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  • Hey all, just changed over the backend after 15 years I figured time to give it a bit of an update, its probably gonna be a bit weird for most of you and i am sure there is a few bugs to work out but it should kinda work the same as before... hopefully :)

Stolen Accessories... WTF???

Jeff Kilgroe

Jeff Kilgroe

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I just have to vent here a bit....

My camera was just returned this morning from rental with some missing bits and pieces. Theft is the only real explanation.

Camera kit was returned less the following items:

RED Drive 320GB
RED Drive Cable 18"
RED Drive AC Adapter
ET Breakout Box (yep, removed from the camera)
2 x ET Top Handle Extensions
ET V-Clamp
ET Shock Mount
2 x 5.65x5.65 Filter Trays (RedRock Micro)
Several 5.65x5.65 Filters: Formatt Circular Polarizer, IR Hot Mirror, IR+ND 1.8, IR+ND 1.5, ND 1.2, ND .9, ND .6, ND .3, Tiffen 1/4 Black ProMist.

RED Drive has logo, name and phone number laser-etched. Looks like my avatar.

Filter pouches have "RojoMojo" stitched in red on the flaps, same lettering as in the avatar/logo.

Mondays suck.
 
How could they return it and walk away with all that O.o that's like the stupidest things to steal because their instantly noticeable. In fact stealing is stupid end of.

Not to mention, surely you require a RED to actually use that gear kind of pointless otherwise since you've got all your gear marked!
 
Did these guys use a fake name or something? I really hope you can nail them. It's strange that they'd steal such random accessories though and think you wouldn't notice?
 
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It was someone working on the production, and most of us dealing with this now agree it was another local RED Owner. There is a prime suspect and we're trying to track that person down right now.

The individual (producer) who rented my camera package called me first thing this morning to let me know what was up. They noticed most of the missing items when packing up the gear at about 5:00 this morning after shooting for about the past 48 hours straight. He's already working to replace all the equipment, it wasn't the guys who rented the kit, it was someone on their crew of about 25 people. One of those people is another RED One owner, who didn't get the rental deal for the shoot because they didn't have all the kit items needed. I guess they felt like taking a large step toward correcting that for their next job... Or at least that is the current theory.

Producer / director noticed the ET BOB was MIA saturday night. 2AC told them that they were having problems and had to remove it. What a bunch of crap.

Anyway, like the title above says, WTF??? This is complete stupidity.

Funny little ironic anecdote... I had a spare ET BOB I bought a while back when I was about the pull the trigger on buying a second RED One body. I just sold that ET BOB about 2 weeks ago. lol.
 
As a rental agent, do you have an "escrow" account from the renter to cover the costs, like a deductible, in the event of damage or theft? It would be painful I'm sure to involve an insurance company in this. Sorry to hear about this... hope it's just misplaced.

I do not tollerate thieves, unless your starving and it's food.
 
based on the list of items it looks more like somebody was lazy and did a very bad job of collecting the things after the shoot was over. Shoots tend to get very messy especially if its a small budget film and you need fairly responsible people to make sure everything is accounted for. If you are renting equipment, always make two copies of the equipment list and share one with the client. This way when they return you can cross check all the items right in front of the client and in case of anything missing charge them for it. Every rental house big or small does this.

cheers

-krish
 
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No escrow except on larger production rentals. But we do hold verified credit card info to cover loss/theft/damage on a smaller scale or below the insurance line.

Yes, there are equipment checklists, itemized with serial numbers. Client signs off on them and they're attached to copies of the rental agreement.

This is not equipment rental 101 here. I've worked with this producer before, it's not him and he's a stand-up guy. Equipment will be recovered today or paid for. Actually, I've already been handed a check to cover it all plus tax, shipping, time and inconvenience. That is not the issue here.

Theft, items going MIA, etc.. it happens. Part of the rental biz. I just had to vent over this one because it's just completely and totally fucking weird. The items were not just misplaced. RED drives were never even pulled from the equipment case for the shoot -- they stuck with CF cards. And yet one of them turned up missing, along with power adapter, drive cable, shock mount and v-lock. Three separate locations in two separate cases to acquire those items from amidst other gear.

Right now, we're trying to track down the suspect. He's gone MIA just like the gear. Anyway, I've probably said too much at this point. I'm just still amazed at the disproportional amount of balls to braincells in this scenario.
 
Ehhhh,,,,,

That sucks....because - even if you suspect it might be a certain person - do not
assume it is. You must be careful. Call the police and ask them what to do.

Rushing over to someone's house and acusing them of a crime is grounds for
a lawsuit. Take a deep breathe and think it through.
 
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All gear has been recovered in damaged/destroyed condition. It was not theft directly, but an attempt to tamper with and compromise a shoot and those involved. Disgruntled crew member, went postal you could say.

All in all a very strange ordeal and it's not over. The guilty party has been identified.
 
Destroyed?! I'm assuming it was the party that didn't get the job? Kind of rude to take it out on your kit instead of actually going and earning the money then bringing their kit up to par...
 
Sorry to hear the drama Jeff but good thing it's starting to be resolved,, hopefully.

I'm still at the stage where I don't like to have my stuff out of sight. Keep us posted; it's interesting to see what others will do and good protection for us all.
 
I hope the guilty party has insurance to cover their actions, and the time cost and manpower issues resulting from same. It's not like he/she is in a position to say no. All the best with this Jeff.
 
And to know that the culprit Muther effers will be blackballed/blacklisted (whatever the McCarthy and Casino analogy is here). Will not be welcomed in the RED Community.


- Cause Jeff, Payback is a bitch.. and lets stick it to them. Cause the RED Community is very very small.
 
Well that's a great way to ruin your career in the industry. Bizarre.
Hope this won't create too many issues for you with other shoots Jeff. Good luck.
Peace,

-Harry
 
Jeff, when all details are worked out and if/when you can release the person's name, can you please update this thread so we all have a heads up, just in case of relocation attempts by said individual.

Thanks!
 
Harry Lipnick said:
Well that's a great way to ruin your career in the industry. Bizarre.
Hope this won't create too many issues for you with other shoots Jeff. Good luck.
Peace,

-Harry
Click to expand...

That is wierd....temper tantrum? Takes it out on the competitions gear.
As they say - that is unprofessional.....
And they can say: "You will never work in this town again!!!!"
 
This is pretty awful.

I recently had a situation where I offered to bring a RED gratis to a shoot where I was engaged as DP. The producers threatened to destroy any RED that showed up on their sets.

So naturally I brought no RED, although I decided to follow through on the shoot. I would have preferred if they said, "No thank you," but whatever.

I did bring some small gear, mostly personal stuff and a couple of mics.

On the last day of the shoot I started to wrap and a piece of gear was missing. The producers had "seized" it for some imagined slight. The police had to be involved, but I did get my gear.

Some people around this business are just bizarre.

In any case, I completely understand you need to vent. I would have been mortified had it been my gear.
 
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