Load-out checklist

Between the rental house and the set there is a truck, and something is always missing from it. Not because the rental house prepped badly: because nobody counted again while it was still easy.

This checklist gets ticked while loading, not afterwards. It assumes the list itself was already checked during prep: here you are controlling what physically goes into the truck.

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Tick as you go: your progress stays on this device, even if you close the page. Nothing is sent to a server.

1. On collection, before loading

Ten minutes here is worth a day on set.

Get the rental house's prep sheetIt is the document that counts if there is a dispute on return.
Compare the prep sheet against your list, line by lineThis is where you find the substitutions made without telling you.
Have the rental house note any substituted itemA fixture swapped for a near equivalent does not share its accessories.
Check consumable quantities, not just their presenceA part-used box of gels is not a box.
Spot what is missing and have it noted immediatelyA shortage raised at the warehouse gets replaced; raised on set it gets endured.

In Cinecyclop, the Rental check tool compares what you asked for against what was actually pulled, and lists the gaps.

2. Count and check condition

Open, count, power up. Always in that order.

Open every fixture case and check what is insideA closed case of the right weight can still be incomplete.
Power up every fixture, one at a timeA dead LED shows in two seconds at the warehouse, never inside a box.
Check the power supplies and original cables are thereA fixture without its supply is a paperweight.
Check the condition of accessories: grids, softboxes, barndoorsA torn grid counts as missing.
Check the stands: locks, sections, basesA lock that slips shows up under load, too late.
Count cable by length and by sectionThe total says nothing: the spread is what matters.
Test the distro boxes and the dimmersFive minutes of testing is worth an hour of fault finding.
Check the condition of safety cables and rigging hardwareA doubtful safety cable does not go in the truck.

3. Loading and strapping down

The truck moves. Anything not strapped down moves with it.

Load in reverse order of unloadingWhat is needed first on set comes out of the truck last.
Heavy items low and against the wallsWeights and stands hold the rest in place.
Strap it down, do not rely on the weight of the gearA stack that is stable when parked is not after the first hard brake.
Protect optics and fragile fixtures from road vibrationVibration does more damage than knocks.
Keep the unloading gear reachableTrolley, straps, gloves, torch.
Check the total height of the loadAn underground car park is measured beforehand, not on arrival.
Check the weight against the vehicle's ratingOverloading is both an offence and a real risk.

Heavy low and against the walls, light on top, and a strap every two or three blocks. The numbers are the loading order: number 1 comes out last.

4. Paperwork and logistics

What does not get loaded but without which nothing moves.

Take the signed rental agreementThe only document that counts on return.
Have the equipment list in a form readable on setThe field sheet PDF, with its tick boxes.
Check the rental house contact for the dayThe switchboard does not answer at eight in the evening.
Note the exact address and the access constraintsArchway height, parking permit, door code.
Check the parking permissionsA badly parked truck blocks the whole day.
Take a way to charge the test gearA flat multimeter measures nothing.

5. The last pass

Two minutes, doors open, before closing up.

Do a quick recount of the main positionsFixtures, stands, cable, rigging, consumables.
Check no case is left on the loading bayThe most ordinary and most expensive oversight there is.
Walk mentally through the first scene on the scheduleIf you could not shoot it with what is loaded, something is missing.
Check the gaffer tape and consumables one last timeThey are the first things you reach for on arrival.
Confirm the arrival time and place with productionA truck expected somewhere else loses an hour.
Close, lock, and note the mileage if the vehicle is hiredThe end-of-shoot dispute is prevented at departure.

A load-out done properly goes unnoticed. That is exactly the point: nobody should have to think about the loading once they are on set.

Frequently asked questions

Should every fixture be powered up on collection?

Yes, at least once each. A failing LED or a missing power supply shows in seconds at the warehouse and gets replaced on the spot. On set, the same fault costs you downtime.

In what order should a lighting truck be loaded?

In reverse order of unloading: whatever is needed first on set should come out of the truck last. Heavy gear goes low and against the walls, and everything is held by straps rather than by its own weight.

What should I do if the rental house substituted an item?

Have it noted on the prep sheet before you leave, and immediately check that the accessories follow. A near-equivalent model does not necessarily share its grids, softboxes or power supply.