Tools of the Trade: How We Tailor Our Gear to Tell the Right Story
Every production tells its story twice, once through the people on screen, and once through the tools behind the camera. At Two Doors Down Productions, we believe the right gear is not just equipment, it’s the language we use to translate vision into reality.
The diversity of productions we take on asks a lot but it gives back even more. From lifestyle content to high-end branded films, our team thrives in a wide range of environments, applying creative expertise that highlights both strategic vision and cinematic craft. Great storytelling starts with the right tools. That means not just the right cameras and lenses, but also the right crew. Every project has its own creative rhythm, and for us adaptability isn’t just a mindset, it’s a core principle that guides every frame we capture.
There is no pre-set formula, and our ability to pivot in real time is what sets us apart. We listen first, then build the right setup to match the story, pace, and environment. Whether we’re filming in a remote Alaskan fishing village or a global corporation’s boardroom, our mantra is simple: use the tools that serve the story, nothing more and nothing less.
In this article, we’ll showcase insights from our global creative community and highlight the gear and techniques that have shaped some of our recent productions.
Alaska - Working With the Unpredictable
Alaska is as breathtaking as it is unpredictable. With no location scout and constantly shifting weather, flexibility quickly became our crew’s greatest asset.
Co-cinematographer Kyle Maddison knew he would be working almost exclusively with natural and practical light. To maximize flexibility, he leaned on the Sony 28–135mm f/4 G PZ OSS lens, a cinema zoom designed with an internal power zoom, parfocal design, and optical image stabilization. Its ability to hold focus through the zoom range and adjust framing without a lens swap meant Kyle could adapt instantly when weather or light shifted.
“You don’t want to pause every few minutes to swap lenses,” he shared.
That single lens accounted for nearly 85% of the footage shot in Alaska. It kept Kyle nimble, and let him keep his hands under a rain cover, a necessity when working in heavy mist and unpredictable showers.
Meanwhile, co-cinematographer and drone operator Bailey Galvin-Scott leaned into tools that balanced intimacy and scale. His primary camera was the Sony FX6, a compact full-frame cinema camera with a dual-base ISO system (800 and 12,800) for low-light flexibility and fast hybrid autofocus for tracking action. The FX6 allowed him to be light on his feet, while still delivering cinematic shallow depth of field and dynamic range.
For extreme close-ups, Bailey used Laowa 24mm Macro Probe lenses, known for their ability to capture unique perspectives with their extended barrel design. These lenses let him document small details like the iridescence of fish scales and the rugged surfaces of crabs while maintaining a safe distance from water and wildlife.
To scale up from the micro to the macro, Bailey deployed the DJI Mavic 3 Cine drone. With its 4/3 CMOS Hasselblad sensor, high dynamic range, and Apple ProRes recording, it delivered aerial footage that matched the FX6 in color science and tonal depth. Flying through tidal flats and over rugged terrain, the drone became essential in capturing the wild duality of land and sea.
On this shoot, even the clothing became part of the kit. Durable waterproof boots gave the crew the freedom to shoot confidently on wet decks and slick rocks, proof that sometimes the simplest “gear” decisions make all the difference between missing and capturing the moment.
Florida - High Heat, High Stakes
If Alaska was raw and untamed, Florida was all about precision and control. Working with a world-class golfer, our 15-person crew needed to balance artistry and efficiency.
Director of Photography Kevin Johnson approached the shoot with one goal: highlight both precision and ease. To achieve that, the team leaned into specialty high-frame-rate gear and top-tier cinema cameras.
The centerpiece was the Freefly Ember S5K, a newly released global-shutter cinema camera capable of shooting up to 800fps at 5K resolution. Unlike traditional rolling-shutter cameras, the global shutter eliminated motion distortion, making every grain of sand from a bunker shot perfectly suspended in mid-air.
“Slow-mo sand explosions? Yes, please,” Kevin said.
“At 25x slow motion, a golf swing becomes a thumbprint unique to every player,” added cinematographer Matt Golden.
Alongside the Ember, we used the ARRI Alexa 35, ARRI’s flagship Super 35 cinema camera. Known for its 17 stops of dynamic range and REVEAL Color Science, the Alexa 35 gave the shoot unparalleled latitude in Florida’s harsh sunlight. It delivered rich shadow detail and smooth highlight roll-off, ensuring skin tones looked natural even under the intensity of midday heat.
Kevin reflected on the choice, sharing, “The Alexa 35 gave us the kind of depth and richness you just can’t replicate. The colors felt cinematic straight out of camera, and it gave us the confidence to push the grade without worrying about clipping detail.”
To complement those two A-cams, a ShotOver G1 gimbal rig was custom-mounted to a golf cart. This six-axis gyro-stabilized platform carried cinema cameras while maintaining horizon lock at speed. With this rig, operator Stephen McGee achieved complex tracking shots across fairways that would have been impossible using handhelds.
Supporting gear included Sony FX3 and FX6 units for B-roll and behind-the-scenes coverage, plus a drone operator capturing aerials. The combined toolkit let the team cover multiple perspectives simultaneously — including macro, wide, aerial, ultra-slow motion, and high-dynamic-range cinematic looks — all while racing sunrise.
The precision of the gear matched the precision of the sport. Months of pre-production came together in just 120 minutes of shooting, proof that meticulous planning and technical execution go hand in hand.
One Story, Two Cities, 72 Hours
Another recent challenge involved capturing a global partnership announcement with executive interviews in both New York and London within a 72 hour window.
In this instance, the team deliberately stripped the setup to essentials. A Sony FX9 with Canon CN-E cinema primes created a warm, natural portrait look. Paired with ARRI Skypanel S60-C LEDs, the lighting added soft key light and gentle wrap, emphasizing skin tones, and creating visual continuity across two continents.
By locking color temperature at 5600K and maintaining identical LUTs for both locations, the footage cut seamlessly despite differing backgrounds. The technical precision kept the audience focused on the executives’ words, not on visual distractions.
This was not about flashy equipment. It was about restraint. Every gear choice was made to reinforce the story: confident, clear, and consistent.
What We Carried In, What We Brought Out
The gear we use is only as powerful as the intention behind it. From Alaska’s unpredictable weather to Florida’s high-stakes precision to New York and London’s controlled environments, every production demanded adaptability and purpose.
At the end of the day, our process is simple: listen first, build a toolkit around the story, and trust the team.
Or as Kevin summed it up quite powerfully:
“We rely on one another, overcoming challenges not just on the day of a shoot but in the weeks leading up to it. That trust is everything.”