FSUFILM Handbook

Category: F3

  • Production Vehicles

    Overview

    Production vehicle policies govern the use of school vehicles for location work, including driver approval, authorized use, and the responsibilities that come with transporting equipment and supporting production logistics.

    School vehicles are a privilege, not a guaranteed production resource. Clear rules help protect students, equipment, and the school while ensuring that vehicles are used safely, responsibly, and only by approved drivers.

    General Policies

    Each level of project will have particular parameters that govern how the project may be executed, including the size and nature of the equipment package. Some equipment packages are only to be moved in or with grip trucks, generator trucks, or specialized trailers owned or rented by the College. All such vehicles are herein referred to as production vehicles.

    These vehicles are not a requirement for production but a privilege. Productions that shoot on location must have authorized, approved drivers who have been hired for the purpose of driving the production vehicles for the duration of that production. The drivers must be capable of driving the vehicles, and assume all liability for driving the vehicles.

    Drivers must be enrolled students in the College of Motion Picture Arts and must be an assigned member of the camera, sound, grip or electric department on that production. Drivers for a location shoot may not be from any other department, and may not be the director, producer, production designer or director of photography.

    All students must qualify to drive the grip trucks, even though they may not ever be assigned to drive a truck. If a student refuses or fails to qualify to drive by not meeting all the requirements listed below, the student will forfeit the opportunity for a location shoot on the next project where they act as director.

    Truck-Driving Qualifications

    Below is a list of the requirements that must be met in order to qualify to drive the grip trucks. These requirements will be addressed during the Driver Training Course administered by ER personnel. Meeting all of these requirements is considered completion of the Driver Training Course.

    1. Completion of a written test administered by College ER personnel. The study guide is available from the ER and a copy is on the server.
    2. Completion of a physical driving test administered by College ER personnel.
    3. Valid Florida Driver’s License.
    4. When necessary, agree to a Department of Transportation driving background check.
    5. Sign a waiver of liability with the College of Motion Picture Arts.
    6. Provide a copy on file of Social Security card and Drivers License.
    7. Completion of the online application & wizard forms to become an OPS employee.
    8. Hired as an employee of Florida State University for the purpose of driving the trucks.
    9. All trucks driven must have a driver and passenger at all times. The producers of the shows may designate the passengers with ER personnel having final approval. Passengers do not have to be employed by Florida State University. Passengers will act to support the driver by getting out of the truck and guiding the driver whenever backing up or maneuvering into a small space.

    Only students currently on the College payroll are allowed to drive. If you were not specifically told that you were hired to drive on a given show then you cannot drive the trucks on that show. The ER will assign drivers for each show, and only the designated driver may drive the truck at that time.

    Please note that the College has the right to deny truck usage to any student for any reason.

    Truck-Driving Insurance

    The State of Florida vehicle liability insurance is in effect solely during the period of time that you are acting as an employee of the College. You are an employee only while driving the vehicle to or from a film set for which you are the assigned driver. Your status as an employee begins the moment you enter the cab of the truck, and ends the moment you leave the truck. Driving the truck as an employee of the College is completely different and separate from working on the film set as a student. Insurance coverage ceases once you have delivered the vehicle to set.

    As an employee of the State of Florida, insurance covers the following:

    1. If you are in an accident the insurance covers physical damage to the other vehicles involved
    2. Bodily injury to the driver and passenger of the other vehicles involved
    3. Personal injury to the driver of the College vehicle

    Insurance does not cover the following:

    1. Personal injury to the driver before or after the assigned driving duties
    2. Damage to College property, vehicles or equipment

    Any student authorized and assigned to drive production vehicles must assume all liability with regard to the condition of the vehicle. All assigned drivers must attend equipment check-out and check-in to visually inspect the vehicle and sign the vehicle out/in. Any production without authorized drivers who are willing to assume responsibility for driving a production vehicle must shoot in the College studio.

    Damage caused by an accident is the sole responsibility and sole liability of the student assigned to drive the vehicle at the time of the accident, regardless of actual or perceived fault.

    Production Vehicles and Studio Shoots

    Productions that choose to conduct studio shoots may work from the production vehicles in their assigned parking spaces, and are not required to provide drivers or assume any liability associated with driving the production vehicles.

    Additional Information

    The following additional information is included for your reference as/when you are assigned to drive one of the College vehicles.

    1. Proof of registration and liability insurance coverage is located in the glove compartment, and must be displayed upon request to appropriate law enforcement officers.
    2. Grip/camera trucks may not drive on roads prohibiting trucks, and must stop at all highway inspection/weigh stations.
    3. Paints, solvents and gasoline are flammable materials, and warrant the usage of the appropriate “hazardous materials” indicator signs located on the outside of the box of the truck. Failure to display the appropriate sign, or to display the wrong sign, can result in serious fines. Any fines that result are the sole responsibility of the assigned driver.
    4. A working fire extinguisher can be found in the cab of the truck. A second fire extinguisher must be carried in the box of the truck only if flammable materials are being transported.

  • Equipment Loss and Damage

    Overview

    Equal access to well-functioning equipment and facilities is a central tenet of our level playing field philosophy and is critical to the delivery of the curriculum. Equipment loss and damage policies explain the procedures and student responsibilities that apply when school equipment is lost, damaged, or improperly maintained during production activity.

    These policies are necessary because classes and productions rely on shared equipment that must remain functional across many projects and production cycles. Clear procedures help maintain accountability, support timely repair or replacement, and reinforce responsible stewardship of school resources.

    Fixing or modifying equipment

    Attempting to repair, modify and/or “jerry rig” College equipment is strictly prohibited. Equipment will invariably be broken in the course of a production, and many times there is a strong urge to attempt to fix the equipment on site. Serious and dangerous situations can arise when equipment is modified. This policy is in place for the protection of all cast and crew members, as well as to protect the equipment and ensure for its future use. Violation of this policy will subject the student to restriction and possible loss of ER privileges.

    Equipment loss and damage fee

    In the course of normal use, equipment and facilities will inevitably be damaged or get lost. To assist in the maintenance and replacement of equipment and facilities the College has enacted an Equipment Loss and Damage (ELD) Fee. This fee applies to ALL College equipment and facilities including, but not limited to, production equipment, post-production equipment, lab computers, classroom furnishings, and structural elements such as walls and ceilings. When discussing loss or damage it should be noted that the word “equipment” refers to all production and post-production equipment and all facilities and their contents.

    This fee was created to accomplish the following goals:

    1. To ensure that the College always has a fund dedicated exclusively to repairing and replacing the equipment necessary for the education of our students. This fund will protect both current and future students.
    2. To ensure that each student maintains fiscal responsibility to the proper and safe use of the College’s equipment, while making sure that the student will not be overly harmed by the cost associated with replacing state-of-the-art equipment beyond the student’s fiscal capability.
    3. To create an account that can carry forward unspent funds, thereby eventually creating a pool of funds capable of replacing high-end, expensive equipment.

    This fund is not only for current students using the equipment, but also for the protection of the equipment for use by students from year to year. Every student enrolled in the College will pay the ELD fee each semester of enrollment, regardless of whether they are currently using the equipment or facilities. This does include students who are completing an internship in another state, or those students only enrolled in 1 credit hour a semester.

    The ELD fund works exactly like an insurance policy. Every student pays into the fund each semester they are listed as a film major. Any time a student loses or damages a piece of equipment he or she will be responsible for paying a deductible of up to $1,000 for capital items (items valued at $5,000 or more) and $500 for non-capital items (items valued at less than $5,000). Any cost to replace or repair the equipment beyond the $1,000 or $500 deductible will be covered by the ELD fund. This deductible is applied to each individual piece of equipment.

    For example, a student drops a lens and also breaks a filter on the lens. The cost to repair the lens (a capital item) is $1200 and the cost to replace the filter (a non-capital item) is $150. The cost to repair the lens is above the capital item deductible so the student will be responsible for the first $1,000 and the ELD fund will cover the remaining $200. The filter is below the non-capital item deductible, therefore the student will owe the entire $150. Therefore, the student will owe the College $1,150 ($1,000 for the lens, plus $150 for the filter).

    If multiple students are held responsible for the loss or damage of equipment, then the cost to repair or replace will be determined for each piece of equipment and the final cost to the students will be split between all responsible parties for each piece of lost or damaged gear.

    Once the fee is paid to the university and deposited into the College budget, the Dean determines the allocation of those funds. Funds not spent at the end of each semester are not refundable.

    The ELD fund only covers the incidental and accidental loss or damage of equipment. Any act of gross negligence or willful destruction that results in loss or damage to equipment or facilities will not be covered by the ELD policies and the student(s) responsible will be held solely liable for the entire cost of replacement or repair, and may also be placed on probation or dismissed from the program.

    Payment for lost or damaged equipment

    At the end of each production cycle, all responsible parties will be identified and assessed charges for any lost or damaged gear. This process is done as close to the industry standard as possible. A Loss/Damage Report will be generated for each production and delivered to the Producer. In addition, an invoice for all missing and damaged equipment from that specific show will be generated and delivered to the Producer and the responsible party/parties.

    Payment will be required in a timely fashion and a receipt will be given. All checks are to be made payable to Florida State University and delivered to the Equipment Room Manager. A payment plan option or other contingency payment options may be available and must be arranged with the Equipment Room Manager. Failure to pay for any lost and/or damaged equipment may result in probation or dismissal from the program.

    Normal wear-and-tear

    It is understood that, during use, equipment may become damaged in minor ways. This is viewed as normal wear-and-tear. Therefore, students will not be responsible for the cost to repair damage that is classified as normal wear and tear. The Equipment Room Manager will be responsible for classifying the damage as normal wear-and-tear, lost, or damaged.

  • In-Field Equipment Transfer

    Overview

    In-field equipment transfers govern the process of transferring responsibility for school equipment between productions while equipment is off campus or actively in use during production activity.

    Because productions often operate across multiple locations and shooting days, equipment responsibility must remain clearly documented at all times. Formal transfer procedures help maintain accountability, reduce confusion about custody of equipment, and protect both students and the school in the event of loss, damage, or missing items.

    How It Works

    Due to the constant productions at the College, students will sometimes be required to hand off the truck and its contents from one show to another without going through the ER as an intermediary, thereby sharing the use and responsibility of the gear equally across productions. This is the most misunderstood yet most important aspect of the check-out/check-in process. It is crucial to understand the ramifications.

    Each equipment package (grip, lighting, camera, etc.) has a check-out department head/team and a check-in department head/team. In the field, the check-out department head/team hands over the Equipment Check-out Manifest to the next show’s department head/team responsible for the equipment. Each of these department heads/teams signs the equipment manifest. The second show’s students use the gear on the assigned production, use it responsibly, maintain its order, and ensure it is returned safely to the truck.

    Check-out

    The check-out head/team signs the manifest at check-out. This signature is an acknowledgement that the check-out head/team has thoroughly checked through every piece of gear on the manifest and verifies that it is in working order. If there was equipment missing from the manifest it should be either replaced or noted on the manifest itself. Once this manifest is agreed upon by the ER and the department head/team, and is signed by the department head, all the equipment becomes the responsibility of the department head/team that signed it.

    In-Field Transfer

    When the check-out head/team is finished with the production, s/he gives the truck, equipment, and its contents, along with the manifest, over to the check-in department head/team. This is done in the field and not under the supervision of the ER. At this point, the check-in department head/team becomes partners with the check-out department head/team. It is at this time that equipment damage should be communicated from the first show to the second show. If there was any missing or damaged equipment on the first show, the check-out department head/team must communicate this damage to the check in department head/team by noting it on the equipment manifest.

    Failure to complete this crucial step will not release any students from fiscal responsibility for lost or damaged equipment.

    Check-in

    After the second show, during equipment check-in, the check-in head/team signs the manifest. This signature is an acknowledgement that the check-in person has thoroughly checked through every piece of gear on the manifest and verifies that if there is missing/damaged gear it has been noted on the manifest and the responsible parties have been noted. Once signed, the check-in person agrees with the ER regarding the accuracy of the equipment count and the state of the gear.

    Disputes

    If there is a dispute about which production had the missing/damaged equipment, then both department heads/teams will be assessed and will split the cost of repair or replacement. The deliberation of any grievances related to responsibility of loss or damage, or any arbitration of the policy governed herein, will lie solely with the Associate Dean. Any grievance must follow the chain of command prior to being brought to the desk of the Associate Dean.

    Chain of Command:

    • Level 1 – Equipment Room Personnel
    • Level 2 – Equipment Room Manager
    • Level 3 – Head of Production
    • Final Word – Associate Dean

    Any grievances regarding equipment or policies must be submitted in writing within five business days after the incident or notification of the incident.

  • Crew Responsibilities

    Overview

    Crew members are responsible for the proper handling, transport, operation, organization, and protection of the equipment assigned to their department throughout the production process.

    Because productions rely on shared school equipment across multiple shows and production cycles, all crew members are expected to treat equipment carefully and use it responsibly. Clear expectations surrounding equipment stewardship help reduce loss and damage, maintain equipment availability, and reinforce professional production habits related to organization, accountability, and on-set responsibility.

    Departmental Responsibilities

    Based on the structure of the check-out/check-in responsibility hierarchy, a significant part of the job as a department head is keeping tabs on who is using the equipment from their equipment manifest. Department heads should also make it clear to the students and volunteers working under them that they are required to report any loss, damage, or malfunction of equipment immediately. Keeping abreast of the state of the gear during the course of production and providing open channels of communication to the rest of the crew will insure the conscientious use of the equipment and reduce the amount of damage and subsequent monetary assessments.

    A specified student position or student team (listed below) from each department is required to sign the Check-out/Check-in Equipment Manifest for their equipment package and is fiscally responsible for said equipment. By signing this Check-out/Check-in Equipment Manifest, the student agrees to all policies pertaining to the use of College equipment.

    Each day at wrap, the department head/team marks down on the manifest any missing or damaged equipment, in addition to notifying the 1st AD and Producer of the same.

    Lighting Package

    As department head, the Gaffer shall be responsible for all equipment listed on the Lighting Check-out/Check-in Manifest. If there is no generator truck on the production, the Gaffer will also be responsible for the electrical equipment. If the Gaffer cannot determine who was responsible for any loss or damage, or the Gaffer did not report the loss or damage, it will be the full responsibility of the Gaffer. It is always the responsibility of the Gaffer, as department head, to immediately notify the 1st AD and Producer of any loss or damage, so that it can be documented on the Daily Production Report (DPR).

    Camera Package

    The 1st AC & 2nd AC shall be equally responsible for the equipment listed on the Camera Check-out/Check-in Manifest. If the AC team cannot determine who was responsible for any loss or damage, or did not report the loss or damage, they will be equally responsible. It is always the responsibility of the 1st AC, as department head, to immediately notify the 1st AD and Producer of any loss or damage, so that it can be documented on the Daily Production Report (DPR).

    Grip Package

    As the department head, the Key Grip is ultimately responsible for all the grip equipment (including camera dollies) on the Check-out/Check-in Manifest. If the Key Grip cannot determine who was responsible for any loss or damage, or did not report the loss or damage, it will be the full responsibility of the Key Grip. It is always the responsibility of the Key Grip, as department head, to immediately notify the 1st AD and Producer of any loss or damage, so that it can be documented on the Daily Production Report (DPR).

    Electric Package

    On productions involving the generator truck, the electric equipment shall be the responsibility of the Best Boy Electric. If the Best Boy Electric cannot determine who was responsible for any loss or damage, or did not report the loss or damage, it will be the full responsibility of the Best Boy Electric. It is the Best Boy Electric’s responsibility to immediately notify the 1st AD and Producer of any loss or damage, so that it can be documented on the Daily Production Report (DPR).

    Sound Package

    The Sound Mixer & Boom Operator shall be equally responsible for all equipment listed on the Sound Check-out/Check-in Manifest. If the sound team cannot determine who was responsible for any loss or damage, or did not report the loss or damage, it will be the full and equal responsibility of the sound team. It is always the responsibility of the Sound Mixer, as department head, to immediately notify the 1st AD and Producer of any loss or damage, so that it can be documented on the Daily Production Report (DPR).

    Script Supervisor/Video Assist Package

    As the on-set department head for the editorial department, the Script Supervisor shall be responsible for all equipment listed on the Script Supervisor/Video Assist Check-out/Check-in Manifest. If the Script Supervisor cannot determine who was responsible for any loss or damage, or did not report the loss or damage, it will be the full and equal responsibility of the sound team. It is always the responsibility of the Script Supervisor, as department head, to immediately notify the 1st AD and Producer of any loss or damage, so that it can be documented on the Daily Production Report (DPR).

    Assistant Director Package

    The 2nd AD is responsible for all equipment listed on the Assistant Director Check-out/Check-in Manifest. If the faculty did not assign a student to the 2nd AD position, the duties of the 2nd AD fall to the 1st AD. If the 2nd AD cannot determine who was responsible for any loss or damage, or did not report the loss or damage, it will be the full and equal responsibility of the sound team. It is always the responsibility of the 2nd AD to immediately notify the 1st AD and Producer of any loss or damage, so that it can be documented on the Daily Production Report (DPR).

  • Check-in & Check-out

    Overview

    Check-in and check-out procedures govern how productions receive, return, verify, and inventory school equipment through the equipment room.

    Because equipment is shared across many productions and classes, organized check-out procedures are necessary to maintain accountability, track inventory accurately, and keep equipment available and operational for future use. Careful check-in practices also help identify damage, missing items, or technical issues before they affect other productions.

    How It Works

    As a required and mandatory component of the curriculum, students will be required to check out equipment, use the equipment safely and effectively, and check in the equipment in the condition it was issued. Students will be evaluated on such use. Students will also be evaluated on their timely attendance at the scheduled equipment check-in/check-out, which is mandatory for most student productions.

    Equipment will be checked out and assigned to current, registered FSU College of Motion Picture Arts students ONLY.

    The most formal, structured type of equipment usage occurs during the student films produced during production cycles. Most student projects fall into this category and are assigned specific equipment packages, with the possibility of additional equipment being available upon special request. These packages are designed to allow students access to the needed equipment for their projects while maintaining equity across all productions. Student productions are an extension of the classroom; the use of the equipment and the production itself is a component of the test and/or assignment of the class.

    Prior to checking out equipment students are assigned crew positions on the production crew grid. Student crewmembers are required to attend check-out or check-in at the assigned time and attendance is taken. Crew members who are required to attend from their respective departments, and the attendance times, are subject to change but, in general, are laid out in the Equipment Room Check-out/Check-in Schedule available from the ER and posted on the student bulletin board.

    The students assigned the responsibility of those crew positions shall be responsible for the equipment, regardless of who uses it. However, any damage to equipment due to negligence will always become the responsibility of the student user and will take priority over any other policy. Failure to adhere to this protocol or fully understand its ramifications will result in the restricted use or loss of ER privileges.

    Check-in

    At the assigned times, the “check-in” students sign in on the equipment check-in attendance sheet. Attendance at check-in is part of the student’s final grade.

    If a truck has been provided to a production, the assigned drivers back the truck up to the loading dock with the assistance of the assigned passenger.

    The Key Grip orchestrates the unloading of the truck. The check-in students unload the camera, sound, AD, and Script Supervisor packages and proceed to carry the equipment inside to the equipment room. The check-in students responsible for the lighting, grip, electrical, and dolly packages unload their equipment onto the loading dock. Both groups are informed of, and are witness to, the logging of any gear that is missing and or damaged from their respective portions of the equipment manifest. The missing/damaged equipment is noted on the manifest form.

    The students checking in sign the manifest form acknowledging the agreement between the ER and the student as to the state of the gear, and the gear count. If there is missing/damaged equipment, the responsible student(s) either return the missing item(s) or arrange payment to repair or replace the item(s). Once their portion of the manifest is signed the check-in students may sign out and leave.

    Check-out

    At the assigned times, the “check-out” students sign in on the equipment check-in attendance sheet. Attendance at check-out is part of the student’s final grade.

    The check-out students thoroughly check through every piece of equipment, and make sure that the ER has replaced any damaged or missing equipment, and/or has noted such damage on the Check-out Manifest.

    If a truck has been provided to a production, the Key Grip orchestrates the loading of equipment onto the truck. The student responsible signs for the equipment, receives a copy of the Check-out Manifest, and stores the manifest with the equipment. This signature is acknowledgement that the Check-out person has thoroughly checked through every piece of gear on their portion of the manifest and he or she agrees with the ER personnel on the condition and count of the gear.

    Faculty Assigned Classes/Workshops

    In the course of conducting their classes, there will be times when faculty will require students to check out equipment for certain class exercises. These checkouts are less formal and not as structured. However, the ER expects the same diligence in the use and return of the gear.

    In most cases, the equipment’s care is the responsibility of the entire class. However, in the case of gross negligence, the person responsible will be held liable for any damages assessed.

    Students who are directed by their instructor to pick up the equipment will be required to fill out and sign the Special Equipment Check-out Form. The equipment will be checked out at the time it is requested, and must be returned to the ER at the end of class.

  • Special Request Equipment

    Overview

    Special request equipment refers to production equipment that falls outside the standard equipment packages and therefore requires additional review and approval before it may be reserved or issued to a production.

    Because certain equipment may be limited in quantity, require specialized training, involve elevated risk, or affect availability for other productions, requests must be evaluated carefully before approval is granted. The process helps maintain fairness across productions while ensuring that equipment is used responsibly and appropriately.

    How It Works

    During the production cycle students may, depending on availability and the parameters of the production cycle, order “special request” equipment for their productions. Special request equipment is defined as any piece of equipment in the ER that is not listed on the preset equipment packages.

    Special equipment typically requires additional training and it can add complexity to the production protocols and procedures. For this reason, special equipment is only permitted on the more advanced-level projects (F3, FC, M2, M3, MC), where there is adequate time and attention for ensuring it is deployed effectively. Earlier projects (F1, F2, M1) are restricted to using the standard equipment package, where the intended focus of the curriculum is on core, foundational learning.

    Protocol for Requesting Special Equipment

    This type of equipment usage is covered by the Special Equipment Check-Out Form and requires the authorization of a specific faculty/staff member and the Associate Dean. The student will need to go online and fill out the required Special Equipment Request form and submit it to the ER personnel. The ER will then inform the student of the check-in/check-out procedures and location of the equipment. The equipment will be the responsibility of the student(s) who checked it out, whether an individual or a group.

    In order to receive special equipment, the show’s producer and/or director of photography must do two things:

    1. Attend a special equipment meeting with the ER Manager. This meeting is not a substitute for the green light meeting or directors prep. It is designed to sort out logistical problems and chart the equipment at any given moment during production. This is meeting is MANDATORY if you want access to any special equipment. At the meeting a time will be set wherein the students must check the special equipment out and in. Special equipment checkout/in occurs separate from regular checkout/in. Meeting times will be posted on the board and through general email notifications.
    2. The student will complete and sign a Special Equipment Request Form. Producers must sign this form to obtain the gear, and are responsible for its proper use and care.

    This equipment needs to be returned immediately upon completion of the project or by the return date. Failure to do so will result in restriction of ER privileges.

  • Equipment Availability

    Overview

    Equipment availability policies outline how equipment access is prioritized, scheduled, and managed across productions, classes, and program activities.

    Because the program operates with shared production resources and overlapping production schedules, equipment availability is determined by curricular needs. Clear policies help productions plan more realistically while supporting fair access, operational consistency, and responsible allocation of school resources.

    Policies

    Students are given access to industry-standard, professional film equipment and students are treated as professional filmmakers regarding to the care, maintenance, and responsible use of the equipment. Equipment policies are in place not only to teach the student how the professional film industry operates, but also to maintain the long-term viability of the College’s equipment.

    One of the unique aspects of the College is that students do not have to stand in line to reserve equipment under a first come/first served policy. As part of the level playing field philosophy, every student production will have exactly the same base equipment package as every other production during that specific production cycle. This equipment package will be prepared for student check-out, and the check-out period scheduled as a part of the normal schedule. This insures equal access to the required equipment and equal time to inspect the state of the equipment being checked in or out.

    It is a common misconception that just because the College owns a piece of equipment it is automatically available to any student who wants it whenever they want it. The lockstep nature of the curriculum, the different levels of productions, and the different requirements of the degree programs necessitate an availability policy.

    Complexity of Equipment

    Some equipment requires advance training outside of the normal class and/or workshop schedule. This equipment is also typically reserved for the more advanced projects, and only to those students who have taken the extra time to become trained on that equipment set-up and operation.

    Degree Program Requirements

    The curricular requirements of BFA and MFA programs are not the same. In some circumstances the use of certain equipment may be restricted to only one degree program. The level playing field ideology applies only within a degree plan.

    Other Uses

    The equipment and facilities are exclusively for use by College of Motion Picture Arts students and faculty on official FSU films and workshops. Use of the equipment for any other use must be approved by the Associate Dean and can never interfere with the established curriculum.

  • Equipment Room Responsibilities

    Overview

    The equipment room is responsible for issuing, tracking, maintaining, testing, and managing the production equipment used throughout the program. This includes preparing equipment packages, monitoring inventory, coordinating repairs and maintenance, and supporting productions through the check-out and return process.

    The ER strives to provide well-maintained, industry-standard equipment and expendables for faculty and students to use in their educational endeavors. Because all productions rely on shared equipment resources, the equipment room plays a critical role in keeping productions operational and maintaining consistency across production cycles. Organized equipment room procedures help ensure that equipment remains functional, available, and properly maintained while supporting a fair and efficient workflow for students across the program.

    Damage and replacement of equipment

    The ER will be responsible for assisting and/or replacing equipment, which is deemed vital to the essential completion of the project.

    The ER will provide an emergency phone number for the purpose of contacting ER personnel in the case of an equipment emergency. An equipment emergency is defined as any equipment malfunction that renders the completion of the production impossible or severely hindered. Not knowing how to operate equipment does not constitute an emergency. An equipment emergency is also defined as any vehicle accident involving College vehicles. Accidents involving student vehicles are not Equipment Room emergencies.

    The ER shall be responsible for the replacement, repair, or supply of any equipment or expendables that are not available/functioning due to ER personnel error.

    The ER is not responsible for in the field replacement of depleted expendables. The ER is also not responsible for instruction in usage of equipment in the field, and is not responsible for user error. 

    For each production cycle the ER will issue a Loss/Damage Report to each producer. The ER will also issue an invoice both to the producer and to the responsible individual(s) for the cost of replacing or repairing any gear damaged or missing.

    Check-in and check-out

    The ER personnel will guide students in the checking in and out of all equipment.

    The ER will provide the original equipment Check-out/Check-in manifest forms to check against the state of the equipment. Any deviation of the state of the equipment, either in damage or loss, from the Check-out forms will be noted on the Check-in forms and signed by the ER personnel who witnessed the irregularity.

    The ER will replace an item if that item is damaged or missing at the time of check-out. If there is no in-kind item available then the damaged or missing item will be noted on the Check-out Manifest.

    The ER personnel will be responsible for obtaining the signature of the Check-in student at the end of Check-in.

    The ER will place all approved Special Request equipment in the designated Special Request spaces.