Levi Stute, founder of Darkhall Rental in Germany, has been running his business for four years out of a physical film studio space. His company now rents out cameras, lenses, lighting, sound, grip, and even special effects equipment to filmmakers and photographers. With both walk-in customers and deliveries, Darkhall quickly became a trusted name in the creative community.
Levi still finds it remarkable how far things have come: “We always have very big artists working with us, and that still feels pretty unreal up until today.” Reflecting on how it all began, he shared: “We started four years ago with one camera and opened a Filmstudio with €5000 in our bank account, and that worked out okay until now.” For years, Levi managed rentals with a standard website connected to the studio. It was functional, but it wasn’t designed for real rental management.
He admitted: “The top three things I struggled with before using Booqable were adding a calendar where people can see available equipment, making offers, and showcasing the products properly.” That’s when he realized it was time for dedicated rental software like Booqable, to gain the tools he needed to take his brick-and-mortar film studio to accept instant online bookings.
Displaying live availability online
Before adopting Booqable, availability was invisible to customers. People had to call or email just to check if equipment was free, which slowed down decisions. Levi explained: “Adding a calendar where people can see available equipment was something I needed.”
With Booqable, every product in his catalog now has an online availability calendar built directly into his camera rental website, so customers know instantly if an item is available. If the customer books a camera online, that booking is immediately reflected in the system, blocking out those dates so the same item can’t be double-booked.
If Levi adds a manual booking for a walk-in client or adjusts return dates on his side, the changes appear instantly on the website. This live connection means the calendars always show the most accurate information, with no extra work needed. This change has delivered four clear benefits:
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Customers check availability themselves without back-and-forth messages.
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Levi saves hours of admin work each week.
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Bookings come in at any time of day, even outside office hours.
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Gear is booked efficiently, preventing scheduling conflicts.
Now, instead of juggling endless inquiries, Levi can spend more time preparing equipment and focusing on the actual projects his customers are working on.
Checkout payments that confirm bookings
Handling payments used to require extra steps. Customers might reserve something but not pay until later, leaving bookings uncertain. With Booqable’s built-in checkout system, that gap has been closed. With Booqable’s built-in checkout, payments are processed securely through providers like Stripe and PayPal, so Levi can accept cards or PayPal transfers without extra setup.
Each payment is automatically linked to the booking in his dashboard, removing the need to chase invoices or manually confirm transfers. As Levi put it: “The integrated checkout means people can book and pay right away, which just makes everything easier.”
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This has brought three major outcomes for Darkhall Rental:
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Payments are secured as soon as bookings are made.
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Customers feel reassured that their gear is guaranteed.
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The risk of last-minute cancellations has dropped.
Now every reservation is both booked and paid for, giving Levi a reliable foundation for managing his rentals.
Showcasing gear for every project
Another frustration Levi faced was making his equipment catalog look professional. He recalled: “Showcasing the product properly was always a big challenge, because the old site just wasn’t made for that.” Without strong visuals or detailed descriptions, filmmakers often needed extra reassurance before renting.
Booqable’s equipment rental software fixed that by giving him a product catalog with high-quality images, detailed descriptions, and specifications. His products are no longer just a list of names, they are presented in a way that inspires confidence.
Each product card combines visuals, pricing, and key details in one place, so customers can quickly understand what the item is and decide if it’s right for their project. Levi said: “With Booqable it’s super easy to show the gear properly on the website, and now it really looks the way it should.”
This improvement brings four direct benefits:
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Customers can see exactly what they’re renting before checkout.
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Each product page builds trust through clear presentation.
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New customers feel confident booking gear they haven’t rented before.
The website looks professional and matches the standard of the studio.
Instead of sending gear lists over email, Levi can now direct customers to a professional-looking catalog that works as a digital showroom for his business.
One platform, endless solutions
From starting with just one camera to running a rental studio that works with both local creators and international artists, Levi’s journey has been about scaling steadily while keeping service personal. Booqable’s rental website builder gave him the missing pieces his old site couldn’t handle: live calendars, professional product pages, and secure payments.
And the results are clear. Levi shared: “Since using Booqable, we’ve even seen increased bookings from new companies.” With the right equipment rental software in place, Darkhall Rental is now able to grow confidently, supported by tools that make both his life and his customers’ experience easier.
