About Us – Birns & Sawyer

PREMIERE LOS ANGELES PRODUCTION EQUIPMENT & CAMERA RENTALS FOR PROFESSIONAL FILMMAKERS

Ever since Jack Birns and Cliff Sawyer opened shop in Hollywood in 1954, filmmakers of every stripe from all over the world come to us for solutions to their creative desires and technical support needs.

Equipment rentals, sales, and optics manufacturing were the bedrock of Birns & Sawyer and it is still true to this day. Building on the tradition of steadfast service and enduring customer relationships, we are proud and excited to now offer new products and services in the fields of broadcast and services in the fields of broadcast system integration. lens repair, and education with the same standard of excellence and attention to detail.

Employee-owned and staffed with knowledgeable and passionate individuals, many of whom are filmmakers themselves, there’s no denying that we are truly here to help you tell your story because we’ve been there ourselves.

With offices in the US, Canada and Asia, we believe in an inclusive approach to making the latest cinematic tools, services, and broadcast integration systems accessible with ease, efficiency, and reliability so that you are empowered to do your best visual storytelling, no matter the budget, format, or screen size.

Today we exist for the filmmaker because we love films, we love making films, and we love helping others make their films a reality. We want to be a part of your production so you can be a part of our history.

Mari Acevedo

CEO / Owner

After fully adopting digital filmmaking in 2011 by carrying digital cameras, Birns & Sawyer has continued to explore the innovations of the industry by supporting new digital trends, including LED lighting solutions. In 2018, Birns and Sawyer was purchased by the employees as an ESOP. The following year, Mari Acevedo became the first female CEO of the company in its 65 year history. She is an expert in digital camera systems, multiplex systems, LED lighting and supporting gear with 30 years of broadcast camera system integration experience.
She is a fierce supporter of gender balance in the film and entertainment industries. She has worked tirelessly through outreach programs, networking, professional development and advocacy to achieve gender equality both above and below the line.