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Buying a gift for a filmmaker can be tricky. Chances are you can’t afford (or choose) technical gadget, but want to find something more memorable than a chocolate bar.
In this article, we’ve collected inventive, affordable and funny gift ideas – to help you out in case your filmmaker friend is NOT currently running a crowdfunding campaign. The ideas are categorized by price and key filmmaking roles (we will add more, please send us your suggestions!)
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General Film Related Gifts
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A Movie (bashing) Night
A movie night doesn’t have to be a date night. Treat your filmmaker friend to a film, followed by a deep analysis session in the bar. For this purpose, bad films works just as well as good ones.
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A Special T Shirt
It’s a classic, but it works! As an added bonus, the recipient will have people staring at their chest for much longer than is considered appropriate. Check out Filmsourcing Zazzle shop for some golden ideas.
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A Tribute Movie Poster
Much less ‘hard sell’ and much more visually interesting than your regular movie posters. We’re particularly fond of the designs of Ibraheem Youssef from Toronto.
Gifts for Screenwriters
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Prepaid Coffees
Working from home, you welcome any excuse to leave the house. Get your writer friend a gift card to a local cafe. Just make sure there are comfortable chairs, private corners and multiple power points for a laptop.
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A Screenwriting Workshop
Ranging from cheap and simple to pricey and acclaimed (Such as Robert McKee’s Story Seminar). To be safe, go for an online workshop they can take anywhere, any time. Writer’s Store has a great list of options.
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The Comfiest Pants
The joy of working from home can be maximized by appropriate clothing. No writer splurges on sweatpants, so there’s great gift potential. Eco, deluxe, hipster…
Gifts for Directors
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Personal Vouchers
Tight on cash? Vouchers are awesome! You can donate your time, skills or anything your director friend / partner is short of. Directors are constantly short of something.
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A Customized Director’s Chair
Buy a standard director’s chair from Ebay, Amazon or similar and customize it with a funky new fabric and / or text using iron-on letters.
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Storyboarding App
Directors may be visionary, but it doesn’t mean they can all draw. A storyboarding app like Storyboard Composer can save a lot of time and embarrassment.
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70+ Downloads For Filmmakers on One Page!
Gifts for Actors
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A Rehearsal App
This app claims to make it easier to learn lines. At 20 dollars, it’s a bit pricey for an app but still under many Secret Santa spending limits.
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A Tee with Attitude
Actors can pull of moody T shirts like nobody else. In this case playing it safe is actually not that safe. Just buy the craziest thing, they will either wear it or not. It’s a gamble.
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New Head Shots
Actors need to get their head shots updated regularly, so this will never go to waste. Plus, it means new profile pics on all those social media channels…
Gifts for Camera Crew
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Digital Cinema Pocket Guides
Camera operators and assistants are faced by constantly changing equipment and nobody can keep it all fresh in their memory. These pocket guides by the Black and Blue make life a lot easier.
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Gaffer Tape
There can never be too much gaffer tape. This product easily disappears on the set, so for a combined personalization and anti-theft effect, super glue the recipients face on the inside of each roll.
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An Emergency Bivvy
Camera assistants are fond of space blankets. Take it one step further by getting them an emergency bivvy. It helps hold on to the body heat when the shoot goes into overtime and it gets colder and colder in that swamp.
Gifts for Audio Crew
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A Smart Ass Thermos
This will not just keep their coffee warm but also buy them a few extra minutes for drinking it. If only…
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A Massage
Know a boom operator? They will definitely appreciate this! Depending on their personality, opt for a traditional kneading or something crafty like acupuncture.
Gifts for Editors
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Vitamin D
With long hours spent in windowless rooms, editors are likely to miss out on sunshine. Since vitamin D deficiency is linked to a weakened immune system, lower cognitive function, weight issues, asthma, cancer and heart attacks (to name a few), this gift is seriously nice.
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Shirt
Okay, it’s not the most unique of ideas, but T shirts can communicate so much. This one says you appreciate the late nights your editor has put in while trying to fix what you messed up during the shoot. Or you can just give them a card that says “sorry”.
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An Overnight Office Chair
Sometimes… you need to extend your work hours to the point that it makes no sense to even go home. That’s where this genius chair comes in. Plus it’s great for taking naps.
