How to build a gear list for a shoot

Start from the job, not from the shelf.

A gear list is the written answer to "what do we need to bring, and who is bringing it?" It is used to quote the job, to book rentals, to pack the car, to check everything on the day, and to make sure it all comes back. A list made by walking past your shelves misses whatever you do not own. A list made from the job does not.

Begin with what the shoot has to achieve. For each setup, ask what you need to light it, capture it, hear it, power it, and move it. A one-person interview and a three-camera event need different lists even with the same camera.

Then note the conditions. Indoors or outdoors, mains power or batteries, how far the gear travels from the vehicle, and how long the day runs all change what belongs on the list.

What to write for each item.

A line that says "lights" helps nobody at 6 a.m. Each item should carry enough detail for someone else to pack it correctly:

• Name and model, specific enough to tell it from similar items.
• Quantity.
• What comes with it: batteries, charger, cables, case, mounting plate.
• Where it comes from: your own kit, a collaborator, or a rental house.
• Who is responsible for bringing it and returning it.
• Serial number or asset tag when you have several of the same thing or the gear is hired.

Rates belong on your copy of the list, not necessarily on everyone's. The crew needs to know what to pack; the client needs to know what they are paying for.

A one-day interview gear list.

This example is a single-camera sit-down interview in an office. It is a pattern to adapt, not a recommendation of particular equipment.

Notice what the list makes visible. One lens has to be collected from a rental house before the day. The sound kit depends on another person turning up with it. Small things that end a shoot when they are missing, such as batteries, cards, and cables, are written down.

Group the list, then share the right version.

Group items the way they will be packed and checked. By category works for a small crew: camera, lenses, lighting, audio, grip, power. On a bigger job, group by department or by the person responsible, so each of them has a short list of their own.

Lists change. A lens gets swapped, a light gets added after the location visit. Date each version, and make sure nobody is packing from last week's. When you send it out, decide what each reader should see. Collaborators need items and quantities. A client approving a budget needs the charges. A rental house needs the dates.

Check the list before the shoot.

Build, share, and bill the list in Aestro.

Aestro is a private workspace for freelancers: projects, invoices, gear, and people in one place. A gear list made here is not a separate document; it is part of the job and it feeds the invoice.

1. Fill your gear library. Use Add gear for each item, or Import gear CSV to bring in a spreadsheet you already keep. A template is provided.
2. Create the project. Add the client, the shoot dates, and the people working on it.
3. Build the list. On the Package tab choose New gear list, name it, and add items from your library. Use Add outside gear for the rental lens and the collaborator's sound kit.
4. Save it for next time. Save as reusable list turns your standard interview kit into a starting point for the next job.
5. Share it. Export PDF for a printed copy, or Share project for a link without your rates.
6. Bill it. Set the list to My rental income and choose the invoice under Billed on. The gear appears on the invoice as an Equipment rental section with quantities, days, and rates.

For pricing the gear you own, read the kit fee guide. For the invoice layout, see the gear rental invoice guide. The demo has sample projects with gear lists you can open without an account.