Acquired a 35BL loop protector

Satsuki Murashige · February 1, 2008

Hey guys,

So my friend who works as a grip in LA came back to SF for the week and gave me an Arri 35BL mag loop protector that he "found" on a shoot. From what he told me, there's this abandoned hospital in the LA area where a lot of productions shoot and which is littered with abandoned film gear. He had no idea what it was but thought it would make a good present so he picked it up and brought it home. Now my grip friend is a very honest guy and would never steal a piece of rental gear, and if he says he found it then I'm inclined to believe him.

But I'm wondering what I should do with this thing and whether it would be ethical (or even legal) to sell it on ebay or something. I've looked it over and there's no rental house sticker on it or even a serial number. So what do you guys think I should do?

Jonathan Bowerbank · February 1, 2008

Take it to the police station and after a month if nobody claims it, it's yours! ha ha

Hell, sell it.

There's one on eBay right now, starting at $150...no bids yet, of course.

Matt Kelly · February 1, 2008

Lol...Yeah it is JUST a loop protector. I'd either make into some kind of nifty sheath for your butter, or see if some random 35BL owner on ebay actually needs/wants one. While most rental houses dont mark loop protectors anyway, I really wouldn't feel guilty about it. It might as well have been anybody's abandoned piece of junk. A friend told me he saw an abandoned 535 mag in a Paramount office being used for table decoration. It happens... :P

Satsuki Murashige · February 2, 2008

Yeah I guess I'm overreacting. He said they also found a big coil of 4-0 cable worth several hundred bucks. Maybe I can cover it with Swarovski crystals and wear it on a chain to special film events. Or something. B)

Jonathan Bowerbank · February 2, 2008

You'd instantly become the Flava Flav of film production. You could probably just take it to Lee's and see if they wanna buy it off ya...or perhaps donate it just so they love you a little more there. ;)

Edited February 2, 2008 by Jonathan Bowerbank

Chris Keth · February 3, 2008

Yeah I guess I'm overreacting. He said they also found a big coil of 4-0 cable worth several hundred bucks. Maybe I can cover it with Swarovski crystals and wear it on a chain to special film events. Or something. B)

A show I worked on actually had quite a lot of cables stolen. We were in a sketchy area and the firewatch PA wasn't doing his poop. Apparently it's not that uncommon because the scrap price of copper is so high right now and I'm sure the connectors can be resold.