PERG News

Tuesday, May 22, 2018

BlueShape Theft Deterrent Batteries

| PERG News: May 2018 |

It is encouraging to see manufacturers developing products with theft deterrence in mind. BLUESHAPE batteries have developed aggressive theft deterrent features into their batteries. On all BLUESHAPE batteries, the GRANITE Link Wi-fi app allows the battery to be locked by the owner who enters a password. A locked battery can be fully charged but will not work on any device until unlocked. A lost password can be reset remotely by the factory team when ownership is established. Much like the iPhone’s disabling feature, this tactic immediately makes the equipment valueless if it is stolen, and therefore pointless to steal.

BLUESHAPE also has a rental program option via the GRANITE Link app. This allows the rental house to set one of two parameters, either actual usage time (i.e. ten hours on the camera) or overall rental period (i.e. 96 hours for a four-day rental). At the expiration of either of these periods, the batteries lock the power out. The renter can contact the rental house for an extension that is provided by a one-use code. This can serve as theft prevention.

In addition, the GRANITE Link program provides information needed to monitor battery health. The program shows the data so that a single lower-performing cell in one of the four groups of cells in the battery can be detected. The rental house will never need to unknowingly send out a battery performing at less than 100%.

NAB Panel Discussion on e-commerce Rental Platforms

| PERG News: May 2018 |

PERG members have expressed a combination of curiosity and concern ever since the emergence of e-commerce platforms that rent camera equipment (primarily) using the same “sharing economy” model as Airbnb and Uber. Rental houses have a lot of questions. At PERG’s 2018 General Membership Meeting at NAB, PERG responded, in what some members thought was a “bold” and “refreshing” move. PERG asked KitSplit and ShareGrid, the two biggest ecommerce platforms, to participate in a panel discussion.

To get a lot of the initial questions out of the way, each company was given the opportunity to make a brief presentation, after which representatives from ShareGrid and KitSplit were joined by other panelists for a moderated discussion. The panel included Marius Ciocirlan, co-founder and CEO at ShareGrid; Daniel Gurzi, director of business development at KitSplit; Lizbeth Kaufman, co-founder and CEO at KitSplit; Dan Colmenares, rental manager at Stray Angel Films; Micheal Shugrue, director of new business development at CinemaWorks (Samy’s Camera); and Zack Wallnau, an LA-based cinematographer. CinemaWorks and Stray Angel market some of their inventory on the e-commerce sites and have some experience with them. The panel was moderated by PERG council member Paul Royalty (Litegear).

While the presentations gave attendees a great deal of insight into how these companies work, their market advantages, and their success thus far, it was put into perspective during the panel discussion. Shugrue reported that many of the rentals that CinemaWorks has done through ShareGrid were items to fill out a package that was otherwise being supplied by an out-of-town cinematographer. As a cinematographer, Wallnau is a member of the peer-to-peer rental sites, and also rents from traditional houses. He says he would not consider renting an entire package from a peer-to-peer site except if the project had extremely limited resources and the difference in price was the deciding factor. Any normal shoot he would order via a traditional rental house. It became clear that, in the current market, for the most part producers recognize that for any professional-level shoot, their partnership with traditional rental houses is essential to get the range of equipment they need and eliminate questions of compatibility and reliability.

From a marketing standpoint, there may be some advantage to rental houses becoming members of the sharing sites. Rental companies can bring new potential clients by placing some of their rental inventory on the platforms. Shugue says at Cinemaworks, which is also an equipment dealer, they see an advantage to getting any new customer in the door. He has had success renting items that would otherwise have sat idle, like old cameras that are no longer sought after or an odd prime lens from a set that is out on extended rental. ShareGrid and KitSplit certainly provide marketing advantages. Both platforms are growing very quickly, ShareGrid has about 45,000 members and KitSplit has almost as many. As internet startups, these companies invest in every advantage for optimizing search engine results. Both companies have marketing budgets and hold events for their members. Still, rental companies that have rented through the peer-to-peer sites say the amount of business generated that way has not been significant.

Attendees were given an opportunity to ask questions of the panel at the end of the discussion. Marc Dobiecki (COMMANDER, in Atlanta) pointed out an important issue that neither of the e-commerce sites seem to fully address, which is liability. While liability insurance is part of what is “offered” by the online sites, they do not require it. I spoke with Dobiecki after the event. He painted a picture “If someone rents a lens or a matt box and goes off and does a driving shot, and one of those pieces falls off and injures a kid at the side of the road, they have a major problem.” Any normal rental contract requires at least a $1M liability policy, if not more. The peer-to-peer companies appeal largely to less-experienced filmmakers. The online platforms market themselves as making the rental process simple and worry free and taking care of all that complicated paperwork. A filmmaker who does not necessarily have the knowledge or experience to recognize where they may be cutting corners, may be surprised to find they have a major liability.

Dobiecki summed up his thoughts after the meeting with a reference to the fear that rental houses may be threatened the same way Uber has overtaken the taxi industry. “In the end, our business cannot be compared to a taxi service (and the taxi companies were not providing good service themselves). There is too much we need to do in terms of customizing of the order. If you are going to buy a house, you may look at it online. You may sign the loan online, but somewhere along the line you are going to a need real estate agent and a lawyer. Our business is too much about personal relationships. I think there is certainly a place for it, and I’m going to keep my eye on it, but I don’t see this being a medium for professional rentals.”

Call for PERG Council Nominations

| PERG News: May 2018 |

Do you want to help guide and inform PERG’s future? The PERG council is a volunteer group made up of principals from professional lighting and camera rental companies and also includes three representatives from a manufacturer or insurance company. The council is responsible for proposing and guiding the execution of initiatives, events, and communications, in collaboration with PERG manager, Harry Box, and ESTA staff.

The PERG Council made an assessment of current representation on the council—geographically and by type of company. We have a good balance between camera, lighting, and non-rental companies represented, however the Northwestern US and Canada are under-represented. PERG also tries to maintain diversity of gender and age on the council. There are currently fewer women on the council than men.

PERG’s mission is to shine a light on the challenges and opportunities faced by professional rental companies and focuses the collective expertise of its members to shape solutions that best serve us all. PERG strives to be the voice of the motion picture equipment rental industry and set a standard of operations and ethical behavior.

The council meets four times a year, usually in conjunction with trade shows or PERG events. The council consists of 9 to 17 members; currently there are 13. Any individual working for a company that is a member of ESTA/PERG in good standing may put forth their own name or that of another individual to be appointed to the Council. Current PERG Council members also put forth nominations for consideration by the full Council. Candidates must hold decision-making authority within their organizations. They must be able to express opinions and vote in Council meetings without higher authorization from someone in their company. Candidates must be willing to serve on a task group(s) and be committed to attending meeting and events. Appointment is by vote of a simple majority of the Council.

Please note, the PERG council is the executive body of PERG. PERG is a special interest group within ESTA. The ESTA board, and its elections, are separate and apart from the nominations to the PERG council. Over the past several years PERG has benefitted by one of the PERG council members also serving on the ESTA board.

If you have a name to nominate for the PERG Council, please contact the PERG manager.

Monday, April 2, 2018

Coming to Las Vegas?

| PERG News: NAB 2018 |

Coming to Las Vegas?

This special edition PERG Newsletter features announcements from PERG’s NAB Sponsors regarding featured products you don’t want to miss:

Be sure to join us for PERG’s General Membership Meeting:

Tuesday April 10th, 4-7 pm, Embassy Suite Hotel, Las Vegas, NV

More about the meeting | RSVP Here

Abel Cine

| PERG News: NAB 2018 |

AbelCine’s NAB booth #C8215 will focus on full format digital cinema cameras and lenses. We’re the only US reseller that carries all manufacturers offering the highest end of full format products currently on the market.

We’ll be displaying the ARRI ALEXA LF, Sony VENICE, RED MONSTRO 8K VV, Angenieux EZ-1, EZ-2, and Ultra12X, ARRI Signature Primes, IB/E Raptor Macros, Sigma Cinema Primes, ZEISS CP.3 Primes, Cooke S7/i Primes, and Leica Thalia Primes.

Get hands-on with the gear and chat with our technical specialists and sales consultants to address all your full format needs. Be sure to pick up one of our full format guides at our booth, and follow along with our blog coverage on our website.

We’re also increasing our lineup of Cameo products. Make sure to stop by our booth and check it out.

Codex

| PERG News: NAB 2018 |

Codex creates high-performance digital production workflow tools for Independent films, major Hollywood motion pictures, commercials, and high-end TV productions worldwide.

Designed for the filmmakers by the filmmakers, Codex’s renowned product portfolio includes easy-to-use recorders and media processing systems, that streamline the transference of digital files and images from the camera to post-production. Products also include innovative tools for color dynamics, dailies creation, archiving, review, and digital asset management.

Codex Production Suite provides world-class imaging science, high-quality image processing, the flexibility of the Codex File System, (CFS) and an intuitive user-interface. Featuring sophisticated tools for color grading and LUT management, QC, metadata editing, and audio sync so you can create and manage all your deliverables within one powerful system.

Today’s complex productions require simplicity. Codex Production Suite securely manages your data and provides on-set color management with ACES, grading, transcoding and review, and archiving. Whether you’re a DIT, data wrangler or post facility, it makes it easy to get the right files and information to whoever needs them, as quickly as possible. The Codex Transfer Drives are the ideal mechanism for securely moving critical data from on-set to near-set, and location to post in one unified workflow tying everything together.

Codex Production Suite is available on Mac Pro and MacBook Pro and Codex’s S-and XL-Series Vaults. Productions include Black Panther, Avengers: Infinity War, The Darkest Hour, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, Blade Runner 2049, and Netflix series Altered Carbon.

Find Codex at the Renaissance Hotel, Suite 732 to learn more about our products.

Panasonic Professional Video

| PERG News: NAB 2018 |

Panasonic will showcase an array of new technologies and products including the AK-UC4000 4K/HD high-speed studio camera, Ver. 6.0 firmware upgrade for the VariCam LT 4K camera, Ver. 2.0 firmware upgrade for the AU-EVA1, and its line-up of PTZ cameras with built-in Network Device Interface (NDI) support. Designed for live sports production and high-end event broadcast with high-speed 240fps capability, the UC4000 raises the bar for 4K HDR performance. The all-in-one UC4000 utilizes a new, larger, advanced 4.4K Super 35mm imager to improve resolution while maintaining the same broadcast lens compatibility and operation, and keeping the same camera form factor – potentially the best overall performing 4K HDR camera utilizing 2/3” lenses available. The VariCam LT’s Ver. 6.0 firmware upgrade sets the cinema camera up for live and “near live” multi-cam use for events, concerts, television shows and corporate productions. Ver. 2.0 firmware upgrade for the EVA1 greatly enhances the compact camera’s recording capabilities, including ALL-I recording formats, RAW output, time-lapse recoding, HD 4:2:2 interlaced formats, and more. And on display will be Panasonic's entire NDI PTZ camera line-up – the AW-HN38, AW-HN40, AW-UN70 and AW-HN130. And stop to view the AV-HLC100 Live Production Center, also with NDI, that combines a 1 ME switcher, remote camera controller and audio mixer functions to enable easy live streaming with one-person operation.

For more information, please click here.

Vitec

| PERG News: NAB 2018 |

Litepanels: Booth C6025

At the 2018 NAB Show, Litepanels, a Vitec Group Brand, is proud to showcase the all-new Gemini, the industry's most accurate and versatile 2x1 soft panel. The Gemini’s latest firmware upgrade allows for a variety of cinematic effects such as emergency lights, fire, TV, and hue bursts that are fully customizeable and that can be easily saved to presets. Gemini eliminates the need for color correction by offering full-spectrum white light that’s perfect for lighting talent and rendering exceptional color. Lighting professionals can “go bold” by lighting with any color in the 360° color wheel and popular gels within Gemini’s color modes.
Gemini’s versatile, ballast-free, lightweight design allows the light to be rigged easier, requiring less cabling because the power supply is built in. This production-friendly soft panel delivers full-intensity, mobile-powered operation with the Anton/Bauer CINE VCLX battery. Users can operate every function of Gemini using its intuitive on-board controls and user interface with multiple control options. Integrated DMX ports enable users to choose between using 5-pin XLR or RJ45 connections, all supporting standard 512 protocol.

Optional wireless modules enable users to control Gemini remotely through wireless DMX or with Bluetooth and the Litepanels SmartLite Director app. Gemini features a complete lineup of accessories including light shaping, stacking, diffusion, and more.

“This year’s NAB Show gives us an opportunity to showcase our newest industry-leading lighting solutions for broadcast, live events and productions, and more. Litepanels, like all of the Vitec Group brands, is committed to helping broadcasters, cinematographers, and photographic professionals capture and share exceptional images. Our all-new Gemini is the most accurate and agile light in the industry, and the lightweight design of Astra makes it the most preferred LED panel for productions around the world.” - Alan Ipakchian, Product Marketing Manager, Litepanels

Vinten: Booth C6025

Vinten will be introducing the Vantage external lens drive at the 2018 NAB Show, a new option for the company’s award-winning Vantage robotic camera head. Vinten’s newest device significantly increases the number of lenses that can be used on Vinten Vantage-mounted cameras, and delivers full servo functionality, including virtual reality (VR) tracking, to manual lenses.

Ideally suited to cine, teleconference, or ENG manual lenses, the new external lens drive is able to drive up to three axes of any manual lens, giving users the ability to drive zoom, focus, and iris. Encoded motors enable the use of stored shots within Vinten’s μVRC (microVRC) and HD-VRC control software (sold separately), allowing users to adapt lower-cost camera setups lacking encoded digital lenses for use on virtual sets and in other VR applications.

In a compact and lightweight form factor, the Vinten Vantage pan/tilt head enables broadcast-quality video and superior motion control at the same price point as a traditional pan-tilt-zoom (PTZ) camera head. Vantage enables customers to choose the camera and lens that meet their requirements, ensuring that they can match manual camera positions, work over long distances, and manage low-light conditions.

Also making its debut at the 2018 NAB Show will be Vinten’s all-new Ceiling Track system powered by Tecnopoint. Ideal for creative productions where floor space is at a premium, the solution is fully integrated with the Vinten control system so that it can work alongside Vinten’s renowned pedestals, heads, and elevation units to create a flexible, powerful combination for modern broadcasts.

The Camera Division

| PERG News: NAB 2018 |

The Camera Division is wrapping up its first year since the merger of Division Camera and The Camera House on May 1st, 2017. In that time, we have made major strides into the world of television, working with more than a dozen major productions last season. We continue to expand our technical capabilities and inventory to enable us to better serve any type or size of production. In fact, we are about to become the first camera rental facility in Los Angeles to carry the Hudson Spider light. TCD takes very seriously the responsibility of helping our cinematographers realize their vision. Providing DPs with the latest in lightweight, versatile lighting technology - which includes the recent acquisition of the Litemat Plus 4 - is the logical progression of this ethos.

One of our exciting new home-grown improvements is the ability to create custom-machined parts and accessories. We now employ 3D printing to create prototypes and CNC Manufacturing to produce TCD-designed camera and cage plates, director’s monitor handheld rigs, power system improvements and more to come.

TCD also continues its mission to promote diversity within the industry we love. The EMERGENCE program, spearheaded by TCD, has brought 12 partners together to provide services and equipment from pre-production through post, free-of-charge, in order to help encourage a more diverse group of working filmmakers in Los Angeles and beyond.

Core SWX

| PERG News: NAB 2018 |

Core SWX Brings Fleet Battery Management to the Next Level at NAB 2018

Core SWX introduces the Voltbridge Fleet Battery Management Platform along with Bluetooth Low Energy enabled versions of its Quad Fleet and Fleet Micro Chargers, Fleet Qi and Fleet QMi, at NAB 2018 (Booth C5633). This innovative platform allows a user to oversee dozens of professional battery chargers and hundreds of battery packs, all controlled and monitored by a mobile device via the VoltBridge app.

“Battery power is the most critical part of any mobile/field production. With the Voltbridge platform and the new chargers, large production/broadcast houses, as well as professional video and cinema rental will be able to manage their battery fleet,” says Ross Kanarek, CEO, Core SWX. “This battery management system will also help to reduce the risk of potential Li-Ion battery related issues, by allowing the user to quickly determine and address any battery packs that may be of concern.”

Building upon Core SWX's patented wireless battery communication platform, Voltbridge streamlines the process of determining what V-mount and Gold mount battery packs are viable, and which should be inspected more. You can sort, highlight and select hundreds of connected battery packs’ based on a variety of smart data to quickly identify packs with diminished service life or cell imbalance, providing an opportunity to test and evaluate the packs through the system. Once the test/calibration is completed, the user can view or email the results of the pack, to maintain a service log.

The Fleet Qi and Fleet QMi quad chargers support numerous battery packs, including Core SWX, RED and Anton/Bauer. The Voltbridge Fleet battery management system individually addresses each battery connected, yet simultaneously charges four 98wh battery packs in 2.5 hours. They also allow users to remotely initiate Core SWX’s SafeFly mode to discharge packs to under 30% capacity, for safe transport according to the FAA and IATA.

Tuesday, March 20, 2018

PERG News: March 2018

| PERG News: March 2018 |

Dear PERG Members and Associates,

In this Issue:

Harry Box,

Manager of the ESTA Production Equipment Rental Group (PERG)

PERG’s General Membership Meeting at NAB – Are You Coming?

| PERG News: March 2018 |

We are looking forward to seeing everyone at the PERG General Membership Meeting! If you plan to attend, please RSVP. The meeting is open to members and non-members. It is a great opportunity to relax and have a beer with other rental owners from all over the US, Canada, and the world, who come to Las Vegas for this enormous conference.

As usual, we host a social hour starting at 4 pm. The program will start around 5:15 and will include some presentations which should be very interesting. In this year’s lineup, Marius Ciocirlan, co-founder and SEO of ShareGrid and Daniel Gurzi, Director of Business Development at KitSplit will take part in a moderated panel discussion. The panel will also include users of these platforms. This is an opportunity for you to find out more about how the fast-growing e-commerce rental marketplace could affect traditional rental businesses and for you to discover possible opportunities that the digital world brings to our industry. (See also PERG Grabs Hot Topic for NAB Panel)

Also on the agenda:

DOT Compliance—Productions as Motor Carriers
New theft deterrent features built into one camera
Customer vetting and equipment theft recovery services
PERG news and upcoming events

The PERG meeting is free, thanks to the generosity of our sponsors. However, this year we are asking attendees to please make a donation ($25 suggested) when you RSVP. Donations help pay for a major upgrade to RENTAL GUARD. In 2017 ESTA made a significant outlay to upgrade this important industry resource, and PERG needs to raise funds to help pay for it.

The PERG meeting is held from 4-7pm on Tuesday April 10th, at the Embassy Suites Hotel, just down Paradise Blvd from the Convention Center.

Got Trucks? PERG Releases Guidelines for DOT Compliance

| PERG News: March 2018 |

“The Department of Transportation [DOT] rules and regulations are complex. This handout takes a difficult subject matter and provides the information in a format that makes it easier to understand for production companies operating vehicles under their own DOT numbers” says Scott Taylor (Taylor & Taylor Associates). Over several months, since the new ELD regulations went into effect at the end of 2017, Taylor has been working with compliance experts to develop an easy-to-read document tailored for our industry. Experts from two LA-based companies made significant contributions: Lisa Dinson of Motion Picture Compliance Solutions, Inc. (MPCS), a technology company with special emphasis on DOT compliance, and Leigh Miller of DOT Production Consulting (dotPC), a company that focusses on providing compliance resources for commercial production companies.

The document has five major sections. It describes general rules that need to be considered when complying with DOT rules and regulations. It describes the specific procedures for operating a commercial motor vehicle (10,001 pounds and over). It lists the violations that are grounds for an automatic failure of the DOT and CHP audit regarding DOT and CA numbers. It describes the items required in the vehicle and available for inspection. And, lastly, it defines the often-confusing terms used in DOT and ELD requirements.

PERG got behind development of the document believing it would have value for rental companies as well as production companies. Mark Wofford (PC&E in Atlanta), a PERG council member, explains why PERG felt it was important to develop this document. “The issues our customers face become issues we need to be able to help them solve,” he says. “We rent vehicles for commercial productions and the trucks are typically driven by someone hired by the production company. A lot of our clients come here from California to film a project, and it’s important that we have a clear understanding of compliance issues so that we can better speak to the production staff about their responsibilities.”

While the document was produced in Los Angeles, the rules apply nationally. Derek Hammer runs Hammer Lighting and Grip in Indianapolis and was one of the PERG members who helped vet the document. “These are issues that have begun affecting productions of all sizes in all locales and are not just isolated to the big production cities,” he says. “DOT regulations are federal rules and are enforced by state Motor Carrier Enforcement officers in all 50 states.” Like many grip and lighting rental companies, Hammer runs a fleet of vehicles and is well acquainted with DOT requirements. He acknowledges that understanding what all the regulations mean takes some commitment, but he feels it is essential to a well-run business. “Enforcement is a formidable aspect of this situation, but the insurance and liability concerns may in fact be of greater importance in production. The penalties for non-compliance could be far greater if a driver is involved in an accident that injures another person.”

Lisa Dinson, of MPCS, says compliance is a particularly thorny issue for our industry, and explains why a custom solution makes things a lot easier. “Motor carriers (i.e. studios and independent productions) in the entertainment industry do not conduct typical “over the road” transportation business, yet all state and federal DOT regulations do apply.” She explains it is an inherent “square peg, round hole” problem. “The team of experts at MPCS developed a comprehensive, accessible, and dynamically flexible compliance platform to service the motion picture, commercial, special event and digital media industries.” MPCS assists with various types of services, auditing hours of service, managing driver qualification paperwork and driver records, providing background screenings that verify driver’s previous employment and licensing, conducting drug and alcohol testing and entering drivers into a national industry pool once a clean record is established.

Making a company into a compliant motor carrier can be a long, tedious and confusing process, and may be more than some have bargained for. A company like dotPC takes the job of compliance off the production company’s plate. They sum up their business model this way “dotPC does all the work for you so you can focus on what you do best – filming!” (dotPC website).

dotPC fills out the forms, sends in all the paperwork, and tracks the status of the company’s certifications. Miller explains “dotPC provides trained DOT Coordinators who work alongside production teams and MPCS to ensure driver compliance with each job. Our goal is to educate production companies and crew on the rules and regulations, in and around their already busy schedules.” The coordinator uploads all required paperwork to the MPCS portal, keeps organized files for each job, and alerts production to any potential issues such as Hours of Service. For many productions, this is an ideal solution.

We invite PERG members to download the document and let us know about any questions and challenges that you face in this area.

Download from the Initiatives page of the PERG website.

ICG Supports PERG Theft Prevention Effort

| PERG News: March 2018 |

We urge rental companies to please repost this link to your social media to amplify the message carried in the March 2018 edition of ICG Magazine. The issue features a terrific article about PERG’s efforts to address fraud and theft. The post makes great, community-conscious, content for your Facebook page, and you’ll be doing a good thing for the industry.

The article, by ICG staff writer Pauline Rogers, forwards PERG’s strategy to push back against theft by throwing a wet blanket on the market for stolen equipment. While it is certainly true that a lot of stolen gear leaves the country almost immediately, we have seen many instances where, within days or hours of a theft, the equipment is sold in the U.S., either via online platforms or in person. ICG members and other crew members who are in the market for used equipment need to know that they must check to be sure the equipment is not stolen.

The ICG article points out that crew can use RENTAL GUARD’s SEARCH function to check serial numbers before buying gear. This makes it harder for thieves to sell what they have stolen, it increases the chances they will get caught if they try. It has led to the recovery of equipment, and it puts used equipment owners on notice that if they buy stolen gear, they could lose their investment and potentially be guilty of a crime.

Thanks for helping PERG get the word out!

PERG Wants to Promote Your Company: PERG Members Are All About...

| PERG News: March 2018 |

We need your pictures! PERG’s membership video promotes members directly. The slideshow is titled PERG Members Are All About... It features photos of your great facilities, state of the art equipment, friendly and expert staff. The photos are accompanied by your logo, city, and headed by words that finish the sentence: PERG Members Are All About... such as: user-friendly facilities, professionalism, emerging technologies and workflows, experience, precision diagnostic tools, outstanding facilities, state of the art equipment, inventory and back up, pioneering technology, community outreach, your production, your crew, reliability, testing, unparalleled customer support, and so on. You can see the video at the bottom of the PERG homepage.

PERG displays the video at PERG events, especially ones where rental customers are invited, such as events with AICP members and crew members. We are looking forward to some excellent opportunities to display the video at events this year. The video helps PERG focus attention on the value of professional, full-featured rental houses. It promotes our organization’s roll within the industry, and it is fun—bringing into focus the humanity of PERG companies.

If your company is not currently featured in the video, or would like to update your photos, please contact Harry Box. Your company must, of course, be a PERG member to participate.

Theft Suspicion Vs. Theft Verified

| PERG News: March 2018 |

A recent theft incident prompted PERG to consider the murky question regarding equipment that’s rented and not returned. At what point can a rental company say that a rented item has been stolen? And at what point should it make a report to RENTAL GUARD?

Recently, a rental company had a piece of gear that was overdue to be returned. They feared the worst and posted a report to RENTAL GUARD. Subsequently the insurance company contacted RENTAL GUARD saying that there was no proof yet that the equipment was stolen and asking that the post be taken down. Who was right?

A Missing Equipment Report does not necessarily say the equipment has been stolen. It says that the equipment is missing. If the equipment is overdue, and the production has not contacted the rental company with extenuating circumstances and there are reasons to suspect foul play, it is important to make the report quickly.

Similarly, a Questionable Customer Alert does not say a customer is a thief, instead it provides other member rental companies with specific questionable aspects uncovered in a rental application process and alerts those companies to be sure to do their due diligence if approached. The alerts have proved very effective in helping rental companies avoid losses.

Reporting quickly can be critical. When one company reports equipment missing, the report can prompt other rental companies to call and email from all over the country (and the world) attesting that the same person was associated with a theft or attempted theft at their company, thereby giving law enforcement a clear remit to pursue the matter as a crime. Otherwise police generally view the matter as a contract dispute and do not get involved.

We also encourage rental companies to register for RENTAL GUARD before they experience a theft so that, in the event one happens, there is no delay in getting the report out.

Of course, the same is not true for reporting to the insurance company or to the police. Before the police will come to your location or file a report, they will need evidence that a crime has been committed, such as the customer cancelling their credit card and disconnecting their phone.

Li-ion Battery Shipping Resources

| PERG News: March 2018 |

Two of PERG’s annual sponsors offer professional camera battery products. CORE SWX and Anton Bauer (part of Vitec Videocom) both now offer products designed to help people who are shipping batteries do so safely and in compliance with international regulations.

CORE SWX offers the Fleet Micro battery charger with Safetly mode, which discharges batteries to 30% per for transport by air per regulations.

Anton Bauer offers the LPD Travel Discharger in V-mount or Gold mount. This is a dedicated discharge unit that can discharge four 90-Wh batteries in 3 hours or less. No external power is required for discharging, and the discharger is thermostatically cooled, so it is safe to leave unattended.

Both companies also provide comprehensive information about shipping their products on their websites. Informative links about battery shipping requirements can also be found on PERG’s Initiatives page. Let us know about your questions and challenges with regard to shipping batteries

Let us know if you hear about any battery related incidents!