Register Your House as a Filming, Photo Shoot Location

To hire out your house or apartment for filming and photo shoots you will need to register with a location agency. The location agency / library will need to ascertain whether your property is suitable for location work. You will need to send in some images of the property and details of the property.

If your property is suitable, you will be asked for more images if needed together with terms and conditions that need to be signed and agreed upon.

How to register your house for filming or photo shoots - Online Ownership

How to Register Your House As a Filming, TV & Photo Shoot Location

Get in touch with a Location Agent

The first step in renting your house for films is to contact a location agency. Have a photographer take photos of your house, apartment or property. Ensure there are no pets or children in the pictures. To be safe, take a whole CD worth of images and send them to the location agent. He or she will examine these photos and determine whether the property is suitable.

What You Will Need to Be Registered

An essential requirement is a comprehensive set of images showing every aspect of the house. If you have cellars, extensive grounds, or outhouses, you should show all of these. From there, the location agency will market your property in their location library and also send your property details to clients when it fits a photo shoot or film brief.

Agents never publish the physical address and name of your property online. If your house receives some interest, the agent will vet the company, and find out about the project. They will also inquire whether you would want your home to appear in such a project.

Before filming can start, the production company will have to show their public liability insurance. You will also need to sign a filming agreement with the production company if the shoot is secretive. The chances of potential damage may dissuade some homeowners, but that rarely happens.

What is Expected of You?

There is very little that is expected of you after you sign the filming agreement. However, you can still provide tea and coffee to the filing crew if you wish. Depending on the nature of your contract, you may be required to stay away from the location to avoid any footage leaking. It is especially so for a big film; most directors are very sensitive about any details of a high-budget movie leaking.

In most cases, you are expected to be there in the morning to open the doors and then come back in the evening as filming winds up. You can give the key to the filmmakers, and they will bring the key to you after they have locked up the house if you do not currently reside on the property.

Will People Start Showing Up At Your Doorstep with Filming Equipment?

When you register your house with a location agency, you do not have to worry about people showing up at the door claiming to be filmmakers. That is not how it works. First, they will get in touch with the location agent. The location agent vets them and contacts you about the shoot. If you do not like the filmmakers or you do not feel comfortable with the project they will shoot, you just say no. That is where the discussions end. They will not get to know the location of your house unless the agent approves of it.

Is there a Guarantee that Your Location Will Be Used?

You need to understand that there are no guarantees. Thus, this should not be thought of as a stable income stream. It should instead be viewed as a potential way to let the house pay for itself. However, if you live in a good quality house in a big city, there is a good chance that your home will be picked on a regular basis. In some cases, your property will even be shortlisted, but there is no guarantee that it is going to be selected.

Are there any Registration Costs?

Since getting your house picked for films is a game of chance, location agencies do not charge you to register the house. Instead, they will work on a commission. Most organisations will work on a 20% commission for any fee that you agree on with the filmmaker. In most cases, the agency will do their best to get you the best fee. The commission they get gives them an incentive to provide you with the best rate.

Who is Responsible for Damages to the House?

The location agency is responsible for ensuring that the client has proper insurance. However, you can get a damage deposit if you want. It is a cheque of about £250, which the film company gives you to hold. When they are done with the shot, they will request their cheque back if there is no damage. In most cases, public liability insurance will suffice.

Either way, you will be compensated for any damage, which rarely occurs.

Does the Property Need to Be Within a Large City?

While it is true that locations within large cities like London get the most work, the property does not need to be in London to get work. It all depends on the location required for the shoot.

How Can You Tell Whether your Property is Suitable for Film and Photo Shoots?

There is no set standard for a property to qualify. Clients have varied tastes when it comes to choosing their location. Some will want a stately home with modern furnishings while other will accept a council flat.

However, besides the interior of the house, some other factors come into play. One of the most important of these factors is parking. The client needs to know that they can find ample parking for the film crew close to your location. If parking is a nightmare, you need to be upfront about this. The size of the rooms also matters. The camera crew will be carrying a lot of equipment with them, and they need to be able to fit it in all the rooms.

Another factor that might come into play is redecorating. Some camera crews may not like the wallpaper or the colour painted on the exterior of the house. As a result, they may wish to redecorate. Make it clear whether you are open to having your home redecorated. Another factor that is considered is the storage room. Some films require many props, and they need a separate storage area. These are the main factors that will determine whether your property makes the cut or not.

Will You Need to Leave the House?

For most films, you will not need to vacate the house. The film crew will only require that you stay out of their way. If you have kids, you may want to take them to the park or to visit grandma. However, some jobs will require that you leave the house. For instance, if your home is being used to shoot a reality TV show, you may need to leave the house. If this happens, you will be put up in a hotel until filming is over. However, this rarely happens, in most cases, you will still be able to access the house.

What Happens When an Location Agency Agrees to Represent You?

After an agency agrees to sign up your house, they will send you documents, which you will sign and send back to them. These records contain the commission, and how you will be paid. For most jobs, you will be paid on the day that filming starts. However, for other jobs, you will be paid within 30 days. After you sign and send the documents, the location agency will place your location on their site. Now all you have to do is sit back and wait for a big payday to come calling.

View More: FAQs for Registering Your Property

 

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