Broadcast equipment rental company HotCam is to start supplying high-end camera kit to commercials producers and has recruited a VP of Development to lead the expansion.
Handling factual, reality and entertainment TV shows, the London- and New York-based facilities firm will now actively promote its services to the top end of the production market led by new recruit Andrew McLean, a cinematographer, producer and advertising creative who has worked with some of the advertising world’s biggest brands.
To back up the expansion, HotCam will invest in Red Epic and Arri Alexa cameras and add prime lenses to its rental inventory.
‘For many years, we’ve had an eye on the top end of the market but we’ve never really had the contacts in-house to make it happen,’ says HotCam CEO, Trevor Hotz. ‘Bringing Andrew on board gives us expertise and an insight into that world. Our plan going forward is to provide commercials producers with the same high quality production services that we’ve always given to factual, entertainment and reality programme makers.’
Before joining HotCam, McLean helped several asset-based production support companies including The Gaff House and Bat-Pack Post and concurrently launched the media boutique McLean Underwood & Co, a strategic media firm, with industry veteran Rodney Underwood.
During his career McLean has worked with a number of big brands including Verizon, World Wildlife Fund, Sony, The Dallas Cowboys and AIG.
‘HotCam is perfectly poised to expand into commercial and even feature film projects,’ he says. ‘I was inspired by their commitment to client service and by their culture. This is a company that genuinely offers itself as not just an equipment provider, but as a solutions provider too – that’s invaluable to production professionals, especially those traveling to New York from the UK. ‘
Lenses being added to the HotCam inventory include the Zeiss CP.2, a lightweight cine-style prime lens designed for HD and DSLR cameras and also, the Cooke Panchro series, a cost-effective alternative to the renowned Cooke S4/i range.
The Zeiss DigiPrime range, cine-style primes lenses designed specifically for 2/3-inch sensor, B4 mount cameras such as the Sony F800 and Panasonic Varicam, are also being added.
Red Epic and Arri Alexa shooting kits will be available from January 2012.
More: www.hotcam.tv
