Capturing
and streaming events in real-time has become an expectation for viewers,
forcing broadcasters of every level to try and keep up with that demand. For many who are hitting the road and want to
make a decent production, that requires the purchasing or renting of
broadcasting equipment for yourself or your crew to use during the shoot.
Renting
broadcast equipment can be daunting, but if you know what to look for, you'll
enjoy a seamless production that your audience will enjoy. First and most importantly:
Know
What Equipment You Need
In
order to choose the right rental company, you will need to have an idea of what
equipment you will need. Several
experienced vendors will be able to rent out production trucks which come
outfitted with everything you could possibly want to produce high quality live
footage, but depending on the event and your budget, you may not need (or be
able to afford) these items.
Ask
About Rental Pricing
Not
all vendors will have the same policy when it comes to renting their
equipment. Typically the vendor will
price out each piece of equipment and it will have a daily rental fee attached
to it (keep in mind that the fee is from when you pick up the equipment and not
from when you begin using it). After a
certain point, they may begin to charge by the week.
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Tip: A lot of rental houses are not
open on the weekends, and so they count the entire weekend as one day. This
means that if you pick up the equipment on Friday and return it on
Monday, you would only need to pay to use the broadcast truck for one day.
Ask
About Insurance Coverage
Imagine
if the absolute worst happened and the truck loaded with equipment went
missing. There is a good chance that you
would not have the capital necessary to replace all of the expensive equipment
inside of the truck.
This
is why insurance is incredibly important.
Reputable rental houses will require you to have that insurance on hand
before they will release any equipment to you.
If you have never purchased this type of insurance before, be prepared
for a bit of a shock as it can be pretty expensive. Different companies will have different
plans, so make sure what you are renting will be covered and be aware of what
your deductible is.
Check
The Equipment
If
possible, take yourself and your crew to the vendor to check out the
equipment. This way you can be sure that
the equipment is working properly before the shoot and it will go a long way in
preventing any delays that can cost you time, money, and viewers.
Ask
About Damaged Or Lost Equipment Policies
Finally,
if a piece of equipment which is critical to your shoot becomes lost or
damaged, you should be able to call the rental company and obtain a
replacement. Most of these companies
will have an emergency number which you can call if you find yourself in a
tough spot.
For more information on Production Trucks, visit: http://www.liveu.tv/broadcast
