How to Keep Your Kit Safe This Festival Season- A Guide for Freelancers & Creatives
Festival season is in full swing, and for freelancers working behind the scenes from photographers, videographers, sound engineers, lighting techs and content creators, it’s go time.
With every job comes opportunity, and with every opportunity comes risk. Music festivals are chaotic environments with thousands of people moving through the same spaces you’re trying to work in.
If you’re turning up with thousands of pounds’ worth of kit on your back, it’s worth having a plan in place to protect it. These practical tips will help you avoid mishaps and keep your equipment safe on the job.
1. Pack Smart and Light
Your gear list should reflect the reality of the event, not just your ideal setup. It’s tempting to bring every lens or cable “just in case,” but hauling your entire may not work in your favour. Instead, review the schedule, shoot list and technical needs. Strip back to what you know you’ll use.
Imagine a scenario at a three-day festival, a solo videographer brings their full rig gimbal, drone, backup mics, even a slider, but ends up using only a handheld camera and lapel mic. The rest stays in a tent they couldn’t properly secure. Less is more when you’ve got to carry it, protect it and possibly sleep near it.
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2. Secure Storage Isn’t Optional
Whether you're in a field or at a city-based day festival, gear security needs to be intentional. When not in use, your equipment should live in a lockable hard case. Invest in quality padlocks and bring your own steel cable to secure the case to an immovable structure, such as tent poles, staging frames and fences.
Some festivals provide lock-ups or crew storage zones. Ask production ahead of time what’s available. Never assume backstage means safe.
A sound tech might leave a backpack under the FOH desk during a quick lunch break, only to return and find it missing, along with valuable kit like an interface and laptop.
3. Mark Everything You Own
Tiny things can get lost first. Batteries, SD cards, lav mics, cables, it’s wise to label them. A quick fix: coloured gaffer tape and a Sharpie. For a more permanent solution, use engraved tags, UV markers, or QR code labels that link to your contact info.
When your gear blends in with every other Canon or Sony shooter on-site, your label becomes your proof of ownership. It’s also a small deterrent; a thief is less likely to run off with something that’s obviously traceable.
4. Stay Attached to Your Kit
If your camera isn’t on your body, it should be in your hand or locked up. Crowds move fast and you won’t always see someone take something until it’s too late.
Cross-body straps, harnesses, belt clips, these are more than comfort accessories; they reduce the chance of accidental drops or intentional grabs.
At a busy city day festival, a filmmaker could set their camera down on a table during a quick conversation and within seconds, it might disappear. Keeping your gear attached to you at all times is essential.
5. Buddy Up
Two-person teams are safer and more efficient. If you can, bring someone such as a runner, assistant, or fellow creative to help carry, spot, or monitor equipment. If you’re solo, build rapport with other freelancers. Introduce yourself. Offer to keep an eye on their gear during breaks, and most will return the favour.
Trust takes minutes to build and makes a huge difference when you need to leave your bag behind the pit barrier to film a wide shot.
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6. Prep for the Elements
Weather is its own threat. Rain, dust, and mud are just as dangerous to your gear as thieves. Waterproof backpacks, dry bags and silica gel packs are cheap and effective.
Some lighting techs rely on simple solutions such as lining the inside of cases with bin bags and wrapping spare cables in them as a safeguard in case of water damage. Think practically. Prepare for worst-case scenarios.
7. Have Insurance – and Know the Process
Despite taking all precautionary measures, incidents can still happen. Having the correct cover in place offers an extra layer of security. With this in mind, you don’t want to find out what your policy covers after your gear is damaged. Make sure your insurance includes theft, accidental damage, and equipment in transit or on location. Be sure to save your policy reference in your phone should you need it. The sooner you contact your insurance provider, the better.
Create a basic inventory with serial numbers and value estimates. If something goes missing, you’ll be able to report it and submit a claim quickly. At some festivals, organisers may ask for proof of insurance before booking you, but it’s important to note that this always isn’t the case. Don’t assume that you are also covered by the organiser’s insurance policy(s), especially when it comes to your own personal kit.
Festival Season Is Work Season
Festivals are high energy, high risk and high reward. You’re there to capture incredible content, manage the soundscape, light up a stage, or bring a story to life. Keeping your kit safe isn’t just a practical move, it’s part of protecting your livelihood.
Show up prepared. Look after your gear. And if something does go wrong, make sure you’re backed by a policy that understands creative work.
At Mode Insurance, we specialise in cover for freelancers like you, tailored to the realities of production work, not just studio-based risks. If you’d like to find out what kind of protection suits your setup, get in touch.
How to get covered
We make it easy. At Mode, we work specifically with freelancers, creative professionals, and small businesses - so our cover is built with your world in mind. You can speak to a real person, tailor your policy to fit your needs, and make changes as your work evolves.
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Explore our other blogs for tips on insurance essentials for freelancers, or get in touch if you’d like to chat through your options. No jargon. No hard sell.
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Any views or opinions expressed above are for guidance only and are expressed in generic terms. They are not intended as a substitute for readers taking appropriate professional advice relevant to individual circumstances.
Written by
Faith Mafullul
Growth Manager
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Your craft deserves the best protection. With Mode Insurance, you're not just getting coverage - you're gaining a partner who understands and supports your creative journey.