Top 10 Rental Cameras
The sixth of Televisual’s annual surveys of the camera hire market uncovers sweeping changes as large sensor cameras become de rigueur in all production genres, as Jake Bickerton reports
Reduction in rates Almost every post house singles out budget cuts as a major challenge. Bravo is frustrated by “clients using the recession to push down the rates”. Unit singles out “diminishing budgets that are unfairly passed onto the post house”, and Doghouse says its biggest challenge is “unrealistic budgets and unrealistic timeframes”.
Undercutting Another key bugbear is “facilities ‘giving it away’ for free and cheapifying the industry,” says Envy. Dubbs/ eyeframe says “fierce competition from competitors” is resulting in a “price war”. Finish says “undercutting is devaluing the industry”. The Look says it’s mainly “large post companies” that are “doing ridiculous deals”.
Inhouse facilities 10th planet is one of many worried by the “continuing trend of clients bringing services in house”. Big Buoy and Sequence Post are amongst the others to say the key challenge is “production companies taking post inhouse”.
Opportunities
New technology Stereo 3d presents new opportunities, say a growing number of facilities, including Brighton TV, Lipsync and Tide. More generally, “changes in technology can create new business opportunities,” says Platform Post. 3sixtymedia says, “New technology is shrinking the distance between us and our clients”.
Competitors going bust The “smaller facility pool” and “companies going under” means more potential business for those that remain, point out Rapid Pictures, IBF/storm HD, Sequence, The Look, 10th Planet, Bubble TV and Technicolor.
Work outside of London “The continuing movement out of London” is good news for Welsh facility Barcud Derwen. And for Bristol’s Films@59, which says the “Ofcom Nations remit means more production companies moving into the region”. There are opportunties in “offering a luxurious, spacious setting out of London with out of London rates,” says VPTV.
