TIPS 

Good cameras are not very expensive these days, so one thing you can do to be more productive is to always roll with at least 2.

Using two of the same camera (or two with the same color science) is the easiest way to make the colors match between cameras (less work in post-production.)

Here's the way I would go about building up a kit if you aren't rich, but want to follow the "Always shoot with 2 cameras" method. Get a 2nd camera going, even if it's just a GoPro, at first.

We all know that good audio is almost as important as good video, so make sure to stay backed up (an easy way is using a Zoom H1e as a passthrough.)

There’s no greater disaster then being in the right place, at the right time, but not getting the shot! One great backup is using an HDMI recorder!

I use T-Lighting because it’s faster to set up and less expensive than 3-point lighting (and yields similar results!) T-Lighting is much more versatile because it can be used in spaces with low ceilings.

I take this tip seriously, because I've been through the "burnout" stuff. Yet, if you make your production methods simple, you always have them to fall back on when you’re too stressed to think.

Portability is the main reason I prefer compact gear, but there are cost and speed reasons as well, especially if you're setting up and tearing down all by yourself.

This tip is all about security and avoiding getting robbed when you put gear in your vehicle...but it also really speeds up setup and teardown!

If you do lose everything for some reason (theft, financial reasons, etc.) this tip makes it much easier to rebuild a budget filmmaking kit.