Renting your car out for movies/TV?

I have a few friends in the film industry that have been asking me about my old cars. They keep telling me I should sign my cars up with a vehicle rental company for movie/TV shoots. Since Georgia has become popular with film studies lately this might be a chance to make some parts money on the side.

So have anyone here done this? Any pitfalls? Supposedly you can specify what they can/cannot do with the car which would be nice for one of my cars.

Some companies: http://www.moviepicturecars.com/

http://www.cinemavehicles.com/default.asp

I've worked on a couple of movie sets. Watched an unskilled actor spin sideways into a concrete wall in a Cobra replica. Totalled the car, actor banged up a bit. The original Bad Boys. The car was not a jewel, but still... Any car that is to be used in action shots will be close to destroyed when they are done. If it's parade duty or Prom Night, not so bad. Be careful, be there, do not trust anybody.

I've heard bad, bad things about movie cars.

Yep, same here - the recommendation in the UK was that you'd only do it if you can be present and if necessary, drive it yourself. At least over there they tend to pay for the damage but you'll still have a fight on your hands to get it fixed up properly.

From the second link given above....
When was the last time you saw a 1982 VW Quantum 2 door?


What movie would that fit into?

If you hate your car, by all means, do it.

Didn't work out so well for that red Wrangler on The Happening

No experience renting out cars but I did rent out my sail boat to a production company once - I think they paid me something like $250 a day for two days "use" and reimbursed me for a bunch of holiday lights I strung up on it. They werent going to use it though as it was a background /set thing. Was excited to watch the show (some vampire thing that never made it past the first few episodes) but I must have ended up on the cutting room floor.

Here is the relevant bit -the agreement did specify what they could and couldn't do with it. Film it, stand on it, but not move it I think.

I recall some "actor" wrecked and Enzo.

On that Bad Boys thing, seems like the Bad Guy pushed the little red button thingy. 250hp nitrous hit kind of messed him up. It was a 460 big block that responded well to nitrous, but not well to an unskilled driver. HeeHee.

I volunteered one of my cars for a movie. When the film crew found out the actor didn't know how to drive a manual shift car, a special role was added for me, as the driver.

The only thing I had to do was start the car up, wait for him to get in, say a line or two, and drive off down the street.

easiest $25 I've ever made.

GameboyRMH wrote: Didn't work out so well for that red Wrangler on The Happening

Once again: That was my Jeep!

I sold it to a company that supplies cars for films. I'm pretty sure it was painted and totalled within two weeks of the sale.

I work in video. and the occasional movies.. I would NEVER allow any of them to touch my cars

I was listening to the commentary for the movie Without a Paddle (yeah I'm a dork) and they were laughing about how Dax Shepard jumped up on the roof of a classic Mustang during one of the scenes where he was running from the cops. He didn't realize the studio didn't own the car and the owner was watching. The owner appropriately went nuts about it as it was improv'ed and not approved. The car was supposed to be just sitting in the background. The actors just laughed at the memory.

I actually knos a guy who's car was in the fast ans the Furious (the second one). It was in the scene where all the cars are leaving the warehouse.

Sure it was mixed in with a bunch of other cars, but still it was in the movie.

Oh, it was a new Beetle Turbo.

If you care about the cars, don't do it. I always remember the story of another famous car magazine's editor about how he rented out his 1970 Dodge Super Bee to a film crew (his last name rhymes with hamburger ) They messed up the car pretty bad.

On a side note, Hollywood really needs to stop destroying classic cars in their movies. It is my belief that they should exclusively use new Camrys and Priuses for these scenes.

My dad had a Silver Cloud that he rented out fo several movies here in Georgia. Betty Davis rode in it for one scene,

For "Wise Blood", he rented it to a company that used it for several days, and didn't put the parking brake on when they parked it. It rolled into a guardrail and scratched the paint.

They put a whole new paint job on it, which cost them $5000. Dad had only paid $3000 for it, so he came out smelling like a rose

i really want this Vanagon!

As I understand it. If the car is rented it is supposed to be just for show to fill out the background. If they are going to wreck it they will buy it outright.

What they are looking for is the occasional oddball car, not the common everyday POS. The Edsel Wagon would be a great example, especially with the patina it has.

SilverFleet wrote: If you care about the cars, don't do it. I always remember the story of another famous car magazine's editor about how he rented out his 1970 Dodge Super Bee to a film crew (his last name rhymes with hamburger ) They messed up the car pretty bad. On a side note, Hollywood really needs to stop destroying classic cars in their movies. It is my belief that they should exclusively use new Camrys and Priuses for these scenes.

I once told my wife that the production company should do a lottery for the cars that are to be wrecked. Without any care for continuity the wrecked car becomes YOUR car and you get the car that was saved. Everyone wins.

I understand that usually the movie cars are sold after being used. You just have to ask. Don't expect much. I remember a couple of Caprice cop cars that were badly bent in the middle from doing bridge jumps.

my buddy Dons VW bug was used in the Ted Bundy serial killer movie shot last year . He had to change rims and tires to old stockers for the movie . He said no big deal just alot of drive shots heres vid of his garage http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Puk-QvWzvBE

Kia_racer wrote: As I understand it. If the car is rented it is supposed to be just for show to fill out the background. If they are going to wreck it they will buy it outright. What they are looking for is the occasional oddball car, not the common everyday POS. The Edsel Wagon would be a great example, especially with the patina it has.

Yep. My g/f has her 1800ES and Spitfire signed up with a local production company for this. THe cars would be for static background shots, and unlikely for any actor interaction scenes. She's had a couple of preliminary calls, but nothing where she needed to be there. I know for certain there would be no way in hell that she'd let the car out of her sight.

I would guess the Quantum would be perfect for the background of a movie/scene set in the 80's. It wouldn't be practical or economical for the studio to buy all of the cars in the background.

I've got some cars I need to sign over to the Mythbusters.

jrw1621 wrote: From the second link given above.... When was the last time you saw a 1982 VW Quantum 2 door? What movie would that fit into?

1988

And for the next 20+ years I've had debates with people who simply don't believe such a car was ever sold in the US. Almost believed it myself since I've not seen another in all that time.

As to the cars for movies thing... if they damage your car (likely), they fix it for you (or pay you well). Ditto for modifications (commercials are notorious for wanting to modify the car).

So if it's important for your car not to be damaged in any way, not a good idea. If you're okay with knowing you won't be out any money if the car is damaged, then likely okay.

Sort of like parking at a Walmart....

I have some cars where this wouldn't bother me and others where it would....

A couple of buddies do this often... and they often get a role in the movie themselves..

Bill