Behind Every Great Production is a great rental house.

A rental house is more than a place to grab gear. It’s your production’s essential resource and your crew’s closest ally, working in lockstep with every frame of your project.

PREMIER RENTALS, PREMIER SERVICE

Every great production is a partnership. For producers and cinematographers a rental house is a partner that grows with you, safeguards your interests, supports your crew at every turn, and keeps pace with the demands of today’s productions.

In an industry as fast-paced, logistically complex, and ever-changing as filmmaking, a dependable rental house with a robust inventory and expert staff is an essential part of keeping any local film market healthy and thriving.

WHAT DOES A RENTAL HOUSE DO?

Prep Days: Your Crew’s First Line of Defense

A professional rental house offers more than equipment. They provide the facility and expertise to solve challenges before the cameras roll.

That’s why prep days are so valuable. They give crews time to test every piece of gear, confirm compatibility, and address potential issues early. Small fixes—like swapping a cable, adjusting battery weight, or choosing a different matte box—are far easier to resolve in prep than under the pressure of a shooting schedule. Hence our unofficial slogan: "fix it in prep."

Prep is also an opportunity for discovery. Professional rental houses constantly update their inventory and provide specialty tools designed for unconventional setups. Whether you’re mounting a camera in a tight space or planning a complex move, prep allows your team to experiment and problem-solve with the support of technicians who know the gear and understand your production's needs.

Tested, Tuned, Trusted.

On set, few things are more disruptive than a camera or lens failing mid-shoot. A reliable rental house helps prevent these setbacks through meticulous quality control. Every piece of gear is carefully inspected before it goes out, and thoroughly checked when it comes back, using professional tools and experienced technicians to ensure everything is in spec. For producers and cinematographers working under tight deadlines and budgets, that level of reliability isn’t optional—it’s essential.

Expert Support, When and Where You Need It.

The best rental partners don’t just hand over gear at checkout—they stand behind it every step of the way. When questions arise or challenges come up, a reliable rental house is only a call away, ready to troubleshoot, walk your crew through solutions, or dispatch a replacement if needed. That level of support ensures your team can stay focused on the shoot, knowing they have a partner committed to keeping the production on track.

Your Film Community Hub

We’re proud to be part of growing the careers of the folks who come through our doors. Our shop is a hub for the MN filmmaking community, where crew members can meet and network, learn together at one of our educational events, and develop their professional skillset with every prep day.

We get to know people throughout all stages of their careers, from up-and-coming DPs, to veteran producers, to crew members everywhere in between. Personal relationships are the bedrock of our industry, and the connections between filmmakers and rental houses like CineMechanics are no exception. In a field where so much is determined by word-of-mouth and “who you know,” it’s no overstatement to say that a good rental house can play a major role in making your next biggest gig a reality.