As the first decade of the 21st Century comes to an end and friends and family gather together to share a meal and celebrate the season, we'll also engage in the traditional exchange of gifts. Finding thoughtful, affordable gifts for people you sincerely care about can be tricky, however, so I thought I would put together a list of great goodies for filmmakers and videographers of all levels. From 99¢ to $100, there's something here for every shooter and every budget.

Mini Tripod (99¢ to $15)

Every videographer needs a tripod. Or two. Or three. And one of the most useful trinkets every shooter should own is the mini tripod. The cheapest models start at 99¢ on ebay - including shipping from Hong Hong - and are a fantastic stocking stuffer, but my favorite flavor is the FlexPod. There are a few different designs out there and the cheapest knockoffs start at $5, but you can find these retail for $15-20 in plenty of locations (the Joby Gorillapod is a good example).

Yea, they are goofy looking, but those little rubber thingees on the flexible legs grip just about any narrow bar, chair back, railing, bookshelf, fence or branch to create instant stabilization. Keep in mind this is for small digital point-n-shoot cameras or small consumer camcorders, but even professionals will find these devices useful for all sorts of purposes on set, including tying back cords or for mounting a mic just off frame.

5-in-1 Reflector ($20 to $40)

As regular readers know, my main mantra (or rant, as it were) is that the two differences between Hollywood and GooTube are (1) stabilization and (2) light. Well, we've got stabilization covered with the mini tripod, so what about lighting? Whether you go to the source in Hong Kong and have a 5-in-1 reflector airlifted to your house for $20 or go with a branded version from an American distributor for $40, this is perhaps the most useful lighting tool that most videographers don't own.

Seriously. Like the best dates you have ever had, a reflector is cheap and fun, but, unlike your ex-boy or girlfriend, a 5-in-1 reflector is also incredibly useful. The collapsible aspect makes them really fun, too, as on-set Frisbee stress relievers. Every light kit should have one. I recommend the large 43" (1 m) version.

LEDs and Magnets (80¢)

OK, here's the best stocking stuffer you can get for, well, anyone: an LED keychain light and a tiny disc magnet. Yea, I know: Yaaaawwwwwn. But hear me out. How often have you needed a flashlight and had to go digging in your junk drawer or closet? What if, instead of hunting, you had a flashlight at every location in your house where you are likely to need one? Behind the stereo in the living room. On the back of the computer in the office. Under the sinks in the bathroom and kitchen. In the fuse box. By the water heater pilot light door. That's a lot of flashlights.

But what if you could buy them in bulk, say 10 for $5? Now you are talking serious giftage. Here's my clever innovation: Don't just buy the wee little flashlight, but also buy a set of disc magnets to go with them, 20 for $3. Now pair a magnet with a flashlight and... stick one on the back of the stereo and the back of your computer and on the pipe under the sink (or something magnetic down there). And for videographers? Well, we're often in a dark auditorium or studio and can't see a dial or control, so these things are endlessly useful. As a matter of fact, the image here is not only of the magnet and keychain flashlight I keep on my tripod, but I also actually used another one while shooting in the dark studio to adjust my camera AND used it to illuminate the picture on a 30-second exposure. See? Endlessly useful. I get my LED keychain flashlights and disc magnets for cheap from DealExtreme.com and, yes, they're in Hong Kong, so anticipate two weeks for delivery.

Movie Slate Alarm Clock ($100)

This director's cut movie slate alarm clock is seriously cool. Not only does it look like a real digital clapper, but the clapper arm actually works as the snooze button. Sweet! If you don't have $100 for a novelty, you might want to get a real old fashioned slate. You can get toy ones for $5, more realistic full-sized ones for $15 or attempt to track down a genuine, authentic, truly Hollywood slate made out of, um, slate.

Incidentally, a slate or clapper was used in olde tymie productions to sync the sound with the film, which were recorded separately. In modern productions, the high tech digital slate is actually a special piece of gear that syncs all kinds of modern equipment and easily costs a thousand dollars. There's a lot of visual information about scenes and takes and syncing and logging that are facilitated with a slate and it gives a PA something to do, including staying sharp and learning setiquette.

The Gift of Knowledge ($4 to $10)

The greatest gift of all is the Gift of Knowledge and, as a voracious reader and movie watcher, I have some very strong suggestions. In particular, I sincerely believe that anyone that is even remotely interesting in movies (even if it's just watching them), should pick up a copy of Walter Murch's In the Blink of an Eye (2001). I've read it at least five times and given away more copies of it than I can remember. I've also got an annotated list of other books that I've really enjoyed over the years and can whole-heartedly recommend.

You might also want to consider a DVD movie or two that every filmmaker is guarateed to enjoy. I have a pretty extenisive list here, but if I had to narrow it down to only two, I'd say get Visions of Light (1993) for non-fiction and Francois Truffaut's Day for Night (1973) for fiction. Don't worry, both films are very enjoyable and I promise the giver will enjoy them as much as the lucky recipient will. And yes, I know: "Truffaut" and "1973" probably make you think "boring French art film," but trust me: it's a really great movie and rather more fun than you might expect.

I also have two final suggestions. For the videographer in your life that loves to shoot and has her own gear, but who never seems to get around to editing and posting all that much, try Videopia: Video Production for the Internet Revolution. This book is targeted like a laser at smart, savvy and motivated individuals who are ready to take their hobby to the next level and concentrates on pre-production planning, professional production techniques and advanced distribution issues, including modern copyright concerns. The printed version might be best for gifts, but the PDF has exactly the same content.

For beginners just getting started or for anyone that is getting a new camcorder or digital still camera for Christmas, I'd highly recommend HD Pocket Video: Professional Techniques with Consumer Gear. Light and breezy in style, this booklet is jam packed with secret tips and tricks that are painfully easy to execute. Guaranteed to make your videos stand out on YouTube in terms of quality. For $4, this is a no brainer, although, to be honest, I might be a little biased on this one!