Your script is starting to take shape and you’re beginning to see the finished video your head. Now it’s time to make a production plan. You can choose to film in a studio or on location…but which is right for your project? You should take many factors into consideration as you make your decision. Ultimately, you’ll need to find a solution that works for your budget, your talent, and your client.
One of the greatest benefits of filming in a studio is predictability. Once you’ve filmed in a given studio a few times, you’ll understand the features and options that studio offers, including lighting, camera gear and the crew members the studio might be able to provide. Once that relationship has been established, setting up shoots becomes easier. When trying to schedule shoots last-minute, turn-key solutions can help you move quickly.
While every studio is different (and there are many different sizes of studio available), most afford you a lot of room to move. This can be crucial depending on the action you’re filming, the size of your cast or the number of clients that will be with you during filming. Most studios also offer green rooms, rooms for hair and make-up, and a cafeteria or kitchen space. Some even have conference rooms, providing a quiet place to work for those who don’t need to be directly on set.
Studios are also controlled environments. When you have a lot of material for the talent to deliver, working in a truly sound proof space can be crucial to staying on schedule. I was working at Thundershot Studios once (a great studio in Fairfax, V.A.) and unbeknownst to us, an enormous thunderstorm was passing over the studio. The sound proofing prevented us from realizing we were in the eye of a storm until we took a break for lunch.
There can be downsides to working in a studio that you should also be aware of. If you want your scene to look like it takes place in a specific space, you may need to build a set. Green screen can only take you so far, and LED walls that can create environments for the actors are still quite costly. Building a set can be expensive, but it can also be much easier than filming in an equivalent real-life environment. Let’s imagine you’re creating a training video for a hospital. While the authenticity of filming in a real hospital is appealing, the logistics of filming in one are not. You'll likely experience security concerns, patient privacy issues, noise and cramped exam rooms that don’t allow a lot of room for crew and gear.If your budget allows it, building a set and filming in a studio might be the answer. You may even require less time to film than you would if filming in a real hospital, since your set will be built with your camera angles and production plan in mind.
Filming on location has different plusses and minuses. Your client may be able to provide a filming location for free, such as space in their office to film interviews. On the other hand, you may need permits for filming on location, or you may need to hire a scout to help find the perfect place and pay a location fee. Sometimes the authenticity of filming on location just can’t be beat. I recently filmed scenes with actors playing parents and children, and we were lucky enough to find a great home in which to film. Not only were we able to dress the inside to look like multiple locations, but we were able to take advantage of outside spaces as well. Authentic environments can also help actors get into their roles.
For people who aren’t used to being on camera, filming in a studio can be intimidating.Bringing a crew to your talent and filming in an environment with which they’re familiar can put them at ease and help them appear more confident on camera. If your on-camera talent (a CEO, for instance) only has a limited window of availability, bringing a crew to them might be the best option from a scheduling perspective.
Location filming typically lacks the “creature comforts” of a studio. Your hair and make-up artist might struggle to find an unoccupied space to set up, or your crew may need to get creative when setting up a scene to find space for themselves and their gear.No matter where you film on location, you will likely move a lot of things around to get the look you want. Take pictures of everything before starting so that you can put things back where you found them and let your location contact know you’ll be moving things around.
Sound concerns can crop up whether you’re filming inside or outside on location. Without fail, landscapers will fire up their leaf blowers right when you’re about to roll. Filming outside can require fallback plans in case of inclement weather.
Lastly, loading your gear into and out of a real location is often more difficult than loading it into a studio. You can mitigate this by minimizing company moves and, if filming in the same place over multiple days, asking to store your gear there overnight.
Whether deciding to film your project in a studio or on location, take stock of your schedule and your budget. Think about the comfort of your crew, your clients and your talent and think about the desired look of your finished product. By weighing these concerns carefully, you’ll be able to make the best decision for your project.
Sue O’Hora is a writer, producer and director with over 20 years of experience. She founded Rising Night Productions to streamline the video production process for busy communications professionals. She brings her extensive network of video experts and her skills in production, project management and digital marketing to each project. Her goal is to make video projects easier for organizations of all sizes.
