Industry Spotlight: Sunbelt Rentals

By Performance

Group of people operating film cameras and equipment in a studio space with grey walls and various supplies on shelves.

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1) Give us a bit of background into who Sunbelt Rentals are?

Sunbelt Rentals is the UK’s leading equipment rental company, serving customers across UK, Ireland, and Europe. We are specialist suppliers of professional end-to-end solutions for content creators in production. With a comprehensive and technologically advanced rental inventory of lighting, camera, access, grip, power and infrastructure, we offer a full production solution from prep to wrap

https://www.sunbeltrentals.co.uk/sectors/film-tv

2) How did you get into the Film & Media Industry?

Sunbelt Rentals increased its presence in the film and TV industry through the acquisition of five of the biggest names in media production, including PKE Lighting, Movietech, Media Access Solutions, Alpha Grip and the latest being Acorn Film and TV in November 2023.

Acorn Film and TV, a specialised camera and grip business in Belfast, was owned by Roger Fitzpatrick now Sunbelt Rentals’ Operations Director – Camera for Northern Ireland. His journey into the film and TV industry began as a trainee picture editor, inspired by his journalist parents. His career developed through editing, camera operations and DOP, while in parallel he established Acorn Film and TV, reflecting his extensive industry expertise.

3) Looking at on your website you can see that you are advocates for a greener planet, can you give us a bit more detail about how you do this?

With our expertise in camera, grip, lighting, and location equipment services, combined with our in-house sustainability and social impact teams, Sunbelt Rentals can provide a wide range of eco-friendly equipment and training opportunities to customers and the industry.

Our sustainability strategy, Our Planet, aims to enhance productions with sustainable solutions while supporting local communities and creating positive social impact. In Ireland, we showcase our commitment by hosting and delivering, training through educational workshops, developing talent pipelines and addressing skills shortages to foster a sustainable and skilled workforce in the industry for the future.

4) What do you currently do for the Film and TV industry?

In Northern Ireland, Sunbelt Rentals provides a wide range of specialised equipment and solutions for productions. Our offering includes camera, grip and lighting equipment, as well as sustainable solutions like clean energy and hybrid units. Additionally, we offer location equipment including powered access and HVAC, ensuring productions are supported from start to end.

5) What does the future hold for Sunbelt Rentals?

The film and TV industry is rapidly expanding with the introduction of new streaming platforms and productions in the UK and Ireland. Sunbelt Rentals is committed to supporting this growth by continuously investing in new and sustainable equipment. This includes the introduction of 18 Euro 6 lighting trucks, with stage V generators, to help productions meet their sustainability goals.

Additionally, we recognise the importance of addressing skills shortages in the industry. Sunbelt Rentals is actively providing training opportunities by hosting open training days and camera operators’ workshops.

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