Snow Days, Sony Cameras, and the Art of Looking the Part

By Elwood Folse | Hell Cat Productions | Week 4

This week at Hell Cat Equipment has been an exercise in patience, adaptation, and the occasional sartorial dilemma. Between weather mishaps and learning curves, I’ve spent more time researching from a distance than actually getting hands-on experience in the hangar. But hey, that’s part of the process, right?

Monday was Martin Luther King Jr. Day, which meant a day off. Tuesday, however, was a full-blown snow-in. Whether we were snowed in or out is up for debate, but either way, getting to the hangar was impossible. That left me with remote work, which, fortunately, gave me the chance to dive into something crucial: learning how to use the Sony cameras they have in the studio.

White Balance and Trial by Fire

Sony’s professional cameras are a different beast compared to the ones I’ve used before. One of my biggest takeaways from this self-guided crash course was understanding white balance—something that seems simple on paper but is a game-changer in practice. Controlling how each camera’s settings translate across different modules required some trial and error, but with enough research, I started piecing things together.

Of course, cameras are only one part of the equation. The real mystery? The lighting setup.

How Do You DIY a 10-by-10-Foot LED Screen Light?

Short answer: you don’t.

While there are thousands of online resources for learning about cameras, lighting is a different story—especially when the tools at hand include a massive LED screen light that practically demands hands-on instruction. No YouTube tutorial can replace in-person experience when it comes to setting up and fine-tuning a lighting rig of this scale. So, for now, I remain in the dark—literally and figuratively—until I can get back to the hangar and learn from the pros.

The Workwear Conundrum: Dress for the Job You Want?

Beyond technical learning, I’ve also been navigating the social landscape of the workplace. I’ve built a strong rapport with David, one of the key players at Hell Cat Equipment, and our early meetings have gone well. That said, I did have a small realization: I may have been overdressed.

Most of the crew works in the field, hauling equipment and setting up production spaces, which means sneakers, jeans, and comfortable shirts are the standard uniform. Meanwhile, I’ve been showing up looking like I’m ready for a client meeting. While I’ll probably keep things sharp for more white-collar tasks, I may need to adjust my approach when it comes to hands-on days—no sense in being the only one sweating through a button-up while everyone else is in work mode.

Looking Ahead

Once the weather clears up and I can get back into the hangar, my focus will be on two things: getting real-world practice with the lighting setup and fine-tuning my camera skills. There’s only so much that can be learned from reading and watching videos, and I’m eager to apply everything in a live setting.