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Plan your needs
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Research your options
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Scout your locations
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Secure your locations
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Here’s what else to consider
Choosing the perfect location for your film can make or break your story, budget, and production quality. Whether you are shooting a documentary, a drama, or a comedy, you need to find a place that suits your vision, your resources, and your logistics. In this article, you will learn how to plan, research, scout, and secure the best location for your film.
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- Amanda Callas Award-Winning Filmmaker | Writer | Storyteller | Producer | Foodie
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1 Plan your needs
Before you start looking for locations, you need to have a clear idea of what you need from them. Think about your script, your genre, your style, and your audience. What kind of mood, atmosphere, and setting do you want to create? How many locations do you need, and how long will you shoot in each one? How much space, equipment, and crew do you need to accommodate? How much can you afford to spend on location fees, permits, insurance, and transportation? Make a list of your location requirements and prioritize them according to your creative and practical goals.
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- Amanda Callas Award-Winning Filmmaker | Writer | Storyteller | Producer | Foodie
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Location scouting is an essential part of filmmaking, as essential to the texture and feel of the film as the casting of the characters or the musical score. A location often becomes a character in a film. You should devote a significant amount of time and energy to finding the perfect location that truly inhabits the world of the script and brings the story to life. With a little brainstorming and a willingness to approach different venues and use electronic resources, locations often aren't as expensive as filmmakers imagine they are. On a practical note, if you are working with a demanding local permit office, parking and transportation may evolve into a key concern for a smaller venue.
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Engage the services of an experienced Location Manager and/or Location Scout. Look for the credentials, LMGI. Hiring a professional will save you in the long run. As well, you get to tap into their own local connections and knowledge that you’d never get from just a digital library.
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See AlsoStudio Production | Video BroadcastingHow Much Money You Can Make by Lending Your Home to a Film CrewIn Studio vs. On-Location: Pros and Cons for Marketing & Corporate Videos20 Advantages of Shooting in a StudioCelebrate
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- Kelli Collins
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In my experience, location matters. It sets the energy of the story you are telling. Location and the set design of that location immerse you into what you are telling the audience. To me, location is should be treated like a main character.Imagine your favorite film, for me it's The Way Way Back. This teenager boy works at an outdoor water park in the summer, and that set the entire aesthetic of that film. If they didn't go with the outdoor water park and instead went with something like an indoor pool ... it just would have not been the same at all. Definitely not my favorite! Location is a vital part of the story and should be treated as such when you're creating something no matter how big or small and in television or film.
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- Luke Welchel Co-Founder at Mecoclub, producer, filmmaker, editor, and some would say an overall decent guy.
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This is such a wide question. I want to believe that aesthetics is the driving force on this decision but often I think it's budget that decides the location. If you have a low budget finding one space that can be used for multiple scenes and purposes is the best move. That's why major productions use a soundstage because they can make anything possible there without tearing down their operation. When budget is less of an issue you can film in multiple real world locations and take advantage of the uniqueness in each space.
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2 Research your options
Once you have a plan, you need to do some research to find potential locations that match your criteria. You can use online tools, such as Google Maps, Google Earth, or location databases, to explore different areas and see what they look like. You can also contact local film commissions, tourism boards, or location managers, who can help you find and access locations that are film-friendly and available. You can also look for inspiration from other films, books, magazines, or personal contacts, that feature locations similar to what you are looking for.
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Reach out to your local film commissioner and see what sort of resources they might have for you that can aid you in picking the perfect location. They might also guide you to a place that is more film friendly that you wouldn’t have known of until you asked.
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- Amanda Callas Award-Winning Filmmaker | Writer | Storyteller | Producer | Foodie
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A lot of digital sites that list locations for filming are highly effective and bigger money and time savers than approaching the traditional lists for filming that often have a significant markup for the entertainment industry, but this does depend a lot on location. If you are working outside of the bigger production hubs, you may find much more reasonable venues and even local businesses willing to let you use their spaces in exchange for promotion in the film. Don't rush the process. Location scouting is extremely vital and it requires a lot of time and legwork to find that ideal location that tells the story the way you envision.
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- Ilaria Malvezzi Writer | Director | Producer | Founder of Movenze Films
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When considering location and film commissions, I highly recommend exploring the tax credit incentives offered by the state. In the case of New York State, the film tax credit program provides significant benefits and eligible productions can receive a substantial credit on qualified expenses, helping to reduce risks for investors. It's worth leveraging these tax credits to mitigate financial concerns and enhance the overall feasibility of your project.
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3 Scout your locations
After you have narrowed down your options, you need to scout your locations in person to see if they are suitable for your film. You should visit your locations at the same time of day and weather conditions that you plan to shoot in, and take photos, videos, notes, and measurements of the space. You should also check for any potential issues, such as noise, traffic, lighting, power, security, or accessibility, that could affect your production. You should also talk to the owners or managers of the locations, and find out their availability, rates, rules, and expectations.
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- Amanda Callas Award-Winning Filmmaker | Writer | Storyteller | Producer | Foodie
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Noise and parking are two of the biggest issues that come in scouting real world locations. It's ideal if you can visit the venue at different times of day and see what the noise is like in the daytime (often louder in commercial districts) and nighttime (often louder in residential districts). Random things like barking dogs can become a much larger problem than they seem initially. Parking can become a huge issue if your local permit office requires you to have parking for all cast and crew. In that case, you'll need to research nearby lots you can use or rent, or transportation via shuttle, which can add a lot of logistical hassles, time sinks, and budget increases. In urban areas, the parking alone can become a deal killer.
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4 Secure your locations
Once you have chosen your locations, you need to secure them for your film. You need to negotiate and sign contracts with the owners or managers of the locations, and obtain any necessary permits, insurance, or clearance from the authorities. You also need to communicate and coordinate with your crew, cast, and suppliers, and make sure they have all the information and instructions they need to get to and work in the locations. You also need to prepare and protect your locations, by cleaning, dressing, lighting, and securing them before, during, and after your shoot.
Choosing the perfect location for your film is not an easy task, but it can be rewarding and fun if you follow these steps. A good location can enhance your story, your visuals, and your production value, and make your film stand out from the crowd.
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- Luke Welchel Co-Founder at Mecoclub, producer, filmmaker, editor, and some would say an overall decent guy.
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It's important that when you secure your location that you are sure to know what the expectations are of those renting or letting you use the space. Make sure they know what kind of equipment, set dressing, and changes you will be making to the space and that you know exactly how to leave the space when you wrap. When you wrap a shoot everyone is in a hurry to get out of there so be sure that some of the crew is already dedicated to returning the location back to it's owners in the way that you found it and that will satisfy any and all their requirements. Just like renting a car, take photos of each area before you bring equipment in to ensure that everything is as it was and to protect you from liability if a problem were to arise.
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5 Here’s what else to consider
This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?
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- Ilaria Malvezzi Writer | Director | Producer | Founder of Movenze Films
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“Simplicity” often proves to be the best approach in the entire arena of film production. Considering the origins of your core team and their equipment availability can streamline logistics. Avoiding numerous distant locations helps minimize transportation costs and time commitments. Achieving a balance between artistic choices and practical considerations when selecting locations enhances the overall efficiency and effectiveness of the production process. The art of simplicity in filmmaking allows for focused storytelling and more effective use of resources.
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- Kimberly R. Morgan Six Time Award Winning Executive Producer of Two Short Films, International Best Selling Author, “The Capo’s Prayer” Trilogy., Screenwriter.
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I feel whatever you’re writing/filming, location needs to be true to the genre. I prefer real locations instead of green screen and CGG. Science fiction is one area I do agree CGG is necessary. Before you film, you need to imagine how you want your work to be presented on the big screen. Make it as real as possible …
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