Just when you thought the world of TV and video production could not possibly get ANY more
exciting, here be our blog post on that most pulse quickening of production – filming permissions.
Obviously being a visual medium, locations tend to be one of the more important aspects of TV
and video production. The Ridley Scotts of this world would even argue that the vista on which
content is shot is more important than on screen talent! That is probably a subject for a future blog
post though.
When it comes to approaching locations to use in your production, it ca be extremely daunting,
especially if the powers that be want a very specific location. The best piece of advice in embarking
on clearing a location to film in is don’t promise something you are not sure you can deliver! You
should rely on a bit of charm or being able to sell the shoot to the location, but don’t feel guilty if
you get the cold shoulder. Some locations simply do not allow filming.
Always call and speak to somebody first. ALWAYS. It is far easier for somebody to ignore an email
than a phone call. If you don’t believe that think of this. How many times have you signed up to
give to charity on the back of an email? How many times have you signed up to give to charity on
the back of a phone call or face to face encounter? Maybe a somewhat mean spirited example but
you know what we mean.
Before making that call think about what they will need to know. If they are a small business like a
shop – how much disruption will go on? How much equipment has your director allowed for? Do
they need that much? Don’t be afraid to question everything as you are doing the negotiating. A
few things to think about are:
* Will a tripod definitely be needed?
* How long will you have to be there for?
* Will lighting definitely be needed? If so, how lightly can you pack?
* Are you able to offer anything?
You will want to be au fait with some of the more technical and legal issues that the location
representatives may throw at you. Make sure you have a chat with your PM before approaching
people, confirming that you have a public liability insurance form, how much it covers, and also that
the director/producer is happy to sign a risk assessment for the shoot. Don’t be scared of asking if
you are unsure about anything else.
* A surprising number of locations, depending on the project, are happy to provide their premises
for free, so keep that in mind. In the same way as not promising your bosses something you can’t
deliver, do not promise the location something you are not sure you can guarantee. Keep the
dialogue going and make it clear their location is very attractive to you so you want to do as much as possible to secure it.
Your budget will be important too, obviously. Whilst, as we said above, many location will be happy
to let you film for free, there are a great deal that have standardised, non negotiable rates. These
tend to be locations that basically make a lot of their revenue through location fees.
So if you have a minimal budget and you require a park to shoot on, you probably won’t want to be
calling one of the Royal Parks, which charge a minimum of £1,000 for a few hours. Again, manage
expectations with your team. Explain that you will have to look further afield and maybe change the
vision or accommodate it to a different location. That said though, make sure you at least call their
first choice so you definitely know! Depending on your role, and if you have time, have a think of
some suggestions yourself too. You don’t know how quickly the list you are working on was thrown
together – they may be very happy to consider other places.
Make sure you are completely transparent with the location’s representatives in terms of what you
are doing. A fair few production companies get their names blacklisted by certain locations for
abusing this kind of trust and it is not something you want to be known for.
Oh, and never leave on bad terms with an enquiry – you never know when you might want to use
them again. Note down everyone you deal with. If you end up being best mates with Linda at
Watford Council, it will probably help if you want to film there again.
Don’t worry about reputation either. Some of the grandest and ostensibly intimidating
locations/institutions do tun out to be very friendly. Conversely, a lot of smaller businesses,
surprisingly, can be quite snooty about filming with them! Just approach everyone with the same
degree of respect and, most importantly, BELIEVE in your production.