Avis makes a mark in Sou Africas film industry

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Avis makes a mark in South Africas film industry --

Thu, 12 Jan 2017 10:08

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Working on one of the most anticipated movies of 2017 is a task Avis film division relishes. The leading car rental company is providing cars, vans, and chauffeur services to the filming crew and leading stars of the blockbuster epic: The Mummy.

We are currently in the busiest time of the international filming season. Typically, it starts around October, right-through to April of the following year. This is a demanding niche market, with very specific needs. However, we are up to the task as we have a dedicated film desk that sees to all the needs of the industry, says Bev Cumiskey, Avis regional sales manager for Western Cape.

For Avis, the motivation to start a film division in 2000 was to be part of the surge in growth of the South African filming industry. Recognising the growth in the industry we made the decision to create a dedicated division to support and grow with the sector. Over the years the industry has evolved, and we are humbled to have been able to be a part of these developments, says Lance Smith, executive sales, Avis Rent a Car, southern Africa.

Avis supplies the film industry with products from our Rent a Car fleet, which supplies every day vehicles such as VW Polos. Avis Van Rental provides equipment vehicles from small bakkies to 8-tonne trucks with tail lifts. Avis also supplies Avis Chauffeur Drive, which provides a personalised chauffeur experience from the airport to the film set, studios and hotels. Avis Point 2 Point, which is an early morning or late night airport-to-hotel or hotel-to-airport transport solution and Avis Luxury Cars, which provides luxury vehicles mainly used to transport directors, actors and producers.

The Avis film division has been growing by more than 20%, year-on-year, and the future projection is very positive, says Smith. The company effortlessly services the very specific needs of the industry. For instance, from a Van Rental perspective, the film industry needs trucks for transporting all their filming equipment, as well as refrigerated trucks for their catering needs, he adds.

The Mummy, currently being filmed in Namibia, will showcase the iconic deserts and natural beauty of the country. The film is set to be an imaginative new take on one of the most recognisable movie classics. It looks to usher in a new world of gods and monsters set within a connected universe. The film boasts an impressive cast led by action superstars Tom Cruise and Russell Crowe, and complemented by Sofia Boutella and Annabelle Wallis.

Cruise headlines a spectacular, all-new cinematic version, of the legend that has fascinated cultures across the world. The film starts with some major star-power as Cruise leads the contemporary take on the classic monster film, with Crowe co-starring as the eponymous Dr Jekyll.

This is just one in a long list of blockbusters that the Avis film division provided transport to. It has managed to build a reputation within the film industry as reliable and efficient. This efficiency has also been experienced on the sets of movies such as Blood Drive, Dark Tower, The Last Post, Bring it On 6, The Young Mandela, Tomb Raider, Black Sails, Strange New Things, The Empty Man and The Last Man.

The industry, is dynamic and at Avis we continue to try harder to ensure that we meet all its unique needs. For Avis, it is not a simple matter of offering rental vehicles. It is the ability to anticipate, understand and address each film crews specific needs providing them with tailor made and reliable transport solutions, concludes Smith.

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