2013General Discussion forum
Protecting and tracking filmmaking equipment on set from loss and theft
13 years old. Gear and prices may have changed since.
What the thread found
- Labeling gear with name and contact information helps recover accidentally lost items, though it does not prevent intentional theft.
- Organizing equipment in clearly marked cases with designated slots for each item allows quick visual inspection to notice what is missing.
- Using locking cases and drawers, combined with storing small valuable items out of sight, reduces opportunistic theft.
- When equipment goes missing, filing a loss and damage report with production and notifying the manufacturer about serial numbers can help prevent resale of stolen items.
- Keeping inventory lists and conducting yearly audits of all equipment helps track what exists and what needs servicing or insurance updates.
- Restricting access to cases by giving keys only to trusted crew members, or assigning a production assistant to watch gear in public areas, limits risk.
- Nothing eliminates equipment loss entirely, and honest labeling and security measures assume crew integrity, which is not always present on set.
Depends on
- Labeling is only effective if the person who takes gear intends to return it; thieves are unaffected.
- Laser engraving can be removed by grinding.
- Locking cases require constant key management and may slow access when crew needs items.
- Very small valuable items like cables are impractical to label or track individually.
- Some crew members may borrow items without permission and return them late or not at all.
- No security method is completely foolproof.