FILM PRODUCTION AND PHOTOGRAPHY COURSE EQUIPMENT AND/OR SUPPLIES
Welcome to the Park School of Communications!
During your first year, you will be taking Introduction to Photography and Cinema Production 1.
For Introduction to Photography, you will need to have a digital SLR camera––one that has the option of
controlling aperture and shutter speed manually, and that can shoot in RAW (or NEF, for Nikon cameras)
format. An example of a good quality entry level digital SLR would be the Nikon D3300, which is just under
$500 new on Amazon.com. Canon, Pentax, and Olympus also offer lower cost digital SLRs in their product
lines. These cameras typically come with a 18mm to 55mm focal length lens. You do not need any other lens.
You should also have a 32GB or 64GB flash drive for the camera. If available, some students borrow a camera
from a parent or relative for the semester.
For Introduction to Photography you will also need to purchase approximately $150.00 of expendable items
such as paper on which to print photographs. There is no need to purchase these items beforehand. Your
professor will give you a detailed list of available suppliers the first week of classes.
In upper-level photography courses you will be working with digital and medium-and large-format cameras.
These cameras may be borrowed from the Park Portable Equipment Center (PPEC), so there is no need to
purchase them.
For Cinema Production 1, in addition to the textbook, Filmmaker’s Handbook by Ascher, 4th edition, ISBN
9780452297289, (approximately $30), you will need to purchase an external storage device (portable 500gb
minimum with USB 3 (not USB 2), approximately $100 (Lacie Rugged, G-Tech, or WD My passport
recommended, supply of AA batteries, gels, memory cards and other expendables.
The storage media can be purchased at numerous stores. Your professor will give you more info on this the
first week of classes.
Computer, Hardware, and Software Recommendations
Students are not required to purchase a computer.
For those anticipating a concentration in cinema production or photography who plan to make a computer
purchase before coming to school, a MacBook Pro is a good choice, since the production labs are set up for
Macs. There is no platform preference for those students who plan to pursue the BFA in Writing for Film,
Television, and Emerging Media.
Incoming students should NOT purchase any software until they are at school since substantial discounts are
available once enrolled at the college/university level.
Please note that students should NOT purchase any additional supplies without prior notice from their specific
faculty member as each faculty member’s requirements are a bit different.
32GB (class 10 or higher) SD card - can be purchased in department office for approx. $15
We hope this information is helpful. See you in August.
6/10/15