Setting up a rental business

Nate Downes · March 16, 2005

I've had a few people ask to rent some of my cameras, and was wondering if anyone has any experience in equipment rental, how to handle such a business.

Chris Keth · March 17, 2005

I've had a few people ask to rent some of my cameras, and was wondering if anyone has any experience in equipment rental, how to handle such a business.

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The problem with a full out rental business is that people will expect you to have a lot of stuff. The problem with a lot of film production stuff is that it's enormously expensive. To start the business.

Nate Downes · March 17, 2005

The problem with a full out rental business is that people will expect you to have a lot of stuff. The problem with a lot of film production stuff is that it's enormously expensive. To start the business.

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Well, all I'm wondering is how to cover my bases for the few guys that want to rent the equipment I already own. My editing suite, sure, I can make them have to come to my studio, but for the cameras....

March 18, 2005

I've had a few people ask to rent some of my cameras, and was wondering if anyone has any experience in equipment rental, how to handle such a business.

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In USA insurance for the item should be made prior, yes you need more money for the account . But you can ask the guy who want to rent for money deposit that would cover the price of the equipment itself. When he return the camera you give their money back but minus the rent.

basically you can check the day rates at any camera-rental store. weekend more

+ delivery or over-time.

after the camera has been used you check the camera carefully.

Don't care if your friend or close-friend come to rent. treat them well as other.

This people are dangerous when come to borrowing.

Regards

Park

Alessandro Machi · March 22, 2005

I can't bring myself to rent a camera that I plan on using myself in the future.

You probably know that you're supposed to iris your video camera down when not in use or when transporting the camera from one location to another? Do you know how easy it would be for a rental customer to carelessly leave a camera's iris wide open than walk out into the daylight with the iris wide open, completely oblivious that they could be damage the internal camera electronics as the sun hits the wide open iris?

Does walking a camera around with the iris wide open in the middle of the day necessarily damage the video camera, no, but it sure doesn't help. And that's the kind of thing you will never know happened when the video camera comes back in from a rental. If you have a situation where you are thinking of retiring a camera but still have people who might want to rent it, that might be a good situation for you to consider rental.

David Mullen ASC · March 22, 2005

That's why you PREP the camera before you walk out of a rental house with it... I've been renting video cameras for nearly twenty years and have never run into such a problem.

Alessandro Machi · March 22, 2005

That's why you PREP the camera before you walk out of a rental house with it... I've been renting video cameras for nearly twenty years and have never run into such a problem.

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I'm referring to the original premise of a camera owner renting to others.

Unless one is skilled at taking their own camera apart, film or video, down to the bare essence, and then putting it back together again (and having spare parts easily available), it's probably not wise to rent the camera to others unless the camera is easily replaceable or not needed should it be damaged. It's not just the cost of fixing the camera that is the issue, it's the downtime that is inevitably created waiting for the camera to be fixed that also becomes a very big issue.

And nowadays, it becomes more likely that parts are harder to get which can delay the repair time significantly.

A simpler solution is to rent yourself out with your gear. If your gear rental begins to approach your day rate, then add $ 100 bucks to the price and be an assistant for the day. You get to watch over your own gear, meet new people, and you see how others work.

If you have equipment insurance it may only apply if you were on set if something were to happen to your camera, whereas if something happens to your gear and your were not there when the accident happened, your own equipment insurance may not cover you. Of course, the renter is supposed to have insurance but if they don't, I'd recommend being on the set if you can afford the time, simply as an assistant.

I wouldn't even tell anybody it was my camera. Give the DP that rented your camera all the power since simply owning a piece of equipment doesn't make anyone a DP.

Tony Wilson · May 1, 2005

David i stand with you,

Downnix iam in the same boat as u my friend

i stay in L.A. and i have about 15 student level camera

that i rent out.Iam lucky a frind of mine hookd me

with a legal contract that everyone who rents from me

must fill out.And have 2 typs of ID and a fringer print

i accept insurance and cahs deposit.if you want a copy

(FOR REF) i can e-mail you one, if you have any question feel free

to call me i will share what littel wisdom i have with you

Tony (L.A.)

Michael Morlan · July 25, 2005

Downmix,

I'm late to this thread but thought some of my experience renting my grip/electric gear to low-budget features and shorts might serve you.

First, I decided to stay away from cameras - too sensitive, too expensive, too easy to break/steal/destroy. And, digital cameras are too soon obsoleted. Of the dozens of choices of 35mm, 16mm, s16mm, HD, HDV, DV, which one should I get? That said, I have a couple legacy DV cameras that go out on occassion.

I chose, instead to invest my dollars in grip/electric/dollies/jib-arm/etc. Every set needs that stuff. It's rugged, lasts a decade at least, easy to check for renter damage, easy to repair. My small inventory can support two or three shoots if I'm lucky.

For about $35k, I have a nice 1-ton package plus dolly/track/jib-arm, Kino Gaffer kit, soft boxes and other miscellany. As a DP or gaffer, I am in greater demand since, again, everyone needs that gear no matter what format or camera they are using. I'm checked out on many of the cameras at other shops, so I'm completely viable as a crew member while still being able to offer value to productions as a crew/gear entity.

But most important: I get to use it for my own projects. :D

Check out my site: austinfilmtools.com

There you will find everything I offer my renters including contracts, inventories, rental standards, etc.

Hope that helps.

Edited July 25, 2005 by Michael Morlan

Nathan Milford · July 25, 2005

We have many clients who sub-rent thier cameras, lenses and even accessories through us. You take half of the rental fee and your camera gets storage, regular maintenance and when you need it, we prep it for free.

If the camera needs regular service, we do it. The camera gets prepped before it goes out, and when it comes back. If there is any damage the client is charged for repair and you don't need to worry about tracking down some deadbeat yourself while you camera sits, broken, unrentable/unusable. Anytime you want it, it's yours and your's truly will go over it's every function and tolerance with a jewler's loupe and multimeter, for free.

We have clients with backup cameras and lenses (aside from thier primary cameras that they use daily) in sub-rental and we even have a few who aren't even shooters, they just took out a loan, baught a $30,000 lens and it pays itself off rather quickly from what I hear. It used to be the Canon 8/64, but I hear HD lenses are in vogue.

If your package isn't ridiculously low-end, then I'm sure you can find a rental house with a similar program that might take on your camera.