Okay, you’re knee-deep in pre-production and are ready to tackle the film gear rental question. A camera is likely to be at the top of your list. While almost every production requires lighting kits and sound equipment, you may not realize how essential other film gear rentals are until you find yourself without them. To avoid that possibility, we’ve compiled a list of items we’ve found indispensable during production on commercials, independent films, and corporate videos.
Canopy 10’X10′ Pop Up Tent
When filming in Florida, prepare yourself for all kinds of weather. It’s the Sunshine State, so there will be days when it shines bright and hot. Estimates say that, on average, it rains for a third of the days in any given calendar year. If you’re shooting schedule includes exteriors, make sure to protect your crew, cast, and film gear rental from the elements with the Canopy 10’X10′ Pop Up Tent.
Lightweight and one-piece, they’re as easy to set-up as they are to pack-up and fit in most SUVs or pick-up trucks. Its six adjustable height settings offer up to roughly 100 square feet of overhead coverage to ensure every single piece of your film gear rental equipment is sheltered from punishing heat or torrential downpours. Should privacy be a concern, every tent comes with the option of adding side panels and rail curtains.
Joker Bug 800w HMI
Immaterial of how many interior scenes you plan to shoot throughout your production, you’ll need a lighting kit to pull each one-off. Often times, the contents of those kits are as heavy as they are cumbersome. That’s why the Joker Bug 800w HMI is ideal for your next shoot.
Powerful and compact, the Joker Bug 800w is best suited for daylight interiors. At a trim 38 pounds, it’s half the weight of the 1200w model. Additionally, it fits in the same size hard case as the 400w model making for effortless transport. And since light banks have become a popular choice amongst cinematographers hoping to soften their light’s output and reduce contrast, K5600 designed the 800w to take full advantage of the large, reflective material inside them and produce 50% more output than the far larger 1200w model.
Wherever you’re filming, odds are you’ll be renting the location. Regardless of insurance, you’ll want to minimize the risk of overloading a circuit. The Joker Bug 800w can help you do precisely that by outputting as much as a 4,000w quartz fixture with a mere power draw of only 11 amps, meaning you can plug in an additional 400w into the same circuit without having to worry.
Lectrosonics UM400
Unless you’re shooting without sound, you’ll need an audio kit. When a boom will not suffice, and you plan to individually mic each of your performers, you can guarantee every word is recorded crisp and sounds clear with the Lectrosonics UM400.
Paired with either a Tram or Sanken Lavalier mic and the UCR411 receiver, the UM400 body-pack transmitter enables your sound technician to select from 256 UHF frequencies with digital hybrid signal transmission. Incoming audio is digitized at 24-bit resolution, with both features resulting in the optimal range and minimal noise.
Impact Vanity Makeup Mirror with LED Lights
For the perfect lighting to apply your talent’s makeup, the Impact Vanity Mirror with LED lights can’t be beaten. The daylight color temperature bulbs will shine natural, smooth light across your talents’ faces. Even better, the lights are dimmable and can be adjusted to your preference with the simple touch of a finger. A silver backing that produces a crystal clear reflection with each bulb boasts a 50,000-hour life. At 35 pounds, move it easily from one end of a room to another. Its side outlet will accommodate all your cosmetic accessories.
Combo Hanger
With so much attention paid to the technical aspects of your film gear rental, be careful not to overlook the practical ones. The combo hanger is precisely such an item. Whether your wardrobe is rented or not, I wouldn’t recommend draping any clothing over C-stands or equipment cases. And for the sake of continuity, it’s always a good idea to maintain a neat and orderly system for everything your talent wears on-screen. A dozen of these will keep every article of clothing clean, undamaged, and readily available.
About The Author
David Wells - Moving Picture President
David Wells is the President of Moving Picture Rental, where he has the privilege of wearing many hats -- Producer, Director, Cameraman, and Technologist. An entrepreneur at heart, Wells injects creativity and innovation into every role and helps guide producers and filmmakers with their projects. Call David Wells and his team, and they’ll show you how to make your production an outstanding one.
