Production crew rentals guide

What production crew rentals cover

Production crew rentals supply the backbone of a set, the tools and transport that keep departments moving. On any film, TV, commercial, or live event, rentals may include people movers, cube trucks, cargo vans, wardrobe racks, makeup stations, generators, walkies, pop up shade, tables, chairs, heaters, cooling, and the rolling office where paper and pixels meet. The right mix depends on script needs, location access, headcount, and daylight.

Think of the rental plan as a mobile village. You will shuttle cast, secure power, stage gear, feed people, and protect continuity under changing weather. Build from the schedule backward. What is shooting first, what is remote, where will talent hold, and how many hands will strike at wrap. Answer those, then map vehicles, gear, and labor hour by hour.

Get your load list specific. Weight, dimensions, power draw, number of radios, battery chargers, expendables, wardrobe hangers, mirror count, and makeup lights. For vehicles, list tow capacity, liftgate needs, ramp widths, and aisle space for carts. Precision here prevents costly day of changes and keeps delivery windows tight.

Transportation and basecamp vehicles

Passenger vans, sprinters, SUVs, and minibuses keep crew moving between unit base and set. Box trucks and high roof vans carry grip, electric, camera, and sound carts. A production office often travels in a cargo van with folding tables, printer, router, and locked storage. Basecamp may call for wardrobe and makeup vehicles with climate control, full length mirrors, and clean surfaces. For remote sets, add a generator and fuel delivery, plus a covered meal area. Confirm parking footprint and turn radius for each location to prevent gridlock.

Gear and specialty rentals

Grip and electric packages are the usual heavy hitters. Stands, flags, frames, diffusion, cable, distro, fixtures, and control all come staged on carts. Sound will rent mixers, recorders, wireless kits, timecode, and IFB systems. Camera often supplements with specialty lenses, handheld rigs, and backup media. Wardrobe pulls steamers, rolling racks, collapsible bins, and garment covers. Makeup and hair need directors chairs, lighted mirrors, and a sterile workspace. In poor weather, add pop up tents with sidewalls, mats, and ballast.

Labor and on set services

Transportation captains manage moves and safety. Teamsters or drivers handle box trucks and shuttles. Medics, security, and fire watch protect the set. Location services deliver tables, chairs, trash, recycle, and sanitation. Craft services scales with crew count and dietary needs. On multi day runs, book cleaning services for vehicles and work areas to reset efficiently.

Budget, insurance, and contracts

Budgets for production crew rentals scale with days, distance, and complexity. Expect base vehicle day rates, mileage, fuel, and sometimes driver hours. Gear rates commonly use a three day week model, with a discount applied on longer runs. Specialty items like lifts, cranes, aerials, or high output generators carry premium delivery and operator fees. Build a cushion for weather holds and company moves.

Insurance is non negotiable. Vendors will request certificates of insurance listing their company as certificate holder and additional insured when required. Typical coverages include general liability, auto liability, and inland marine or rented equipment coverage. If you pull a vehicle across state lines, confirm policy territory and any endorsements. Keep a single point of contact who tracks certificates, vehicle registrations, and permits.

Read terms until they make sense. Note minimum rental periods, late return charges, damage responsibilities, cleaning fees, refueling charges, and after hours pickup rules. Clarify who loads and unloads, who secures gear overnight, and what happens if a location restricts load in times. Add load lists and call sheets as attachments to reduce ambiguity. When in doubt, write it down.

Payment methods matter on set. Some vendors accept credit cards or purchase orders, others prefer wire or check. Plan deposits early to avoid release delays. If you expect last minute adds, negotiate rate cards and overtime in advance to keep approvals fast when the clock is ticking.

Booking workflow and vendor selection

Start with availability checks on your exact dates and locations. Ask vendors for alternates if a primary item is booked, such as swapping a sixteen foot cube for a liftgate van plus a ramp. Choose vendors that stage gear on carts to speed load in and protect backs. For vehicles, request recent maintenance records and confirm roadside assistance coverage.

Give vendors the call sheet vibe. Provide crew count, first shot time, nearest parking, basecamp coordinates, and any lock down windows. Share a contact tree with cell numbers for department heads and the transport captain. Ask for a single dispatcher on the vendor side to avoid crossed wires.

References are invaluable. Talk to coordinators who rented similar packages in similar environments, like city center shoots with tight curb space or mountain roads with limited turnaround. Match your vendor to your terrain.

Permits and rules vary by city and venue. Film offices often require specific placards and hold harmless agreements. Stadiums and campuses may have background checks for drivers. Build compliance into your timeline so your trucks roll in with every box checked.

Own versus rent enters the chat when your team shoots frequently or travels often. If you rent a production van, printer station, tables, chairs, radios, and power month after month, the recurring spend may justify a dedicated build. Ownership makes the layout yours and keeps your processes consistent. It also reduces downtime from waiting on availability during peak seasons. The tradeoff is up front cost and maintenance planning, both solvable with a smart platform and service plan.

Ready to replace recurring rentals with a purpose built production van or to upfit a fleet unit into a mobile office that fits your call sheet. OZK Customs designs and builds vehicles that serve as command centers, wardrobe and makeup workrooms, or tech haulers with clean power, secured storage, and bright, even lighting. Our team crafts layouts around department workflows, from cable management to printer stations and network gear, so your unit runs like a disciplined first team.

If you are exploring platforms that travel well and hold value, browse our Recreational vans to see examples of fit and finish suitable for long days on the road. For a ground up project that matches your exact use case, view our Custom build van page to understand our process from discovery to handoff. If financing a platform matters, explore Mainstream vans for vehicles with book value that can be sourced and then tailored for production work.

Call sheets change. A well designed vehicle gives you room to pivot without scrambling for extra rentals. Tell us how your crew moves, what you power, and where you park. We will translate that into a reliable rig that makes every day on set calmer and quicker.

Final note on scope: we do not rent vehicles. We build, upfit, and deliver custom vans and commercial units that help production teams operate with less friction and more control.