ADVERT I SEMENT FE ATURE . VI RENTAL
RENT AFRICA Committed to reducing the carbon footprint of its equipment, VI Rental opens a base in Tanzania for productions shooting on the continent
WHEN JOAQUIN PHOENIX made an impassioned plea to fight climate change in his 2020 Golden Globes acceptance speech, onlookers were moved to tears. However, few were quick to enact change. Stories of wildlife and planet destruction are increasingly told through documentary, but there is little evidence of much change taking place behind the scenes. One company, however, has taken note. VI Rental – an equipment specialist with offices in Bristol, London, Cardiff and Manchester – will open a base in Tanzania, Africa, enabling productions to avoid the need to fly large amounts of equipment around the world. “The carbon footprint of documentary filmmaking is enormous,” explains Richard Madeley at VI Rental. “It’s not only crews that fly across continents, but also equipment, a lot of which is specialist with many additional bespoke components required for the shoots. So, I thought: why not leave it out there?” The Bristol office will work as a blueprint of the Tanzanian office, which will offer the same equipment and a local workforce to support it. Alongside African Environments – a company committed to social, cultural and environmental responsibility through tourism and education – VI Rental will train locals in camera ops and technician roles. The idea “Everyone needs to do their bit – this is how we are doing ours”
BRANCHING OUT VI Rental brings filmmaking services to Tanzania, but its crew and equipment can be hired all over Africa
is that production companies will still want to send over heads of departments, like DOPs and directors. “Even if productions only send over two people instead of six, we’re still having an impact,” Richard adds. MAKING A DIFFERENCE In addition to providing equipment and crew hire service on the ground in Africa, as part of VI Rental’s environmental commitment, they are also working with Plastic Oceans and Wild Survivors to effect positive change in the environment. “We give them a percentage of our overall revenue; you know where your money is going and what it’s contributing to. For example, there’s an issue with elephants trampling precious crops. To solve this, Wild Survivors needed funding for beehives, to safely direct them away (elephants are scared of bees!),” says Richard. “We aren’t writing a cheque to tick a box and receive certification or awards. We are trying to make a tangible difference.”
VI Rental Africa will be opening in March, encouraging people to go to them for equipment, regardless of where in Africa their shoot is. Richard explains: “Whether you’re in Tanzania or Rwanda, it doesn’t matter. We work on the ground. So, instead of flying kit and crew over, get us to drive it to you. Eventually, productions are inevitably going to use more local crews – the pandemic made us all realise we can do things differently, and from March we will be able to do just that. He concludes: “This isn’t about money, it’s not going to be very profitable. It’s about passion and doing good. Everyone needs to do their bit; this is how we are doing ours.”
virental.co.uk
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