How do you deal with people who want to use your equpiment?

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This is an off topic question and wasnt sure where to post this but how do you deal with people who want to use your equipment who are not doing anything to try to buy their own?

I have some ex class mates who want to use my DVX camera for a webisode. Is there some sort of insurance that they could buy incase there are damages to the equipment? Or make them sign a contact where any proceeds from the movie will go to you?

Just wondering.
 
It sounds like you think they are taking advantage of you. If that is the case, tell them no.

If they won't buy or rent their own camera, odds are they don't have insurance to cover damages or loss. But I like Doc's idea. Have them give you a couple of grand to hold on to until you get the camera back. It's still free for them if they return it.

My gear is no different to me than my car or my house. There are appropriate times for me to consider someone else using them. And there are times not to.
 
Really really close friends yes... everybody else no. Also... I had one pretty good friend want to borrow some of my stuff because he did a shoot with another guy that he could never get his stuff back from... I had to tell that guy no also. "You can't get your own gear back from another guy that you shot video with... so you need to borrow mine to do the next video?" *ahem* If somebody can't take care of, or keep track of, their own stuff... that's not somebody you want to lend gear to.

I had another guy that needed to borrow my cam on a shoot where I was running sound... the dipsh*t pulled the tripod screw out of his own XL1s... so first thing I see is him carrying my DVX/tripod by the DVX handle... yeah... don't lend gear... it's a bad policy.
 
i only lend with an agreement that it will be replaced if damaged/broken, and a hefty deposit beforehand. if its a close friend, something akin to the same value i will hold until my gear comes back.

i had a friend damage a DSLR a few years back, and deny it; we dont talk; so i try my damnest NOT to lend.
 
HorseFilms said:
Don't do it. It's a recipe for disaster.
Click to expand...

I'd have to agree with this statement, unless its someone you've worked with numerous times before, and you have seen them treat the camera equipment with utmost care. Basically, those rare people that you know will be just as paranoid as you would about making sure your gear stays in good condition.

Also, definitely charge a rental fee as well if you do lend it out.
 
In side my car there is a sticker says 'Things that i Can't lend to anyone My GPS, My Laptop, My Camera and My Girlfriend" tell them no!!!!
 
Depends the mood. I got some friends that i know if they insert the tape the wrong way, they will try first with a hammer before trying to flip it.
So it is a big no.

Others are really nice guys who cares for everything , included staying friend with you. sometime i know they do not have the money to fix or replace the cam in case of problem, but life is a risk.
So, for them it is usually yes.

The third type of encounter is the guy (usually student) who just want to make stuff. Usually these guys do not care for anything and i NEVER get one case where the equipement was returned without something lost or broken.
I made a lot of effort to "try again another time" , but now i learned that it will
never change. so afer a long suite of yes, it is definitely NO.
 
Flat out NO. I am always happy to give my time to friends when asked. If a friend asks me to crew a short for him/her, doing anything I will say (within reason of course, meaning a couple of days) no problem.

If someone said, Im shooting a short this weekend can I borrow X,Y and Z? Its always a no and a smile.
 
I have less stuff due to what was borrowed and broken OR borrowed and "lost." You'd think I'd learn. (I think I have.)
 
nosys70 said:
The third type of encounter is the guy (usually student) who just want to make stuff. Usually these guys do not care for anything and i NEVER get one case where the equipement was returned without something lost or broken.
Click to expand...

In a pinch, I had to hire a student to shoot a wedding at the last second. I had rented a camera from a guy I found on Vimeo. He was willing rent the camera, but only with insurance. At first I thought it was a pain, since I'm ridiculously careful with others' equipment. But I got the insurance since it was the only HMC150 I could find. In any event, the student I hired used the rented camera... and the student didn't work out. Didn't follow direction, refused to shoot stuff I told him to, was drinking a lot at the reception (and he was a minor), yada yada yada.

Three days later I got an email from the guy I rented the camera... says the viewfinder was sticky, like someone had spilled a Coke or something on it. The student claims he didn't know what he was talking about, but nevertheless, I'm was fortunate that the viewfinder still worked, but more importantly that I had gotten insurance just in case.

Moral of the story... even if they're great with your equipment, there is no guarantee they'll be the only ones using it (or even within arms length of it). If you say yes, insist on some sort of damage deposit or insurance, because "we'll take good care of it" isn't going to pay for it if some yahoo still ends up breaking it.
 
Dude, don't do it unless you're there with them. Seriously. We had issues with a chick who borrowed our gear once. Manipulative little minx she was. We gave her express instructions and she violated all of them and we found out:

1. Don't loan the camera out (it's not yours, obvious).

2. Don't use camera as a deck.

That's it. My producer went to get it one day and she didn't have it. A friend had it. She needed it to "edit". We expressly offered a small camera to edit with which she didn't except. She cried on the phone telling us she didn't remember us saying it. Problem is even if I didn't tell her (which I know I did) my producer did. And we told her more than once. We told her have the camera back by morning and that was it. No more time, I didn't give a rat's a$$ what she was in the middle of.

Yes she had to jump through hoops to finish her project. Your point? You have that camera for a long time (I had all her info and the original packaging) and you abused it. For the amount of time she had the camera to shoot a short I could've shot a feature and some shorts.

Later she came back with some BS about suing me for using photos she's took. I told her "business" partner fine, I won't use any of her photos but I did indeed have her emails and I know she knew my intentions for use of the photos so if she was going to play games she was going to lose.

See you have to be careful. People take kindness for weakness then feel insulted when they do the wrong thing and you call them on it. And the crying is BS. It's wasn't because she was sorry, it was because she got caught. The irony is everything needed was offered to her. We were originally going to just use the camera for a short and give it back to let her finish hers. That's one DVX100 she never saw again.

Also the firewire port was blown. I was pissed about that, but it didn't make a difference since some of us were smart enough not to use the camera as a deck. Although when it's someone else's equipment less care is taken. So I agree with those who say don't do it without some kind of financial reassurance.

-Nate
 
Looks like the prevailing answer is "no" and that makes total sense.
In my so far limited amateur experience I had a "friend" who was more experienced and constantly dropping off stuff for me to test out which I never asked for or wanted. Then he would ask to borrow my stuff, even scheduled a commercial shoot around my dolly equipment before letting me know about it. The pattern became painfully obvious; my stuff, his gigs. Being a pragmatist, I let go of that "friend" and never looked back. The pros that I am fortunate enough to come into contact with actually inspire me. The abusers do not. Life is too short not to move forward.
 
Say something awkward and possessive like the camera is apart of me and I'm apart of the camera. Then wait for them to turn away in disgust.
 
This is one reason I keep some older cameras around... for risky situations or loaners. Even with these, I'm very careful of who I lend them to... but I would NEVER lend anything that I might need to use myself for a professional gig... I don't like surprises in the field!
 
Just say no. Period.

I'm in that boat right now. Loaned out my redrock and my primes to a few friend's of mine and one of the lenses focus wheels is now messed up. They said they will repair it and this Tuesday we are going to the repair shop to get it fixed.

Learned my lesson, never do it. Period.
 
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