Advice: Kit for Humanitarian Filmmaking

A top goal for any photographer or videographer is to use creative skills as a force for good. And one of the clearest-cut examples is creating content for humanitarian organizations. Thomas Williams, from production agency Prospect Arts, is currently shooting in Uganda in Bidi Bidi—formerly the world’s largest refugee settlement—for Hope Health Action, an NGO providing life-saving care to vulnerable people. In this guide, Thomas explains how fostering interpersonal connections—just as much as creative and environmental factors—should influence your choice of kit. Read on to learn more.

I’ve spent the last decade filming in remote and often challenging environments. Contracted this week as a solo shooter, my goal is to ensure I cover all areas of the work I’m seeing—in both stills and video. The kit I chose for this trip is the Canon EOS C70 and Canon EOS 5D Mark IV, with the EF 24mm f/1.4 L USM , EF 50mm f/1.2 L USM and EF 85mm f/1.4 L IS USM—and, the lens I struggle to take off the camera, the Canon CN-E 35mm T1.5 L EF. I also have the DJI RS 2 gimbal, a Small HD Cine7, a Dedolight LED, Gitzo tripod , shotgun and lav mics, hard drives and a Macbook Pro. Everything—bar the lights, stands, tripods and chargers—fit inside the cavernous Thinktank Airport Security v3.0. 

When deciding on kit as a solo shooter, I have to balance the amount of kit with the quality of content. What is going to fit inside my carry-on? What is the most inconspicuous means of travel possible? How is the kit going to perform in the field? What are my backup options?

The Canon EOS C70 has become my camera of choice—replacing the Panasonic DC-S1H—largely because of the built-in ND filter. There aren’t really any bad options, the decision comes down to practicality. The C70 wins due to its built-in NDs, battery usage and readiness to put on a lens and start shooting. I’ve also found that Canons can take a beating and can deal with overheating, dust and travel.

The trade-off between the C70 and S1H is the in-body image stabilization and body weather sealing. Shooting most B-roll at 50p for options in post, I don’t consider the image stabilization a huge issue, but I do retain the S1H for the most extreme weather conditions. Access to power is also a consideration. If power is unavailable, how many days can I shoot for? Choice of accommodation may come down to whether there is a backup generator available.

I’ve shot with various 5D cameras since the Canon EOS 5D first came out. And the Canon EOS 5D Mark II was my first video camera, which I acquired from MPB back in 2012. For four years, as I was building my career, I shot stills and video exclusively with the 5D Mark II, EF 24-70mm f/2.8 L USM and EF 70-200mm f/2.8 L USM. 

On this shoot, I could also shoot video on the 5D Mark IV as a backup. But, unless shooting Motion JPEG at colossal file sizes, the quality really isn’t there for video. For a stills camera, though, it’s still great. My only gripe is the form factor. And, for the size, I much prefer Sony mirrorless cameras.

In terms of lenses, my preference is prime lenses over zooms. Counterintuitively, I think I can be more productive when I’m limited by focal length. Given the option of a zoom, I become more indecisive about which shots I want. The constraints of a single focal length mean I can work more efficiently to come away with a sequence that I’m really happy with. Perhaps it’s just an idiosyncrasy of mine.

When I’m shooting on a Ronin gimbal, I’ll use the EF 24mm. The wider field of view is perfect for drifting landscape shots or following a subject through an environment. But if I could only have one lens, it would be the EF 35mm for reportage or portrait. The EF 50mm is for stills. The EF 85mm is probably my least-used lens, but I find it hard to leave back at the studio—it’s a savior when shooting in busy environments where it’s hard to isolate your subject. As all my lenses are EF mount, I use the Canon EF-EOS R 0.71x mount adapter to convert lenses to their ‘stated’ focal length, despite the smaller sensor size of the EOS C70. 

When I’m deciding which kit to bring, another factor is my connection with the people I’m meeting. Is the kit going to get in the way of this connection? 

On this trip, I’ve been filming South Sudanese refugees with disabilities. These people are living incredibly tough lives, stuck in the perpetual stasis of a refugee setting, who are carrying personal and collective trauma. It’s my job, in this place, to afford them as much sensitivity and dignity as I can, while capturing their stories, core values, emotions and beliefs. If I can connect with them myself, at a fundamental level, then I can help viewers living completely different lives to connect too. Ultimately, this is what’s going to move them to action.

I am also keenly aware of the power imbalance in play when I—as a white person—am parachuted into their lives to ask them to bare their soul to me. I am incredibly humbled to have the opportunity to do what I do, celebrating humanity around the world. My kit choices are shaped by all this, as nothing must get in the way, take too much time to set up or present too much of a barrier between us.

I would encourage early career filmmakers and photographers not to get hung up on kit or compare themselves to others they look up to. Just to get out there and shoot. Use whatever you have to capture whatever moves you. Story is king, and shiny fast glass can always come later. 

Thanks, Thomas. Read more guides on the MPB Content Hub.