sub-renting Epic

[Tom Meimer]

Hi,

is anybody here subrenting their Epics trough rental houses? What are the advantages/ disadvantages vs. renting it out on your own? What would an typical deal look like?

Thanks!

[Gunleik Groven]

As to the deals, they are probably dependant on local markets, but 50% has been suggested in a few threads here.

Advantage: You don't have to be a rental house. Which is quite investment heavy and definitely a profession of its own...

[Peter Lyons Collister, ASC]

SOme rental houses take only 30%. The advantage is that you are with a reputable rental house who will take care of your gear and they will also take care of the customer. If your camera has an issue the rental house is there to open up at 2AM and get another body out to the shoot.
Reputable rental houses that have technicians and backup gear for every little bit of kit are great.
Keslow, PV, Camera House, Clairmont, OffHollywood, Otto have great people and enough gear to back up any size production.....

Just my 2 cents

[sergio arguello]

be careful though they are wanting 50% and the freedom to give their clients up to 50% discount and thats like a track i once heard...nothing from nothing leaves nothing

[Tom Meimer]

be careful though they are wanting 50% and the freedom to give their clients up to 50% discount and thats like a track i once heard...nothing from nothing leaves nothing

Thats sounds pretty bad, i was hoping for something around the 30% Peter mentioned but without an option to give 50% discounts. Are these exclusive deals to one rental house or can you deal with more than one respectively also rent on your own?

Thanks for the help!

[Vance Colvig]

How do you know they are square up when it comes time to pay you at the end of the month? I know of an owner walking in to collect his share only to be told it was a slow month, yet the shipping labels hadn't been removed from his cases before the owner saw them. That was from a "reputable camera rental company" in L.A.

[Will Keir]

Doesn't hurt to use names, one strength of this user group is reputation. People would like to know.

[Paul Schneider]

As to the deals, they are probably dependant on local markets, but 50% has been suggested in a few threads here.

Advantage: You don't have to be a rental house. Which is quite investment heavy and definitely a profession of its own...

I'm going to be sub-renting my Scarlet at a local rental house when its not being rented to my own commercial productions. They'll be taking 30%.
I've been advised to make sure I have insurance (for when its with me) and the production company has it clearly insured with a clause that any damage is paid up front by them and that they will file any claims to recoup their loss.

Also make sure that any rental deal is covered by production insurance and that either you or the rental company calls to verify its valid before rental.

Finally, having rented a TON of equipment from houses in most major US cities, I can say that it helps to have an entire package with the camera...not just the body, but lenses, power, rigging... the works. Most producers don't want to shop to different rental places just for a cam body or for lenses...its a one stop shop.

This stuff is of course very flexible and a moving target, but thats my basic two cents.

Good luck.

[Will Keir]

Paul,

So do the rental houses cover your camera if it's stolen, not by car jackers / muggers / opportunist etc... but in a willing fraudulent effort by the party renting out the camera?

Insurance does not cover this situation if the party renting the camera is doing so for the purpose of stealing your gear. Premeditated thieving is not covered by insurance.

Insurance does cover; if the party renting has the camera stolen from them.