One of the nice things about working in production is that in a lot of cases you can work from the comfort of your own home. During pre-production there isn’t always a production office to work from so it is a good idea to set up a space in your home that you can work from. Here is a list of things that I have added to my home office to help me while working as an assistant director and coordinator.
Second Monitor – Having a second monitor in your home office can be a tremendous help when you are going back and forth between the schedule and the call sheet or any other related documents. You may have an old monitor lying around the house, this is the best way to make use of it. This is a great time saver and will make your life much easier. Monitors available from Amazon.com
Cable to Connect your Computer to your TV – Mini Display Port to HDMI Adapter is just one of the adapters that might work for you, depending on the computer you are using you may need a different cable such as HDMI, HDMI to DVI Cable, HDMI to VGA or S-Video. Connecting your computer to your TV is a great way to display things for others to see. You may have production meetings at your home office and want to go through scheduling documents on a larger screen than what your computer offers. Bring work up on your TV and allow everyone to see it. It may also be nice to work on a larger screen. Cables available from Amazon.com
Wireless Keyboard and Mouse – If you are working with a laptop it is nice to have a wireless keyboard and mouse when you attach to your TV. This way you can work from the comfort of your couch and not be tethered to your laptop. Having a home office can be as comfortable as you want it to be. Wireless Keyboard and Mouse available from Amazon.com
All-in-One Printer – You will want to have a printer that can do anything, you never know when you are going to need to scan, print or fax something. There are tons of options out there but be sure to pick something that doesn’t cost a ton of money to replace the ink. Also get something that you can bring with you when you are working, you don’t want anything too bulky or heavy. All-in-One Printers available from Amazon.com
A Great Coffee Maker – Having a good coffee maker will get you through some long work days and sometimes nights. I recommend something that makes lattes and cappuccinos as well, if you are having production meetings at your place it is also nice to be able to offer fancy coffee to your guests. We here like to use a French Press too! Coffee Makers available from Amazon.com
There are plenty of things that you can add to your home office to make it the most efficient and comfortable working space for you. The above have helped me out in my years of production work. If there is anything that you have in your home office that I didn’t mention please share in the comments below, I am always looking for ways to improve my office.
Featured Image courtesy of TranceMist
