Depending on the kind of film projector you are looking for, there are different sources for finding a them. Film projectors are not usually rented by the same companies that rent digital film projectors. On the contrary, the difficulty with film projectors is that the technology is mostly out of date, so few people stock them. On this page, I will discuss some tips for finding a good film projector at a reasonable (or even no!) price.
The trick to renting a film projector is precisely why they can be so hard to find: they’re out of date. However, what this means is that organizations that archive film will usually have projectors on hand that they will rent or even lend to you. The best place to look for a film projector is near or at a university campus. Many universities and all large ones have film clubs, many of which show classic films from reel-to-reel projectors. They may or may not themselves actually have a film projector, but you can usually find out from them where they rent theirs. Just go to your local university website and look up the film club (or sometimes “cinema club”). Send them an e-mail or a phone call and ask them where they get their projectors.
The other place you can often get a film projector (and in this case it can be free) is to get it from the library system. Many library systems have a huge amount of 16mm film in storage that they rarely get to lend, and they often have projectors to go along with them. In some systems, borrowing a film projector will even be free (though they usually make you put down a hefty though refundable deposit). Just go to or call your local library and ask them if they have any film projectors available. Make sure to find out if and how much they charge for a bulb. Libraries are also great because they often have a large selection of 16mm films that you can borrow for free. If you find you enjoy having your movie night, there will be other film options that sometimes aren’t even available on DVD.
If neither or these options pan out, you can always use your local yellow pages. For this, you’ll want to look for an “AV rental” store. There are few companies that will advertise in the yellow pages for their film projectors, because the demand is so low. AV rental store rent a large number of types of equipment, many of which are out of date. Since the demand is so low, you’ll want to shop around as the prices can be quite varied. Just like at the library, some have added and occasionally hidden bulb costs. Make sure before you drive out there that they don’t charge you a huge surcharge for the bulb in the projector, or this can become expensive.
As with all vintage rentals, there is definitely a market out there for renting film projectors. The trick is simply to know what you are looking for and where to look