New Group Combines Pace, VER Cinema Rentals, Former Fletcher Camera in One Operation

Los Angeles-based Video Equipment Rentals (VER) is buying Pace, the production technology company founded by cinematographer and technology designer Vince Pace, ASC.

The expansion comes just six months after VER's purchase of Fletcher Camera & Lenses in Chicago and New Orleans. The company said Pace and Fletcher Camera will be combined with VER's digital cinema division in a new operation called Cineverse.

Pace has been best-known recently for his role in the Cameron Pace Group (CPG), a partnership with James Cameron that created a new toolset for stereoscopic acquisition and promoted the stereo 3D format to broadcasters and others in the industry. VER has not purchased CPG, but that equipment is being transferred to Cineverse, where it will be available to rental customers, Cineverse's Tom Fletcher, VP of the former Fletcher Camera, told StudioDaily.

"It's all of the specialty projects that Vince Pace had, even beyond his 3D equipment," Fletcher said. "Vince is working across the whole spectrum of what's traditionally VER's market. He's very actively involved in the broadcast side of the business and specialty lighting products. He has a mind that understands how to make complex and innovative tools for the motion picture industry, and now we're bringing that to a bigger operation with VER, which has offices in North America, Canada, Europe and South America."

Fletcher said the knowledge represented by the operation's newly combined staff is a more valuable asset than any of the equipment on hand. "It's really the people who make the difference," he said. "Our entire staff from Fletcher and nearly all the staff from Pace came over to form Cineverse."

At its website, Cineverse said it plans an expansion from its current Glendale headquarters to a 14-acre facility in a nearby location. In addition to the former Fletcher locations in Chicago and New Orleans, Cineverse has offices in Miami, with Atlanta and New York listed as "coming soon."

VER itself has another 19 locations across the U.S., plus more in Canada, Europe, and South America which it says qualify productions for a number of local tax incentives.