ASK & DISCUSS INDEX

11 years, 6 months ago - Marlom Tander

Find cafe's you like, walk in, and ask. But think about what you need, what they are, and avoid the hopeless ones:-

If it's a 7 day cafe, then you are asking them to upset their customers if you want to film daytime. If it's a chain, then the manager needs permission. Scrub them if you want a freebie.

So, you want an owner managed independent that is closed at least one day a week so you can shoot, or shoot after hours.

BUT for various reasons, like health and safety and insurance, they can't just let you have free run of the cafe. So they will need to be there. Which means he's just toasted his day off, or he's doing an 18-20 hour one babysitting his cafe while you're there after closing.

So, this is a major imposition, which why it's good to offer lots of money :-)

Even if you have no money to rent it at film rates, you need to make it clear that something is on the table. That might be "we don't have much but can cover the managers wages at overtime rates", or "my friend owns Canoe Fun - I can get you and your staff/family a day on the river with an instructor".

I would advise against the "it's great advertising to be in our movie" pitch UNLESS you can promise them that the local media will be covering the shooting of it. And by promise, I mean give him the name and number of the keen local press guy who has already promised to come and do a package on it.

Good luck

11 years, 6 months ago - Paddy Robinson-Griffin

Good answer from Marlom. I'd add that you can get some mileage from 'We'll need 3 meals per head whilst there, so will pay retail price for 60 (or how many) covers'. You clearly can't shoot in a cafe and spend the catering budget elsewhere, but it's a good way to get your location fees out of your catering budget if the noise levels allow.