ASK & DISCUSS INDEX

7 years, 7 months ago - Paddy Robinson-Griffin

You can make it easier for people to help you by saying where you're filming!

7 years, 7 months ago - Antonio D'angelo

Very true! Thank you for pointing that out Paddy!

7 years, 7 months ago - Marlom Tander

Free locations are found by personal contacts and cold calling.

The boxing gym is easy, (well easy to process). You VISIT all the boxing gyms you can find and charm them into a free/cheap rate. In your initial chat try and find out their quietest days/times, and THAT is when you want to shoot. You might not get any two full days, but could find yourself with 4 mornings starting at 5am. Or a couple of overnights if you will pay a caretaker overtime to sleep in the office.

I would most def VISIT, not phone, not email. It shows that you are making an effort, and allows you to say "oh wow, this is PERFECT" as you walk through the door. And be believed.

The luxury living room is harder because they are not easily searchable and people who have them tend to be nervous of strangers breaking shit.


If you can afford to hire a top end apartment for the day, and you really need the location, this might be where you spend money.

OR, what happens there? Can the scene be moved to a location you CAN both film at and afford. For example near me is a country house art gallery museum which in no way is available for shooting inside. BUT they are amenable to me shooting in the garden and grounds. When the time is right I'll take them up on it. Can I have a Duke in his house? No. But in front of it? Yes. Same point made. I just can't stage a furniture toppling swordfight...

7 years, 7 months ago - Antonio D'angelo

Thank you Marlom! The information you've given me is very helpful!

7 years, 7 months ago - Nathan Hannawin

It's a bit more of a risk but you could look into using an Air BNB for the luxury apartment, but you never know what you can get just by asking all the people you know.

Maybe the best process however is to work out exactly what you want to see in the apartment. Do you really need to see the whole apartment in one shot, or could you cheat it through clever planning and production design? A small apartment (even some student places) will have balconies etc so you could consider using multiple locations cleverly to create the look of a much larger apartment.

7 years, 7 months ago - Antonio D'angelo

Not a bad shout Nathan! Will consider that as well! Many thanks!

7 years, 7 months ago - Ray Brady

If you block out your scene (make a plan of where the actors will be positioned for the scene), you could then take photos of a luxury apartment (access for a camera mounted on a tripod is far easier to get permission for than getting permission for allowing a whole film crew into a luxury apartment), then shoot your actors in against a blue screen and then key them into the photographs. Since the actors will be talking and moving the footage when combined will create the illusion of them really being there, sound design would also help in creating the reality, importantly, lighting the actors to match the light angles of the photos is essential. I used this trick a couple of times and no one ever noticed, I was even once complemented on my production values for securing an expensive local for a shoot that was in fact completely virtual. You don't need a blue/green screen studio, if you use a pop-up screen, with careful lighting and framing, you can shoot the required shots in a location that you have no time pressure restraint to film in.
Good luck. Ray
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0002916/

7 years, 7 months ago - Yen Rickeard

What style luxury? Old fashioned or spanking new, classy or brassy? Minimal or decorated? It all shows what your character is like.

7 years, 7 months ago - Antonio D'angelo

Never considered that Ray but definitely an option! Thank you! I'd say it'd have to be quite minimal and modern Yen! John would live in a modern looking home but he isn't one who is into decorating much at all.