Vehicles required for filming in NSW

[Phil Waterman]

Back to the original point of this thread looking for correct period vehicles for a film. The film maker does deserve some credit for at least trying to find vehicles which are authentic to the period of the film.

As to providing vehicles for the films, as long as you have your eyes open and some basic written agreement working with film makers can be interesting, and reasonably to ridiculously financially rewording. Couple guys in our local MV Club have a sideline business in renting their vehicles to film companies. The require that one of the guys be present when the vehicles are being moved, driven, or setup with the film paying for their time, hotel and meals. In one recent film they offered to sell the film company the trucks at inflated prices, the film company declined liking the rental arrangement better in the end the film companies paid a day rate for the trucks that was about double the sales price offered. But for that price the vehicles always started and were ready to go. Film was Shutter Island one of the truck even has the Leonardo DiCaprio autograph on one of the troops seats.

Cheers Phil

[warren brown]

Yes, Phil - it's interesting you should mention Shutter Island. I was onboard a flight last year and flicked through the in-service movie guide where the key picture was of Leonardo Di Caprio and pump-action shotgun wielding prison guards sitting in an immaculate Weapons Carrier - which in turn ensured it was the first film I watched. Shutter Island also had a terrific M38A1 - but I couldn't for the life of me figure out why these Alcatraz-style prison guards in dark blue/black uniforms were driving around in army liveried olive-drab vehicles on an Alcatraz-style prison island in the US. (Actually, that was the least of my problems with the film because I couldn't understand much else either).
While I've never hired out any of my vehicles for movies, I know of a few people who've had pleasant and lucrative experiences during film shoots - they've always been with the vehicle - and had hotel accomodation paid for etc. But a word of warning - I was involved with a motoring television program that required 'onboard' cameras be fitted to film you while you drive. The specialist onboard camera guys needed to fit mountings and tubular, scaffold-like framework within the car. Because of batteries running out, tape running out, daylight disappearing, focus shifting, director's blowing up - these guys were under enormous pressure to fix things - and quickly. More often than not, the car was returned to the supplier with trim, upholstery and paintwork damaged - dashboards scraped and torn - headlining marked or cut - it would make you cry. And I'm not talking about cheap cars either - really top-end stuff. Manufacturers were not happy...

[Mike K]

A few of us from the club down here have got involved with various TV series and a few movies as well ...

The Sullivans was one , back in the 1970's .

I was called up for a TV mini series 'The Dunera boys' . A mock up WW2 POW camp was built down at Pt. Cook . I was on hand full time keeping an eye on the vehicles , my own and other club members cars. I didn't get on with any of the TV crowd, another culture totally alien to me . Lots of well known people like Warren Mitchell ( Alf Garnett ) and the short cockney chap Bob Hoskins was there . John Mellion and other aussie celebs were all over the place .

They set up a scene with me driving Col Andersons Marmon Herrington ( it ran like a swiss watch ) .... just as the director set "action", the damn thing ran out of petrol ... he was fuming , the director went nuts. Every time he looked at me after that I thought I was for the guillotine . They wanted me to manouvre it into a tight corner for a particular shot ... I tried 3 times but they gave up .. wasted film in the can that was

It wasn't a bad series really . About Jewish German refugees from Europe being sent to a POW camp.. true story . I told the props Woman that a WW2 jeep ( mine ) shouldn't be seen in a story set in 1940 , but she said " its in the script " .

[Marc Montgomery]

Alex has it essentially correct re the cement or whatever it was..also splashed it on the canvas against my strict instruction not to.... it never did come off the canvas..also saw lots of other things...like an actor told to drive a jeep who didnt know how to drive a standard shift and wrought havoc on the clutch (owner was not present on set)

other actors and other movie companies were also not at all respectful of carefully restored civvy or military vehicles...and probably more so MV's

Imp note: as far as movie companies are concerned, your lovingly restored vehicle is a prop...and only a prop..like a breakaway bottle, a false store front, or period clothes..a prop that's all.

Having been on a few sets, I would NOT rent a nicely restored vehicle to a movie company even if I was present. Frankly, even if the company is decent and agrees to repair any damage, the time and effort in getting the paint or other issues touched up or worse... is simply not worth the rental income.

Now to be fair, for sure, you dont risk damage every time and people can come away financially better off.. but for my 2 cents..for movie car companies with mere surface restos of vehicles, its fine, but regardless of a contract, for individual collectors who've spent plenty of time and effort and more money than they'll ever admit to their wives to lovingly restore a vehicle, its really worth thinking twice...or more...before agreeing to a movie rental

[Ryan]

Been reading the replies with interest and thought you may like this. Here's a vehicle that was in the Pacific TV show and is now on ebay with remains of the paint still to be seen.
No connection.

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/RARE-MORR...item3369fdcbb7