Creating a Successful Rental Experience,

by Michael J. Bird

In the video equipment rental business, there are many variables that can make or break a shoot.  Get the wrong gear, and your budget is blown.  Incorrectly evaluate your environmental needs, and you may be caught without proper electric and lighting equipment.  Rent from the wrong vendor, and you may find yourself alone on an island with no tech support and no after hours help when gear craps out, which it unfortunately does from time to time.  Conversely, there are things you can do to ensure that your rentals, and your shoot go off without a hitch.  Let’s look at some of the keys to creating a successful rental experience.

Getting the right gear.  Your rental coordinator should help you by trying to realize your project’s final destination and chosen format.  I usually try to step through my clients’ production pipeline and visualize their process from start to finish so that I can be a step ahead of any potential roadblocks.  Ask yourself these questions:

1 .What is the aspect ratio of this project?  Am I shooting widescreen, or standard 4x3 video?

2. What format do I want the project shot and finished in?  Is the project to be shot at 1080i/60, or 720p/24?  Are you archiving in HD and finishing in NTSC?  Where will your project be shown?  Does the intended broadcast network have a particular standard you need to abide by?

3.  What obstacles does my location present?  Are you somewhere without a reliable source of power?  Is there shelter and a safe place to keep the gear?  What kinds of permits need to be filed?  What kinds of lighting challenges does the environment pose?  Not being aware of your location demands can cost you big in time delays, fines, overtime, and extra days added to your shoot.

Choosing the right rental company.  Think of the rental company as an extension of your crew.  Do you like having a group of greenhorns on location with you?  Shouldn’t the staff at the rental company be knowledgeable, easy to work with, and always ready to provide you with tech support, no matter the time or place?  We think so.  You can rent gear anywhere, but in the end, it’s the people behind it all that really make the difference.  There is no substitute for experience when it comes to choosing the right gear for your job, and making sure that the equipment is set up properly.  There’s nothing worse than being in a run-and-gun situation, and opening your camera case to find the wrong camera, missing pieces, bad batteries, dirty gear, broken gear, or equipment that is set up incorrectly.  A few things to note when selecting a rental house:

1. Do the guys at the rental house know what they are talking about?  Do they have real world experience?  A knowledgeable rental coordinator can help you avoid expensive pitfalls.  Rock solid, reliable tech support can bail you out of an equipment problem that could set your shoot back and cost you lost time and money.  Talk to the guys you rent from and make sure they understand your needs.  Chances are, an experienced vendor can offer you support that a ‘green’ kid fresh out of art school can’t.

2.  Dedication.  Is the rental house committed to making your project happen, or do they only care about pushing gear in and out of their building?  Are they more interested in billing you, or bailing you out in a jam?  Can you count on the rental house to make deliveries and drop off gear at your location and on your timetable?  Too often, rental companies are more interested in doing whatever is convenient for the company, not the client.  Make sure that your rental house is an extension of your project, and dedicated to helping you.

Creating a successful rental experience should be a common goal for both the rental house and you.  Often times, clear communication is an overlooked essential in this equation.  A good rental house will be flexible, and quick to act to support you when you communicate your needs clearly.  A final thought—video production is a lot like war.  Make sure that the support you choose is ready and willing to step up when things get hot, and get in the trenches with you when the going gets tough.  Your rental house should fight for you, not with you!

Creating a Successful Rental Experience

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