest; the handle should be fastened perpendicular to the bag's fold...

[@colehaaf4425]

Using the right hand rule you don't need a counterweight with the boom.

[@rudyp2201]

I put actually the empty ziplock bag and then sand so you can fill more and easier to put in the bag

[@Lacocacolaman]

lol, i just made sand bags. I only looked this video to show a friend but i did not think about the ziplocks! I wasted my time and too lazy to start over.

[@DanIliev]

you know