When choosing film locations think of the best area of Los Angeles to be in logistically and focus your efforts on that area. Limiting your choices is a good idea or you will be scouting around for weeks. Another great tip especially for those on a budget is to stick to one single very diverse location to save money and transportation time. You may set up a base camp and spend the entire day in this location.
Be realistic about the location. Sure, you may want to shoot in Beverly Hills film location but, unless you know the owner of the location, finding an affordable location is difficult. One of the very first things to consider during location scouting is the shoots budget. No matter what type of shoot you’re doing there should be a set budget. What happens when you’ve found the perfect location to shoot a scene but have also found that it’s unaffordable and the owner isn’t willing to negotiate a lower rental price? I’ll tell you what happens, everyone is meant with disappointment because missing that one scene that could have been perfect might be responsible for throwing the entire movie, video, or commercial off track.
Don’t forget the permit. If you are shooting a film location in Los Angeles, do not assume Film LA covers every area. They don’t. Each area in Los Angeles tends to have a unique permitting situation and some are more rigid and more expensive than others.
Lastly, arrange a tech scout of the film location with the Director, Assistant Director, Director of Photography, Production Designer/Art Director, Producer. If you’re working with an experienced team, they should all know what they’re looking for. Some questions you may include asking about location power, camera and light placement, changing light bulbs in the existing lamps with our own, swapping paintings in a room, or rearranging furniture, YOU should be asking about rooms to keep actors (their own private hide-out), an additional “green room” for crew and equipment, an area for “craft services.”
All Pictures Media Film Locations