A Guide to Finding, Scouting, Securing and

Managing Film Locations.

For Students of the Lawrence and Kristina

Dodge College of Film and Media Arts at Chapman University

Locations are critical to a film’s success. The locations where you shoot your movie are important in

practical terms—so that you have a successful experience making the movie—but even more importantly,

they are crucial to the quality of the finished film because they are integral to the storytelling. Great

locations function as characters in a film, providing information, mood and emotion to the story.

Visual Storytelling

for undergraduates

Production Workshop I

for graduates.

The exercises assigned in these classes are designed to develop the basics of filmmaking,
and thus a student should focus their efforts on the goals of the assignment, and try to
avoid spending too much time and effort into hunting down locations.

Can you set your project where you live? The easiest location to shoot at is your

apartment or house.

Can you set your project somewhere on campus? It is relatively easy to secure
many spaces within the Dodge College, as well as exterior spaces throughout the entire
Chapman University campus, even on short notice. See the Production Manual for
more details.

Rely on friends and classmates. Do you know anyone who can help you get
an interesting location? What about where they live?

Write to what you have. If you know of an interesting location that you
can definitely access freely, write something that can be shot there, especially when
you are working on exercises.

And finally, do not short change yourself, by either spending the time
you need to be planning your shoot scrambling for locations or by using a location that
will force you to rush through your production.

Intermediate Production

for undergraduates.

Production Workshop II

for graduates.

On intermediate productions, students will have more time

for pre-production on their films, but will still have very small crews and no one to help
with pre-production. If students want to seek out more ambitious locations, they need to
keep in mind that they will have do all the location scouting and management themselves
and need to remember that these projects are exercises designed to focus on the areas of
working with crew and working with actors.

To make working with locations easier on themselves, students should keep in mind all the
advice for beginning projects listed above.

Advanced Production and Senior Thesis

for undergraduates.

Production Workshop III/IV

and Thesis

for graduates.

Location Film Production

for undergraduates and graduates.

On advanced productions, students have much more time for pre-

production as well as larger crews including producers. Now is the time to be more
ambitious in finding locations that will work expressively to tell the film’s story and meet
the production’s logistical needs.

Securing and managing locations should become primarily the producer’s responsibility.
Directors need to articulate their location needs and desires. They should not only remain
involved themselves in the location finding and scouting process, but coordinate the
involvement of the Production Designer and Cinematographer. With a large enough crew,
the producer delegates the scouting and management of locations to separate crew
members.

Have a plan. The director is responsible for making sure everyone involved understands the vision for
the film. Together with the Production Designer and Cinematographer, they should provide specifics to
everyone involved with locations about what is ideal and what is acceptable. Visual reference of some
kind; photos or movie scenes is preferable.

Balance aesthetics with practicality. It is a challenge for any director to find a location that
captures his/her vision of the screenplay. However, this can be compounded by practical
concerns such as proximity, power, or noise. Don’t compromise your artistic vision, but keep
in mind that the more problematic a location is, the more potential for major setbacks come
shooting time.

Put someone in charge. Ideally, the Director and key collaborators should be
freed to concentrate on other creative areas by delegating one crew
member to act as a location scout/manager.

Be flexible. You may have to alter aspects of the script to conform to the specific realities of
a location. Don’t look at this as a compromise, but rather an opportunity to see that particular
scene or sequence in a different light.

Make it work. Creative camera angles and art department dressing can be used
to fix a variety of location problems. Also, simple locations can often double
for more exotic ones. For instance, with a little dressing, any white corridor can
be made to look like a hospital hallway.

Mix & Match. Keep in mind that two separate locations can double as one. For instance, a kitchen might

be shot in one house, while a bedroom is shot in another.

Even two sides of the same room can be in different

locations. If planned and edited properly, your audience

will never know the difference.

Location vs. Soundstage. Shooting on a soundstage can allow for great creativity and flexibility on set,
but unless you have a large budget and a talented art department, practical locations will look more
realistic than sets constructed on soundstages. You will simply not find experienced carpenters, painters,
and set decorators in film school, moreover, you will need most of the volunteers you can find to be on
the film crew. Set construction will also cost more money and absorb invaluable preproduction
time. A general rule of thumb for students: if it exists in the area, try to shoot on location. Leave
the soundstages for large shoots that need specialty sets that can’t be found anywhere nearby.

Find options. Don’t settle for the first location you find. Look for multiple options to choose

from, and also to provide back-ups in case one of your locations falls through.

Where to Begin Location Scouting:

California Film Commission:

The Cinemascout service allows you to search

for available locations statewide. You can also obtain permits to shoot on state
property, find a local film liaison, or simply explore the wealth of helpful tips, links,
and guides.

Æ

http://www.film.ca.gov/

Orange County Film Commission:

Contact information for Orange County’s Film Commissioner,

as well as links to other city and county Film Commissioners statewide. (Film Commissioners will
usually offer free assistance and advice in helping you find a location in their county or district. A great
resource to use.)

Æ

http://www.californiafilm.org/orange.htm

Film LA:

A private, non-for profit organization that helps find and secure locations in the Los Angeles

Metro area. Their site also offers tools, links, contacts, and resources and information on securing permits.

Æ

http://www.FilmLA.com

The City of Orange:

The City of Orange has been extremely supportive of Dodge College

studentproduction, no matter the size. Systems are in place to support both class exercises and advanced
productions. For more information, visit their student filming page.

Æ

http://www.cityoforange.org/depts./econdev/filming/dtudent_film_information.asp

@LA:

Ad driven database of shopping and entertainment destinations in the Los Angeles Area. Could

be helpful if you’re looking for a store or restaurant. Searchable by area.

Æ

http://www.at-la.com/

LA 411:

Extensive listing of locations, all of which are in the business of renting to film companies.

Students may still contact these locations and negotiate. Getting one of these locations for free is not
likely, but if the location is not already booked, the owners may be very open to taking a reduced fee from
student filmmakers.

Æ

http://la411.com/Location_Services_Equipment/category-cid-50903.htm

Google Earth: An online satellite photo program, is a great
resource for preliminary location scouting—especially to locate
exterior locations. (parks, alleys, lakes etc.) It can save you a
considerable amount of time searching in person, however, be
aware that the satellite photos are sometimes outdated, and the
location may look considerably different in person,. Satellite
pictures will not show you whether a location is public, private, or
even accessible. Always follow up with a physical, in person
scout.

Æ

Google Earth

Ask around. If you’re having trouble finding a difficult location, try to dig up
leads by asking as many people as possible. Ask friends, family, professors,
and make announcements in your film classes. Chances are, someone will
know of something.

Seen it before? Seen a good location in another student film? Track down the
filmmakers and find out where the location is, how it was to shoot at, and who the
contacts for the location are.

Centralize. By trying to find locations that are nearby, you can reduce the time
necessary for company moves, as well as minimizing travel for the cast/crew.
Always start scouting close to home, then move outward.

Be professional, inspire confidence. When speaking with property
owners, students should always strive to appear as professional and
confident as possible. If you approach the situation feeling—or at least
appearing—confident and professional of yourself and your crew, the

property owner is more likely to work with you.

Always have a backup. Contingency plans and “cover sets” (alternate
shooting locations) should be secured ahead of time. This is especially
true for outdoor locations that depend on the weather.

Get it in writing. Always present a signed location agreement to the
property owner before shooting. Indicate the dates, times (best to
overestimate), and all negotiated agreements. These may include:
compensation, liability, cleaning, credit, re-shoots, and any other
special permissions or requirements either party might have. Make

sure the property owner signs this and receives a copy before shooting begins.

Stay in touch. Never assume a location will be available just
because you secured it a couple weeks back. Follow up several
times to make sure that there are no problems, and that the
property owner doesn’t forget. Also, have alternate contact info
in case you can’t get a hold of the location the day of the shoot.

Be charming. Be as accommodating and courteous as possible to anyone
directly associated with the location (property owners, managers) AND
those peripheral to it (neighbors, employees, etc.) A rude or
unprofessional attitude is the quickest way to ruin a location.

Try to compensate. When dealing with private parties, it is often
possible to obtain a location for free. However, if you can, offer some
sort of compensation or gift to show your appreciation. This elevates the
exchange from a favor to a business transaction. This is especially true
for larger productions and/or unique locations. Ideas can range from
having their home/carpets professionally cleaned, to simply giving them a cast-crew photo,
DVD, and/or gift certificate.

Plan multiple scouts. There should be at least two scouts per location. The
first is to evaluate the location with the location manager, director, producer
and cinematographer. Once the location has been locked, a technical scout
with key department heads is necessary to analyze logistics and plan for the
shoot.

Don’t forget your keys. On your second scout, or tech scout, be sure to bring
along all key personnel. This includes Producer, DP, UPM, 1

st

AD, Sound

Mixer, and possibly the Gaffer and Key Grip as well.

Document your scout: Bring along a digital camera and/or camcorder and
obtain wide, panoramic coverage of your locations.

Map it out. It’s a good idea to sketch out a plan showing the
location layout, access points, fire hydrants, water main,
parking areas, etc. This map can then be distributed to the
entire crew for reference. The location contacts and their
phone numbers, however, should only be shared among the
production crew.

Plan the shots. Locations scouts are the perfect opportunity
for the director and his/her team to begin planning out the
blocking, camera moves, and lighting setups. The more you
plan out ahead of time, the less time you will waste the day of
the shoot.

Lighting:

Will windows and other sources of natural light be of help or hindrance?

Can you incorporate existing source lighting (fluorescents, lamps, etc.) or will they
have to be modified/swapped? Where are the switches for the existing lighting?

How is the light going to shift during the course of the day? (Establish a timeframe
of useable sunlight)

Is there ample room for placing lights inside the location?

Can you pre-light or rough-in any of the lighting before the shoot?

Will you need a fan to cool the room?

If outdoors, will you need to supplement the sunlight or soften it with silks?

Power:

Where is the power source?
Does this power source carry enough amperage to power the lights you plan to use?
Does the amperage vary between different outlets?
Where is the circuit breaker box located?

sting power?

Is a generator necessary to supplement exi

from here? Will it disturb

Where will this generator be placed? Can you run cables
neighbors?

lating any fire codes?

Are you vio

Sound:

What does the location sound like the DAY and TIME which you’ll be shooting? (It

might sound different on a Sunday morning versus a Friday evening.)
Is there noticeable vehicle or airplane traffic?

Can the hum from utilities or appliances such as air conditioning or refrigerators be

silenced for the shoot?

wanted sound, can it be dampened with sound blankets, etc?

If you can prevent an un

Grip:

Will all equipment fit through the doors? Bring a tape measure to your scout.

tor

How will you move equipment into the location? If upstairs, what is the eleva
access?

as

Will lights, grip equipment need to be rigged from walls, ceilings, fixtures, etc? H
this been cleared with the location?

Accommodations:

et aside for the greenroom, dressing room, makeup,

Are there spaces that can be s
and craft service areas?

Where will you serve crew meals?

ilable? Bathrooms should be in the immediate vicinity of

ation of your shooting day. Be wary of relying

Are there bathrooms ava
the location and be open for the dur
on the restrooms of private businesses like restaurants, stores, etc, as they might
become irritated.

n

ements? Shade is mandatory, and shelter should be found if there

If shooting outdoors, is there cover or indoor facilities where the cast and crew ca
retreat from the el
is even a slight chance of bad weather.
Where will equipment be stored?

Damage Control:

be necessary for floors, walls, windows, or

furnishings?

Will any special protection

Can expensive or fragile items be removed or stored safely somewhere else?
Will you need to protect the carpeting?
Are there any animals that need to be kept in a separate room?
What areas, if any, are off limits to the production?

Safety and Security:

lable?

Are there fire extinguishers avai

Where is the nearest hospital? The AD should post directions in a visible location.

Does the location require special precautions for security?

Can equipment be left in the location overnight? Will it be secure?

Do you need traffic control? You may be required to have police officers on set to
assist.

Are there any stunts or effects that might prove hazardous in this location?

ermits:

P

proper permits been secured for the location? Make sure to have

Have all the

copies on set ready to be presented to authorities.

Are there any additional permits needed for streets/county property/etc?
If shooting on the street, have you contacted the Police Department to discuss traffic

control?

If using weapons, have you filed a weapons permit?

Insurance:

Do you have adequate insurance to secure the location?

Abacus Insurance Form (Full Coverage)

Gallagher Insurance Form (Locations only)

Does the insurance cover everything that you plan to do?
Have you allotted at least 2 weeks to process the insurance forms?

Communication:

y owner/tenants aware of all shooting plans well ahead of

Have you made the propert
time? It’s a good idea to send several reminders.

Have you contacted all the neighbors to inform them of your plans? Make sure to

give them your contact information and a way to get a hold of your UPM in case
they have a problem during the shoot.

, traffic or bright lights bother them?

Are there any loud or otherwise disturbing sequences that the neighbors should be
advised of ahead of time? Will parking

Transportation/Parking:

Have you prepared maps/directions to the location? It’s also helpful to post signs.
Is the location within Dodge College’s SAG agreement zone (30 mile radius from

Marion Knott Studios)? If not, SAG requires you to provide transportation.

Is there enough parking for both equipment vehicles and cast and crew’s cars? If

not, can you shuttle everyone from a nearby lot?

Is there enough clearance to drive trucks near the location?
Do you need parking permits?
Does space for parking need to be reserved in advance?

Have a locations manager. Make sure someone on every crew knows they

cout),

ork Ahead. When the crew is moved into a new location, the location manager

ions for

Safety First. Any special safety concerns as well as

fety

ospital as well as

eep an eye out. Be aware of not only the security of your

r

nly

legitimate business at

lways go to the AD. The 1

st

Assistant Director is the primary safety and

talking to them.

are in charge of managing the locations during the shoot, preferably a
dedicated location manager (possibly the same person as the location s
otherwise, this responsibility falls back on the Producer. This way when
problems occur they won’t distract other crew members from their
responsibilities on set.

W
immediately begins looking ahead, contacting, prepping, or lining up back-up locat
the shooting days ahead.

issues of security and crew conduct related to the
location should be brought up in the AD’s daily sa
meeting. The AD should post directions to the nearest h
emergency contact info in a visible location on the set. They should also
make the crew aware of the locations of fire extinguishers.

K
equipment, but also of your location as a whole. Watch out fo
people you do not know from your crew wandering through the
location. If you notice anything suspicious, report it to the 1

st

AD immediately. Do not confront anybody directly and certai
do not be aggressive or rude, as this person may live, work, or have
the location.

A

security officer on set. If there is any security, medical, or safety concern or

situation, report it to the AD immediately. If the police, fire department, or

angry location owners or neighbors show up, the AD should be the only one

Leave it the same, if not better. When finished shooting, the production
should leave each location in the same condition in which they found it.

owever, with primary locations—especially people’s homes—it’s

take photos before and after your shoot as proof

that you left the location in the same condition. Should any dispute arise,

ese will prove to be invaluable evidence. Better still, have the location’

Please Relea

omplete, acknowledging the location was put back in satisfactory order.

-shoots. Do

verything in your power to please the property owner before, during, AND after shooting.

nothing else, it preserves the reputations of your fellow filmmakers, encouraging the

H
always a good idea to leave it in better shape. For instance, pay for
cleaning services or a carpet shampoo.

Before and After. Always

th

se Me. If possible, have the location’s owner sign a release after filming is

c


Don’t burn bridges. Always plan on needing to return to a location for re
e
If
property owner to allow future shoots.