Production & Resources Policies & Procedures
This document outlines the procedures that the Central Film School (CFS) Resources Team provides to students during their studies.
The purpose of creating this Handbook is to offer a comprehensive resource where students can find all policies and procedures related to CFS resources.
This Handbook is reviewed annually, and the most recent version will be made available on the Central Film School website.
All equipment booking requests must be made via cfs.siso.co
Communication and processing will only occur during office hours (09:00-17:30). Late submissions will not be processed unless previously agreed with the Resources staff.
Equipment bookings are subject to availability and prioritised in the following order:
Timetabled CFS workshops, assessments, and production shoots.
Curriculum-related student projects.
Personal/ External projects (only if no scheduled classes conflict)
Students must have an attendance record of at least 80% to hire equipment for anything beyond curriculum assessments.
External Hirers will be accommodated if possible. It is the hirer’s responsibility to submit the equipment request on time.
Students can hire equipment for free, provided that they have filled out the booking form and had it confirmed by a member of the CFS Resources Team.
The range of equipment available for the student hirer is dependent upon the student’s progress on the Technical Inductions and is at the resources team's discretion.
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For the curriculum projects, the Producer is responsible for:
Coordinating and submitting equipment requests
Collating departmental equipment lists
Ensuring proper pickup, use, and return of equipment
Completing Damage reports in case of incidents
The Producer is also responsible for combining the lists of equipment from respective departments and submitting the booking form with all contact details.
The Director of Photography and Sound Recordist are both responsible for providing the Producer with a list of equipment required for their departments, and for overseeing the safe use of the equipment throughout the hire period.
All bookings require submitting the form for completion and confirmation by the Resources Team. By submitting the form, students agree to the CFS Equipment Hire Terms and Conditions.
Students may only request equipment which is in line with the parameters outlined in the module guide for the module that they’re currently studying.
The hirer’s responsibilities are:
Book equipment on time
Provide a valid Equipment insurance if it’s for an external project
Pick up the equipment on time
Report and record any damages and losses
Return the equipment all at once and on time
Curriculum projects, the Producer’s responsibilities are:
Oversee booking, picking up and returning of the equipment on time
Ensure that the required paperwork is filled out in case of damage or loss.
Misuse of Equipment: The hirer will not be permitted to book out equipment for a period of time, under the discretion of the Production Manager, if they have:
Misused or deliberately damaged the equipment. Knowingly placed the equipment in danger.
Provided incorrect insurance for a hire where insurance is required.
Sublet equipment without permission from the Production Manager.
Any consequences of misuse of the equipment are determined by and cleared with the Production Manager.
The Resource Team will retain a list of students failing to meet the Terms and Conditions of hire.
Students who are deemed to have broken non-academic disciplinary procedures may be banned from hiring equipment for the duration of their studies and may face further formal disciplinary action.
CFS’s Equipment & Liability Insurance is available for timetabled projects on the course curriculum, including workshops and assessment shoots.
The school will cover the excess for these shoots (excluding the CFS graduation film projects) in case of any damage or loss.
For any equipment used for the Graduation Films, the respective student production is liable for covering the cost of any damage or loss up to £250 (the excess as per CFS’s Equipment Insurance).
The cost of any equipment/consumables damaged or not returned will result in a fine.
If the replacement cost exceeds the deposit amount, the hirer will be responsible for covering the excess costs as per their Equipment Insurance (up to £250 for CFS insurance or the excess amount as stated in their external insurance.)
When borrowing equipment from the school, the following is covered by the school's insurance (and, therefore, students do not need to obtain additional insurance):
Any shoot, which takes place on school premises directly related (as opposed to timetabled curriculum shoots) to the student’s studies.
Shoots that take place off-premises, which relate to the student’s academic studies (e.g. shoots for the documentary module) in some way and do not involve third parties.
To have the shoot covered by the school's insurance policy, the student must demonstrate that there is some relationship to their academic work. For example, preparatory shoots, or shoots to develop skills needed for a certain module.
Important Note: With the school insurance, the student is still liable to cover any costs up to the £250 excess as per the CFS school’s equipment insurance policy.
The following types of shoots are not covered by the school's insurance and require those borrowing the equipment to obtain additional insurance and present this to the Resources department:
Shoots that take place off the school's premises are unconnected to the student’s programme of study, and/or involve Third Parties (someone who is neither a student nor a member of staff at the school).
Important note: When using an external Equipment insurance, the Hirer should check the excess requirements in their external insurance provision. It is recommended that they purchase insurance that includes the excess.
Damage costs, up to the value of the excess, are required to be reimbursed by the hirer to cover the repair/replacement cost to the School.
Failure to comply with any of the responsibilities stated below may result in a fine:
A £10 fine will be imposed if the equipment is returned 45+ minutes after the agreed return time without prior notification and agreement.
A £10 fine will be issued if the equipment is not returned in a neat and tidy manner. (e.g. improper cabling, incorrect placement of kit in allocated bags/cases, etc.)
Consumables that have been completely depleted will be charged based on their full value.
Any kit damages/losses are subject to variability based on the severity and/or value of the equipment.
Production name or description (Reason for the booking)
All required contact details
Shooting location/Unit base address(es) – must be filled out for insurance purposes
Pick up and return dates and times
The pickup and return times are always subject to the Resource Team’s confirmation and approval. Once booking has been confirmed, the stated dates and times become binding. If there are any questions about the booking procedure or any help is needed with choosing the equipment, contact the Resource Team for guidance.
Any requests for Monday morning are to be sent in by the previous Thursday. Any requests coming in during weekends will be regarded as received on Monday.
The booked equipment is to be picked up at the time stated on the booking form from a member of the Resource Team.
The hirer stated on the booking form must be present when picking up and returning the equipment. If this is not possible, a previously appointed person (approved by a member of the Resource Team) can pick up and return the equipment.
In case of any delay, a member of the Resource Team must be contacted as soon as possible. A 30-minute window on arrival to pick up equipment is automatically allowed, but arriving late does not guarantee immediate release of equipment, and the hirer must wait until a member of the Resource Team is next available.
If any damage occurs or equipment gets lost, a Damage Report Sheet must be filled out immediately and the item marked clearly. The report is to be brought back to a member of the Resource Team upon return of the equipment.
In case of major damage or loss of equipment, in addition to filling out the Damage Report Sheet, the Resource Team must be informed about the details of the incident by calling the School, Landline on 02 07377 6060 (between 9:00-17:30).
Less urgent issues can be emailed to the Resource Team at the earliest opportunity and before the return of equipment.
All of the equipment is to be returned at once to the Kit Room or previously delegated area in the presence of a member of the Resource Team. EQUIPMENT SHOULD NOT BE LEFT UNSUPERVISED. Stay with the kit and email/ring a member of the resource team.
Equipment must be returned on time, by the time agreed on the booking form. It is essential that students return the kit in working order and tidy. This means wires must be tidily wrapped, and must be returned in the same condition and with the same etiquette that it was given to you.
Failure to comply with this may compromise your ability to rent out the equipment in the future.
A window of an hour is allowed (up to 17:00). The Resource Team or Reception must be contacted immediately about any delay.
Any returns beyond 45 minutes after the stated return time jeopardise the return of the deposit to the hirer. (see deposit return section).
FAILURE TO PAY COURSE FEES WILL RESULT IN ALL HIRES BEING COMPROMISED.
The Props can be accessed while a member of the Resource Team is present. If the door is locked during office hours, ask at Reception for a member of the Resource Team.
The Production Designer/assigned person is responsible for overseeing, picking up, returning and contacting the Resource Team if any problems arise.
Chosen props (if used outside the school) must be photographed and emailed to the resource team resourceteam@centralfilmschool.com
Props returned in an untidy manner or not properly replaced on the prop shelves will incur a £10 fine.
All Props are on a first-come first come first first-served basis and must be put back to where they were taken from when returning.
No personal props or costumes are to be left behind on the school premises without prior agreement from a member of the Resource Team, and must be picked up by the agreed date. After 14 days, any props and costumes left behind will be retained as part of CFS’s props and costumes selection.
CFS offers students the chance to book out different rooms when they are available within the school hours of 09:30 - 18:30 during the week. The available rooms are:
Studio A
Studio B
Classroom 1
Classroom 2
Classroom 3
Library
Meeting Room
Grading Suite
ADR Suite
Animation Suite
The Edit Suite can be used by students with permission from somebody from the resource team - only if unoccupied (within school hours) - This can be agreed verbally with a member of staff on the day, or via email booking@centralfilmschool.com.
It is only permitted to drink bottled water in Studios and Classrooms. Fizzy drinks or food are not permitted in these rooms; they can be consumed in the student common room or the tea point at CFS, unless authorised by a member of staff.
Students and tutors are not to alter any AV or equipment set-ups in the rooms. If a different set-up is needed or is not working, seek assistance from a member of the Resource Team.
All AV and Air conditioning units (if applicable) are to be turned off after use.
All rooms are to be put back to the original layout, cleared of rubbish, cups returned and washed up and any props placed back to their original location. Failure to comply with the terms and conditions stated on the room booking form will result in the suspension of room bookings.
No equipment or props are to be left in the rooms without prior consent from the Resource Team.
If you wish to stick signs up for shoots, consult the resource team, as we have stands that can go up outside of the rooms. Do not stick things on the walls.
The use of fire or smoke devices (e.g. candles, smoke machines) is not allowed in any rooms (including the Studio), unless previously authorised by the Head of Operations and under the supervision of a CFS Fire Warden.
Failure to clean the tools or keep the floor clear of paint will result in the loss of entitlement to use facilities and resources at CFS.
The Post-Production Zone is aimed at final sound mixing and colour grading, and is only available for students who have had an induction to the equipment prior to the booking of the suite.
The equipment in the Post-Production Zone is only for use within the suite. The suite is only accessible after the offline edit has been completed and approved by your Course Leader.
The Post Production Zone rooms are kept locked at all times. It is the responsibility of the hirer to ensure the door is always closed and locked by the Resource Team when they leave the room.
This can be communicated with a member of staff from the Resource Office. Failure to comply will result in a £50 fine for the hirer.
It is the responsibility of the hirer to find a member of the Resource Team to lock the room at the end of the hire. The Hirer must make sure that all the devices are shut down at the end of the day.
The Post Production Zone is only available for Level 6 Students within the school.
When using the studio, you must adhere to the school's Health and Safety Policy to remain safe at all times.
Wear sensible shoes when using the studio; no open-toed shoes. Failure to comply with any of the following policies will result in immediate cancellation of the booking/shoot until the issue identified is rectified.
The flats are to be moved by a minimum of two capable people.
Before moving, make sure that the flats have been inspected for any nails or screws that may not have been removed by the previous production.
Ensure that 2 braces and 2 weights are used to stabilise each individual flat that will be rigged up.
It is the responsibility of the producer to fulfil a risk assessment for the set being built and de-rigged, and ensure that the crew understands the Health and Safety risks that may occur when using the flats.
Refer to the Manual Handling training that is displayed on the back of the studio door, on how to pick up heavy items safely.
Only competent people must carry the heavy items. Do not carry items unless it is safe to do so.
Minimum two people must carry heavy items such as flats and heavy furniture.