Frequently Asked Questions

We do! We chose the JVC GY-HM850u over other broadcast cameras used in the industry for a couple reasons: 

• They are easy to use and quick to set up. Whether it is a full day setup or one hour turn you can be set up within minutes.
• Does not require remote control via CCU to use or any studio configuration (designed to be used in studio and field environments) while still maintaining a studio quality image.
• It gives the camera operator all the control at their fingertips, including a 10 second pre record button so you'll never miss a cue.

Many of our clients mention that Spider Pods present several challenges for them, such as being difficult to set up and being very heavy (not to mention that they don't make them anymore). We decided to take a different approach. We’ve crafted a solution that is lightweight, easy to set up, and provides the height and camera stability needed for any shoot. Our tripods that come with the camera packages stand about 6ft tall, putting the camera at about 7ft. Our Operator Support Package comes with 2 sandbags to stabilize the camera and a lightweight platform for the operator to be able to use the camera with ease. This solution also puts the operator and camera on two different levels so the operator can readjust positioning without shaking the camera, which is often the problem with single-riser systems for operator and camera. 

We can! We understand that things can change very quickly during an event. Anyone who has worked in the event industry knows that this happens all the time, so we at Skeleton Crew Audiovisual Rentals are dedicated to supporting you and your teams even at the 11th hour. 

Day of, night before, weekend, or holiday - call us and we will do our best to assist. 

We are always improving and expanding our inventory. Currently we carry limited quantities of power, power strips, hdmi, and a variety of dongles. For specialty items we work with our partners at other rental houses including but not limited to wireless comms, specialty video switchers, and camera lighting. At the end of the day the event industry is collaborative and we will do our best to support all of your event needs.

Many people use the ‘X value’ to determine the lens they need for their event. We offer a 20x Fujinon with our broadcast cameras and our camcorders have a fixed 20x lens - both are very different. We will always ask you the distance you will be shooting at. From there we select the corresponding lens that has a focal length which will cover the area you will be shooting. We will also take into consideration what types of shots you will need, whether it be a medium shot of the speaker behind a podium or a wide shot of a panel of speakers or fireside chat. 

Yes, you can purchase hard drives from us. Just let us know how many GB of storage will be required to hold all of your footage. In our experience a 4-5 hour recording at 1080i 60fps will fill a 64GB SD card (rental included with the camera). 

You are in luck. Our drivers keep a small stock of Gaffers tape on hand in case the need arises.

Certainly. These are available as complimentary add ons for orders. Just ask your sales rep to include one with your order.

We understand that this can happen, especially during the busy season with lots of events happening. If we determine that the footage is not test footage we will store it on a secure backup drive for 2-4 weeks. We can send these files via Google Drive or deliver a hard drive to the property where the event took place. 

Of course, you can give us a call anytime! We have experience setting up and operating all of our equipment and can provide troubleshooting at any time. If something is damaged or not working we will do our best to replace the item as soon as possible with the same or comparable available item.