There’s more to a successful shoot than just the photo and lighting gear. There are plenty others bits and pieces to carry with you, that will enable you efficient and successful shooting and help you overcome gear problems that may emerge. We’ve seen plenty of great practical tips from Jay P. Morgan so far about these kits you can add to your regular gear. And this time, he’ll show you how to suspend objects and create motion using fishing line. You can assemble a kit to carry with you, so everything is in one place, ready to be used on the set.
Fishing line can be a fantastic tool for practical effects, as it’s not too visible, yet it can hold quite a weight. If you want to always have it ready for shooting, this is what you need to have in the kit, and how to use it:
1. Fishing line
Of course, the number one thing to have in this box is different kinds of fishing line. Transparent, brown and greenish one – they are all useful and fit for different kinds of sets, depending on the background color.
2. Different kinds of glue
This is another useful component to have in your fishing line kit. You can have a few tubes of different types of glue for different purposes, together with the accelerator that makes the glue harden almost immediately. You can use them to attach the fishing line to the objects you want to suspend. Aside from the super glue, you can also bring a hot glue gun and use it for the same purpose.
3. Canned air
If you use the hot glue gun to suspend the items, it takes a long time before it hardens. If you use the canned air on it, it will become solid in no time.
4. Safety pins and clothes pegs
Safety pins are ideal for suspending clothes, like dresses, ties, scarfs and the like. After all, you certainly don’t want to glue them to the fishing line. So, tie one end of the fishing line to the safety pin, and roll the rest of it onto the clothes peg, to make it easier for the assistant to hold it and direct it.
5. Scissors
Needless to say, you need something to cut that fishing line quickly and easily, so a good pair of scissors is a must.
6. Sharpies
Sharpies (or any other markers) in several different colors and sizes are another important part of the kit. If the fishing line is showing too much, you can paint it out.
7. Sticky putty, double sided tape
If you’re suspending objects on set, you’re gonna need to attach your fishing line somewhere, somehow. So, sticky putty and double sided tape are stuff to always have around. Good organization and having all in one place can save you from wasting time and getting stressed. This is why having a kit like this can be a lifesaver when you need to suspend objects on set and create motion. [Fishing Line Effects Box Quick Tip | The Slanted Lens]
