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The Business end of Being an AC


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Good day. I just wanted to get some advice on the Do's and Don'ts when it comes to Renting out your own equipment to a Production.

Is there a type of Formula one can use to get a respectable rate?, are there partnerships you can do with other Camera Assistants? etc.

Any help is much appreciated.

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On 2/9/2021 at 9:54 PM, Alpha Mthembu said:

Good day. I just wanted to get some advice on the Do's and Don'ts when it comes to Renting out your own equipment to a Production.

Is there a type of Formula one can use to get a respectable rate?, are there partnerships you can do with other Camera Assistants? etc.

Any help is much appreciated.

Hey there! First and foremost, be ethical with what you are renting. Rent the gear that is needed. Don’t rent gear that is unnecessary or doesn’t even exist just to make more money. That’s a death sentence for the long run. Transparency is very important for the production to trust renting gear from a previously unknown vendor. Also, keep your gear up to date and maintained. 
I rent a lot of gear, not only to my shows but to any show that wishes to do business with my gear, through my registered corporation, Latitude 33 Motion Picture Services. That maintains a business relationship between the production and the gear placing a layer of separation between me as an employee and a vendor. My rental prices match the primary vendor’s pricing such as what Panavision charges. My business income is treated separately from my employment income. Also, a Rental Agreement is required for the production to sign along with certificates of insurance. The agreement stipulates the terms and conditions of rental. 

Finally, as for going into partnerships with other ACs, I would caution you. Anything that involves someone else’s  income can spoil friendships when things go wrong. And believe me - many things can go wrong. Thus for the past 32 years, I’ve done this on my own. It’s the smart play for me. Good luck with your enterprise! 
 

G

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