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Whether they're a pro or just getting into the movie-making game, here are some of the coolest gifts to help them hone their cinematic craft.
By Thomas Hindle, Danielle Direto-Meston December 6, 2024 11:43 am
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Whether you’re a professional or an amateur filmmaker (or shopping for one), today’s smartphones make it incredibly easy to create big-screen-worthy content without a budget-busting kit. Oscar-winning director Kathryn Bigelow said at the iPhone 13’s reveal in 2021 that its cinematic cameras “might even birth a new genre,” while Apple’s latest iPhone 16 features a 48-megapixel back camera, 12-megapixel ultrawide lens and a 12-megapixel front “selfie” camera. (The smartphones can also capture video at 4K Ultra HD resolution at up to 60fps.) For those looking to top up on technical knowledge or play with some of the newest toys, we’re rounding up some of the best gifts for filmmakers of all ages and skill levels. Related Stories Lifestyle The Best Last-Minute Holiday Deals on Dyson's Airwrap, Supersonic Nural and Other High-End Hair Tools Lifestyle The Top Can't-Go-Wrong Gift Ideas For Your Hardworking Executive Assistant
From fancy cameras and precise microphones to sound engineer-approved headphones, there is no shortage of accessories for future directors and cinematographers. And it’s truly a question of personal preference; filmmakers rely on their perfect combination of equipment to produce the look and feel they want. For that very reason, buying the best gift for the aspiring filmmaker in your life can be quite difficult. After all, they probably own what they already want.
Related: The Best Gifts for Digital Nomads, From Smart Office Gear to Tech Must-Haves
That’s why practical and personal gifts are an excellent fit for any movie creator you know. Tripods can simplify the content creation experience, while posters and books make great gifts for your recent film school grad. A new camera is always among the best gifts for film students on a budget, along with laptop-friendly backpacks that let them work from anywhere. (May we also suggest a print or digital subscription to this very publication?)
So, whether your recipient is just starting out or has a wealth of experience (or maybe you’re treating yourself to new gear), here’s an eclectic selection of the best gifts for filmmakers or anyone else who loves movies and TV.
Need more ideas? Check out The Hollywood Reporter‘s holiday gift guides here.
Whether they use it as decor or on set, no aspiring filmmaker’s kit is complete without a movie clapboard. This acrylic dry-erase filming slate comes with an eraser and two pens.
Our new favorite essential for on-the-go group shots, selfies and videos, the credit card-sized Pocket Tripod universal kit slips easily into wallets and fits a range of phones. (It includes nine adapters with different widths for customizing the fit.)
On-the-go film fanatics can turn any spot into a movie theater with Kodak’s Luma 150 portable projector, which delivers 1080p HD video as large as 150 inches on any wall or other flat surface. It can be plugged into an Amazon Firestick or Roku to watch movies and TV shows from streaming accounts or mirror your laptop or smartphone screen for presentations. It has built-in speakers and USB ports for supporting flash drives loaded with photo or video files, and the rechargeable battery lasts up to 2.5 hours.
They’re going to need a lot of space to jot down their future script and scene ideas, and this Storyboard Notebook has 170 pages for them.
A photographer friend recently recommended Benro’s lightweight tripod as one of his favorite gifts for budding shutterbugs and videographers. It weighs just over 2.6 pounds (or upgrade to the carbon fiber option that’s only 2.4 pounds) and folds up into a compact size for easy travel in the included storage bag.
For editors, writers or producers who prefer in-ear headphones, Apple’s best-selling AirPods Pro 2 provide excellent noise cancellation, sound quality, Spatial Audio and other professional-approved features to keep them focused.
Test their Tinseltown knowledge with the Cinephile game that includes 150 illustrated cards with questions about film and pop culture.
There’s nothing quite like learning from the best. That’s exactly what a Masterclass subscription provides: top-notch video lessons from some of the most accomplished professionals in the filmmaking field. There’s something for everyone, including anyone inspired by Shonda Rhimes’ many hit TV series, Ken Burns’ documentaries, Aaron Sorkin’s quick writing, Michael Lewis’ investigative chops or Natalie Portman’s approach to acting (to name just a few topics and celebrity instructors on the platform.) Plus, MasterClass is on sale for 40 percent off for a limited time.
A gourmet grub experience is just what they need to upgrade their home movie theater. This gift box includes popcorn kernels and two seasonings (salted caramel and white cheddar) from Dell Cove, a W&P personal popcorn bowl and Andrew Rea’s Eat What You Watch movie-inspired cookbook.
Maybe they’re a new or soon-to-be film school grad, or they wrapped their first big project. Toast their accomplishments with Megalopolis director Francis Ford Coppola’s Director’s Cut Cinema Red Blend 2019 made at the Oscar-winning filmmaker’s Sonoma County winery. (If they’re more into whites, Coppola has other options ranging from sauvignon blanc chardonnay.)
A subscription to American Cinematographer will help them keep up with the latest and greatest in the industry, with monthly issues featuring in-depth interviews with directors, lighting and camera work tutorials, the best camera gear releases, historical featurettes on Tinseltown’s best works and more.
Joby’s original Gorilla Pod offers a crucial amount of versatility when filming. Able to function as a regular tripod, it’s an excellent complement to any camera (even smartphones) and is great for curved, uneven surfaces. If they’re into livestreaming or creating content for social, the company’s PodZilla and the Beamo LED light are also some of the best gifts for online content creators.
If they’re regularly shooting outdoors, upgrade their budget setup with Sennheiser’s professional shotgun microphone (compatible with Canon 5D to 7D cameras and others), which “effectively attenuates noise coming from the sides and rear,” per the brand. There’s also an option to minimize wind noise and it can be used with or without a battery.
This shoulder rig kit for DSLR cameras helps budding cinematographers get that perfect steady shot with smooth movement and precise focus.
Feeling generous? For filmmakers, editors and motion graphics designers and VFX animators, Apple’s Mac Pro can handle it all. It’s equipped with the Apple silicon processor, lightning-fast M2 Ultra chip and Media Engine, offering “unprecedented speed and efficiency” for editing 8K video, 3D rendering, video transcoding and more.
You never know what’s going to happen on set — and this multi-functional pen features nine convenient tools to ensure they’re always prepared.
A favorite among DIY filmmakers and content creators, Aputure’s Amaran MC mini on-camera video light offers a CCT range of 3200-6500K and built-in lighting effects to recreate fireworks, paparazzi flashbulbs, TV, lightning, police cars, parties and more.
Filmmakers have to be ready to adapt to a variety of climates and conditions, especially if they want to make a documentary. Now compatible with new HB-Series lenses, the latest GoPro Hero13 Black waterproof action camera boasts a 27MP camera that shoots 4K and 5.3K Ultra HD video, Bluetooth connectivity for AirPods and other audio devices for wireless recording and sound control, 2x digital zoom, HyperSmooth 6.0 video stabilization and a HyperView digital lens that offers 8:7 and 9:16 aspect ratios. Content creators will dig the webcam mode for livestreaming and vlogging, and the camera has a rechargeable, long-lasting battery. Of course, GoPro is known for withstanding the elements, so users can shoot underwater as deep as 33 feet.
Help them manifest their name on the big screen with this Written & Directed By hardcover journal that can be personalized with their name.
Nikon’s Z f compact mirrorless digital camera is a treat for photographers and videographers. In our hands-on testing, we were impressed with the autofocus and video stabilization while taking photos during hikes and bumpy rides through Arches National Park. The 24-70mm lens kit is especially great for taking portraits, landscape photos and smooth 4K video with ease, and it’s excellent in low-light situations (we shot many gorgeous and blur-free full moons in Utah and Colorado).
A trusted and sizeable memory card — like SanDisk’s generous 2TB Extreme Pro — lets them stay focused on snapping and shooting all day without worrying about running out of space.
Speaking of digital space, having several memory cards going at once is a normal part of being a filmmaker. And a particularly thoughtful gift is something to keep everything together. Kiorafoto’s card holder can store 12 SD cards and is entirely waterproof.
production jumbo paper bags line Regeneration: Black Cinema (also available at the Academy Museum’s online store) explores the overlooked history of Black filmmakers, performers and producers such as Lena Horne, Bert Williams, Oscar Micheaux, Dorothy Dandridge, Herb Jeffries and many, many others. Spanning 288 pages and covering the period between 1898 and 1971, the must-have coffee table book has a foreword by Whoopie Goldberg and includes insightful interviews with award-winning contemporary filmmakers Ava DuVernay, Barry Jenkins, Julie Dash, Charles Burnett and Dawn Porter.