Studio Rental

Has anyone here ever rented a studio for a day? Did it include lights, backgrounds, stands, etc...or was it just a big room?

We rent studios all the time.

I expect a studio to include backgrounds & stands otherwise it'd just be a room. Most studios will also include lighting but you can sometimes find cheaper studios where you can take your own lighting and save a bit of cash. Studios should also provide changing rooms, bathrooms, make-up rooms e.t.c. - if all they're offering you is a big room, you could probobaly use somewhere else much cheaper.

Having said that, every studio is different. Part of what you're paying for is the image & atmosphere which will be far more reassuring to a new model than a hotel room or your converted garage. Always visit a studio before you hire it for an important shoot.