Truck Fleet of various Generators / Photo Credit: Light House Lights Inc.
GENERATORS IN MOTION PICTURE PRODUCTION… (In
the Entertainment industry. Movie
Making Manual/Power Sources)
Generators in Motion Picture Production
With the wide variety of generators manufactured for the
various local and international markets, it is important to understand the
benefits and drawbacks to each when it comes to their use in motion picture
production. The increasing use of personal computers and
microprocessor-controlled recording equipment in HD production has created an
unprecedented demand for clean, reliable power on set at a time when the trend
in lighting is toward light sources that generate dirty power. This why harmonic
distortion and maintaining a balance is so important.
On a film set, the power source is usually managed by the
Electrical Department. Depending on where you are shooting and the volume of
power the production requires, many different power sources are used. Typically
you are either using Stage Power, House Power, A Tie-In, or a Generator.
Stage Power
When filming on a sound-stage large amounts of power are
typically provided as part of the facility, although this is not always the
case. Typically, power is provided in the form of 3-phase 110v with Cam-Lock
hook-ups.
House Power
House power refers to power that is already installed
within a location. For example, if you are shooting in a apartment, House Power
refers to existing power installed in the apartment. House power is generally
not preferred because: lighting equipment can require more power than is
available, circuit-boxes can be difficult to locate in the event of an
overload, a relatively large amount of power is usually used which increases
the power-bill for that cycle.
Tie-ins
A Tie-In is a method of tapping directly into the power
that feeds a building from the city power-grid, thereby bypassing the limits of
the circuits that are installed in the building.
A Tie-In is a dangerous activity which requires experience
and skill. Improper methods can result in damage to city power-grids and death.
Generator
Generators are used in Motion Picture Production to
provide power to all the departments of the production, the most demanding on
which is the lighting department. Typically generators are used when filming on
location, as power is normally provided when filming on a sound-stage.
How are portable generators different from a mains power
supply?
There are two major differences between portable
generators (or any generators for that matter) and the mains supply:
- You have to keep tabs on what you put in, mainly fuel and
oil…
- You have to keep tabs on the kind of devices you plug in,
or you won’t get all the power it is capable of…
Due to these differences, the generator becomes another
tool that you must know well in order to get the best out of it. It’s not as
forgiving as a mains supply.
Which portable generators are the best?
We cannot go into detail here without getting into
electrical engineering specifics, but to summarize:
- An inverter generator produces the cleanest electricity
with the most stable voltage. You need this if you’re running sensitive
equipment like laptops, cameras, etc…
- Petrol/Gas or diesel generators are efficient. However, in
some countries, these fuels are scarce, and might be illegal to buy separately.
Kerosene generators are one viable replacement…
- A good generator should have more than one outlet, and
preferably the option to choose between 120 V and 230 V…
- Silent generators are often critical for film productions,
especially those that require production audio…
- The larger the fuel tank, the more fuel it can carry, and
the more it can run on a full tank. This will save you trips to the gas station…
- It must be compact, light and portable…
- An electric start is easier to handle than pulling a rope
cord…
- The most important thing: What is its power rating? The
more the better, but only if you need it...
Sources,
References & Credits: Google, Wikipedia, Wikihow, WikiBooks, Pinterest,
IMDB, Linked In, Indie Wire, Film Making Stuff, Hiive, Film Daily, New York
Film Academy, The Balance, The Numbers, Film Maker, TV Guide Magazine, Media
Match, Quora, Creative Skill Set, Investopedia, Variety, No Film School, Daily
Variety, The Film Agency, Best Sample Resume, How Stuff Works, Career Trend,
Producer's Code of Credits, Production Hub, Producers Guild of America, Film
Connection, Variety, Wolf Crow,
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Truck Fleet
of various Generators / Photo Credit: Light House Lights Inc.
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