We’ve recently covered the knots a photographer and videographer must know. The same guy, Mark Vargo, shows us how to correctly wrap cables, rope, and cords on location. It’s something I thought I didn’t need to know, but the skills will be very useful when your team has one more look to shoot and the wireless trigger’s last battery is done and you need to use a syncing cable.

You as the director of the shoot also need to consider your team and the talent’s safety. If the wind picks up and you need to strap down the large scrim, a properly wrapped rope is the quickest way to do it. Vargo has a very simple way of showing how to wrap each of the cables, ropes, and cords, and he tells you why to do it in this way.

I’m not sure I am going to lie my cables out on the ground for an hour before wrapping them, but I’m sure it helps in the end. All these simple techniques are not photography or video related, but it forms part of the job. It’s practical and even when you’re not on set, these skills can be used in daily life scenarios too.