Services at the Goldfield yard

Film equipment rigging, prepared on a rail and signed on a pull sheet

Sloth Motion Production Limited stages drape, light and grip from the store at Rm C 5/F Goldfield Indl Bldg Blk 1, 144 Tai Lin Pai Rd, Kwai Chung, Hong Kong - 999077, Hong Kong (HK). The six services below are the working heart of the yard, and each one is planned from a floor plan rather than from a catalogue.

Drape Rig Setups

A drape rig setup begins with a measurement, not a truck. We take the room dimensions, plot the rail path around doors and windows, and work out the yardage needed to black out a set without leaving a seam in shot. The yard holds black wool serge in two weights, a softer cotton blend for close work and a sheer diffusion fabric for windows that need to soften daylight rather than hide it. All panels are counted on the rail at pull time, and the hem line is checked before the panel is folded.

Rail and clamp loads are calculated against the structure of the room. In older industrial units we use a free-standing frame system that does not rely on the ceiling, while controlled stages allow direct rail mounting with tested clamp points. The setup includes the rail, the clamps, the safety ties, the counterweight stem where a hanging point needs balancing and a bag count for the feet. Once hung, the drape is dressed by a yard hand so the fall is even and the black reads clean on camera.

Strike is planned with the same care. Panels are folded along their crease, counted against the sheet and returned to the correct rail position, which keeps the next pull predictable. Crews that need a quick change on a tight schedule can request a half day strike and a rehang for a second look in the same room.

Light Stand Rentals

Light stand rentals cover C-stands with grip heads and arms, baby stands for smaller units, combo stands for heavier heads and heavy rollers for large frames. Each stand is stripped at the yard, checked for bent risers, split collars, worn feet and a sticky lock, then re-tagged with the check date. A stand that fails the check goes to the repair rack and does not appear on a pull sheet until it passes again.

The rental line is about stability as much as supply. Every stand leaves with a sandbag count recorded on the manifest, and the crew is asked to return the same count. We stock shot bags, saddle bags and chain bags so the load can be matched to the stand size and the floor surface. On polished floors we send rubber boots; on uneven ground we send levelling shims and wedges.

For multi-day shoots we arrange a mid-shoot inspection. A yard hand meets the crew at a convenient point in the schedule, checks the stands in use, swaps anything that has developed play and updates the manifest. Small habits like this keep a lighting rig predictable across long weeks.

Grip Truck Loadouts

A grip truck loadout is a packing problem with a time limit. We build the load against the shot list, shelf by shelf, so the first items needed on set sit nearest the door and the heavy stock rides low and forward. Apple boxes, grip heads, clamps, flags, scrims, diffusion frames and safety line are counted into the manifest, and each shelf is labelled to match the printed sheet.

The truck itself is loaded by the same yard team that prepared the stock. That means a missing clamp is found in the yard, not on location, and a substitute is agreed before the gate closes. We photograph the finished load for our own records and send a copy to the production coordinator, which settles most return questions before they start.

Returns are checked against the same document. Damaged items are marked, consumables are noted against the agreed allowance and the manifest is signed by both sides. Crews that work with us regularly can keep a standing loadout profile on file, which shortens the next pull to a review rather than a rebuild.

Backdrop Cyclorama Builds

A backdrop cyclorama build turns a hard corner into a soft horizon. We supply curved corner pieces, adjustable feet, rigid hardboard, seam tape and paint, then assemble on site with a two-person crew. The floor is protected, the feet are levelled and the corner curve is checked against the widest lens in the plan so the sweep does not show a hard edge at the frame line.

Paint is mixed to the colour brief and applied in even passes, with the base line brushed in by hand so the curve reads continuous. Drying time is part of the schedule, not an afterthought, and we bring drying fans for humid rooms. For high-key work we lay a white sweep and a matching cove; for a deeper look we bring a painted grey or a colour-matched panel.

Strike involves careful removal of the paint face, a sweep of the floor and a check of the wall behind. Reusable hardboard returns to the yard, and the corner pieces are inspected before going back on the rack.

Track Dolly Packages

Track dolly packages start with the floor. We survey the run, note the slope and any soft spots, then lay straight and curved sections with the dolly body on the bench until the line is agreed. Track ends are set, wedges placed and a spirit level run along the length before the camera ever lands. A test pass at the operator speed confirms the roll is smooth and quiet.

Each package includes the dolly body, the track sections, track ends, plywood runners for uneven floors, spare pins and a set of cleaning cloths for the rail. We show the crew how to join and clean the track, because a grain of grit under a wheel is the most common cause of a bump in a take.

Curved sections are supplied with the matching radius so a move can be rehearsed in the yard before the shoot. For long days we add a spare wheel set and a second track end pair, and we record the section count so the return check is a simple count against the sheet.

Overnight Store Pulls

Some productions load after the city quiets down. An overnight store pull keeps a yard hand on the door, stages the crates by order number and has the manifest ready for signature before the truck arrives. The collection window is confirmed in advance, and the gate list is signed so every crate is accounted for on the way out and on the way back.

We ask for the pull list by the afternoon so staging can happen during the day. Heavy items are placed at the ramp, fragile pieces are wrapped and labelled, and a torch is kept at the desk for the walk to the loading bay. The yard hand can answer questions about substitution and can confirm whether a spare part is on the shelf.

Returns after an overnight pull are booked for the next working slot. The check is the same as any other return, and the manifest closes the same way, which keeps a night shoot from disturbing the stock records for the rest of the week.

How a pull moves through the yard

Every job follows the same short route, from the first message to the closed manifest. The steps are simple on purpose, because a simple route is easier to repeat under pressure.

Step one — brief

Send the dates, the room dimensions and the shot list to service@holdviesupply.lat or call +19897887288. A rough floor plan is enough at this stage, and we will flag any detail that needs a site visit.

Step two — plan

We calculate rail path, yardage, stand count, truck pack and track length, then send a pull sheet with the stock list and the collection window. Adjustments are welcome until the sheet is signed.

Step three — prep

The yard stages the crates on the aisle, strips and cleans stands, checks drape hems and prints the manifest. Heavy items are placed near the ramp for the load.

Step four — pull

The crew signs the manifest, walks the crates with a yard hand and loads the truck. The signed sheet travels with the load, and a copy is kept at the desk.

Step five — return

Returned stock is counted and checked against the same sheet. Damaged items are marked, consumables are settled and the manifest is closed, which resets the yard for the next job.

Plan the next pull with the yard

Share the dates and the room and we will come back with a stock list you can plan around. The store at Rm C 5/F Goldfield Indl Bldg Blk 1, 144 Tai Lin Pai Rd, Kwai Chung, Hong Kong - 999077, Hong Kong (HK) is open for collections by arrangement.

Talk to the yard