5 Items to Help You Stay Cool On Set

It’s summer, which means more work and more hot days on set (not to mention years where temperatures hit record breaking highs). The combination of show blacks, overheated studios that need the air turned off for sound, and exhausting days can really do a number on you. Here are five items to beat that heat and keep your cool.

Most days, show blacks, or logo-free all black clothes are great when you’re working on set. Then summer hits and your show blacks become the bane of your existence as you sweat through your clothes immediately. This can be especially uncomfortable when wearing cotton, which absorbs sweat and leaves you hot and sticky, and eventually cold and clammy. For these situations, we recommend getting your hands on some moisture wicking blacks. Through a process called “capillary action,” moisture wicking fabric cools you down by quickly transferring sweat to the outer surface of synthetic fabrics such as polyester, nylon or wool.

When you’re working in the sun or a hot set, there’s nothing like a simple breeze. If you don’t have a nearby fan or air conditioner to get in front of, a personal fan can do wonders. If you’re a key grip, or working in a production job where the sound of a small personal fan might be too noisy, a portable or a mini phone fan you can turn on in between takes will do the trick.

These can be on the pricier side of things, but body cooling vests can really help keep your temperature down when a set is scorching. Body cooling vests are fairly light and constructed with quality cooling materials, and can stay cold for several hours, making even the hottest filming locations bearable. They can even be heated in winter, so that you can switch gears and be warm when you have to be on set in the cold weather.

Sometimes a simple solution is the best solution. Slipping a cooling towel over your camera or under your hat can make the world of a difference. It’s also an inexpensive way to keep cool on set so that you can keep going during a hot day of film production.

Cooling towels are cold to the touch when damp and provide a refreshing chill when the heat really kicks in. Cooling towels can stay cold for multiple hours, and all you have to do is soak it in water, ring out the excess liquid and snap or shake it a few times before you put it on. The moisture in the cooling towel’s fabric absorbs heat off your skin and moves it away from your body, where it evaporates into the surrounding air. This helps lower your skin and body temperature, effectively cooling you off on a hot set.

Speaking of simplicity, the number one essential is your basic bottle of water. When you’re working on a hot set indoors or outdoors, you’d be surprised how often you forget to hydrate your body. If you’re not hydrated, no amount of cooling gadgetry will be able to stop you from sweating on a hot set. Dehydration can lead to heat exhaustion or worse. Always keep a bottle of water on you – and stock up on ice if you can.

You can find deals on any of these items at various online retailers. Try comparing prices with Google Shopping, Amazon and others. And because every penny counts when you buy online, be sure to look for promo codes and coupons via discount apps like Honey, Rakuten or Dosh.

Looking to crew your next project or get hired for your next production gig?  Find your next gig at Staff Me Up and get on set today!

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