Location Scouting for your Independent Film on a Budget
Image credits – Pixabay
In filmmaking, one of the important processes in the pre-production stage is location scouting. For a shoot to be tagged as successful, it should be shot on the right location, during the right weather condition. There was a time when many of the independent filmmakers had to resort to their homes, basements, common public places as their location for their movies because of budget constraints. However, with the help of technology, and with innovative thinking, the independent filmmakers nowadays can land incredible locations without going over their meager budget.
Apps for location scouting and to check the weather
ShootLocal is a free app that you can use to discover locations. You can find ideal locations for your film, and also share it with other independent filmmakers. Scout is another free app that the independent filmmakers can use as a location scouting tool. It features geotagging, and making comprehensive notes is easy with this app. You can show the location to the investors of your film. If you find a unique spot, you can either share it with the world or just keep it a secret for future shoots.
Weather plays an important role in your film shoots. With the help of innovative weather apps such as Google Now, AccuWeather, and so on, you would be able to find out whether the weather is perfect for your shoot, before setting up location.
Check for free permit areas or areas where the permit costs are reasonable
Image credits – Pixabay
Capital cities around the world can be expensive to shoot, in terms of permits. You can resort to social media to check for areas in a city where the permit costs less or it is free to shoot. You can check with your friends in social media living in different parts of the city. You may even collaborate with other independent filmmakers in social media to find out low-cost areas, in and around a city.
Location websites and product placement
People who want to rent out their homes/diners as shooting locations usually list them in websites such as LocationsHub, PrimeLocation, and so on. However, they are usually expensive. What you can do is look for homes, villas via sites such as Airbnb. You can then directly deal with the homeowners, and negotiate a reasonable amount for shooting in their home. If you want to shoot at a particular Diner or a hotel, offer them a product placement in exchange for shooting at that place.
Think outside the box, and you will be able to find the right location for your film yourself, and that too, within a budget.