how would you deal with this.......

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rugbyphotog

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I got a small problem. I have a staff of five shooters. At least once a week, someone is missing gear. This afternoon, one shooter almost went on an assignment with no audio equipment; No stick mic. No wirelss set up. This is happening more and more. And to make is worse, I can't pinpoint who is doing it. Is it just one person, or is it everyone?

I need to put this to and end. But I dont' want to be to hard on them, because I know it's not everyone.

My plan is to start going thru gear bags and looking for spare parts and question the shooter on why they may have 2 wireless mics. I also need to mark all the gear (it is color coded - but that doesn't seem to matter much)

What advice do you guys have?
 
Sounds like your staff has to share gear. That's your first problem, there's no sense of "ownership", therefore no need to take care of it.

It may be a stretch for you but the fastest way to eliminate unauthorized "borrowing" is to make sure each photojournalist has their "own" assigned gear.

I realize that means spending money up front...something management is loath to do, but it will make everyone more productive, eliminate downtime spent searching for gear, and make the staff a much happier of folks to be around! It also means less time in the maintenance shop fixing broken stuff...why? Because if they think they own it, they'll take better care of it.

If getting more gear for everyone isn't possible, then inventory control is, for you, critical.

I suggest creating an inventory on your computer. Enter every single piece of gear by type, manufacturer, serial number, date of purchase, etc. Pieces without serial numbers should be assigned a "unit" number...something like "WFUN TV-001". Then use the unit number to mark each & every single piece of gear into a "kit".

Then you create a sign out sheet for each kit. Make sure your staff signs each kit every single day. That way you have a record of who had what, and when they had it. If stuff turns up missing, you have a place to start looking for who had it last. Do NOT let enyone leave the building with gear unless it's signed out! You will also have to get the desk's assistance, not to mention the ND's support.

Folks will bitch & moan about it, but in the long run they will start policing themselves, so you don't have to. Especially if habitual offenders are dealt with properly. What's proper? I'll leave that to your good judgement. :)

I've been in your shoes...fortunately I'm not now. If I can be of further assistance, feel free to PM. Good luck!
 
That's the problem - everyone has their own gear, but this still happens. And there is already a sign out board. I have made sure I have done these things to eliminate the "borrowing" of gear.

Nothing seems to work. I color-code each gear, and on a big dry-erase board, they sign out what gear they are using. 90 percent of the time, they use their own - the same gear. But for some reason, things still disappear.

I might just have to try a sign-out log. I thought about it, but figured it wouldn't fly here. But at least it's an idea worth trying....
 
inexpensive bins with locks? You have a key, photog has a key and the desk has a key (Other keys can be kept in a "last chance" key safe).

This keeps unofficial hands out of the bins.
 
I agree with the locks. In Augusta, GA I had a big locker with a padlock on it. That eliminated the "borrowing" problem. We were a little lax about locking up until one of the photogs (big guy!) had one of the morning prod crew (total dork) use our brand new DVCPro cameras. He would have gotten away with it, since he put it back - but he made the mistake of telling the photog "Hey, dude, nice camera - looks good live." After a very loud round of "Don't EVER go in my locker and touch my gear again!" we were suddenly much more likely to remember to lock up.

FYI - they were also great because we had a "space" that we felt belonged to us. They held hurricane food, a spare pair of long pants for going to court, the two boxes of shoot tapes that we were alloted at a time, they had photos and newspaper clippings taped to the inside of the doors, the whole nine yards. Good for morale in general!

These were big ones, more like storage cabinets than lockers - maybe 2 feet wide and deep and 6 feet high, with a shelf near the top.
 
Yup, locks sound justified. It does keep prying fingers out of the cookie jar. It's also a shame.

I feel your pain. Sounds like you need to figure out a method to install some sort of lockers in your photo room. It's too bad so-called professionals can't be trusted.

It also sounds like you might need to take disciplinary action on the habitual offenders. I suggest formal write-up for the 1st offense, a day off w/out pay for the 2nd, 3 days off for the 3rd, and a one way trip out the door after the 4th offense. Making an example out of someone may be the only way to get the message across.

Sorry about that. Good luck.
 
Well in a worst case scenario... no money for locks or lockers. nobody has the time to sign in and out gear everyday in and out like a librarian.... so what do u do?
Put out a formal memo, stating if anyone needs to borrow gear they need to check with you first. If someone who's not a photog needs gear, they officially cannot have it without checking with you or a manager first. Explain of course if there is a good reason to use someone elses gear, they will likely get it. If anyone violates this directive there will be disciplinary action.
First state the rule, then enforce it. Move from there.
 
Lock it up, and the ONLY people with keys are the individual photogs who share gear and you. Do NOT give the desk keys!!!!

Also, try color coding everything. Various colors of electrical tape on every piece of gear will give a quick, visual way of telling if one piece of gear with red tape has "magically" migrated to the green gear.

I have a pair of photogs that will soon have to share a camera, but I am trying to equip each with everything else that is their own. Their own batteries, chargers, stick mic, cables, connectors, clamps, etc. That way, the only thing they share is the camera, pod, and wireless.
 
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