DIY Photography

Hacking Photography - one Picture at a time

  • News
  • Inspiration
  • Reviews
  • Tutorials
  • DIY
  • Gear
Search

Submit A Story

8 location scouting tips from a pro location manager

Nov 22, 2017 by Dunja Djudjic 1 Comment

  • Share
  • Tweet
  • Flipboard
  • WhatsApp

No matter if you’re shooting photos or videos out of the studio, location scouting is one of the essential steps. Ted Sim from Aputure meets Jeff Shepherd, a veteran location manager and a great professional at his work. Jeff has worked on the shows like Shameless, Parks and Rec, Straight Outta Compton and many others. In this video, he shares his top eight tips for location scouting like a pro.

1. Take professional photos

When scouting locations, keep in mind that every detail counts. So, take professional photos instead of quick smartphone snapshots. They need to be as high-resolution as possible because they can become a part of the storyboarding process.

2. Google the address

Before you shoot on the location, google the address. This way you’ll learn about the real estate info or if the site has ever been in the news. You’ll also find out how iconic the place is based on the number of searches (and it’s harder to film in iconic locations). Sometimes, you’ll even discover some historical facts that can add depth to your story.

3. Utilize the local film office

Smaller towns or historic sites often encourage filming. There’s usually a person whose job is to promote filming in their community – and your job is to find that person and make them your best friend. They could make your location scouting job much easier.

4. Try location websites

On the websites like Wrapal, Set Scouter, Locations Hub or Peerspace, people list locations for hire. You can book locations at a bargain price, and sometimes they include insurance, too.

5. Go smaller

Shoot with smaller cameras, handheld and with a smaller crew. This way you’ll be able to bypass some permits. The general rule is that you don’t need a permit as long as you don’t set up a tripod and your crow doesn’t count more than three people. Still, make sure to call your local film office and confirm the rules, since they vary from city to city.

6. Use floor protection

You want to make your location clean, so you don’t pay for the additional damage. But, since the floor damage is more common than breaking the furniture, pay particular attention to protecting the floors. Use ram board or carpet protection. You can also place split tennis balls on stands to avoid scratching the floors. Learn more about floor protection on this link.

7. Place your location on hold

You can easily put the location on hold even without paying a deposit or a holding fee. Shepherd points out that he often outs five to ten sites on hold for several months in advance. This way, the creative departments have many options available before they make the decision. Remember, if you do this – make sure to play fair and cancel the locations you won’t use.

8. Use unconventional methods

If for any reason traditional methods of finding locations don’t work for you, try with the untraditional ones. You can find residential or lesser known places on AirBNB or Craigslist, although they’ll sometimes charge the additional fee for the shooting.

These were some of the location scouting tips that could make your life easier and help you scout more successfully. How do you find locations for your photo and video shoots? Which of these methods you use most often? And do you have any additional tips to share?

[8 Film & TV Location Scout & Management Tips! via No Film School]

FIND THIS INTERESTING? SHARE IT WITH YOUR FRIENDS!

  • Share
  • Tweet
  • Flipboard
  • WhatsApp

Related posts:

These seven tips will turn you into a location scouting master Follow these three tips to nail location scouting for family photos Photographer Van Styles Shares Some Tips On Location Scouting And Choosing The Right Model Why location scouting will help take your landscape photography to the next level

Filed Under: Inspiration Tagged With: Aputure, location scouting, locations, Ted Sim

About Dunja Djudjic

Dunja Djudjic is a multi-talented artist based in Novi Sad, Serbia. With 15 years of experience as a photographer, she specializes in capturing the beauty of nature, travel, and fine art. In addition to her photography, Dunja also expresses her creativity through writing, embroidery, and jewelry making.

« Ugly places, pretty photos: a photoshoot at Lowe’s
Polaroid demands millions in royalties over square format instant film »

Submit A Story

Get our FREE Lighting Book

DIYP lighting book cover

* download requires newsletter signup
DIYPhotography

Recent Comments

Free Resources

Advanced lighting book

Recent Posts

  • Sony teases upcoming ZV-E1 full-frame vlogging camera coming on March 29
  • The Xencelabs Pen Display 24 is silent, glare-free retouching tablet
  • Fall in love with astrophotography with these 10 space objects
  • Hipstamatic app relaunches as a social network, but only for iOS
  • Instagram now has ads even in search results. Sigh

Alex Baker is a portrait and lifestyle driven photographer based in Valencia, Spain. She works on a range of projects from commercial to fine art and has had work featured in publications such as The Daily Mail, Conde Nast Traveller and El Mundo, and has exhibited work across Europe

Dave Williams is an accomplished travel photographer, writer, and best-selling author from the UK. He is also a photography educator and published Aurora expert. Dave has traveled extensively in recent years, capturing stunning images from around the world in a modified van. His work has been featured in various publications and he has worked with notable brands such as Skoda, EE, Boeing, Huawei, Microsoft, BMW, Conde Nast, Electronic Arts, Discovery, BBC, The Guardian, ESPN, NBC, and many others.

John Aldred is a photographer with over 20 years of experience in the portrait and commercial worlds. He is based in Scotland and has been an early adopter - and occasional beta tester - of almost every digital imaging technology in that time. As well as his creative visual work, John uses 3D printing, electronics and programming to create his own photography and filmmaking tools and consults for a number of brands across the industry.

Dunja Djudjic is a multi-talented artist based in Novi Sad, Serbia. With 15 years of experience as a photographer, she specializes in capturing the beauty of nature, travel, and fine art. In addition to her photography, Dunja also expresses her creativity through writing, embroidery, and jewelry making.

Copyright © DIYPhotography 2006 - 2023 | About | Contact | Advertise | Write for DIYP | Full Disclosure | Privacy Policy