The Worst Company I’ve Ever Worked For - Rental Agent Old Fast Glass Employee Review

OFG was one of my first jobs out here in LA, and I’m glad it was. You get a chance to learn a lot about camera gear, and network with some cool people, both coworkers and clients. Old Fast has one of the largest collections of vintage and rare lenses, and can add some credibility to your name if you’re trying to get on a set as a camera assistant. One large perk is that you can somewhat create your own schedule if you are part time, so you can do some smaller freelance projects on the side while working there if you wish. My coworkers were what really made the job fun and special, and what I will miss the most.

Ultimately, the largest drawback there is the management, as other reviewers on here have said. It has many of the pitfalls of a typical small business – no HR, business decisions all at the whim of the owner, favoritism, etc. As a technician, your job is considerably difficult for the pay – you have a lot of responsibility, maintaining client relationships and repairing extremely expensive gear, and there isn’t a lot of support from management to help you learn and grow. Employee reviews don’t exist, and perfection is expected, despite large gaps of important information in a short, three-day training. Employee turnover is high, and it leaves the impression that management doesn’t bother fully training you because you are considered replaceable. Rules and requirements of the job seem to always change, and not at the benefit of the employees. Making a mistake could lead you to be incessantly chewed out, or instead complained about behind your back but never directly addressed. The owner is known for having a temper, and in one instance, after making a mistake in my first month, he blew up on my manager and called me a slur, but I was never told by anyone in charge what exactly I did wrong or how to fix it. The result of all this is a toxic workplace, where the management doesn’t back their employees and instead seem to throw them under the bus in the face of the owner. Employees commiserate together, whisper about their poor pay and the raises they will never get. Because ultimately, this is a highly sought-after job. There will always be more 23-year-olds to exploit, pulled in by the lure of the shiny instagram page, with its expensive, social-media worthy projects that are invested in heavily instead of the dutiful employees. The industry is tough right now, and that is what I think keeps most people there.

When I first started out at OFG, I was really impressed with the company! They started out as a boutique rental house and quickly grew. A lot of thought went into crafting a rental house that doesn’t feel like another warehouse. No fluorescent lights, instead there’s trendy music, cozy furnishings - and they’re dog friendly! A huge perk (aside from the benefits) was that they also ordered lunch and breakfast for employees and clients every day. That came to a halt due to the writers strike however. All in all, it started out as a great first place of employment upon moving to LA. Everyone who works here is also very friendly and they all tend to get along and plan hang outs outside of work which is nice.

Unfortunately management here is very poor, mostly nonexistent. Everything is completely micromanaged through and through. One person handles everything from social media, hiring, HR, accounting, etc. There were many times I’d hear senior staff get absolutely dressed down and screamed at if they made a mistake. Protocols are also constantly changing and there’s really no rhyme or reason as to why. The work/life balance is okay, but not great. You have to set boundaries and turn off notifications for work chats when you’re not in. There also unfortunately isn’t really any possibility for career growth here. Promotions are made at random, and they’re mostly positions created in name only, responsibilities are often unclear.