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Cable Essentials

Mar 1, 2006 12:00 PM, By Jem Schofield

Prepare yourself for any situation with a complete selection of electrical, audio, and camera cables.

OK, let's start by getting one thing straight. Cables are not sexy. Not unless you're really weird, that is.

Cables are, however, a very important part of the video production process. Until we live in a completely wireless world (have you seen a WiFi 2K fresnel on a set recently?), cables will be a vital component of getting the job done.

The debate as to what makes a good or bad cable will go on forever (or at least until some new superconductive, xyz-plated, zero-noise, zero-cost, space-age material is found). What I'd like to do in this article, then, is talk about which cables and cable adapters are essential to have when you show up to smaller productions — basically, where there isn't a grip truck parked outside the location.

They say you get what you pay for. While this is a true statement for most things, in the world of cabling most pros would probably revise it to this: “Just don't buy cheap cables.”

So we're going to start by creating some categories for cabling in production work — the ones that are most relevant to the work we do. Those are, in no particular order, lighting/electrical, audio, and camera.

I'll also get input from some professionals who are in production environments all the time. They share the items that are in their “never leave home without” kit. I won't geek out here and give everyone a lesson on electricity (that's for another article or trip to Google); I'll just try to make sure you know what should be in your kit so you can avoid surprises that could easily delay or ruin a shoot.

OK. Let's get going.

Lighting and electrical

This is probably the simplest of all the categories, as most of the cabling you need for lighting already comes with what you've purchased or rented. What is important, however, is making sure that any stingers/extension cords/power cables (all the same thing) that you use can handle what you throw at, or more correctly, into them.

In this category, “heavy” and “duty” are the operative words. Don't go down to the corner store and pick up one of those multi-outlet brown or white extension cords that take only two-prong plugs. You're just asking for trouble. Try plugging a 1K hot light into that extension cord (please don't), and you'll find that they don't play well together.

My take on this is that no matter what you do, you're going to have to lug heavy cables around. And once you start loading in and setting up, you're not going to want to worry about what cables are being used for what purpose. To that end, make sure all the cables you're using are good-quality, heavy-duty, and have at least a 13-amp rating (15 wouldn't hurt). Of course, when you have a lot of lighting, you will definitely want to have a gaffer on set to handle everything.

There are a few types of stingers that I would keep in a kit, and make sure you also have options in terms of cable length. As far as what basics to keep in there, and where to get them, here are some suggestions:

“For EFP stuff, I always travel with four 25ft. stingers (power cables) and two quad boxes (four-outlet boxes),” says Robert Learner of Argo Cinematic. “Just buy the heavy-duty stuff at an electrical supply house.”

Learner adds, “I made my own dimmer boxes as well [to handle up to 1000W] — very simple and cheap. I also always carry heavy-duty multiple-outlet heads.”

Art Aldrich, who owns Gorilla Grip in New Jersey, says, “My motto on what cables to bring on shoots is ‘prepare for the unexpected.’ Twelve-gauge extension cords with triple heads — I carry multiple 25ft. and 50ft. lengths [and one 100ft.]. Multi-outlet boxes — always handy for things beside lights. Ground lifters (three-prong to two-prong adapters) — how many times have you shot in an old house?”

“I carry a spare cord for my Lowel DP head, in case the switch dies,” says Learner. “This cable works with other Lowel lights as well, and can power a monitor in a pinch. I like to have some small dimmer boxes with me to work with practicals.”

Many power cords are now sold with power-positive LEDs so you can always tell if they are on. This can be especially handy on a set where it's hard to see.

One other type of power cable that should be considered is a multiple-outlet extension cord. This a beast, but has outlets every 8ft. It comes in 25ft. and 50ft. lengths, has outlet covers, and usually has the power-positive LED feature to let you know if the cable is getting juice.

Audio

This is where it starts to get tricky. We're no longer in the world of 15-amp and 20-amp power cables. That's pretty straightforward stuff. Once we get to audio and camera connectivity, we now deal with many variables: different hardware using different connections, adapters, etc.

To help us sort this out in a simple way, Tim Mattson from Ambrosia Media Services, based in Hoboken, N.J., opened up his cabling kit for audio. Robert Learner and Art Aldrich will also share some additional thoughts.

Here are the cables in Mattson's audio kit:

• 2 - 20ft. XLR cables
• 2 - 10ft. XLR cables
• 1 - 1ft. XLR cable (or 1.5ft. XLR)
• 1 - XLRF (female) to mini-plug (1/8in.)
• 2 - Y cables: male RCA (phono) to stereo mini-plug
• 1 - 1ft. stereo mini-plug to stereo mini-plug
• 1 - 6in. stereo mini-plug to female RCA
• 1 - 8in. mono mini-plug to male RCA
• 2 - 1ft. female stereo 1/4in. to x2 male RCA
• 1 - 3ft. male balanced 1/4in. to XLRF
• 1 - 3ft. male balanced 1/4in. to XLRM (male)
• 1 - 3ft. male RCA to XLRM
• 2 - Female RCA to x2 mono male RCA
• 1 - Male to male XLR adapter
• 1 - XLRM to mini female plug adapter
• 1 - 10ft. stereo mini-plug to female stereo mini
• 1 - 15ft. male stereo 1/4in. to female stereo mini
• 1 - Stereo mini-plug to x2 female mono mini adapter
• 2 - Female stereo mini to mono mini-plug
• 6 - Female RCA to male 1/4in.
• 1 - Stereo mini splitter
• 4 - Female stereo mini to male 1/4in.

It's like being a boy scout. You have to be prepared. Having some right-angled XLRs can also be useful.

Regarding audio, Aldrich says, “Multiple XLRs — Canare makes the best wire. Lots of adapters, 1/4in. to mini, mini to RCA, turn-arounds, etc. These are useful when you need to feed a monitor or other consumer gear on location.”

Learner adds, “I bought all my stuff from Markertek [markertek.com], which terminates the appropriate Belden and Canare cable any way you want. Canare Quad Star is an audio standard for any kind of mic cable; quiet, flexible, durable. I usually travel with four 25ft. mic cables. I also have [XLR] connectors to join these cables if necessary.”

One thing to remember with audio and camera cables is that every project may require different cabling. That's why it's so important to be prepared for the unexpected.

Camera

While not as complex as audio cabling, camera connectivity is no picnic. There are so many types of connections to deal with today (S-Video, composite, component, SDI, HD-SDI, etc.), it is important to have the basics in your kit, then supplement or add to it when necessary.

Getting a signal from camera to monitor is important and takes preparation. Don't forget, you're usually taking both a video and audio signal from camera to monitor on your shoot.

There are so many different types of cameras and connectors today that doing a little bit of homework is beneficial before you buy everything but the kitchen sink. That said, there are some standard cables, connectors, and adapters you'll need when you show up to work:

• S-Video cables (with connectors to daisy-chain them).
• BNC to BNC
• RCA to RCA
• BNC to RCA (both ways)
• BNC to S-Video
• Various adapters (Y adapters, connectors, etc.)

Depending on your equipment, you might also be using SDI or HD-SDI outputs. If you're using the Canon XL H1, you may want to use an HD-SDI cable for recording. In that situation, you would need to make sure you have the correct cables for the job.

“My own analog video cables are made from either Belden 7787A or the unbundled [Y, Pr, Pb, not tied together] versions,” says Learner. “Flexible, durable, proper specs and properly terminated with 75-ohm BNC connectors. I always carry BNC-to-RCA adapters.”

He adds, “[As far as] digital video cable, like SDI, what I've seen on set is Belden and Canare.”

Aldrich says his camera cable kit is similar to his audio cable kit. “Lots of BNC cables in various lengths. S-Video cables. And, just in case, adapters that convert BNC to RCA and back.”

Conclusion

So what else should you remember to throw in your kit just in case? Well, today it's important to try to bring one of everything. And since we are talking all about cabling, don't forget to have a cable tester on hand. They run anywhere from $50 to $130 depending on brand and how many cable types can be tested. These small “bricks” allow you to test everything from BNC to XLRs and should be seriously considered as something to add to your kit.

Connectivity is unpredictable, just like the people on a shoot. You might find that there is Internet access at a location (and your producer needs it), but that it's not wireless and requires an Ethernet cable. So make sure you have one of those.

Let's say you're shooting on small-format, FireWire-based cameras and the director wants to see stuff in a Final Cut Pro or Avid timeline right now. Well, you should have a standard to mini (6-pin to 4-pin) FireWire cable with you so you can log and capture on set. I would also bring 6-pin to 6-pin FireWire cables along. Bringing a FireWire 800 cable wouldn't hurt, either.

Another scenario might be that you're using a newer small-format camera that supports USB 2.0. Make sure you have a cable with you to get that data into your system.

As you will inevitably be in low-light situations when working on a set or on location, make sure you have a few small flashlights with you when you are running or connecting cables. MagLites are my favorite. They're small and powerful, and with a twist of the top allow you to quickly change the beam of light from a flood to a spot.

There are so many scenarios that it makes sense to have a Swiss Army bag of cables to bring with you on every shoot. Component, composite, SDI, HD-SDI — there are so many types of connections you may need that you should start building your inventory so you are properly prepared (or you know what to ask for when you are renting).

And where do you buy all this stuff? Well, most probably start (and probably end) with Markertek or B&H Photo. There are other vendors out there, but Markertek and B&H Photo carry large inventories of the brands that professionals use. Markertek also makes its own cables and knows this business better than most.

In closing, this is by no means a complete list. There are A/V snakes that combine many of these cables together, as well as other favorites that individuals may keep in their kits. As you continue to work on various productions, really take a look at what people are using or need on a shoot.

Very few people are going to have everything that's listed in this article. But it does make sense to keep building your cable kit over time. That way, when you arrive at a shoot, there will be one fewer barrier to getting the job done.

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Jem Schofield is president and creative director of Buttons Productions, a creative company that specializes in providing video production, DVD, web, audio, and post solutions. Schofield can be reached at create@buttonsproductions.com.

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