Fred Salles Posted March 30 Report Share Posted March 30 Hi. I have just learnt about this company making power generator out of rechargeable batteries (a BIG portable. battery with built in AC converter basically) specially tailored for film work. Overkill for sound equipment but what it means is no more damn noisy, stinky and polluting fuel generators on set! An that is great news for us all. It is a french company but I am sure their products will spread to the rest of the world soon if not already. As a matter of fact I heard about them from a gaffer in Kenya and the company is based in my home town Marseille 😅 worth spreading the word to our gaffer and producer friends: https://pessenergy.com/en/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Norris Posted March 30 Report Share Posted March 30 There are a number of companies that have these available in the US in various smaller sizes for different applications. We've been using them for Live TV News Location Production for a few years now. I do not miss the generators or running vehicles for AC power. Cheers, Tim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PMC Posted March 30 Report Share Posted March 30 The gaffer used a couple of these, https://zendure.com/products/superbase-pro-2000 on set last week to power large Aputure lights during a day of bus driving interior scenes. I don't know if they put out sinewave or squarewave but it didn't bother my wireless mics. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tourtelot Posted March 30 Report Share Posted March 30 Battery power sources and LED lamps. What a different world we live in today. I always hated the "generator dance". (Although I still fondly remember the big arc lamps of yesteryear. They were magnificent in their brute strength, pun intended). D. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VASI Posted March 30 Report Share Posted March 30 There is also an intersting interview from ARRI with "Poor Things" Gaffers. https://www.arrirental.com/en/about/overview/news/arri-rental-talks-lighting-with-poor-things-gaffers?fbclid=IwAR3wQx9rhhnnnAkAT4YeDaJAxcPSFbq2qf3wYWQOlWH8t6n3oIPoKsIrOgU_aem_Ac7q_Jhj1HmK-0NVk78xd_4v8IWb74XqhJ4dP6IpHID7tAwPSaw7NhglTE72aEoIQU_DEg1EY6PxsUoRWKZMRwph What lighting fixtures did you use to light the actors’ faces? GM: We lit the faces using a SkyPanel S60 with Chimera attachment, strictly from batteries because cables were never allowed on the set floor. I was happy when Yorgos mentioned that he didn't want to see cables; I don’t like to see them on the floor either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Documentary Sound Guy Posted March 30 Report Share Posted March 30 We've been producing these locally in Vancouver since about 2019: https://portable-electric.com/voltstack-power-stations/voltstack-30k-power-station/ There's a press release about a 200kW version, but it doesn't seem to be a current product. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mungo Posted April 7 Report Share Posted April 7 Way better than loud stinking generators but I fear those will get louder and louder since more power means more and bigger fans for cooling them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Constantin Posted April 7 Report Share Posted April 7 On 3/30/2024 at 4:16 PM, VASI said: was happy when Yorgos mentioned that he didn't want to see cables What a weird and random thing to say. But I guess everyone needs their quirk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VASI Posted April 11 Report Share Posted April 11 On 4/7/2024 at 10:45 AM, Constantin said: What a weird and random thing to say. But I guess everyone needs their quirk I have posted as "hand by hand" by the end of fual generators and going to more "green" energy. I would like to see solutions like this (with parity of zero cables from AC to lights) on set soon (to be the new "normality"). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Constantin Posted April 11 Report Share Posted April 11 13 minutes ago, VASI said: I have posted as "hand by hand" by the end of fual generators and going to more "green" energy. I would like to see solutions like this (with parity of zero cables from AC to lights) on set soon (to be the new "normality"). I agreee with fuel generators moving to battery and green power, sure, that‘d be great. But as a director to basically demand to have no cables visible anywhere is ridiculous. It’s a movie set after all Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Philip Perkins Posted April 12 Report Share Posted April 12 These power units are pretty darn expensive.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wandering Ear Posted April 12 Report Share Posted April 12 EcoFlow systems have become somewhat popular here in Seattle, probably in part due to a local gaffer becoming a rep and selling / supporting them. While they haven’t replaced generators in any large scale, they did completely save a shoot recently when our building was struck by lightning and that fried some of the central buildings circuitry. Brand new building should’ve handled it better, but didn’t. Mid day we had no power and were still able to shoot the rest of the day with a few adjustments. As the price comes down, these batteries are going to change the way we work for the better! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VASI Posted April 17 Report Share Posted April 17 Shape has a new one from NAB https://www.newsshooter.com/2024/04/16/shape-power-station-15000wh-basecamp-first-look/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olle Sjostrom Posted April 18 Report Share Posted April 18 Possible de-rail but also, I think, interesting: which one is more explosive? Fuel or battery powered generators? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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