Hours of Operation
Fridays - Mondays, 12 noon to 8:00 PM
Tuesdays - Thursdays, 3:00 PM - 8:00 PM
FTVM Equipment Room: 734-647-3578, 1423 North Quad
Paul Sutherland (paulsuth@umich.edu)
Throughout your career in film & video, you will interact with many equipment rental houses. We have put the following policies in place to help you develop skills in dealing with rented equipment and equipment vendors.
Equipment Pick Up
- Our first priority is to help you have the most successful shoot possible. As with any equipment rental, you are responsible for thoroughly checking all equipment before you leave, ensuring that it is not only in proper working order, but also that you are fully knowledgeable about operating it.
- You must schedule an appointment to pick up your equipment. Call or stop by the room during open hours.
- It is strongly advised that you schedule at least one hour to pick up your equipment.
- You are also encouraged to load your first roll of film in the Film Equipment Room where one of the staff members can help you overcome any loading issues you might encounter.
Equipment Returns
- All equipment must be returned together. We will NOT accept partial equipment returns. If various members of your group have different pieces of equipment, it is your responsibility to coordinate with them to ensure that all of the equipment is brought back at the same time.
- Equipment must be returned during the hours listed above. Paul and Al will not accept equipment returns outside of those times.
Film Returns
- Film due to be shipped for processing must be submitted to the equipment room by 4:00p.m. on the due date established by your course instructor.
- Late film submissions may be subject to the student having to pay for shipping and processing on their own rather than being covered by lab fees.
Film Orders
- Students in production classes that involve shooting on film will not have to order film the nominally required amount of film for assignments. Additional film can be ordered at students' expense; however you should consult your course instructor and Paul or Al before proceeding.
- It is possible to rush order film, but it costs significantly more to ship and increases the likelihood of error. We have seen MANY student productions be negatively affected by mis-processed rush orders – play it safe and plan ahead.
Equipment Problems
- Broken/Questionable Equipment – At the very first sign of potential equipment malfunction, you are encouraged to contact the FTVM Equipment Room. Most major camera problems start out as small camera problems that are easily fixed before they escalate into something more serious. Do yourself a favor and pay very close attention to your equipment and take care of problems before they take care of you. If the Equipment Room is closed, stop using the broken equipment and contact us as soon as we next open.
- Damaged Equipment – If something happens and equipment gets damaged, you must report it immediately. Equipment Room staff will give you further instruction based on the severity of the incident. NEVER try to hide damage to equipment. This only endangers you and future users. You are liable for equipment repair/ replacement up to a certain amount; however, our first priority will be to provide you with operational replacement equipment (as available) in order to help you and your group complete your project.
- Lost or Stolen Equipment – Any equipment lost or stolen must be immediately reported to the Film Equipment Room and the Equipment Room staff will provide you with further instructions based on the severity of the incident and the projected cost involved in replacing the item. Call the police and file a report at the time and place of the incident if equipment was stolen.
