Will This Location Work For Filming?

When commissioning a video or film project, clients will often offer up a space in their office or suggest a location due to the aesthetics, but will this location work for filming?

The first thing you need to consider is the size of the space or location. Even small productions need a large space. Typically for a sit down interview a good rule of thumb is at least 20 feet by 20 feet (7M x 7M). However, with the COVID-19 pandemic, you not only have to consider if there is enough space for the production, but also is there enough space for the crew and talent to maintain social distancing. There is no hard and fast rule for this, instead it is best to find out the dimensions of the space and send them to the production company or producer. They can figure out between the space itself and the amount of people (including the client's team) what the proper amount of space would be.

Second, is the space blank or dressed? This is simply asking if the location offered already has furniture or is it a large open space. If the space is empty or ‘blank’, this allows the production team to create a look from scratch. This can be a great benefit, but also requires props, additional personnel and more time up-front. If the location already has furniture or is a location where the look is already set (ex. Construction site, store, etc.), let your production team know what can be moved around and what cannot be moved, this will help them determine if that location will work for filming.

Third, does the location have controlled sound? This means, can you hear traffic, other people, construction? If you stand in the location and can hear other things, it is very likely that those sounds you hear will become detrimental and interrupt your production day if sound is needed. Even if you are leaning towards renting a studio space, it’s important to find out if it is soundproof or not. 

Fourth, does the location have parking? And if so, how much and how far away is it? Is there a designated loading zone?  Production gear is heavy and the farther away the production team has to park, the farther the gear has to move which means the more time that will be taken up from the production day to load in and load out. 

While it is not the client’s responsibility to offer up a location, if you do prefer to use a space you already have access to, it’s important to assess the feasibility of that location and review this checklist and ask ‘will this location work for filming?’

Need a crew to shoot in your space or have any questions? Drop us a line at hi@midweekproductions.com !