ASK & DISCUSS INDEX

7 years, 4 months ago - Paddy Robinson-Griffin

What is your limited budget? I think friends and family and begging are going to be your best bet under £500-odd/day. It's an eternal problem that sometimes writers can write a location or effect they cannot afford as they're encouraged to write freely and with imagination. A castle and a bedsit cost the same on the printed page!

First option is to contact friends of friends and see what you can blag for a half-day or day. Film crews are incredibly imposing and leave a horrible mess, so don't expect to be able to return and prepare to apologise a lot. At the very least go round with champagne and chocolates to say thank you, and don't use all their leccy and bog roll or trample mud into the carpet. Pay money for carpet protector film, get them to move fragiles/valuables before you arrive, etc.

Second is build a studio set - find a space you can get, even a corner of a double glazing warehouse or church hall backroom, and dress it accordingly.

Third is to write around the problem - what *can* you get? That's where you reset the scene. This happens ALL THE TIME even on relatively big budget films.

Fourth, pony up the cash and use an agency to find the perfect location. Expect to pay for damages (there will be damages).

Any help?

7 years, 4 months ago - Drew Marke

Hi there - try this https://www.vrumi.com. It’s a similar set up to Airbnb.

There are a range of apartments on there for all types of budgets. When filtering your search, select ‘creative use’ as not every space allows filming. And even with ‘creative use’ it’s a good idea to contact the host first to check. Hope this helps!

7 years, 4 months ago - Glyn Carter

If you have literally no money, try asking indpendent pubs, clubs, cinemas and theatres - someone might be willing to offer the location in return for publicity, or just because they're nice - it's amazing how nice people can be! Just be nice back, eg be flexible about times, remember a scene always takes longer than you plan, and consider their security. Have someone on set who is solely responsible for looking after the place, and note everything Paddy said above.

7 years, 4 months ago - Alan Dunlop

Hi Kieran, depending on what you mean by both "limited budget" and "not too big", I can recommend UP Studios in Islington. I DP'd a short shoot there recently and it was a hassle-free experience. A high ceiling with exposed pipework made lighting options much more flexible. Very pleasant dealing with the owner as well. Happy hunting!

7 years, 4 months ago - G McC

Sounds cool Kieran, wish you every success!

7 years, 4 months ago - Vasco de Sousa

Thanks Drew. Vrumi looks great. I'm finding creative locations around London for £60 a day, some parts of the country for £20.

I wonder if there's anything like Vrumi that does reviews of sound quality. I find that, after getting permission, finding a place with suitable acoustics (and not too much unwanted external noise or room shake) can be a challenge on a budget.

7 years, 3 months ago - Darren Roberts

I made my first short film last year and found finding a location was the biggest pain in the arse (and cost) but every borough of London has it's own film office (some council boroughs outside London do to) if you use this site https://www.filmapp.org/ you can put an application into any or all of them.
You give them all the details of your shoot, budget etc and then they give you options that might suit as it's a short you can probably negotiate on the price.
You'll want to (and need) get insurance cover https://www.larkinsurance.co.uk/performance-short-period-policy you can make any changes you need to the policy right up to the shoot date.