Locations
Location scouting is a vital process in
the pre-production stage of filmmaking and commercial photography.
Once scriptwriters, producers or
directors have decided what general kind of scenery they require for the
various parts of their work that is shot outside of the studio, the search for
a suitable place or "location" outside the studio begins.
Location scouts also look for generally
spectacular or interesting locations beforehand, to have a database of
locations in case of requests.
The
salary changes with how much experience a person has and can range from a
couple hundred dollars a day on low-budget films to almost a thousand dollars a
day on commercials.
Job titles and job descriptions
A film crew might have the following
titled positions staffed in regard to the Locations Department. Many of the
positions often "cross over" or a member of the department might
"wear several hats":
Location Manager
Oversees the Locations Department and its
staff, typically reporting directly to the Production Manager and/or Assistant
Director (or even Director and/or Executive Producer). Location Manager is
responsible for final clearing (or guaranteeing permission to use) a location
for filming and must often assist Production/Finance Dept(s) in maintaining
budget management regarding actual location/permit fees as well as labor costs
to production for himself and the Locations Department at large.
Assistant Location Manager
Works with the Location Manager and the
various departments in arranging technical scouts for the essential staff
(grips, electric, camera, etc.) to see options, which the Location Manager has
selected for filming. The Assistant Location Manager will be onset during the
filming process to oversee the operation, whereas the Location Manager
continues preproduction from elsewhere (generally an office) on the upcoming
locations. (Note: On most location-based television shows, there will be two
Assistant Location Managers that alternate episodes, allowing one to prep an
upcoming episode while the other is on set with the current one.)
Location Scout
Will do much of the actual research,
footwork and photography to document location possibilities. Often the Location
Manager will do some scouting himself, as well as the Assistant Location
Manager.
Location Researcher/Coordinator
On a large film crew someone might be
assigned exclusively to do research work for the Locations Department, freeing
the Location Scout(s) to concentrate on photographing location possibilities or
other tasks. This person's job might be to do internet or public library
research and contact resources to assess said resource's interest in being
involved in the film project and if such interest exists, the location
researcher might be responsible for setting up an appointment for a location
scout to go there.
Location Assistant
Hired by the Location Manager to be
on-set before, during, and after the filming process. General responsibilities
include arriving first at the location to allow the set dressers into the set
for preparation; maintaining the cleanliness of the location areas during
filming; fielding complaints from neighbors; and ultimately, at the end of the
filming, making sure it seems as though the film crew was never there. There are
generally one to three assistants on a shoot at any given time.
Location Production Assistant
This position exists generally on larger
budget productions. The Locations PA is the assistant who is almost never
onset, but instead is always "prepping" a location or
"wrapping" a location. That is, when a location requires several days
of set up and breakdown prior and following the day(s) of filming.
Parking Coordinator
Typically hired by Location Manager on an
as-need basis to supervise Parking Staff in order to secure and coordinate crew
parking including equipment trucks and personal vehicles. Locations Department
and Parking Department might work together with local law enforcement to
coordinate traffic control if the scene being filmed involves roadway
right-of-way in any way.
Parking Staff
Parking Staff hang up the brightly
colored signs that declare No Parking and then sit in their cars (with an
orange cone on the top) to ensure that no one parks in the coned off areas.
Waste Removal
Location Department's disposition is to
be the last to depart a location upon wrap and to leave the location in exactly
if not better condition, as it existed upon arrival. A waste removal company
might be hired on an as-need basis.
Additional
duties
The Locations Department's
duties often extend beyond pre-production and into actual production as well as
after filming at the location has completed; a Location Manager and/or other
Locations Department members are often needed during actual shooting and at wrap
to be a general point of internal contact for matters related to the Locations
Department such as ensuring smooth crew movement to and from the location,
answering locations-related questions/ solving misc problems as may arise,
coordinating crowd control and as an external point of contact between
production and such parties as perhaps the property owner, neighbors, local
film office/government and law enforcement.
Locations Department
personnel are always the last crew to leave a location and the credo is to
leave the location in the same (if not better) condition than it was found.
Tips for locations scouting
1. Know your script. Choose a site that matches the setting of your story. This is
the first rule of location scouting.
As you set out to evaluate
locations, you'll likely face countless possibilities: natural areas, historic
sites, distinctive buildings, urban landscapes and waterfront settings, to name
a few. Remember, above all, that you have a story to tell. Choose a location
that lends itself to the story you want to produce. You should never be bound
by your locations. Locations are simply raw materials. You need to know what
the script demands before you can select a suitable location.
Often times after scouting or
during you will take the Director, Producers and Art department and Set
Designers out to the location.
2. Scout at the right time. Be aware that locations can change. It's wise to check your
spot on the day of the week and the time of day that you'll be taping: these
factors can produce surprisingly large changes on the suitability of a
location. Automobile traffic and noise, visitors to recreation and
entertainment spots, and tourists at scenic or historic areas (to name just a
few examples) all come in waves that vary dramatically based on the time of
day, the day of the week and the season.
3. Look at light. Churches, ballrooms, restaurants, auditoriums and homes
generally feature low amounts of available lighting. Check light levels by
shooting a few seconds of test footage with your camcorder. Solutions for poor
lighting might be as simple as scouting out window blinds and curtains that can
be opened to add daylight. In some cases you may wish to bring in lights or ask
permission to replace the bulbs in accessible light fixtures with
brighter-burning units.
4. Follow the sun. Outdoor lighting conditions can be as challenging as those
indoors; exterior illumination changes all day long. As you're scouting
locations, pay attention to whether a given spot is in full sun, partial sun or
full shade. Bright sun can be harsh on people's faces, and light-colored
surfaces can blow out in full sunlight, causing automatic camcorder lenses to
underexpose shots. Partial sun can be tricky, as well; today's camcorders, though
sophisticated, can have trouble handling the high contrast in this situation.
Ultimately, you may find that fully shaded locations or overcast days produce
the most consistent results.
5. Check for power
supplies. Many outdoor locations are far
from power sources and even some indoor locations can pose AC challenges, so
multiple camera batteries are always a good idea. But you'll still need to
evaluate your power options at any location. How will you power your lights?
What if you do end up draining all your batteries? Is there anywhere to plug in
the charger? In a location that does have power, you may be able to plug in,
but you'll still need to think about the system's pre-existing load and whether
or not you can get to the fuse (breaker) box in case something blows. In some case you will need a generator
taken to the location, but be aware of sound ordinances and have ways of
buffering the noise on hand.
6. Listen. Clean, high-quality sound is critical in making a video that
rises above the ordinary, and it's silence that ensures you get the location
sound that you came for. The whooshing of traffic, the white noise of moving
water, and the echoes of voices and movements can all get in the way of
high-quality audio. As you scout a location, check for any of these conditions
by listening to your camcorder's microphone pickup through headphones. Test
your wireless mike at the site as well, listening closely for any type of
interference.
7. Examine the elements. Sun, rain, wind, snow, heat, and cold -- all can help or hurt,
depending on what you're hoping to capture on film. So, it's critical to check
the forecast as you're scouting. Video cameras don't like rain, salty beach air
or moisture from waterfalls. Smeared lenses and water or salt inside the card
reader can spell disaster. Bright, hot locations with lots of sunlight can also
be a problem: black and gray camcorder bodies absorb the sun's rays and can
cause overheating when left exposed. A beach or patio umbrella can help protect
your gear from the elements in both sun and rain. Cold temperatures can drain
batteries and make you and your helpers uncomfortable very quickly. Plan to
keep equipment warm by storing it inside a coat or car until you're ready to shoot,
and by wrapping it in a spare scarf or jacket while taping. And watch out when
bringing cameras back into warm interiors from the frigid outdoors: this can
cause significant amounts of moisture to condense inside both optics and
electronics.
8. Decide where to set up. Make sure that there's adequate space for you to set up all of
your gear, so that you're able to get the shots you have in mind.
Make sure there is a place
to set up a base camp for craft services, talent trailers, camera and lighting
trucks, DIT vans, Honey wagon, Catering trucks, tents for catering, Art
department vehicles, etc. and a place for shuttle vans and crew parking.
A small shed may seem like
the perfect location for a shoot, until you realize that there isn't enough
room to position your gear. You may have plenty of room in a large space like a
church or an auditorium, but you may not be able to roam freely.
As you scout your
locations, verify that you can physically get to the spots you intend to shoot
from. Asses weather you will need
ATV or van shuttles for cast and crew.
Also if locations are
remote which a lot are here in Southern Utah make sure you have porta potties
that can be taken out to the set.
9. Get permission. Be aware that you'll need to secure permits and other legal
permissions to shoot at certain locations. As you're looking at a location, do
a legal reality check.
·
Have you chosen
a street or sidewalk location that will impede traffic?
·
Do you plan to
shoot on someone else's property?
·
Cemeteries,
malls, grocery stores, corporations and businesses are all private property.
Many owners will be happy to accommodate you if you ask, but if not, you'll
need to choose another location.
·
It's better to
get permission in advance than to have a shoot interrupted by the authorities.
A lot of times especially
here in Southern Utah the location will need more than one permit for a
location, for instance Red Cliffs Reserve land boarders SG City land and BLM
land in some places. So you will
need permits/permission from all of them. You will also need to be in touch
with local law enforcement because a lot of time they will have requirement for
you to meet as well.
When beginning the process
of permitting it’s good to know that each department of land including private
property will require a certificate of liability insurance for a certain amount,
a business license for the movie or production company, a proposal for the use
of the land and maps and GPS coordinates of the proposed site, also most places
have a fee. All of this approval
takes time so getting started at least 30 days beforehand is essential.
Most proposals that you submit should include information such as:
·
Contact info
(location scout, location manager, producer, etc.)
·
Date
·
Time (to and
from)
·
Location
(address including a detailed map and GPS)
·
Number of
people to be at that location (cast, crew, extras, other)
·
Facilities
(Water, sanitation, food, security etc…)
·
Vehicles and
equipment (how they will be staged, used etc...)
·
Livestock (how
they will be used and where on the property etc...)
·
A detailed description
of the activities.
Once all of this
information has been reviewed they will usually want to either meet on the
location your proposing or somewhere where all parties can be present to ask
questions, clarify and go over the maps and proposed activities.
You will then be issued a
business license, or permit certificate. This process will include working
closely with producers, attorneys, and the Production coordinator.
10. Evaluate the area. Check on communications:
·
Is there cell
phone reception in the area you've chosen to shoot? How about a nearby pay
phone?
·
If you're
driving a long way, have you planned for a breakdown?
·
Search the area
for quick food stops to satisfy you and your crew in the midst of a busy
schedule and double-check the address of a local electronics store.
·
Just in case
you need to replace a cable or adapter.
·
One day,
something will go wrong; it's inevitable. But when you've scouted out the
backup possibilities at a location, you can take most obstacles in stride.
11. And finally, take
notes! When you sit down to evaluate a
location after a day of exploring, you'll be glad you have scouting reports to
refer to. In your scouting expeditions for a shoot, in your daily travels, on
your family vacations, and in your mind's eye, you'll come across countless
locations and changing conditions, each of which will be unique and potentially
important to you. Write them down, take still photos or shoot a little video
with a running audio commentary. Note the time of day, the quality of the
light, the sounds in the air, and the things you felt. One day you might
return.
There are programs out
there that support location scouting, one I use is Celtx, its free organized
and connects with Mobil devices and the screen writing application as well.
Contacts
·
Utah
film Commission- film.utah.gov
·
Utah
BLM- ut.blm.gov
·
City
of St George- Bill Swenson Events manager sgcity.org
