Your film deserves real gear
JML Rental was founded by a SCAD alum and has supplied student sets in Savannah since 2016. Professional grip, lighting and power, student-friendly rates, and people who’ll help you figure out what you actually need.
Shooting a capstone or thesis? Skip to “Planning a thesis” below. The insurance part takes longer than you think.
The same gear the pros use, from people who’ve been where you are
- Professional equipment. The same lights, stands and distro we send out on features like The Menu and national commercials.
- The one-day weekend. Pick up Thursday or Friday, return Monday, and pay for one day. Up to four days with the gear for a single day’s rate.
- Student discount, always. 15% off gear rentals and 10% off expendables for student filmmakers. No code, no promotion to wait for, and no separate insurance fee added back on top.
- Help building your list. Not sure whether you need a 4×4 floppy or a 12×12 solid? Tell us the scene. We’d rather spend ten minutes than send you out with the wrong package.
- Everything beyond the cage. HMIs, larger LED units, distro, generators, truck packages, and the specialty grip your checkout doesn’t carry.
- One stop. Need a camera package, a dolly or something unusual? Ask. We source what we don’t own.
- Expendables on the shelf, 10% off for students. Gels, tape, blackwrap, sash and more. Buy what you need, when you need it.
From gear list to wrap
- Send your list. Email it, following the sample below. Include your pickup and return times and whether you need a vehicle. A rough list is fine; we’ll help you tighten it. Changes later? Use the ADD / DROP format below.
- We confirm availability and send a quote. During peak weeks, earlier is much better. See the calendar note below.
- Confirm you’re interested. Fill out the Student Project form linked in your quote email. That’s what reserves your gear. Until it’s done, the gear stays available to others and you could lose out.
- Sort your paperwork. Rental agreement online, signed by the person paying (usually the producer, even if the DP or gaffer sent the list). For vehicles and larger packages, you’ll need a certificate of insurance. Read the insurance section before you budget.
- Pay online. Secure payment through Stripe.
- Schedule your pickup. Student pickups are Thursdays, 11 AM to 4 PM, by pre-scheduled time slot. Fridays by appointment.
- Check your gear at pickup. Count it, test it, and ask questions before you leave. That protects you at return.
- Return on Monday. Weekend rentals come back Monday. Returning Tuesday makes it a two-day rental.
Peak season note Our busiest student weeks run January through May and October through November. For those months, reserve as soon as your dates are locked. Popular items book out weeks ahead.
How to send a list, and how to change it
Most orders change at least once before pickup. That’s normal. Sending your list and your changes in the format below gets you a faster quote and keeps mistakes off your order.
Who the order belongs to On most student sets, the DP or gaffer builds the gear list, and that’s exactly who should. But the order itself must be in the name of the person paying, usually the producer. That person signs the rental agreement, holds the card, and is responsible for the gear.
So if you’re the DP or gaffer sending the list, tell us who your producer is and copy them on the email. It saves everyone a round of re-doing paperwork the day before pickup.
Your first email: what we need
- Your name, your role, and the project title
- The name and email of the person paying, if that isn’t you (usually the producer)
- Pickup date and time, return date and time
- Your equipment list, with quantities first
- Expendables, listed separately
Sample quote email
Hello, my name is Jordan Avery and I’m the gaffer on a student project called “Low Tide.” Our producer, Sam Rivera (copied here), will be the renter and is handling payment.
Pick up: Thursday 10/15 at 3 PM. Return: Monday 10/19 at 11 AM.
Equipment list:
1 Mombo stand
5 35 lb sandbags
1 Aputure 600x
2 98 Wh gold mount batteries & Charger
15 walkies
Expendables:
4 ft 1/4 CTB gel
3 ft full CTO gel
Thanks, Jordan
Changing your order: use ADD / DROP
When your list changes, don’t send a whole new list. Send only what’s different from the last quote you received, under two headings: ADD and DROP.
- Work from your most recent quote, and include the quote number in your subject line.
- Reply in the same email thread, so the full history stays in one place.
- Don’t reorganize by gear type. Just two headings.
- You’ll get a revised quote back. Check it before pickup day.
Example
ADD
1 35 lb sandbag
2 C-stands
DROP
1 20 lb shot bag
3 walkies
Why we ask for this A brand-new list means we have to compare every line against your old one, and that’s where things get missed. ADD / DROP takes you thirty seconds and means the gear on the truck matches the gear in your head.
Insurance: read this before you budget
This is the part that catches student productions off guard. Whether you need a certificate of insurance (COI) depends on what you’re renting.
Smaller grip and lighting orders Most class projects and smaller shoots fall here. If your order is under $10,000 in equipment value and doesn’t include a vehicle, you don’t need a COI.
Any vehicle: a COI with auto coverage is required If your order includes a truck or van, such as our Sprinter, 4-ton or 5-ton, you need a certificate of insurance that includes auto coverage for the vehicle. No exceptions, because a general liability policy on its own doesn’t cover a rented vehicle on the road.
Large packages: a COI with general liability and rented equipment coverage If your order totals $10,000 or more in equipment value, you need a certificate showing general liability and rented equipment coverage of at least $100,000. We’ll tell you the equipment value when we quote, so you’ll know early which side of the line you’re on.
You’re probably already doing this If you’re shooting at a location, the property owner will almost certainly ask for a certificate of insurance too. It’s the same process, and often the same request. When you ask for your location certificate, ask for one naming JML at the same time. One email, two certificates.
No separate insurance fee We don’t charge an “insurance fee” on top of your rental. A fee paid to a rental house isn’t an insurance policy, and it may not protect you if something goes wrong. A real certificate of insurance does: it’s actual coverage, in your production’s name, that responds when there’s a loss. It takes a little more effort up front, and we’ll walk you through it.
Talk to the SCAD risk office early If you’re a SCAD student, contact the university’s risk management office as soon as you know you’ll need a truck or a large package. They can tell you what coverage may be available for your project and what they need from you. Certificates take time to issue. Students who start this the week of the shoot are the ones who end up re-planning their shoot.
What the certificate needs to say
- Certificate holder: JML Productions LLC, 1101 Chatham Parkway, Suite E-4, Savannah, GA 31408
- JML Productions LLC named as additional insured and loss payee
- Coverage dates that include your pickup and return days, not just your shoot days
- Full details and sample wording are on our COI page.
Not sure which category your order falls into? Send us the list and ask. We’ll tell you plainly what you need.
Planning a thesis? Start a quarter ahead.
Thesis shoots are real productions, and the ones that go smoothly are planned like it.
- 8 to 10 weeks out: Rough gear list with your DP and gaffer. Get a ballpark quote for your budget. If you’ll need a truck or a large package, contact the SCAD risk office now.
- 4 to 6 weeks out: Lock dates and reserve. January through May is our heaviest stretch and the best gear goes first.
- 2 weeks out: Final list, COI in hand, payment arranged.
- Pickup week: Bring your gaffer or key grip to pickup. The person who’ll use the gear should be the one checking it.
Multiple shoot weekends? Tell us upfront. We can plan the whole run with you rather than quoting one weekend at a time.
Know what you’re asking for
Our free quick-reference guides cover the gear you’ll see on every professional set, with names, uses and sizes.
Bookmark them. Your gaffer will thank you.
FAQ
Do I need insurance to rent? It depends on the order. Any vehicle requires a COI with auto coverage. Orders of $10,000 or more in equipment value require a COI with general liability and rented equipment coverage of at least $100,000. Smaller orders without a vehicle don’t need one. See the insurance section above, and check with the SCAD risk office early.
Do you charge an insurance fee? No. We don’t add a separate insurance fee to student rentals. For vehicles and large packages we ask for a certificate of insurance instead, because that’s real coverage that protects you, not just a line on an invoice.
How does weekend pricing work? Pick up Thursday or Friday, return Monday, and you’re charged for one day. Most student shoots happen over a weekend, so this is how most student orders are priced. Your 15% student discount applies on top. Longer rentals use a three-day week. Return Tuesday and it’s two days. Return Wednesday or later and it’s three days, which covers you for up to a full week.
Do you offer student rates? Yes. Students get a standing 15% discount on gear rentals and 10% off expendables. No paperwork to prove it; just order from your student email. And we don’t add an insurance fee, so the price we quote for your gear is the price of your gear.
When can I pick up and return? Student pickups are Thursdays from 11 AM to 4 PM by scheduled slot, and Fridays by appointment. Weekend rentals return Monday.
How do I change my order? Reply to your latest quote with two headings, ADD and DROP, listing only what’s changing. Include your quote number. Please don’t send a whole new list. See “How to send a list, and how to change it” above.
I’m the DP or gaffer. Can I place the order? Yes, please send the list; you know the gear best. But the order has to be made out to whoever is paying, usually your producer. Give us their name and email, and copy them in. They’ll sign the rental agreement and handle payment.
Can someone else pick up my order? Yes. Any crew member on the production can. Tell us their name in advance. They need to be authorized to sign the pick-up sheet.
Who can drive the truck? Any driver covered by your COI’s auto policy. Most policies require drivers to be at least 21.
What if something breaks or goes missing? Tell us right away. Things happen on set, and we’d much rather hear it from you at return than find it later. You’re responsible for loss and damage under the rental agreement, which is one more reason to check everything at pickup.
How do I pay? Securely online through Stripe. We accept credit cards. We never see or store your card number.
Can you help me figure out what I need? Yes, and please ask. Tell us the scenes, the locations and your crew size.
Do you rent cameras? We have small cameras in-house and can get any current camera package you need. This will require a COI.
I’m not a SCAD student. Can I still rent? Of course. Student filmmakers from any program are welcome. Just tell us where you’re studying when you order.
