We wouldn’t be able to blame anyone for thinking the film equipment rental is a pretty straightforward process:
You order gear – we get you a quote – you approve – we pull it. Simple, right?
While that may be true for certain rentals and/or rental houses, we operate from the perspective of production and the crew – meaning we see ourselves as part of your team and invest in your success. A great rental doesn’t begin on pickup day — it begins with preparation, foresight, and attention to detail.
The Value of the Pre-Pickup Work
Our rental agents are not just pixel-pushers. We invest a lot of time training them to provide the best possible service by learning about the equipment, the quoting/billing standards productions operate on, contingency planning, logistics, and more.
It’s impossible to guarantee that a production isn’t going to run into any issues. However, we believe that by thinking ahead, anticipating needs, and checking our work will mitigate as many issues as possible before they arise.
Our rental agents have years of experience in their roles and a firm grasp on the nuances of the rental industry and the film production world.
This behind-the-scenes work often includes:
- Checking Availability
- Evaluating Compatibility
- Sourcing Equipment
- Prioritizing Timelines
- Scheduling Transfers
- Assessing Budgets vs Quotes
- Coordinating Logistics
A Second Set of Eyes
On any shoot, small technical oversights can snowball into costly delays. That’s why for many rental packages, we do our best to anticipate needs. We tento to ask questions about how a piece of equipment is going to be utilized, and provide opportunities for preps at our facilities as often as possible.
This doesn’t mean taking over the production’s decisions, but it can mean pointing out idiosyncrasies, compatibility issues, alternatives, or pitfalls to watch out for.
Ultimately, the client chooses what to take, but having a partner like Expressway who can provide technical insights can make a massive difference.
Why This Matters for Your Production
In film, time is money. Every minute spent troubleshooting or waiting for a replacement for an incorrectly ordered piece of equipment on set is a minute drifting from the plan.
When you work with a rental partner who understands production workflows and anticipates common pitfalls. You’re not just renting gear – you’re adding another experienced set of eyes to give you the best chance at avoiding unnecessary issues. The best way to minimize issues is to get ahead of them and our team has over a decade of experience assisting productions identifying problems, analyzing what caused them, and helping future productions solve them.
An Industry-Wide Best Practice
At the end of the day, production is full of moving parts — some you can control, and others you can’t. What you can control is who you trust to stand alongside your crew. The right rental partner isn’t just about access to equipment; it’s about having experienced eyes looking out for you before the cameras even roll. And that extra layer of preparation can be the difference between a production that struggles through setbacks, and one that runs with confidence from call sheet to wrap.
When you’re planning your next project, don’t just think about the gear list. Think about who’s helping you see the bigger picture. At Expressway, we’re here to be that second set of eyes. Explore our catalog or talk to our team about building a package that works for you.
Written By: Jhania Perez –
By day she runs Expressway’s marketing machine, by night (and let’s be honest, also by day), she’s a full-time dog mom.