A Quick Breakdown of Wedio.com
Wedio is a camera sharing community that allows creatives to share their equipment with other creatives.
It works in two segments: those who share their equipment at a fee and those who rent the equipment.
But it also has another service: subscriptions.
Wedio’s subscription service is similar to a typical rent to own model; however, there’s a twist.
Using Wedio’s subscription service, you can rent equipment for as long as you need it. You’ll pay a monthly rental cost for the equipment. Once you’re done using it, you can return it to Wedio. Alternatively, if you ever decide to purchase the equipment you’re renting, you’ll pay the price minus the monthly rental cost.
Wedio Insurance
Possibly what makes Wedio different from other equipment-sharing communities like KitSplit and Sharegrid is their free insurance is free. If you do damage equipment, you’re only liable for a 10% fee of the total cost to repair or replace the equipment.
Another excellent feature of Wedio is that you can travel with the equipment because they provide free worldwide insurance.
Sharing Your Equipment on Wedio
Wedio is still in its start-up phase. Currently, it has 2,600 members, but the infrastructure and the concept make it easy to scale. The process of onboarding is simple. You get to choose the daily and weekly rates for your equipment.
If you want to streamline the process, you can also use their lead-in program. Using the lead-in program, you’ll send a list of equipment you want to rent out on Wedio, and they’ll create the listing for you. Once the process is complete, you approve the listings, and you’re ready to go.
How To Use Wedio
Choose Your Rental Option
There are two ways to use Wedio, find a creative renting their equipment, or choose to use the subscription service.
If you only need to use the equipment for a short production, where filming or photoshoots will only take a day or week to complete, you should consider renting equipment from another creative.
Browse Equipment
On Wedio, you begin the rental process by choosing a location. They currently list the UK, London, Germany, Amsterdam, and a handful of other European cities and countries. But once you decide where you’re willing to pick up your equipment from, you’ll see a list of equipment available in that region.
If you’re choosing a subscription directly from Wedio, you’ll be able to filter your search based on the equipment you need. They’ll ship the equipment worldwide, which is free if you’re in the EU.
Pay The Fee
Once you’ve decided what you want to rent, you can then determine your rental period and pay the fee. Wedio adds a minuscule service fee (which equates to 5% of the rental fee) and VAT to the cost of the rental.
Pickup, Shoot, & Return
Once you’ve booked your rental, you’ll have to pick it up from the owner, sign the insurance paperwork, and be sure to return it in the same condition.
If you have any questions about the process, you can contact the owner directly or reach out to Wedio.
Should You Use Wedio?
Yes, you should.
Although the concept of Wedio is to be worldwide, they currently have a small network of renters and owners.
At the moment, Wedio is currently the “fastest-growing European community for Filmmakers and Photographers.” However, it seems as though they have plans to expand to other regions. You can be a part of that expansion by listing your equipment on their website and sharing the community with other creatives. Doing this allows you to help creatives – like yourself access photography and film equipment cheaply.
For creatives outside of the most popular industry hubs – like Los Angeles and New York – finding equipment to rent can be a struggle. A platform like Wedio enables you to create from anywhere and allows you to explore your creativity within your community. You can create your cinematic pieces with leading equipment without needing to invest,
For producers, Wedio is the perfect solution to leveling the playing field and enabling you to bring your creations to life.