Renting vs Buying Film Gear

When it comes time to actually shoot your film, you might find yourself asking the age old question. Do I rent my gear or do I buy it? So let's go over some pros and cons for both, so you can decide which works best for you.

Let's start off by going over the pros of buying gear. First, you'll always have access to that gear. So if it's something you use frequently then buying, it might be the right choice for that specific piece of gear. One thing I like to do is look up how much it might cost me to rent the piece of gear. Then I figure out how many times I'd have to rent the piece of gear before I'd pay the same cost as buying it. If I think I might actually rent the item the amount of times that would equal to the cost of buying it, then I usually decide to just buy it.

Second, because you own the piece of gear and use it all the time. You become extremely comfortable with it and know all of the ins and outs of using it. Plus you can customize the gear with settings and ad-ons, that might make it more functional for you. This can all be a huge time-saver on set as using the gear will feel like second nature.

Third, since you own the gear, you can also turn a profit by letting other filmmakers rent your gear. This can also help balance out the cost of the item.

Okay, so those are the pros let's move on to the cons. First buying gear can be very expensive, especially if we're talking about actual cinema lenses. So if you're planning on using expensive gear, buying might not be the best option. Definitely look into the cost and add it up to make sure you don't exceed your budget.

And second, depending on where you live, it could be difficult and expensive to store a lot of big gear. I'm lucky that I live in a place with a garage, so larger items like C stands, costumes and props, I can keep there. While the more expensive or smaller items I keep in my house. But you might not have the space for C stands, so that's a con.

So now that we've covered the pros and cons for buying let's move on to the pros and cons of renting gear. First, it can be extremely cost-effective, especially if it's a piece of gear you won't use often, like a steady cam or one of those expensive cinema lenses.

Second, sometimes you can rent gear from your friends, which can be even more cost-effective as they might give you a deal, or even let you use it for free. However, I highly recommend you still have a rental agreement contract with them, so that the rental terms are clear and everyone is on the same page. You can find basic gear rental agreements online, at places like docracy.com. However, it's always a good idea to have a lawyer look over any contracts before using them.

Third, renting cameras cannot only be cost effective, but also efficient as usually new models of cameras come out every couple of years. This can keep you on the cutting edge of technology and save money.

Okay, so now that you know the pros, let's go over the cons of renting gear. First it's possible you've never used this piece of gear before, so there could be a learning curve when it comes time to use it. This could be a time suck on set if you're spending a lot of time trying to figure out settings. To avoid this, I actually record and renting gear like this ahead of time, so you can test it and make sure it works for you.

Second, you only have the gear for a limited amount of time, so you have to make sure that you return it on time to avoid late fees. Speaking of fees, third, there can sometimes be hidden fees such as shipping or insurance. So make sure you take those into account before renting.

And finally fourth, sometimes use gear can be pretty beaten up. I recommend you rent gear from a rental house so that when you come to pick it up, you can examine it and make sure it's in working order.

So now that you know the pros and cons of renting and buying gear, you'll be able to better assess which one works best for you.

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