If you missed your dream to be an actor, your car can nowadays fulfil it. Indeed, a growing number of vehicle owners are leasing their cars to television and film producers. “It was very exciting” said Brett Kenyon, owner of a Jaguar XJC Coupe to an Australian online newspaper. He gathered his wife and a group of friends and they all sat around the box waiting for her to appear on screen. When she finally did, there were cries of joy and recognition. “We were all waiting and when the car was first seen there was a little bit of a cheer “ said Kenyon.
According to Shan Railton from Vantage Management, (an American agency specialising in “star cars” for TV, film, promotions and events), “Economic times may be down but more people are staying home and watching the telly so we’re seeing as much work as ever.” Many car lovers bring their wheels to Railton’s agency but he also scouts car clubs, websites, car parks, events and particular suburbs for unusual and unique cars to add to his catalogue.
The pay varies depending on how long the vehicle is needed for, how heavily it will feature and the budget of the production. For a two-hour magazine fashion shoot or a static shot in a television or film production it might be US$200 to US$300; for a commercial filmed over a few days, the owner could receive US$2000.
Illustration by Marta Mancusi
