The Hidden Cost of 'Making Do' on a Film Set
Film and TV crews are some of the most resourceful people you'll ever meet.
Give them a roll of gaffer tape, a couple of cable ties and a problem to solve, and chances are they'll find a way to make it work.
And while that creativity is something to admire, we have to ask...
Has the film and TV industry become a little too good at making do?
The Five Minute Fix That Happens Every Day
Think about those little frustrations that have become part of everyday life on set.
The equipment case that needs unpacking every time you need something from the bottom.
The trolley that's awkward to manoeuvre through doorways.
The piece of equipment that doesn't have a proper storage space, so it gets balanced wherever there's room.
None of these problems seems particularly serious on its own.
But when you're dealing with them day after day, those little inconveniences start adding up.
Five minutes here. Ten minutes there.
And suddenly, you're spending a surprising amount of time working around your equipment rather than actually using it.
When 'That's Just How We Do It' Becomes the Problem
One of the most interesting things about working with film and TV crews is how adaptable they are.
But sometimes that adaptability means inefficient ways of working become completely normal.
You've always carried that awkward piece of kit separately.
You've always had to empty three cases to find one cable.
You've always needed two people to move something that really should be manageable by one.
But just because something has always been done a certain way doesn't mean it's the best way.
What if the problem isn't the way you're working, but the equipment you're working with?
The Real Cost Isn't Always on the Invoice
When productions are watching their budgets, it's understandable that new equipment can feel like an unnecessary expense.
But the cheapest solution isn't always the most economical in the long run.
There's the time spent searching for misplaced equipment.
The cost of replacing damaged kit.
The frustration of transporting equipment that wasn't designed with mobility in mind.
And the repeated inconvenience of setups that could be much simpler.
Good equipment doesn't necessarily need to be expensive or complicated.
It just needs to solve the right problem.
Maybe It's Time to Question the Little Things
At Hippo Carts, we're big believers in questioning how things are done.
Not because every problem needs a brand new invention, but because sometimes a small design change can make a significant difference.
An adjustable shelf. A better positioned handle. A dedicated place for equipment that otherwise gets thrown into a crate.
Simple ideas, but ones that can make working days that little bit easier.
And those are the problems we love solving.
So, What's Your Biggest 'Making Do' Moment?
We'd love to hear from people working across film and TV.
What's something you put up with every day on set simply because you've never found a better solution?
Maybe it's a storage frustration, a transportation nightmare or something that really shouldn't be as difficult as it is.
Tell us your biggest on-set frustration. You never know, it might inspire our next design.
At Hippo Carts, we design and manufacture film and TV production carts in our UK workshop, including bespoke solutions built around the people using them.
Find out more at www.hippocarts.co.uk.