Rental rates for Garfield mount and down converter?

[Dan Coplan]

What's an average rental rate for both a Garfield mount and downconverter?

 

You all *are* charging rental on these items, right? (the correct answer is 'yes' though I realize that's not always an easy sell)

 

Dan

[Eric Fletcher S.O.C.]

Well it's part of my package rate so it's not a line item rental.

 

Having said that it should be ~$10/day (purchase price/100)

[Charles Papert]

I don't believe that rental rates are ever locked into a single formula, either for individuals or rental houses. 1/100 is pretty scrapey! Take for example a Lambda head versus a 2575--they are similar prices to buy but the Lambda rents for several times more. If I had to consider a single percentage as standard, I'd probably go with 1/30th--but again it would depend on the item itself.

 

Downconverters have traditionally been a $100 rental, but due to the cheaper ones like the Decimator they can now be found for half that. I'm hesitant to consider it part of my kit--with Steadicam rental rates dropping, the only recourse we have is to a la carte "exotic" items. There is a good argument to be made that in this day and age we should all be able to handle an HD signal, whether by utilizing an HD monitor or by providing internal SD downconversion, but this hasn't necessarily become a universally accepted idea so there's no reason to give away the farm right off the bat. Even if the producer expects a downconverter to be included in the kit and/or won't pay extra for it, at least we can provide it gratis "as a favor", then use that as ammo for the next point of contention.

 

I do agree that a Garfield mount is a basic piece of kit and thus wouldn't be an additional rental. The ability to be able to hardmount the rig to a dolly or other Mitchell'd device is a great everyday "weapon".

[David Baldwin]

Charles really hit it on the head as far as I'm concerned. I'm doing everything in my power to keep the downconverter a 'separate' rental. I tell production they can use mine (I charge $50/day for my Decimator btw) or they're welcome to bring their own which will most likely be at least twice as expensive. 100% of the time, they've taken me up on my offer.

 

My world is a little different from Charles's and Eric's as I primarily toil away in the student/short/video/low-budge world. But I realize that price points and practices I put in effect now as a relatively new op will only serve me as I move along.

 

As far as the Garfield mount, that's my next purchase. I did my final soft-mount yesterday. I've now shot enough bicycle tires/kids on bikes/hipster-slackers on skateboards and bikes/and vehicles that I'm never doing that shit again in a vest. Google 'meralgia parasthetica' and you'll see what I mean.

 

Now to choose between Walter's, Jerry Hill's and PRO's...ahhhh, decisions.

 

Looks like I'll be doing a little research on the trusty ol' forum.

 

How ya been, Dan?

Dave

[Dan Coplan]

$50 is a great rate for rental. I rented my Decimator for two days for $150 each day (encouraged by the AC). I felt fine about it because I offered a lower rate for doing Steadi and they didn't know any better so it at least helped with the overall rate. And now they have it in their mind that downconverters are items that need to be rented.

 

Dan

 

PS - Doing fine, thank you kindly! Things have been pretty slow for me overall this year, but now picking up. Whether or not the industry as a whole is picking up, I don't know but we can all breathe a sigh of relief that the Teamsters aren't striking.