Locations must meet these requirements.
- Be a real domestic home
- That is, not a hotel room, commercial or government property
- Be in a quiet neighbourhood
- That is, away from a major traffic road / train or tram line; not too close to industry, schools or construction work
Some things can make locations more appealing to Producers;
- Displaying a “lived in” textured look – lots of decorations, furniture, plants, knick-knacks, curios, books, “clutter”, etc
- Being spacious
- Having more bedrooms
- Being particularly stylish
- Having lots of natural light (for example, big windows, skylights)
- Being unique and different
- Having gardens
- With vehicle parking nearby
But, these aspects are not required.
There are some things that are not preferred;
- Anything that looks like a hotel room!
Just to be clear, what we do not require;
- “Fancy” or modern decor is not required
- Expensive brands of furniture is not expected
Our Producers prize real, lived-in homes most of all.
Sure, ask them when they contact you – they will be proud to share some of their work!
We’re a small organisation, we expect that you’ll be contacted by one or two people in the first month at most.
Your contact details will be stored securely, and only made available to people we have personally vetted and approved – any information you provide to us will never be shared or posted publicly.
Location fees are offered to Location Owners by Producers (not us), so we cannot be too specific here.
However, we can say that the fee depends mostly on the budget of the production – some productions require “higher production values”, have a larger budget, and are able to pay more… Some are much more modest. There are more of the “modest” ones than the “high-production-value” ones!
The fee also depends on the location itself, and how well it meets the needs of the production, where it is located, and some technical aspects (but the budget of the production has the most influence on what they can pay).
So, the fee could be as little as €50 a day, and as high as €500 a day. Shoots may last only one day, be spread across several continuous days, or be a few days spread over a month or two. A fee is paid for each day your home is used, and each day is booked with you in advance.
When you meet with a Producer, they will advise what their budget is for a given shoot. While some negotiation may be possible, many productions have a fixed budget and cannot be flexible.
Letting your home out as a filming location has one main benefit; you earn some money!
Most Producers will be interested in using your location several times (though that will depend on the size and style of the location, and the needs of the shoot), and you get the fee for each day they work there.
Maybe you’ve put a lot of work into styling your home and you’re proud of it, and seeing it in professional media would be a nice acknowledgement of that?
Of course, film production is a bit glamorous, and that can be fun too! 🤩
Producers negotiate dates and times with the Location Owner, typically a week or more before the location is needed. Location Owners can always say “no”, or provide some guidance like “I can never do weekends or Thursdays”.
Typically, the location will be needed for a 9-hour day, with a negotiable start time.
Typically, Producers will have actors behaving like they live in your home, while acting out a scene that’s recorded for video or still images (or both). Some examples include;
- Two kids play computer games on the sofa
- A teenager eats a meal
- Two adults talk
- A woman does yoga
So, your furniture will likely appear in the scene, and may be “used” in that regard. But apart from the scene itself, the Producer and performers may also;
- Park their car in your driveway, or on the street outside
- Move furniture to suit lighting and camera needs
- Use the chairs and kitchen table for snacks and lunch
- Boil water for tea on your stove / kettle
- Use your cutlery and crockery for lunch
- Store cold food for lunch in your fridge
- Use the toilet
- Smoke a cigarette outside
- Use your cleaning tools (eg, mop, vac, sponge)
Producers and performers will always remove their shoes when entering your home.
Of course, there are some risks in letting people into your home. Let’s consider them.
Making a mess is a realistic concern. Our Producers commit to us – and you – that they will leave your home at least as clean as they found it. They will always, at a minimum;
- Wash the dishes
- Wipe down surfaces (tables, kitchen benches, etc)
- Sweep, vacuum or mop the floor of common areas
- Take their rubbish with them
- Clean the toilet
- Collect any cigarette butts
Damage and breakages is another concern. Producers cannot promise these things will never happen, but Producers and performers are always careful and respectful when working in your home. They commit to make a best-effort to minimise this risk. Producers are insured to cover big problems.
For smaller things, Location Owners promptly provide proof of the issue (video / photos), and Producers will make it right in a reasonable timeframe.
Invasion of privacy is another concern. Certainly, Producers and performers will never open drawers, computer files, bathroom cabinets and similar “private” areas (unless by prior agreement with the Location Owner).
Producers may use some parts of your home in creative ways, however. Producers and performers will;
- Never wear, or even touch your clothes
- Never show photos of people in the media they make
- Never consume your food or drinks (apart from salt, pepper, sugar)
- Wash hands, before touching things like furniture or furnishings
Producers have a simple written agreement that the Location Owner and Shoot Producer both sign for the shoot day, that outlines the responsibilities of both parties. They can provide a copy of this ahead of time, just ask!
Absolutely – Producers are happy to connect you with other Location Owners they have worked with, so you can chat with them and ask questions to get a feel for how it might work.
Just ask the Producer.
We encourage location renters to seek landlord approval before participating in this program.
Rental leases may have clauses about “subletting”, or using the premises for commercial reasons (in most cases, our Producers would be using your home for commercial purposes).
Producers accept many kinds of jobs, including weddings, TV commercials, student films, social media (TikTok, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube, SnapChat, and similar), documentaries, dramas, fashion shoots, private projects, comedy skits, and similar. Some Producers even make adult content!
The Location Owner is always informed about the nature of the production, and can ask questions to understand what exactly will be happening in their home.
There’s never any obligation for a Location Owner to agree to a production in their home.
Maybe! This is up to the Producer to decide (and the production company may also have policies that apply).
Ask the Producer when you connect about the policies regarding being on-set.
Absolutely.
We only work with Producers who have a strong track record in respecting shooting locations (and Location Owners). We regularly check with Producers on this, and invite comments from Location Owners as well. See our Contact Us page.
Apart from being professional people, Producers are motivated to treat your home well because they will likely want to work at your home again in the future – and ask you to refer you to your friends who might be interested, too!
We only work with Producers whose policy is to leave shooting locations in the same condition they found them – or better.
Pets can be a problem – a dog that barks or a bird that tweets incessantly might affect the audio recorded on the shoot, making it unusable. Some Producers or performers are allergic to animals, and even if the animal is not in the home, the hair / fur can cause problems.
Silent pets like fish are always fine.
Discuss with the Producer – we encourage both Location Owners and Producers to be honest with each other.
When you return home, if the Producer is still there, ask for a walk through of the areas used for the shoot today. Look for any issues, anything out of place, dirty, missing, any messes. The Producer will make it right immediately.
If you return after the Producer has left for the day, we encourage you to look carefully around for any problems in common areas and bedrooms, make photographs, and message the Producer promptly with the photos.
In our experience, problems get worse the longer they are delayed, and people can get frustrated. Producers are committed to making things right, and always work in good faith.
Yes, there is an Agreement Producers will invite you to sign for each shoot day.
Note that the contract is between the Producer and the Location Owner – we’re just an “introduction agency” in this context.
Producers pay us to get connected with locations around the world they can use to make productions in.