Cinequipt
Cinequipt sells new film and video production equipment and operates two physical production studios in Minneapolis. It serves professional film and video production crews across the Midwest and operates as a subsidiary of Red Star Pictures following its 2021 acquisition.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1970
- HeadquartersMinneapolis, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Cinequipt does
Cinequipt, Inc. is a Minneapolis-based audio-visual equipment provider serving the Midwest regional film and video production market. Founded in 1970 and now operating as a subsidiary of Red Star Pictures (acquired 2021), the company sells new video production equipment — cameras, lighting, grip, audio, and expendables — from hundreds of manufacturers, and operates two physical production studios in a 25,000 sq ft facility at 2601 49th Ave N, Suite 500, Minneapolis: Studio North (1,800 sq ft, daily rate from $850) and Studio South (2,700 sq ft, daily rate from $1,025). Both studios include dressing rooms, a makeup room, a 250 sq ft prep kitchen, high-speed fiber internet, and 65 parking spaces, with discounts available when studio bookings are bundled with lighting or grip equipment rentals.
The company's business model blends one-time equipment sales with daily studio rentals billed on a pay-as-you-go basis. Since the 2021 acquisition, cinema equipment rentals (camera, lighting, grip) have been redirected to the Red Star Rental brand, which leverages a nationwide inventory beyond Cinequipt's local footprint. Equipment sales and studio rentals remain under the Cinequipt brand and are sold direct to professional production companies, with lead generation driven primarily through the company website, organic social (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn), Google Reviews, and direct contact/reservation forms.
Cinequipt targets a single horizontal customer segment — professional film and video production companies (commercial, documentary, narrative) — operating within a bounded Midwest geography. There is no software layer, no disclosed pricing automation, no AI/ML capabilities, and no published digital product. The competitive position rests on physical asset density (co-located studios with on-site rental inventory), a 50-year regional brand, and the distribution leverage of the Red Star parent.
Cinequipt firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Cinequipt
- Legal name
- Cinequipt, Inc.
- Website
- https://cinequipt.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1970
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Cinequipt sells new film and video production equipment and operates two physical production studios in Minneapolis. It serves professional film and video production crews across the Midwest and operates as a subsidiary of Red Star Pictures following its 2021 acquisition.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Cinequipt industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Film and Video Production Equipment & Studio Services
- NAICS
- Consumer Electronics and Appliances Rental (532210), Motion Picture and Sound Recording Industries (512), Consumer Electronics and Appliances Rental (53221)
- SIC
- Photographic Equipment & Supplies (3861), Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Production (7812)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Camera, Grip & Lighting Equipment Rental (MPADAFAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Audio & Communications Equipment Rental (MPADAFAC), Lighting & Studio Equipment Retail (Flash, Continuous, Modifiers, Backdrops) (CRACAHAF), Gimbals, Stabilizers & Camera Rigs (Handheld, Wearable, Drone Gimbals) (CRACAPAE)
Keywords
Where Cinequipt is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Minneapolis
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Cinequipt business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Operations, Personnel, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Equipment Sales: Sales of new video production equipment including cameras, lighting, grip, audio, and expendables for film and video production.
- Studio Rentals: Daily rental of two production studios in Minneapolis (Studio North and Studio South) with amenities including production areas, client room, dressing rooms, makeup room, prep kitchen, and high-speed fiber internet.
- Equipment Rentals: Cinema equipment rentals are managed by Red Star, providing camera, lighting, and grip equipment from their nationwide inventory.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Cinequipt Studio North - 1800 sq ft studio with 20 ft ceilings |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Cinequipt Studio South - 2700 sq ft studio with 25 ft ceilings |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
Cinequipt product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Cinequipt sells new video production equipment (cameras, lighting, grip, audio, and expendables) from hundreds of brands and operates two Minneapolis production studios (Studio North and Studio South) for film and video shoots. Cinema equipment rentals are coordinated through its parent Red Star brand, giving customers integrated access to a national rental inventory alongside local studio space.
Product overview
Cinequipt offers a unified equipment sales and studio production platform. The core offerings include new video production equipment sales (cameras, lighting, grip, audio, and expendables) from hundreds of brands, two Minneapolis production studios (Studio South at 2700 sq ft and Studio North at 1800 sq ft), and cinema equipment rentals facilitated through Red Star. The company operates as part of the Red Star family, acquired in 2021, connecting Minneapolis film and video professionals with Red Star's nationwide rental inventory.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Cinequipt Studio South: A 2700 sq ft studio with 25 ft ceilings, suitable for projects from small items to full-size pickup trucks.
- Cinequipt Studio North
Products and services
- New Video Production Equipment Sales Sales of new cameras and related video production gear from hundreds of brands, sold directly to film and video production companies in Minneapolis and the Midwest.
- New Lighting Equipment Sales Sales of new lighting equipment for film and video production from various manufacturers, supplied to production crews in the Minneapolis/Midwest market.
- Grip Equipment Sales Sales of new grip equipment used in film and video production for lighting support and camera stabilization.
- Audio Equipment Sales Sales of new audio equipment for film and video production, including microphones, mixers, and related gear.
- Expendables Sales Sales of expendable supplies for film and video production, including gels, tape, filters, and other consumable materials.
- Studio South A 2,700 sq ft production studio with 25 ft ceilings, part of a versatile building with production areas, client room, dressing rooms, makeup room, prep kitchen, and parking. Daily rental starting at $1,025.
- Studio North An 1,800 sq ft production studio with 20 ft ceilings, offering professional support at a more affordable rate with full amenities. Daily rental starting at $850.
- Cinema Equipment Rentals (via Red Star) Cinema equipment rentals managed by the Red Star brand, providing access to Red Star's nationwide rental inventory of film and video production equipment including camera, lighting, and grip.
Companies that use Cinequipt
Customer profileSegments1 record
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Cinequipt technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Cinequipt partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators4 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights3 records
Cinequipt competitors and assessment
Company assessmentMarket position
Strengths1 record
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Cinequipt social profiles
Digital presenceCinequipt financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Cinequipt leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Cinequipt funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Cinequipt M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Cinequipt
What does Cinequipt do?
Cinequipt sells new video production equipment (cameras, lighting, grip, audio, and expendables) from hundreds of brands and operates two Minneapolis production studios (Studio North and Studio South) for film and video shoots. Cinema equipment rentals are coordinated through its parent Red Star brand, giving customers integrated access to a national rental inventory alongside local studio space.
Is Cinequipt a public or private company?
Cinequipt is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Cinequipt founded?
Cinequipt was founded in 1970. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Cinequipt based?
Cinequipt is headquartered in Minneapolis, United States, in the North America region.
How does Cinequipt make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Equipment Sales are the primary driver. The others are studio Rentals and equipment Rentals.
Does Cinequipt have an API?
No public API is recorded for Cinequipt.
What industry is Cinequipt in?
Cinequipt's product category is Film and Video Production Equipment & Studio Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPADAFAB, Camera, Grip & Lighting Equipment Rental, with a secondary code of MPADAFAC, Audio & Communications Equipment Rental. Its NAICS code is 532210 and its SIC code is 3861.