The best gear for mobile video journalism and mobile filmmaking for broadcast and film.

A Mobile video gear list for making cinematic mobile filmmaking

Below is a list of gear options for rigs: from basic to high-end solutions for every type of mobile video production.

Pricing for the items shown is variable from market to market, so I provide the best available links that will point you to the latest versions offered for sale.

I am not a seller. I am not shipping products. I am an editorial reviewer and independent expert. I am not paid to promote products.

Simple, Sturdy Video Rig

Features a great-sounding mic, a face light and a solid grip to mount everything together.

A smartphone video rig.
We have outfitted hundreds of reporters with this simple, but professional video rig.

I show the actual gear that I use on real productions.

Essential Pro Video Gear

This is the mobile video gear that the Ukrainian journalists I trained are using for filming professional video. This wired, two mic solution will last a long time and is essentially foolproof.

These are the essentials: This humble rig is the foundation for more advanced setups.

This is the kit for Ukrainian journalists when we teach them in immersive mobile journalism workshops.

The gear list

At first you may be thinking that you will need extra lenses and a gimbals before you can shoot good quality video. That’s not true.

I find it is better to first focus on stability and sound.
Capturing good sound is always the most challenging issue and the one that makes the biggest difference at first.

When it comes to microphones, I always stick with the reliable manufacturers like Røde, Sennheiser, and Shure.

Microphones are the one thing you have to rely on. I only show the gear that I have tested in real field conditions.

Simple USB-C starter kit for Mobile Journalism

Here is a basic reporter kit that is complete and compact. It features a high quality lav mic, mini tripod and smartphone grip. It is a great choice for students and reporters who need a simple one microphone solution for their video tasks.

Note that this mic requires a USB-C connection, which means it will not work with iPhones that have a Lightning connection port. Android users should have no problems with this setup.

Simple cinema rig

My lightweight cinema rig allows me to capture captivating shots with great sound quality.

Gear list

Pro video editing rig

The Blackmagic DaVinci Resolve Speed Editor is a handy tool for doing high-quality color correction and editing tasks. With tactile buttons, intelligent shortcuts, and a fantastic jog shuttle, editing is a joy with this uint. It features bluetooth, a rechargeable battery, and a USB-C port.

It pairs well with an iPad Pro via bluetooth to provide a robust video editing suite for field documentary work.

Pro field editing package: The speed editor pairs via bluetooth with an iPad Pro and the DaVinci Resolve video editor app to provide superior color correction tools for professional documentary work. If you are working with 4K ProRes Apple Log video clips, you may also want to add an external drive like this popular Samsung 4TB model.

Pictured here is Rob Layton’s current documentary mobile film rig and Rob adds that the iPad Pro display is color calibrated, so you can trust the edits you make in the field. (Full disclosure, Rob and I were presenting together at the International Journalism Festival in Perugia)

Ideal drone for mobile filming

Joerdis was the first German journalist to report mobile journalism stories for Die Welt in 2007.
She reported daily podcasts and picture stories from the world’s largest trans-ocean race.

Today she is a licensed drone filmmaker and this is the drone she carries in her backpack for filming outdoor expeditions across the sea and the Alps

Gear List

Mobile Journalism textbook

“Mobile Journalism” is the textbook for teachers and media students.

Available in the following formats:
Personalized PDF | Apple Books | Kindle | Paperback

The ‘MOJO bible“ features 200 color illustrations, 170 double-page magazine-style page spreads, 16 videos, and 36,710 words.

Low-cost Teleprompter

iPhone teleprompter kit

I made this teleprompter rig with two old phones.
In my example an iPhones 6S+ for the camera (running Filmic Pro app) and Samsung S8 for the script display (Running the Parrot app).

I fly it in from my lighting grid with with a Manfrotto 122B. A Super Clamp and a Magic Arm.

Turn your old smartphones into a prompter.

The rig:

Parrot teleprompter 2 Kit with remote
Helium Cine cage
37-46mm Step-up ring
Shotgun Microphone kit
Pistol Grip Shotgun Mount
Apple Lightning to USB 3.0 Adapter
XLR audio interface
10 inch ring light

MAX MOJO Broadcast Rig

Here is a single mic rig that is sturdy and light — The Max Mojo Rig for covering events and Vox Pop interviews at broadcast quality.

mobile cinema rig filmmaking image

Filmmaking rig – Counterbalanced with multi-track audio

This is a steadi-cam style counter-balanced rig, ideal for mobile filmmaking.

Gimbals

When pros make smartphone videos with motion shots, they want smooth tracking.
I have tried the various third-party gimbals that you can attach a smartphone and I there is one DJI gimbal that my broadcast trainees prefer because they can set it up on a tripod and enable subject tracking. Using the DJI camera app they can record piece to camera shot and move about while the gimbal keeps them in the frame. All without the need for a camera operator.

I have learned that the models that work the most naturally for me are the ones that also come with an integrated camera.

For example, I filmed the shots of the Award-winning film “Sophie Sutton” using the original Osmo + 4K camera. That model has been replaced by the much smaller and still capable Osmo Pocket.

Osmo Pocket rig

The Osmo pocket is a nice little add-on camera that can capture smooth motion shots.


Here is a complete gear list for buildin up an Osmo Pocket setup that will get you great results with your iPhone attached. Complete micro movie making rig here!