GEAR
THE GREEN SCENE
Lights, camera, fraction of the cost. Renting is a cost-effective shift many can make M any filmmakers are unashamed gear heads, always on the lookout for the latest technology to help make even more creative films. TAKING THE HIRE GROUND
right thing to do? With the high costs of new equipment and clients’ budgets increasingly getting squeezed, it makes sense to streamline your outgoings by renting kit – or even keeping a minimal cache of the most-used equipment to be supplemented by hired-in gear. Of course, some indie operators can make a solid case for owning their own specialist kit. For example, if your USP is offering super-high-frame-rate footage and you shoot most days with minimal downtime or editing, owning your own Phantom set-up could make sense. The same applies to high-end drone companies
There’s certainly an inexplicable joy of owing your own set of kit, knowing it’s customised to your needs and ready for use at a moment’s notice. However, ownership can be a very expensive way of operating, which can cripple your cash flow. Even if business is good with money flowing in, it still makes sense to ask yourself tough questions. Is tying up cash in fast-depreciating kit that needs servicing and updating the THE PEER HUNTER If you already own lots of kit and want to make more money from it – or just need the occasional rental item – peer-to-peer renting could potentially be for you. These services first came onto the scene approximately seven years ago, but many have already folded, leaving Fat Llama as the market leader. That’s because it specialises in making it safer for both the renter and the kit owner. Filmmakers can rent out their own kit, backed by the promise that the hirer will be vetted and the gear insured by Fat Llama. Renting kit this way often costs much less. Of course, you are largely at the mercy of the kit’s owner. It might be faulty or have outdated firmware, for example; or you have to arrange pick-up and drop-off, which can be time- consuming and often fraught with danger. It is a popular way for students in large cities to get hold of the kit they need. But for a professional business, hiring from established rental specialists is hugely advantageous. fatllama.com
offering FPV work or documentary filmmakers on long-term projects who need to be ready at a moment’s notice. But for the majority of filmmakers or small production companies, there are plenty of times when kit sits unused in cabinets while footage is being edited and graded. Then, there’s the ongoing maintenance, battery charging, card formatting, firmware upgrades and insurance costs of owning equipment that all need to be factored in. Renting is an obvious choice when you need some supplementary kit short term for a one-off project – perhaps if you are building up a temporary crew to cover a large event. It makes no sense to buy lots of extra cameras and lenses that might get used a few times a year on large projects. Hiring is clearly the best option if you need some unusual kit for a specific job, such as a camera with a global shutter for action, a high-frame-rate speed machine for super slow-motion, fancy anamorphic lenses or super-bright lights. If you want
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PRO MOVIEMAKER
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