Kit

[Al Cain]

Hi guys,

This is a bit of a plea for help and or information.

 

On the week of 3 March this year, I have to do a show which has no budget and our two other on site venues are both using all our kit. (Bad management!!)

 

Does anyone know of where I could get some stuff for a very very cheap price! e.g. a desk, dimmer (s) and some lanterns. I will being using my 12 par 56's but at the momment I having nothing to run them on!!!

 

Or secondly, would anyone be willing to loan some kit for a programme credit and a pint???

 

Please please help!

 

Thanks,

Alex

[Dweeks]

Where are you based?

 

You could invest in a MagicQ USB>DMX convertor and use the software which is pretty good. Then just buy/hire some dimmers.

[Al Cain]

Where are you based?

 

You could invest in a MagicQ USB>DMX convertor and use the software which is pretty good. Then just buy/hire some dimmers.

 

 

Not meaning to be rude, but did you not see that I don't have any money for this show at all

 

p.s. I am based in holt, North Norfolk

[JohnPartridge]

Hi , firstly the second someone says , yes you can have some of my equipment for free on this forum , miraculously there is going to be a gang of "No Budget" productions all wanting to take advantage of this.

 

I cant really see how someone is going to lend out equipment just like that.... also how do you expect to put on a show with NO budget at all ?? surely you must have something.

 

100th Post :unsure:

 

£0.02p

John Partridge

[djw1981]

The USB-DMX would surely be a long term purchase by either you or your venue and come out of capital funds not hire costs.

[zonino]

can you not get the other 2 shows to use part of their budget to free up some of the gear, alternatively limit those productions to use less gear....

[Ynot]

Not meaning to be rude, but did you not see that I don't have any money for this show at all

Al,

Whilst I too wouldn't want to appear rude, do you really expect anyone to suddenly stand up and lend gear at the drop of the hat? Many posters here work in the industry, and are unlikely to have 'spare' kit available for the use of others, even if their management were to allow it! Even my venue, wholly voluntary, wouldn't be able to assist as the gear regularly gets hired to other local groups (who often themselves have very tight budgets) so any 'charity' jobs would be frowned on by the regulars.

 

To be proactive, however, rather than just negative, (sorta) I would say your best bet is to put the situation back in the hands of the venue management. If they're the ones who've booked 3 events on the same day, then they're the ones who'll have to either suck it up and cover the cost of incoming hire kit, or take the opposite stance and cancel the event that cannot be supported. Either that or run the event without lights etc....

 

Sorry, but that's life.

 

TD

[Al Cain]

All agreeable with.

 

We shall see what the managmnet has to say.

 

I shall keep you all posted!!

 

If you will excuse the pun! :unsure:

[James]

How low budget is low budget?

 

For example I have on occation lent my equipment free of charge to a deserving cause.

 

Generaly the agreement is if they use my lanterns then they pay for any blown lamps, batteries for radio mics, damaged elements, broken cables etc.

 

This isn't the same as No Budget.

 

On other ocations I have lent kit in exchange from borrowing kit on another occation.

 

Just some thoughts,

 

James

[mac.calder]

Generally the only way to get free kit is to beg, borrow and steal from people you have done favours for in the past. For example, if I get in a bind, I often dont feel bad about approaching a venue that I sourced equiptment for for little to no profit, and usually they are more than happy to lend me a few items, because 9/10 times the stuff comes back in better condition than when I borrowed it.

 

However, if you come out and approach companies asking for equiptment, when it is their livelyhood, you will not get far.

 

When you frequently work on low budget, you learn to rely on personal debts and favours, but you have to realise that you have to give and take.

 

IE: I work for company x who say they should be able to pay me to do the job, but in the end they find they can't. I tell them I will do the work pro bono. 6 months later, company y needs a some basic lighting gear and only has $100 or so, so I call up company x and ask to borrow the gear for a token fee, and mention as an aside that I have given them my time for nothing before if they are reluctant to let it out. So the token fee, $50 for them and $50 for me. And you make sure company y knows you had to call in 'a couple of favours'.

 

I hate to sound manipulative, but what you have to do is maximise the number of favours owed to you, and bargain with them to increase the number of USEFUL people/companies that owe you, without straining and breaking relationships. Of course you do not talley them and say things like "You owe me a favour for when I...".

 

But something for nothing... I am sorry, but unless you are a worth while, REGISTERED charity or NPO, 9/10 places won't touch you. (NOTE the REGISTERED. Donations of rental equiptment is a great tax deduction and many hire companies love to offset tax, at least that is how it is here). Program credits dont mean much either, unless you can give figures. If it is going to be an audience of 40 people a night for a week, and a third will be relatives of the actors, thoe program credits will mean nothing. A better way to go about it would be to approach the local businesses which WILL gain something from advertising and ask for donations in return for program credits which you then use to hire. 100 times more effective.

[steve1159]

I hate to sound manipulative, but what you have to do is maximise the number of favours owed to you, and bargain with them to increase the number of USEFUL people/companies that owe you, without straining and breaking relationships. Of course you do not talley them and say things like "You owe me a favour for when I...".

 

While I agree with what you are saying to a point, the more people that do this then the more that people expect it. We have quoted for jobs in the past that we have not got because they have found someone else that can do it cheap by calling in a few favours. We don't have a problem with not getting a job because someone else can offer a better price in a fair market but how do you beat someone that is only charging for his time and supplying the kit by calling in favours.

 

Equally I know of someone that used to do sound as a hobby and had a regular client. Prices charged were always well below the going rates as he had known the client for years and as a hobby didn't need to make money. Now he has tried to do it professionally and charge proper rates and the client isn't interested as the client expects the old rate. End result client looks elsewhere and disregards most pro companies because of their inflated rates until he finds someone else that will do on the cheap and can call in a few favours.

 

Both variations of this lull the customer into a false sense of what things cost and probably more importantly keeps work away from pro companies that are so expensive. If the pro companies try to match prices then they end up running at a loss.

[Al Cain]

I have heard all of your thoughts, and the school is a registered charity, and we have absolutly no budget, but as one of you have said, the equipment will return in very good condition, and we will pay for replacement lamps etc.

 

Any other thoughts??

[ojc123]

Any other thoughts??

Not about sources of free kit but, as a student, you shouldn't be put in the position of trying to sort this out. It is a management problem. They get paid (quite handsomely) to manage. Hand it over.

[paulears]

... and if you get somebody to loan kit - what happens if it gets broken or stolen. If the school can't afford the hire, they can't afford the replacements. Their insurance almost certainly only covers theft, not damage - and things not belonging to them aren't covered anyway (as in my sons bike)

[bruce]

Agree with paul - think about insurance.

 

Hired/loaned/borrowed goods are in general not covered by a school (etc) insurance policy. If you notify them in advance, with a full inventory and valuation, they may be able to add it to their policy at minimal or no cost - I know that my own employer (a University) will do this. But there will probably be a significant excess - 500 pounds is not uncommon.

 

I own a reasonable amount of kit, and I'm usually prepared to lend it, at no cost, to a few organisations with which I have a personal connection. But I would require them to insure it, and cover any breakages/damage/consumables. And, as I said, it's only organisations with which I have a personal connection.