We know you visit the PalletOne blog looking for insights on how attention to pallet selection can improve your supply chain. You have crucial products that must get to where they need to go in the most efficient way possible.
For example, mindful pallet handling can reduce pallet damage, and likewise improve worker safety. We discuss things like crucial role of heat treatment, not to mention the importance of pallet stiffness and the role of pallet fasteners. A stiff nail can make a huge difference in terms of pallet durability! To dial things back, however, this is not one of those blogs. It’s even better!
Have you ever watched a TV series or a movie that is supposed to be set in Seattle or St Petersburg and said out loud, “Wait a second, something doesn’t look right?” It happens all the time. The movie is supposed to be set in Paris, but the accents seem a little off. Or the police car signage, ostensibly for your city’s PD, is different than what you know it to actually be.
And that’s just the start. Gardeners and landscapers in the audience might feel a cold chill when see Douglas firs from the Northwest lining a driveway in what is supposed to be a home in the deep South, without any sort of due consideration for climatic growing zones. Pick a profession, and there will be inconsistencies to flag. School scenes might not ring true to teachers. A courtroom segment might raise similar concerns for someone working in the legal profession.
But now we get to the most important aspect of cinematic inconsistencies, at least in our minds. That’s right. We are talking about warehouse scenes and pallets. From the wooden crate-filled secret government warehouse at the end of Raiders of the Lost Ark to the Batmobile blasting through stacks of pallets falling from a truckbed (properly securing your unit load is so important) in last year’s The Batman, wood packaging makes for inexpensive and convenient props in action movies and beyond. And you guessed it. For someone who makes their living in the pallet industry, it is impossible not to spot something suspicious every now and then when it comes to watching a screen production.
Set managers please take note: while casting the right actor for a role is critical, it is also crucial to pick the right pallet for the right story. Here are some of the things we’ve noticed:
Wrong Timeline: The double-faced pallet was invented in the 1930s, but we have seen period dramas set in earlier times that include modern wood pallets, or even worse, plastic pallets in the background, clearly teleported from the future.
Wrong Continent: Probably the most common prop casting mistake is using pallets that seem like they should be in a different country. It isn’t unusual for an industrial backdrop, ostensibly set in Europe, to be full of notched stringer pallets that look all too suspiciously like they are from an American supply chain. It is true that pallets are exported around the world, but it does cause a pallet person to furl an eyebrow. Likewise, it can be hard for a viewer to take a leap of faith when a footrace through a supposed Texas meat packing plant is full of europallets. Vive la difference!
Wrong Markings or Pallet Sizes: There are other details that can cause pallet angst. Pallet markings may be incorrect for the situation. Rental pallets are a case in point. While CHEP is worldwide in scope, other pallet rental pools are particular to Asia Pacific or Europe, for example. Stacks of those ‘wrong for here’ pallets can derail an otherwise dramatic moment for the pallet-centric viewer. Standard pallet sizes also vary between countries and industries. Put the wrong pallet size in the wrong facility, and at least a few viewers will give pause.
But let’s get back to business. Do you have the right pallet for telling your story? The bottom line is that while attention to pallet selection is a ‘nice to have’ for TV and movies, it is indispensable for optimizing your supply chain. When you are looking to cast the best pallet for moving your products, please reach out. We are happy to help.
