The Producer Report: Camera hire
Added extras
of the rental package
Technically challenging productions place a demand on camera
hire companies for more than simply a good deal. Adrian
Pennington investigates how the best rental firms are fast evolving
to provide a training and consultancy role to their producer clients
E
quipment hire companies have always is increasingly commonplace among hire
differentiated themselves, and made their companies servicing bread and butter corporate
margins, on the value-added services that and broadcast work too.
come with camera rentals. Certainly, if all you want “There’s a massive migration in terms of service
is a deal on price there are companies with an expectation from the old days of tape kit hire when
online shop window and call centre mentality that everyone knew what they wanted. Now our role is
will deliver. For complex projects where a boxed much more about managing client expectations of
camcorder is not the total solution, expert guidance what new technology provides and how best to
is essential. harness its benefits,” says VMI md Barry Bassett.
Many producers, particularly at the top-end of On a ‘hire and drop’ type job, “you would never
drama and commercials, will turn to owner- really have the space or insurance to accommodate
operator DoPs (rather than large hire companies) extra people on location,” says Sam Jukes-Adams,
to provide that expertise: “I’m not convinced any head of production at factual-drama specialist
rental company can do anything to affect my Impossible Pictures. “Nor was there much need. Now
decision as to whether to use them or not,” says things are changing and hire companies are more
HRA executive producer Greg Mills. “Like most often involved in the production from end to end.”
commercials producers, I rely on the expertise of IWC used a combination of XDCAM EX and
my DoP.” XDCAM HD for its production Extreme Fishing with
DoP Erik Wilson chose the F35 to shoot ITV Robson Green, following guidance from Visual
series Murderland and sought advice from a boutique Impact. “We could effectively edit in full resolution
hire firm. In the end, the fire firm was able to serve with no need to conform,” says production
the production with on set colour timing, look up manager Pamela Nelson.
tables and image quality manipulation. Such “The key was advice on workflow – from
bespoke advice and embedding within a production recording to rushes download and ultimately to
30 theproducer Winter 2010
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