Location Scouting

Write your script with the least amount of locations as possible and keep them close to home.  If there are things that you must have, location wise, then by all means don't cut them, find a creative way to get what you need and add that production value.

We Independent filmmakers revel in the idea of being an artist, including myself.  In my opinion, filmmaking is just as much of a creative art as painting, sculpting, being a musician or any other craft that favors the wearing of a Mexican poncho and Birkenstocks.  But, we are the rare sort whose trade is looked at more like a business than art.  When you’re securing locations or funds you’re representing that that business, your business.  As unfair as it may be (believe me, I would rather hang in my t-shirt and tennis shoes all the time), we have look the part of a producer or risk not being taken seriously.  If you’re not taken seriously, you won’t get very good support for anything.

When it comes to locations, there are several steps that you want to follow (from your script breakdown):

1. Find the location that fits what you wrote (initial scout).
2. Make an initial appointment by phone.
3. Pitch you and your movie in a face-to-face meeting.
1. Who- How many people will be at their facility.
2. What- What kinds of things you're going to be doing.
3. When- What date the company will be there.
4. How long- Shooting duration.

Something that may help with secure a location is to talk to the business or property owner about marketing opportunities in your movie (i.e. product placement or getting their logo in a scene of the movie) if that owner is a store or restaurant or something.

Once you commit to these items, DO NOT break the terms.  Take care of the locations above all else!

Now you can do your Tech. Scout and get all the nuts and bolts worked out to save yourself some time on the day of the shoot.  This will assure that you meet the terms that you agreed to in the first place.

Check out the "Storyboarding" Vlog.