PERG Newsletter: March 2023

     

| PERG News: March 2023 | 

In This Issue:

RSVP NOW for PERG’s General Membership Meeting at NAB
The PERG meeting is an unequalled opportunity see colleagues, renew relationships, and make new ones within rental community. Come enjoy refreshments and attend the meeting. Read more...

Director of Photography Creative Conference
PERG is proud to be an association sponsor of The Director of Photography Creative Conference, a two-day training event that focuses on the range of techniques and best practices available to Cinematographers, Camera Operators, and Digital Imaging Techs. Read more...

New Sample Equipment Storage Agreements
Everywhere you look, companies are looking at their carbon footprint, their sustainability score, and puzzling out what steps they can take. On March 7, PERG was thrilled to present, in collaboration with the Local 600 Sustainability Committee, a diverse panel of individuals providing leadership and practical advice on making our industry more earth friendly. Read more...

AICP/PERG Spring Mixer/Pre-Cinco de Mayo Party
The AICP and PERG are delighted to bring together the Los Angeles commercial production community at our Spring Mixer! This year the event will be held at a new venue, the Wellesbourne, on LA's West side. Read more...

New PERG Sustainability Resources
Everywhere you look, companies are looking at their carbon footprint, their sustainability score, and puzzling out what steps they can take. On March 7, PERG was thrilled to present, in collaboration with the Local 600 Sustainability Committee, a diverse panel of individuals providing leadership and practical advice on making our industry more earth friendly. Read more...

Hitting 2030 Sustainability Goals from Prep to Wrap
PERG is delighted to be a co-sponsor with Local 600 of this timely discussion at NAB. In 2021 PGA Green (the Producers Guild of America) issued an urgent environmental call-to-action for our industry: “We must work together to accelerate our sustainable actions to reduce our carbon emissions by 50% by the year 2030.” Major studios and producers are signed on to the effort. Read more...

Training Enables Rental Companies to Purchase Parts from ARRI
We are excited to announce, through special arrangement with ARRI, the service technician training offered at Filmscape Chicago’s “Rental Days” will include one full day of Skypanel service training and one full day of HMI head training. Both sessions cover troubleshooting and basic servicing including disassembly and parts replacement. Read more...

 

Now Available on our YouTube Channel: Astera Efficiency Tricks for Rental QC
On February 28th PERG hosted Coffee Break: Astera’s Efficiency Tricks which is now available on ESTA’s YouTube channel. Thor Andre, After-Sales Support Specialist with Astera, did a fantastic presentation with lots of small details that can have a big impact. Read more...

Production Gear Auction
Tiger is pleased to announce to all the PERG members two upcoming online auctions in April. The auctions consist of excess rental and production-ready gear located in Gardena, California and Van Nuys, California. Read more...

Behind the Scenes Welcomes New Board Members
The Behind the Scenes Foundation has added a number of new Board Members over the last six months intended to broaden industry representation and ensure continuity for future generations of entertainment technology professionals. Read more...

Upcoming Virtual Trainings for Mental Health First Aid
and Bystander Intervention from Behind the Scenes
Dates for virtual Mental Health First Aid training are now posted through May 2023 at btshelp.org/mhfa. You can take an active role in helping to care for those you work with and expand your skill sets by learning how to identify, understand and respond to signs of distress in your colleagues and help make our workplaces healthier and safer spaces for all. Read more...

PERG Slack Channels
We are pleased to announce that PERG will host a suite of company-to-company rental-oriented channels on Slack. There is no cost, and they are available to all professional rental companies. Read more...

RSVP NOW for PERG’s General Membership Meeting at NAB

| PERG News: March 2023 |

The PERG meeting is an unequalled opportunity see colleagues, renew relationships, and make new ones within rental community. Come enjoy refreshments and attend the meeting. Share in the discussion of rental challenges, get caught up on PERG’s current activities and plans, and give feedback on what you’d like from your trade association. We look forward to seeing you there!

April 17, 4 – 6:30pm Central Hall, Create Inspiration Zone C2133

PLEASE RSVP TO ATTEND

If you need to register for NAB, use our link for Free Exhibits Pass Registration.

Or if you register at nabshow.com use code PR04 to register. 

New Sample Equipment Storage Agreements

| PERG News: March 2023 |

It is always good idea to have a formal agreement for crew gear stored on your premises. With the possibility of a writer’s strike, PERG has developed two sample Equipment Storage Agreements that are now available for download. One agreement states that the crew member is responsible for insuring their own property while on your premises. The other agreement has the equipment rental company agreeing to insure the crew gear while on the rental house premises.

There is a condensed and an expanded version of each sample agreement. We are providing the shorter document because, as a practical matter, the requirements of the longer document may be unnecessary given the context in which the documents are used.

Every time the industry faces a major work stoppage or slow down, due to a strike for example, it raises issues regarding who is responsible for property of crew and customers while that property is stored on the rental house premises. During such times, rental companies are likely to see their own inventories swell, as well as those of crew who store their own personal property at the rental house. In short, the dollar value of equipment located at the rental house will increase and there is a good chance that this sum will exceed the insurance limits on the policy. Which party is responsible for the risk of loss should the property be damaged or stolen? The agreements also address the risk of loss should that property ever be placed on a rental agreement through your company as well as when crew use the gear for their own projects.

As the laws vary amongst the various jurisdictions and there is no single answer to whether you can limit your liability for the negligence of your staff as respects property of others stored on your premises, the best answer is to have the individuals storing their property free of charge on your premises responsible for insuring their property. The sample AICP/ESTA terms and conditions document specifies that property stored on the rental house premises is solely at the Customer’s risk of loss.

AICP/PERG Spring Mixer/Pre-Cinco de Mayo Party

| PERG News: March 2023 |

The AICP and PERG are delighted to bring together the Los Angeles commercial production community at our Spring Mixer! This year the event will be held at a new venue, the Wellesbourne, on LA's West side. The olde English style venue will make you feel like you stepped into the home of Oscar Wilde or Sir Arthur Conan Doyle in the days of the Kinetoscope, but with tacos and margaritas and raffle prizes. We're mixing it up. Come, hang out, enjoy some great food and drink with your colleagues and make some new friends.

The event is by invitation only for PERG and AICP members. Need an invitation?

New PERG Sustainability Resources

| PERG News: March 2023 |

Everywhere you look, companies are looking at their carbon footprint, their sustainability score, and puzzling out what steps they can take. On March 7, PERG was thrilled to present, in collaboration with the Local 600 Sustainability Committee, a diverse panel of individuals providing leadership and practical advice on making our industry more earth friendly. PERG has established a Sustainability Resources page on our website to share some of the great resources recommended to us. The Coffee Break was recorded and added to ESTA’s YouTube Channel, which is home to our archive of Coffee Breaks.

In conjunction with the Coffee Break, PERG released a pdf titled Suggestions for a Green Camera Rental House. The document is a collection of specific ideas and solutions for any rental company, but with many specific to camera rental operations and service. It is an inspirational list, and we are grateful to Kari Fouts, Sally Spaderna (both from Koerner Camera), Alex Coyle, and Allison Elvove (both from Local 600) for sharing the notes and ideas they have gathered and collating them for PERG’s members to consider. 

The document is a work in progress, and we’d love to add your ideas to it. If you have sustainable ideas to share, please post them on the PERG General Slack Channel or send them to the PERG manager to add to the list. 

Panelists for the Sustainability Coffee Break included Zena Harris is President and Founder of Green Spark Group, which provides training and strategy for productions, studios, vendors, and corporations to work towards more sustainable production. Allison Elvove and Alex Coyle are on the Local 600 Sustainability Committee. Diana Pokorny is an independent producer working on sustainability who sits on the PGA Green Task Force. Clara George is an independent producer who also sits on the PGA Green Task Force and is Chair of the DGC National Sustainability Committee. Jaymie Bickford is Director of Operations at Panavision, Hollywood. Amit Jain is Senior Director of Sustainability at MBS. Sally Spaderna is Rental Manager at Koerner Camera, Peter Scudner is Owner of Triode Group, Lancaster PA.

Hitting 2030 Sustainability Goals from Prep to Wrap

| PERG News: March 2023 |

Monday, April 17 1:30 pm – 2:30 pm | North Hall N252/N254

PERG is delighted to be a co-sponsor with Local 600 of this timely discussion at NAB. In 2021 PGA Green (the Producers Guild of America) issued an urgent environmental call-to-action for our industry: “We must work together to accelerate our sustainable actions to reduce our carbon emissions by 50% by the year 2030.” Major studios and producers are signed on to the effort.

Join the International Cinematographers Guild IATSE Local 600 and the Production Equipment Rental Group (PERG) in a discussion with sustainability experts about the steps that producers, department heads, suppliers and studios can take to meet these goals. Learn about the environmental impact of productions large and small while gaining insight into everyday practices that will slash our carbon footprint.

The session, moderated by Michael Chambliss (Technology Specialist at ICG), includes PERG members Sally Spaderna (Koerner Camera), and Amit Jain, Senior Director of Sustainability at MBS Studios, in addition to Clara George (independent producer on the PGA Green Task Force and Chair of the DGC National Sustainability Committee), and Cinematographer Cynthia Pusheck. Find out more. 

Director of Photography Creative Conference

| PERG News: March 2023 |

April 18-19, 2023 | Las Vegas Convention Center

PERG is proud to be an association sponsor of The Director of Photography Creative Conference, a two-day training event that focuses on the range of techniques and best practices available to Cinematographers, Camera Operators, and Digital Imaging Techs. The conference features several PERG members who are speaking at the event as well as conversations with DPs. Art Adams (ARRI) will speak about innovations in optical designs, Alex Nelson (Zero Opik) will show one of a kind lens rehousing projects, Jay Holben, author of the Cine Lens Manual, will talk about the history of optics, Dan Kanes (Atlas Lens Company) will tell the story behind the modern anamorphic lens, Colette Gabriel (Keslow Chicago), Sally Spaderna (Koerner Camera), and Bianca Halpern (Becine), will discuss careers in rental, Matthew Duclos (Duclos Lenses) will talk optics. See the full schedule.

Training Enables Rental Companies to Purchase Parts from ARRI

| PERG News: March 2023 |

We are excited to announce, through special arrangement with ARRI, the service technician training offered at Filmscape Chicago’s “Rental Days” will include one full day of Skypanel service training and one full day of HMI head training. Both sessions cover troubleshooting and basic servicing including disassembly and parts replacement. This is not a full certification class, however participation in this class does enable the trainee and their organization to purchase basic replacement parts from ARRI. 

Rental Days @ Filmscape Chicago is custom training for the rental community’s service technicians and is presented in partnership with PERG. Other courses include an advanced lighting control networks course given by Ratpac Controls, an Astera QC and service course, and an advanced lighting and grip stand repair course from American Grip. For those who don’t take the two-day ARRI training, there’s a ton of other options available including classes from Kino Flo, Hubbell, Luminex, Creamsource, Litegear, Chimera, and Ragtime. Filmscape’s PERG Rental Days training comes on the heels of the extremely well-received Duclos Lens Tech Training, powered by PERG, and produced by Filmscape in February 2023.

Rental Days training takes place Thursday-Saturday, June 22-24.

The public Filmscape tradeshow is the Saturday and Sunday, June 24 and 25. 

Now Available on our YouTube Channel: Astera Efficiency Tricks for Rental QC

| PERG News: March 2023 |

On February 28th PERG hosted Coffee Break: Astera’s Efficiency Tricks which is now available on ESTA’s YouTube channel. Thor Andre, After-Sales Support Specialist with Astera, did a fantastic presentation with lots of small details that can have a big impact. For rental companies, quality control testing for these complex lights can be daunting, especially as they are often ordered in quantity. Astera lights have become ubiquitous on the sets of TV shows, movies, and commercials. Thanks to Astera for supplying PERG with their expertise.

Production Gear Auction

| PERG News: March 2023 |

Tiger is pleased to announce to all the PERG members two upcoming online auctions in April. The auctions consist of excess rental and production-ready gear located in Gardena, California and Van Nuys, California. 

The first sale on April 11 will feature digital cameras, lenses, filters, memory, and gear accessories from Arri, Canon, Fujinon, Panasonic, RED, Sony & Tiffen. The auction is currently open for registration and will be available for bidding starting on April 4. (Sale link: Over 400 Lots of High Quality Digital Cameras, Lenses, Filters, Memory & Gear Accessories | Tiger Commercial & Industrial (soldtiger.com) 

The sale on April 18 will include gear from PRG featuring digital cameras, lenses, audio, speakers, LED walls, projectors, monitors, and gear accessories from Argenieux, Arri, Barco, Canon, Cooke, Christie, Fuji, Meyer Sound, RED, Shure & Sony. Bidding will be available on April 11. (Sale link: Over 600 Lots: Digital Cameras, Lenses, Audio, Speakers, LED Walls, Projectors, Monitors & Gear Accessories | Tiger Commercial & Industrial (soldtiger.com)

Behind the Scenes Welcomes New Board Members

| PERG News: March 2023 |

The Behind the Scenes Foundation has added a number of new Board Members over the last six months intended to broaden industry representation and ensure continuity for future generations of entertainment technology professionals.

Chairperson Rick Rudolph states, “The Foundation has evolved and expanded its scope since forming in2005. Our mission now includes a Mental Health initiative along with the core of multiple Needs Grants. With increased programs and the desire for more outreach and expertise, we have invited additional members to join the Board of Directors bringing fresh ideas and knowledge. I am extremely pleased to welcome them and grateful to our current and past members. The work we do is important, impacting our colleagues by providing help, hope, and awareness.”

Joining the Board are Liz Campos, Executive Director of the IATSE Training Trust Fund; Caroline Chauvet, Global Brand Manager for Chauvet; Kate Foster, Marketing Communication Specialist for ETC; Paul Royalty, Senior Vice President of Sales for LiteGear; Brad Schiller, lighting industry veteran; Jeff Siegel, Director of Eastern Region Systems for Barbizon Lighting; Court Watson, USA 829 costume and scenic designer; and Pat White, President of IATSE Local 764 and Director of Education and Training, IATSE.

Court Watson, whose design credits include theatre, opera, and dance around the world, has created several popular BTS holiday cards over the years. It was his focus though, on making our workplaces safer and healthier for all that led the Board to invite him to join its ranks. When asked, Court commented, “Behind the Scenes is so much more than holiday cards, but that is how I first engaged with the organization. While our industry is changing for the better, technical stage and motion picture workers face intense stress and pressure in our workplaces. Providing grants, mental health tools and resources, including Mental Health First Aid training and access to entertainment-literate counseling, has never been more important. As we continue to work for healthy, safe, respectful, inclusive, sustainable, diverse spaces in our industry, we are stronger when we are better informed how to take care of ourselves and our colleagues.”

Behind the Scenes is the industry charity serving entertainment technology professionals in the US and Canada with basic needs grants for serious illness or injury, counseling grants for therapy or rehabilitation, and mental health and suicide prevention tools and resources. For additional information about Behind the Scenes, visit www.behindthescenescharity.org.

Upcoming Virtual Trainings for Mental Health First Aid and Bystander Intervention from Behind the Scenes

| PERG News: March 2023 |

Dates for virtual Mental Health First Aid training are now posted through May 2023 at btshelp.org/mhfa. You can take an active role in helping to care for those you work with and expand your skill sets by learning how to identify, understand and respond to signs of distress in your colleagues and help make our workplaces healthier and safer spaces for all. 

A previous attendee recently told us, “A dear friend disclosed an awful mental health crisis. Thanks to your class, I was able to put my mental health first aid training into critical practice and send them some resources. In an intense, immediate way I am so glad to have been there for a friend and able to help them get the help they desperately need.”

The course is delivered in two parts. The first is a two-hour self-paced online course that must be completed prior to a six-hour virtual live instructor led session. The registration fee is $125. IATSE Members and those working under IATSE agreements may be eligible for Training Trust Fund reimbursement upon proof of successful completion of the course. A limited number of partial and full scholarships are available to individuals not eligible for reimbursement. Training for Canadians is available through the AFC at https://afchelps.ca/mhfa.

Private group classes of 10 -25 are available virtually or in-person – contact mhfa@btshelp.org for information. 

Bystander Intervention in the Entertainment Workplace

Do you know how to safely intervene if you see a co-worker being bullied or intimidated? Did you know there are different ways to intervene to match your comfort level? In just 90 minutes you will learn five easily accessible tools, illustrated by relevant scenarios, for use in any workplace to safely intervene without the worry of retaliation. The next free webinar is on April 30th with another schedule for July 17th. Advance registration is required in order to receive the zoom login. Please visit btshelp.org/bystander to select a registration link for the date of your choice.

Bullying, harassment, and intimidation is a common workplace stressor throughout all sectors of the entertainment industry. These behaviors create a physically and psychologically unsafe workplace for everyone. This training will teach you how to safely intervene and help to make a difference. Behind the Scenes is partnering with Right To Be, a social justice organization that specializes in education around bullying and harassment, to present these free webinars. Principal Right To Be trainer, Dax Valdes, an experienced entertainment industry professional, will lead these interactive sessions that ensure attendee anonymity.

This webinar is offered as part of an ongoing “Stop Bullying” campaign by the BTS Mental Health Initiative. Available resources include a set of posters to raise awareness of words, actions and behaviors that constitute bullying, harassment or intimidation; information for those who are targets of, or bystanders to, bullying behavior; information to empower individuals to Be Informed, Be Aware, Show Support, and Take Action; and a sample policy and procedures to identify, investigate and resolve instances of bullying, harassment or intimidation and to provide support to those who experience these behaviors.

Visit btshelp.org/mentalhealth to see all the available tools and resources in our Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Initiative.

PERG Slack Channels

| PERG News: March 2023 |

Enjoy instant company-to-company communication channels for finding subrentals; giving alerts of scams, fraud, and theft activity; letting others know about new equipment you have available for subrental or used gear for sale; technical service discussions for lens techs, camera service techs, and lighting service techs, and more. 

SIGN UP HERE for an invitation. 

Note: These channels are available to professional, brick-and-mortar rental companies only. 

All you need is a (free or paid) Slack account and an invitation to access the PERG channels on Slack.

CHANNELS CURRENTLY AVAILABLE 

perg_general
PERG announcements, events, and general conversation 

fraud_alerts-and-verifications
Report scams; alert others to fraudsters; ask if others know a specific customer. 

FOR TECHS

tech_lens-tech
Lens service technician channel is for exchange of information among lens service technicians.

tech_camera-tech
Camera service technician channel is for exchange of information among camera service technicians.

tech_lighting-tech
Lighting service technician channel is for exchange of information among lighting service technicians.

tech_prep-tech
Prep tech channel is for exchange of information among camera prep techs. 

USED GEAR

east_used-gear-for-sale
Post used gear you have for sale. This channel is shared with companies in the eastern third of the U.S. 

central_used-gear-for-sale
Post used gear you have for sale. This channel is shared with companies in the central third of the U.S. 

west_used-gear-for-sale
Post used gear you have for sale. This channel is shared with companies in the western third of the U.S. 

FOR THE EASTERN U.S.

east_who-has-it
Find equipment that you need to subrent quickly from companies in the EASTERN third of the U.S. 

east_new-gear-for-rent
Let others know when you have a new piece of gear that is available for subrental in the EASTERN third of the U.S. You can post a photo if you want. 

FOR THE CENTRAL U.S.

central_who-has-it
Find equipment that you need to subrent quickly from companies in the CENTRAL third of the U.S.

central_new-gear-for-rent
Let others know when you have a new piece of gear that is available for subrental in the CENTRAL third of the U.S. You can post a photo if you want. 

FOR THE WESTERN U.S.

west_who-has-it
Find equipment that you need to subrent quickly from companies in the WESTERN third of the U.S.

west_new-gear-for-rent
Let others know when you have a new piece of gear that is available for subrental in the WESTERN third of the U.S. You can post a photo if you want. 

FOR CANADA

canada_who-has-it
Find equipment that you need to subrent quickly from companies in Canada.

canada_new-gear-for-rent
Let others know when you have a new piece of gear that is available for subrental in Canada. You can post a photo if you want.

FROM THE MANUFACTURERS

news_camera-lenses
This channel is for making announcements and promoting events. This includes product announcements, training events, networking/industry events, and so on.

news_lighting-grip
This channel is for making announcements and promoting events. This includes product announcements, training events, networking/industry events, and so on. 

THE RULES 

Keep it organized. You can nest responses by using “reply in thread”; so that equipment requests and conversation topics stay separated. 

Stay on Topic. Limit conversation to the topic of the channel. If the channel is for subrentals, it should be just requests and responses. For example, someone might post “Looking for Signature Zoom 16-32 mm. Preps 6/4, shoots 6/5-6/6, returns Friday 6/6. email me a name@rentalcompany.com." Someone who has the gear responds with a short “We’ve got it!” or even just a check mark or raised hand emoji for example. Then the parties reach out by phone or email to discuss terms.

Don't talk money. Pricing conversations must be taken elsewhere. For antitrust purposes, they must be held privately, and must not be held on the app. All discussions on Slack will be limited to those subjects that are permitted by the antitrust laws. Prohibited topics include prices charged, employee salaries, marketing plans and strategies, and current or future costs. Violations of the antitrust laws can have serious consequences for you and for our trade organization.

No ads, except on the designated channel. Manufacturers and dealers are welcome to participate in the tech channels providing information but are not permitted to use those channels for sales. We reserve a separate channel for announcements about products and events called news_camera-lenses and news_lighting-grip.