Documenting in Nigeria. Equipment suggestions?

[mac's my homie]

Hey guys!

I will be taking a trip to Nigeria in May of '08. I'm going to do some video journaling, and put together a high quality support video to raise money for the Fulani in Nigeria.

I've been asked to put together a list of equipment that we will need for the trip, and come up with an amount that we will be asking from our supporters.

Here's a brief list of what I'm thinking:

Canon XL2
Hard Cases
Rain Covers
Batteries (we could be gone up to five days without power)
Small on camera light (something that won't suck too much battery)
Small clip-on wireless mic (small and light weight for traveling)
Tapes

Of my own gear I'll be taking my GL2, Sony handycam, and tripods.

I'm using B&H Photo to come up with my pricing.

I can come up with a list easily. But if anyone has any advice on equipment I should consider (on or off the list above), I would greatly appreciate it. Especially if someone has gone on a trip like this and learned from experience!

Price does matter somewhat. The lower the amount, the faster it will be raised. (Off the top of my head, I'm thinking under 15k for all camera gear)

I've tried to keep this thread as short as possible, so if anything needs clarification, let me know!

Thanks in advance!

 

[juanm]

Pelican cases for everything. With Silica Gel inside. With locks. For the flights, you can put them in more anonymous bags, just in case...
Depending on how you travel, a small generator so you can get power everywhere. For 100-150$ you should be able to find one...

 

[ChrisA]

Pelican cases for everything. ... you can put them in more anonymous bags,

Bright spray paint. Use some way-ugly and bright colors on all six sides. People don't steel stuff that is flashy and easy to identify from 200 feet away. L:et them take someone else's all black look a like case.

 

[mac's my homie]

Pelican cases for everything. With Silica Gel inside. With locks. For the flights, you can put them in more anonymous bags, just in case...

Bright spray paint. Use some way-ugly and bright colors on all six sides. People don't steel stuff that is flashy and easy to identify from 200 feet away. L:et them take someone else's all black look a like case.

Great ideas! I never thought of that and I will definitely do it! That's exactly the type of advice I'm looking for!

 

[tj8212]

Hey guys!

I will be taking a trip to Nigeria in May of '08.

Hope you have a great trip. Please make sure you check with the U.S. embassy for Travel/safety tips if this is your first time in Nigeria. Am telling you this cause am a Nigerian myself

 

[LethalWolfe]

Tripod
Camera filters
Heading cleaning tape
Cleaning kit for camera and lens
Soft travel case incase you are doing some local traveling where the hard case would be cumbersome.
Multiple battery chargers
Wireless mic that can also be hardwired
Spare audio cables (for on-camera mic and wireless/wired mic)
extra batteries for mic
"Dead cat" wind screen for on-camear mic
Write down all the serial numbers of everything you take

Redundancy is your friend.

That's all I got off the top of my head.


Lethal

 

[mac's my homie]

Hope you have a great trip. Please make sure you check with the U.S. embassy for Travel/safety tips if this is your first time in Nigeria. Am telling you this cause am a Nigerian myself

that's cool! what part of Nigeria are you from?

Camera filters
Heading cleaning tape
Cleaning kit for camera and lens
Soft travel case incase you are doing some local traveling where the hard case would be cumbersome.
Multiple battery chargers
Wireless mic that can also be hardwired
Spare audio cables (for on-camera mic and wireless/wired mic)
extra batteries for mic
"Dead cat" wind screen for on-camear mic
Lethal

Added to the list! thanks!

Write down all the serial numbers of everything you take
Lethal

I didn't think of that. Good idea!

"Dead cat" wind screen for on-camear mic
Lethal

will this one work?

http://www.wwbw.com/Rode-DeadCat-WindScreen--WindMuff-i234925.music

 

[trudd]

will this one work?

http://www.wwbw.com/Rode-DeadCat-WindScreen--WindMuff-i234925.music

So long as you have the VideoMic, NTG-1 or NTG-2, then yes.

 

[trudd]

I was filming in Honduras for a 3 week film project over the summer.

Mine was on a much smaller scale - I was working with the deaf so audio was hardly necessary. The GL2 will be perfect for more candid situations. The XL2 will be a fantastic camera, but just be sure you won't become an easy target with a larger, more professional-looking rig.

What kind of conditions are you going to be shooting in? Controlled and private? Or mostly on the streets?

Lethal pretty much hit the spot with his list. As long as you have the room, redundancy is never a bad thing.

Be sure to carry your media on you when you fly back. Cameras, mics and cases can be replaced. Media cannot.

A friend of mine returned from Africa and checked his media. His bag was long somewhere between South Africa and London and took nearly 4 weeks to recover.

 

[mac's my homie]

The XL2 will be a fantastic camera, but just be sure you won't become an easy target with a larger, more professional-looking rig.

Yeah, that's a good point. I was wanting to use the XL2 because of the better on-camera mic and the XLR inputs for easy and quick access to an external wireless if needed.
I know I could go with the GL2 and buy a Canon MA-300 advanced XLR adapter and the Canon DM-50 directional stereo microphone. But then that's that many more attachments that I don't want to keep up with. Not including the small on-camera light I will be using. Probably the Canon VL-3 on-board three-watt light.

So I'm thinking I might take the risk of bigger equipment in order to have less parts. But it's still something I'm thinking about.

What kind of conditions are you going to be shooting in? Controlled and private? Or mostly on the streets?

It's unknown a little. Nothing will be controlled I imagine. I will be spending a lot of time with the Fulani who live in huts, but are awesome people. I will also be spending up to five days in the bush with no electricity or running water. So the conditions are going to be pretty extreme.

I think we will be pretty safe. But the "police" can really do whatever they want (to an extent). The good thing is that we have permission from the Fulani king to be there. So as long as he's on our side, we're pretty set.

Be sure to carry your media on you when you fly back. Cameras, mics and cases can be replaced. Media cannot.

Yes. I will. Those tapes will be priceless... well not really. Just another $5000 in plane tickets and necessities to take the trip again.