Since this is a 4 year old post I thought it was a good time to update. Check out the new post here.
On Monday we'll be traveling to film with a partner of ours. This means figuring out everything, equipment-wise, that we need to bring vs. what we can rent on location. It can be a large task, but we do it often enough that we haven't left anything of significance behind before.
One thing that I like to do when I travel is to reorganize my personal bag to include just the 'essentials'. It's a great time to check and make sure you have what you think you have. Here's what's in my bag. Full picture at the bottom of the post.
- Mogics charger
The Mogics power donut is a must have. I have a few things that i need to plug in and charge at night. You also never know how many outlets you'll have in a hotel. Bringing a power strip in the bag would be unwieldy, but the mogics travel charger is fantastically small, portable, and easy to use! (not pictured, it's on my nightstand since we don't leave for 3 days =) - Cables for everything
I need a cable and wall wort for my: iPhone, Watch, Power Bricks, iPad, and Laptop. I also like to have extra in case others forget theirs! I also bring an hdmi cable and dongles in case we want to connect a hotel tv to a laptop or ipad. - Headache and Alergy medicine
There's nothing quite like being in a foreign city, working long days, and then ending up with a migraine or allergies. I also carry this on local sets because it often comes in handy for others. - A Bar
The emergency bar is rarely needed, but when - The latest copy of American Cinematographer
One of the few opportunities I get to read the magazine is when I travel. If their mobile app login worked then I wouldn't need the physical magazines when I travel, I could just use my iPad to read it digitally! (Fix it pulllease!) - iPad
My primary digital reading tool. I can get news, saved articles, and books on it. It also serves as my video platform on some flights. It is a little weird to me to watch content on planes. I'm not talking about whatever they're offering on the inflight channel, I'm talking about whatever I have on my own device. I think about subjecting my neighbors to whatever anime, marvel show, or movies I'm interested in at the time. Maybe they don't want to watch this weird anime with giant titans, or this movie about a robot with AI. Maybe no one cares as much as I do ;) - Laptop
There's no way getting around this. I'll likely need to offload footage, do research, or edit something. Just because I'm away from the office, doesn't mean the office is away from me #amiright! - Blutooth Headphones
I mostly prefer to listen to music, podcasts and books on tape when I travel. I love to look around and see where I'm going, and who I'm with, while at the same time enjoying content through my ears. The Hifi Elite is my jam! - Notebook & Pens
While I am wholly digital in how I work, I do like to take the occasional note or doodle on paper. You never know when your electronic device will die or not be available. Pen and paper never lose their charge. I use a Rocketbook. It's an awesome reusable notebook. - Lens Paper
This is one thing that can come in handy wherever you are. It's great for lenses, but also comes in handy with glasses and screens. I find that I use the lens paper in my bag more than what travels in our AC bag (also because I rarely am the one holding the AC bag).
You may have noticed, I don't keep toiletries or anything else for travel in my bag. It is smart to carry that stuff, but I hate having extra things in my bag. I'd rather ask the hotel for a toothbrush if my luggage doesn't arrive.
