While some production teams may rent video and sound equipment for off-site shoots, many travel to destinations with their own equipment — from audio cables and mic stands to cameras and recorders. Because many of these items are ultra-sensitive, it’s crucial that the cases they are housed in are durable enough to handle being tossed around.

Often, these types of road cases don’t yet exist on the market, but rather require a custom build.

When Stock Road Cases Don’t Fit the Bill…

Video and sound equipment comes in a variety of shapes and sizes. There’s the contrast between long, skinny boom microphones and the lapel mics that are clipped to someone’s shirt, or the widescreen flat-panel TVs with dimensions that can jump from 50” to 70”.

In the interest of time, it’s not uncommon for these and other kinds of audiovisual equipment to be placed in road cases that are large enough to accommodate them but aren’t fitted to them. This extra space can cause items to move around in transit and potentially break before arrival — especially without proper cushioning in place.

The other downside of the extra space is that it adds unnecessary weight to the case. As it becomes harder to handle and transport, there’s an increased likelihood that the case will be dropped and items inside will be damaged, and also that injuries can occur amid movement.

A Custom Road Case Delivers a Precise Fit

With dimensions and materials that are specified to your video and sound equipment needs, a custom road case ensures that your audiovisual gear remains protected — regardless of how far you travel or how you get there. During bumps in the road or turbulence in the air, audiovisual equipment will remain secure in its respective position, with the right padding in place to cushion these sensitive items. For instance, soft, spongy ester foam would be ideal to cradle lighter items while polyethylene would be better suited for heavier items.

Customization capabilities also give you the option to outfit your sound/video equipment case with caster wheels for ease of mobility. This streamlines the set-up/breakdown for an off-site shoot and keeps those involved in the process safer.

Timing Matters to You and to Our Team

As we insinuated earlier, stock road cases are often chosen based on their quick turnaround time versus the exact fit they provide. The good news is that with the online Road Case Designer tool you can get precisely the road case you need in a fraction of standard industry times — two to three weeks to be exact.

Interested in taking our DIY tool for a test drive? Try it out here. That way, when it’s time to book your next off-site shoot, you’ll be ready to roll!