Ah yes—the end of the year, when every YouTube personality (and their mom) is trying to sell you something. So in this video I did my version of a “best gear” list, but it’s strictly the stuff I actually bought and actually used in 2025—the tools that genuinely made my life easier on set and made the work feel more fulfilling. No fluff, no sponsored picks, just real workflow upgrades. I run through six purchases that moved the needle for me: Core SWX Nano V150 batteries because they’re tiny, high-capacity, and easy to charge over USB-C; the SmallHD Ultra 5 because I wanted a bright, mobile 5-inch monitor with quick buttons and I use Cine EI Zone every single time; Bright Tangerine hard mattes because without them your matte box isn’t really doing what it’s supposed to do; and the Sanken COS-11D, which might be my favorite buy of 2025 for cleaner, more professional interview audio that’s easier to hide. I also talk about why I finally grabbed a Mac Studio M4 Max (ports and After Effects performance) and why a real 4x4 floppy from Matthews became a “buy once, cry once” negative fill tool I now use on every shoot.