On June 27 at Filmscape Chicago, PERG presented a panel called “Making Great Relationships with Rental Companies." Part of the Support Your Local Rental House Campaign, it was a candid and practical conversation about one of the most important—and sometimes overlooked—parts of the production process: building strong, productive relationships between production professionals and the rental companies that support them.
Moderated by PERG Manager Mark Wofford and featuring a panel that included Erica Duffy (Camera Ambassador); Colette Gabriel (Keslow Camera); Stan Glapa (Panavision); Stephen Wester, (Atlas Lighting); and Stephen Wheeler (Daufenbach Camera), at the heart of the discussion was a simple idea: the relationship should be about much more than renting equipment. While the rental transaction may begin with a list of cameras, lenses, lighting, or other equipment, the best relationships develop when rental companies and production professionals work together as collaborators. Rental companies bring not only equipment, but also experience, technical knowledge, problem-solving skills, and connections throughout the industry.
Communication emerged as one of the most important ingredients in making those relationships work. Panelists encouraged production professionals to engage rental companies early and explain what they are trying to accomplish, rather than simply presenting a predetermined equipment list. Sometimes a customer knows exactly what they need; other times, a conversation with an experienced rental professional can help identify a better or more practical solution. The goal is not for the rental company to dictate the answer, but to use its knowledge to help the production achieve what it is trying to do.
The panel also highlighted the people and expertise behind rental-company inventories. Rental-company employees are often passionate about equipment and spend their careers learning how it works in real production environments. Their knowledge goes beyond knowing what is on the shelf. They understand equipment compatibility, common failures, troubleshooting, emerging technology, and the practical differences between systems. Just as importantly, they have accumulated knowledge from working with countless productions and other industry professionals.
The discussion also acknowledged the realities of the rental business. Rental companies make significant investments in equipment, facilities, maintenance, insurance, employees, and inventory. Negotiating prices and seeking discounts are normal aspects of doing business, but the panel suggested that price should not be the only measure of value. The service, expertise, responsiveness, and problem-solving capabilities provided by a rental company are important parts of what production is actually paying for.
Perhaps the most important—and most human—point was the reminder that relationships are between people, not companies. Production is demanding, deadlines create pressure, and frustrations are inevitable. It can be easy to view a rental company as simply a vendor or a customer as simply an account. The panel encouraged everyone to look beyond that transactional perspective. Respect, patience, honesty, and an effort to understand the other person’s position go a long way toward creating relationships that last.
The panel’s message was straightforward: communicate early, be open, ask questions, respect the people you are working with, and invest in relationships before you need them. When rental companies and production professionals approach one another as partners rather than simply as buyers and sellers, the result is a stronger relationship, a better working experience, and ultimately a better production.
The panel is available on ESTA’s Youtube Channel currently.
