What CineSetup stands for
CineSetup was born from a fairly simple idea:
Big things are rarely missing on set. Usually, it's the small things that are missing.
The battery that's again loose in the bag. The filter that everyone thinks is outside. The clapperboard that isn't where it should be when you need it. The Kimtechs that look like they've survived three weather fronts and a location scout. I work on set myself and know these small annoyances. Some aren't dramatic. But after twelve hours, with time pressure, weather, comms in your ear, and someone saying "we're about to roll" when no one is really about to roll — then every bit of order counts.
CineSetup develops and sources products specifically for this purpose.
Small helpers. Lightweight materials. Affordable solutions. Things that don't have to look important to be important.
About 3D printing
A 3D printer is essentially a hot glue gun on steroids. Not particularly romantic, but quite practical.
For CineSetup, this technology is perfect because it allows me to quickly develop, test, and improve. Especially in an industry that is constantly changing, this is a huge advantage. If a product isn't quite right on set, I can adapt it instead of waiting for tools, molds, or large minimum order quantities.
At the same time, 3D printing is not as flawless as traditional manufacturing processes like injection molding, laser cutting, CNC milling, or genuine craftsmanship. Depending on the material, color, and component, small imperfections, slight color variations, visible layer lines, uneven surfaces, or minimal dimensional deviations can occur. In rare cases, structural weaknesses may also appear.
Unfortunately, that's somewhat part of the technology. Not every small optical flaw means that a product functions worse. I still try to make sensible use of misprints or parts that I don't want to sell myself, instead of immediately discarding or recycling them.
So, it's possible that your items may have slight artifacts, minor inaccuracies, or visible print marks on the surface. However, I strive to provide you with only the best quality.
Practical beats perfect
I develop many products quickly, test them, improve them, and also discard ideas if they don't work on set.
They must be durable, fit, be helpful, and remain affordable. If they also look good:
great. If not: later. First, they have to work.
The advantage of 3D printing is exactly that: I can react quickly. If it turns out that a holder is too tight, a tab should be larger, or a detail is annoying, it gets changed. No drama, no five-year product cycle, no meeting with twelve people and a fruit basket.
Just: Problem identified. Solution built. Further improved.
Made for Assistants
Many products are aimed particularly at camera assistants because a tremendous amount of small items need to function reliably in that role.
Batteries must be sorted. Filters must remain identifiable. Cloths should stay clean and dry. The clapperboard should be readily accessible but not constantly getting in the way. And when a small wedge is needed, no one wants to pull half a workshop out of the car first.
That's why I rely on lightweight materials like PLA or TPU for many products. Not because it's always the most elegant solution. But because it's often the most practical one.
Lightweight. Quick to produce. Affordable. Good enough for tough everyday use. And if it breaks, you don't immediately need a small loan.
Luxury is nice. But a functional little helper at a fair price is usually much more popular on set than an over-designed item you'd only want to handle with kid gloves.
Velvet gloves are impractical for lens changes anyway.
Sustainability, but without the sermon
I don't believe that every product has to save the world. That would be a bit too much responsibility for a filter tag.
But products can still be created more meaningfully.
CineSetup is not meant to be a brand that simply dumps as much stuff into the world as possible just because there's still a shelf free somewhere. I try to develop and source products that solve real problems, are long-lasting, and improve daily life on set.
Small batches help with this. I don't have to immediately produce huge quantities of every single part. Many 3D-printed products can be made on demand. This reduces inventory, shortages, and unnecessary waste.
Is it perfectly sustainable? No.
Is it more mindful than "as cheap as possible, as much as possible"? Yes.
And somewhere between these two points, I try to work reasonably.
Tried and tested remains. New things are added.
CineSetup is starting with 3D-printed set assistants because they are quickly developable, customizable, and precisely right for many problems.
But the product range will grow.
In addition to our own products, I also want to include tried-and-true items:
Consumables, small tools, markers, bags, mounts, and everything that is regularly needed on set but is often unnecessarily expensive, hard to get, or simply poorly designed.
Not every product needs to be reinvented. Some things just need to finally be available in a good version.
And yes, sometimes the best innovation is simply:
"This already exists, but could we please get it usable, affordable, and without
delivery times from the underworld?"
No Glossy Promises
CineSetup is not a huge corporation. No brand strategy department, no receptionist, no glass-walled conference room.
Right now, it's primarily: one person, set experience, a 3D printer, many ideas, and a strong will to bring useful products to market faster.
This means: The product range is growing step by step. Some products are improved. Some disappear again. Some only arrive when import, samples, and quality finally fit. But that's exactly the point.
CineSetup should remain agile. Close to the set. Close to real problems. And close to the people who use these things daily.
I don't take myself too seriously.
But I take what I do seriously.
And if that results in a little less chaos on set, then it was all worth it.