What You Need To Know Before Renting Production Trucks

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.

·         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