PERG News: June 2026

      

| PERG News: June 2026 | 

In This Issue:

Sixteen Years of Stewardship, Growth, and Gratitude as PERG Begins Its Next Chapter

"It has been my privilege and pleasure to serve as PERG Manager from 2010 to 2026. During that time, I have been fortunate to work alongside an exceptional group of people, the PERG Council and the ESTA staff, and help develop many of the programs and initiatives that have strengthened our community and delivered value to members." Read more...

PERG Rental House Breakfast Brings Industry Together at Cine Gear 2026

PERG's annual Rental House Breakfast once again proved to be one of the highlights of the Cine Gear weekend. Held on Saturday, June 6, 2026, at the Smoke House in Universal City, Los Angeles, the event welcomed 110 attendees for two hours of networking, camaraderie, and a hearty breakfast before the start of the busy trade show day. Read more...

AICP and PERG Annual Spring Mixer

On Tuesday, April 28 over 160 members of the AICP and PERG celebrated in Los Angeles at the annual co-hosted Spring Mixer. The event, which was held at Versatile Stages near Culver City in Los Angeles, brings together Executive Producers, Heads of Production, producers, and production staff from some of the finest commercial production companies in the world to rave it up with the leadership teams from rental companies that support their productions. Read more...

Inventory Management and Other Recent PERG Coffee Breaks

PERG's April 9, 2026 EWI Coffee Break focused on one of the most critical—and often overlooked—elements of rental house operations: inventory management. For this panel discussion on smart and efficient inventory practices, PERG welcomed three experienced rental house professionals: Chris Cottone of ARRI Rental, Alex Will of Daufenbach Camera, and Nick McKay of Keslow Camera. Read more...

PERG Celebrates EWI Trainees as New Cohort Begins

As PERG prepares to welcome a new group of participants into the Equitable Workforce Initiative (EWI), we are pleased to recognize one of the program's current success stories. Sponsored by Netflix, the EWI program provides entry-level employees at PERG member companies with six months of structured, hands-on training in rental house operations. Read more...

Sixteen Years of Stewardship, Growth, and Gratitude as PERG Begins Its Next Chapter

| PERG News: June 2026 |

Dear PERG Membership,

It has been my privilege and pleasure to serve as PERG Manager from 2010 to 2026.

During that time, I have been fortunate to work alongside an exceptional group of people, the PERG Council and the ESTA staff, and help develop many of the programs and initiatives that have strengthened our community and delivered value to members. Together, we built RENTAL GUARD; partnered with AICP on industry-standard Terms & Conditions and PERG/AICP networking events in LA and New York, created educational meetings and events; launched the Equitable Workforce Initiative with Netflix; introduced PERG Coffee Breaks; developed back-to-work protocols during the COVID-19 pandemic; established professional lens technician training with Duclos Lenses; initiated rental software user groups; expanded access to premium identity verification services; and much more. 

Most rewarding of all has been the opportunity to get to know and work with the leaders of rental companies—large and small—across the United States and beyond. Your dedication to professionalism, innovation, and service has been both inspiring and educational. Throughout my tenure, the Council has remained focused on advocating for issues that affect us all, strengthening the value of ESTA membership, bringing the industry together, and making it easier to do business. 

Having helped guide PERG to this point, I am transitioning out of my role and handing the reins to new leadership between now and the end of August. I do so with tremendous confidence in the future of the organization and enthusiasm for what lies ahead. 

Thank you for your support, partnership, and friendship over these many years. It has been an honor to serve this remarkable community.

Harry Box 

PERG Rental House Breakfast Brings Industry Together at Cine Gear 2026

| PERG News: June 2026 |

PERG's annual Rental House Breakfast once again proved to be one of the highlights of the Cine Gear weekend. Held on Saturday, June 6, 2026, at the Smoke House in Universal City, Los Angeles, the event welcomed 110 attendees for two hours of networking, camaraderie, and a hearty breakfast before the start of the busy trade show day.

The breakfast brought together an impressive cross-section of rental company leadership from across North America and beyond. Representatives traveled from Oregon, Texas, New York, Miami, San Francisco, Salt Lake City, Minneapolis, and Los Angeles, while international participation included guests from the Netherlands. Many of PERG's valued vendor partners also attended before heading over to their booths at the Cine Gear Expo.

Guests enjoyed a full breakfast while taking advantage of the opportunity to reconnect with colleagues, strengthen business relationships, and catch up with old friends. For many attendees, the breakfast has become a cherished tradition and an important kickoff to the Cine Gear weekend.

This year, the gathering also provided an opportunity to honor the memory of John Schrimpf, a legendary figure in the rental community and longtime head of Panavision Dallas. June 6 would have been John's birthday, and coincidentally was also the day of his Celebration of Life service in Dallas. A special table was set aside for friends and colleagues to share memories and stories about John and the many ways he influenced careers throughout the industry. PERG thanks everyone who contributed photographs to the tribute slideshow, which served as a fitting remembrance of a man whose impact reached far beyond Texas.

At the conclusion of the breakfast, PERG took the opportunity to update the rental community on an important initiative currently underway. Over the past year, PERG has begun engaging directly with producers regarding equipment sourcing practices. At the AICP Town Hall meeting on March 12, PERG raised what many view as an existential question for the rental industry: whether rental companies can continue to provide the level of professional support and service that productions have long depended upon under evolving sourcing models.

The message emphasizes the value that rental companies provide—expertise, depth of inventory, facilities, service and maintenance, proper insurance, contracts, and business practices, testing, and round-the-clock support—that many in the production community have come to take for granted. Encouragingly, PERG's efforts have already proven effective in influencing production company policies and raising awareness among producers. (For additional background, see the April edition of PERG News.)

Mark Wofford delivered the update to attendees. Mark, who led PC&E in Atlanta for more than twenty years and served for many years on both the PERG Council and the ESTA Board of Directors, emphasized that PERG is now in a position to bring this message beyond the commercial production world and to television and feature producers as well.

The event was a tremendous success and reflected the strength, professionalism, and fellowship that define the rental community. PERG extends its sincere thanks to this year's sponsors—Applied Entertainment and Sports, ARRI, NFP, Sony, Taylor & Taylor Associates, CFG, Litegear, and Rental Works—for helping make the breakfast possible.

Most of all, thanks to everyone who attended. It was a wonderful gathering, and a reminder that while our industry continues to evolve, the relationships and shared commitment that have sustained the rental community for decades remain stronger than ever.

Rental Works Sponsor

Streamlined Rentals. Scalable Software. Work from any device anywhere in the world with our web-based platform! request a demo RentalWorks Product Features • Manage operations with multiple offices and warehouses • Storefront website that allows your customers to view inventory and submit a quote request • Customer portal that allows your customers to securely pay invoices and view their quote and order history • Customizable fields, forms, reports, and real-time alerts • Customizable dashboards based on user’s role • Extensive APIs for 3rd party integrations • Straight-line depreciation for fixed assets • Supports multiple currencies for billing and purchasing • Scheduled reports delivered to your inbox • Increase warehouse efficiency with RFID tracking QuikScan Mobile Inventory management in the palm of your hands! QuikScan turns a mobile device into a barcode and RFID tag reading tool that interfaces directly with your inventory database. request a demo QuikScan Product Features • Read RFID tags, scan barcodes, or enter quantities for items at check-out or check-in • Receive or return sub-rental items from vendor purchase orders • Transfer-out or transfer-in items from other warehouses • Build an order on-the-fly from the warehouse using our QuikPick module • Create and receive a new item on-the-fly from the warehouse using our QuikAsset module • Send items to repair and attach photos to the service ticket • Add photos to inventory products and contracts as required • Capture signatures for items checked-out or checked-in • Complete quality control for required inventory items • Assign RFID tags and barcodes to inventory items Industries The ideal inventory tracking and asset management software for the following industries.       AV Companies Concert Touring Equipment Rental Houses Event Companies Film & Television Companies Hotels / Casinos Production Companies Theatre Companies Database Works 500 S. Kraemer Blvd, Suite 110 Brea, CA 92821 Phone: (714) 203-8818 www.rentalworkscloud.com request a demo © 2026 | Database Works | All rights reserved.

AICP and PERG Annual Spring Mixer

| PERG News: June 2026 |

On Tuesday, April 28 over 160 members of the AICP and PERG celebrated in Los Angeles at the annual co-hosted Spring Mixer. The event, which was held at Versatile Stages near Culver City in Los Angeles, brings together Executive Producers, Heads of Production, producers, and production staff from some of the finest commercial production companies in the world to rave it up with the leadership teams from rental companies that support their productions. Bianca Halpern (Otto Nemenz) enthused, “This event is a unique opportunity where production companies can meet their vendors and vice versa. Camaraderie is formed and virtual relationships become real!” The annual event has become a welcome opportunity to relax and strengthen personal relationships between production, vendors, and professional services companies that are the behind-the-scenes backbone to production.

Sean French and Michael Dos Santos, partners in Versatile stages, transformed the photo studio space with Mayan art and festive Cinco de Mayo decorations. Guests tucked into delicious tacos and clowned in the photo booth (https://gobeyondthebooth.com/). Paul Royalty (Litegear and PERG Council Member) assumed the role of master of ceremonies. Before beginning the drawing of raffle prizes, he spoke to the assembled group about the role of the AICP and PERG in strengthening the production infrastructure with important initiatives like the AICP/PERG Terms & Conditions, the recent AICP Town Hall with PERG, and events like this one. His words advanced PERG’s 2026 theme, “Support Your Local Rental House,” which was the branded message displayed on pins, pens, and display screens at the event.

Some terrific raffle prizes—Dodgers tickets, dinner at Musso and Franks, cheese and wine gift bags, even lighting products-- were presented by PERG and AICP associate members: Inner Circle (distributor of Astera in the US), Need Financial Services, Otto Nemenz, Sher Gelb, Chubb, and California Rent-a-Car.

The event was sponsored by PERG’s annual sponsors Applied Entertainment and Sports, Arri, NFP, Sony, and Taylor & Taylor and by event sponsors Bloom Hochberg & Co., California Rent-a-Car, Chubb, Roll Credits, Sher Gelb, Tiger Group, and Versatile Stages. In addition, Band Pro bought the beer, and liquor was sponsored by Hendricks Gin.

Inventory Management and Other Recent PERG Coffee Breaks

| PERG News: June 2026 |

  

Now on YouTube!

• GFX Eterna 55 and the growing accessibility of 65mm Large Format, June 2026
• RFID Implementation Best Practices and Real World Usage, May 2026
• Zeiss Aatma Primes, May 2026
• From Chaos to Control: Smart Inventory Management, April 2026

PERG's April 9, 2026 EWI Coffee Break focused on one of the most critical—and often overlooked—elements of rental house operations: inventory management. For this panel discussion on smart and efficient inventory practices, PERG welcomed three experienced rental house professionals: Chris Cottone of ARRI Rental, Alex Will of Daufenbach Camera, and Nick McKay of Keslow Camera.

The panelists emphasized that effective inventory systems are essential to understanding what equipment is available, where it is located, and how it is being utilized. As rental businesses grow, manual tracking methods quickly become inadequate, making specialized inventory software indispensable for maximizing efficiency and profitability. The discussion underscored that inventory management affects every department in a rental house and has a direct impact on the customer experience.

Maintaining accurate service histories for equipment, particularly high-value assets, was identified as another key priority. Nick McKay noted that detailed records not only support insurance claims but also help rental companies meet—and exceed—client expectations. The panel also stressed the importance of standardized naming conventions. Chris Cottone described the challenges of maintaining consistency across a global organization and explained that using technical product names rather than industry slang helps ensure that items remain easily searchable and universally understood.

Drawing on Daufenbach Camera's experience with a database transition, Alex Will explained how the company used the opportunity to refine item descriptions, providing greater insight into equipment utilization, maintenance requirements, and profitability. All three panelists agreed that extensive employee training in naming standards and data entry practices is essential to maintaining efficient workflows across departments.

The conversation also explored the benefits and challenges of barcoding equipment. While barcode systems improve tracking and operational efficiency, panelists noted that decisions about which items to barcode depend on factors such as equipment value, the need for service histories, and the practical ability to scan individual items. Chris and Nick shared lessons learned from managing barcodes on lenses and camera packages, emphasizing the importance of consistent barcode placement, regular maintenance, and employee training to address worn or missing labels.

Joining the discussion near the conclusion of the Coffee Break, Melissa Guzman of Rental Works highlighted features designed to maintain accurate records and protect against data loss. Bo Srisamutngam of Rental Tracker discussed safeguards built into inventory management software, including audit trails that document changes to item names and pricing, helping companies reduce errors and maintain accountability.

PERG's EWI Coffee Breaks are an important component of the Equitable Workforce Initiative, providing participants with broader exposure to rental house operations and expanding upon the hands-on training they receive at their member companies. In addition to supporting EWI candidates, these sessions offer valuable technical and operational training resources for the entire PERG membership as companies continue to develop and onboard new employees.

All PERG Coffee Breaks are available for viewing on the ESTA YouTube channel.

Want to learn more about PERG's Equitable Workforce Initiative (EWI)?

PERG Celebrates EWI Trainees as New Cohort Begins

| PERG News: June 2026 |

As PERG prepares to welcome a new group of participants into the Equitable Workforce Initiative (EWI), we are pleased to recognize one of the program's current success stories. Sponsored by Netflix, the EWI program provides entry-level employees at PERG member companies with six months of structured, hands-on training in rental house operations.

With the first six months of her employment nearly complete—the period during which the EWI training curriculum takes place—Valerie Cepeda of Arri Rental New York has emerged as an outstanding example of the program's impact. Valerie, along with Damián Ortiz of Serious Grippage & Lighting in Albuquerque, has spent the past six months gaining experience across multiple departments and developing the skills necessary for a successful career in the rental industry.

Valerie Cepeda

Additional new employees begin their training in the coming weeks. To support participants, PERG develops EWI Coffee Breaks, which provide valuable workforce development and training resources for entry-level employees throughout the industry. The Coffee Breaks are available on ESTA's YouTube channel through the dedicated EWI Coffee Break playlist.

From the beginning, Valerie demonstrated the qualities PERG seeks in EWI participants—initiative, drive, creativity, and the ability to work independently. Today, she confidently leads multi-camera preps, working closely with clients and Arri staff to deliver an exceptional experience. Her flexibility and creative problem-solving have earned praise from her colleagues.

Chris Cottone (Service Department Manager at Arri Rental) highlighted Valerie's ability to work with clients and find innovative solutions when conventional approaches are unavailable. Reflecting on the value of the program, he noted, "The EWI program sets great guidelines on training and ensures participants get a well-rounded experience in all departments of a rental house. EWI has become an integral part of Arri Rental's commitment to training and mentoring young people who are interested in careers in cinema."

Valerie's technical expertise has grown significantly, particularly in lens maintenance and repair. Clients have come to regard her as a trusted and supportive technician who delivers the level of service camera crews have long expected from their rental providers. In fact, many clients now request that Valerie lead their in-house preps when they return with subsequent productions.

As Valerie continues to build her career, she does so with a strong foundation of technical skills and the support of a community invested in her success.

From all of us at PERG, congratulations, Valerie. We look forward to supporting you as your career continues to come into focus.

PERG also congratulates Damián Ortiz and welcomes the newest members of the upcoming EWI cohort. We are grateful to Netflix for its sponsorship and continued support of this important initiative, which is helping to build the next generation of talent for the motion picture equipment rental community.

Want to learn more about PERG's Equitable Workforce Initiative (EWI)?