Location Scout Policies: Location Procedures Information for Production Personnel
ALMOST EVERYTHING YOU EVER WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT LOCATION PROCEDURES*
*but were afraid to ask!
GENERAL INFORMATION FOR ALL PRODUCTION and CREATIVE SERVICES DEPARTMENTS
How it all works:
- You have been awarded the job and now you need to lock down the location… You
have a visual / graphic idea, perhaps a geographic idea where it needs to be and hopefully some idea of when, how many people, what equipment will be used, how many vehicles might be involved and (not leastly;-) what you can afford to spend. Or maybe you don’t? (Bidding? Estimating?) We may be able to help. Please contact us - We have locations (
nearly 2,000over 3,000 on file as a matter of fact!) and we have the skills! - We provide fee-based Location Research, Location Scouting and Location Management Services. We can arrange Film/Photo Permitting, Production Parking Coordination Services, Security, Waste Management Services and provide many other Production Services as well. We have lots of existing photos of lots of locations and acquire new location data regularly. We know the property owners. We know the tri-state area. We network with our peers – other location agents, scouts, other production professionals, film commissions, real estate professionals and others. We make our living providing location services to production industry individuals such as you and being the “point man” between you, location property owners and local communities.
- More general information
General Terms and Conditions:
- There is no fee to search or browse our locations online using our search engine. Please note that photos in the public area of our location library are presented as a courtesy to provide creative ideas and reference and may not necessarily reflect actual current aesthetic or availability status. If you are interested in a particular location or don’t see what you are looking for please contact us and we will be happy to provide you with a quote for custom file pull / location research / location scouting / location management services. Our location data is to be used only in direct conjunction with business with R. Richard Hobbs. Location data, including property owner info as may be provided in the course of business is private, proprietary and protected intellectual property intended >only< for business being currently conducted, and only on a need-to-know basis (not only do we consider this data to be a valuable asset, we have the property owner’s privacy to consider as well); NO use of same is allowed (including in the future) without the express written consent of R. Richard Hobbs. Any direct contact with property owners or sharing of this info with third parties without the prior consent of R. Richard Hobbs and aforementioned property owners is strictly prohibited.
- Tech Scouting is required. This typically involves a personal tour by production and locations department, a conference with the property owner for everyone to meet and become acquainted, become familiar with the location on-site, discuss production’s technical needs and establish general ground rules as may apply to the shoot and location. We recommend that production require their client to tech scout their preferred location(s) prior to confirming anything. Once a location is confirmed (booked), any cancellations (will be) subject to location fees and location services and changes (may be) subject to location fees and location services fees.
- Location Fees for ANY shoot must be paid at least one day prior to shoot day. You should plan to pay the property directly and pay for location services separately. If you need a receipt, property release or any other forms from or to be signed by the property owner you should bring them to the shoot. Property releases or any other agreements should be presented to the location department and owner for review prior to shoot.
- Any location services fees must be paid no later than 10 business days following completion of work and invoicing. We accept many major credit cards.
- Insurance must be in order at least one day prior to shoot day. This constitutes providing a certificate of insurance reflecting commercial liability coverage of an at least current industry standard amount and showing the property owner(s) additionally insured. Certificates of Insurance should be presented to the location department and owner for review prior to shoot.
- In some situations, a refundable cash deposit to the owner in addition to the agreed upon location fee and required certificate of insurance may be required to provide immediate relief for property damage. NO alterations to ANY permanent structure are allowed (includes painting, construction, drilling / nailing) without prior agreement with owner. NO water, wetting, fire, fireams or explosives are allowed on ANY property without prior agreement with owner and ONLY per local laws and in the general spirit of safety.
Production Details
(some of the basic details everyone should be aware of)
- When moving furniture, always lift from the base- do not drag & always obtain permission from location owner beforehand. Polaroids
or digital snaps should be made for reference to ensure that rooms and furniture can and will be returned to their original arrangement(s). Some
items (i.e. a piano, which must be re-tuned) require a professional mover and you should be prepared to bear the cost of same in such a case. - No Smoking inside any home or building foyers.
- If smoking is permitted on the grounds outside, please place large ash cans with signs directing crew, do not throw butts in the yard.
- Cellular phones are required on location, homeowner phones are not available to crew unless organized in advance.
- Floors, walls and furniture are to be protected with layout board and pads/blankets.
- At the end of all shoots, the location must be cleaned to return the premises to its original condition.
- Electricity usage for film is determined on tech scout, if homeowner power is required for film shoots then an additional power fee will be determined. Electricity usage for print (in most cases) only requires normal power and no fee is added for usage.
- Homeowner personal supplies may only be used if agreed upon in advance.
- Production companies are expected to supply their own trash bags, toilet paper, paper towels, eating utensils, coffee/ tea, towels for makeup removal, cleaning supplies & sheets when using beds.
- We ask that production manager & homeowner, prior to shooting, go thru the entire location to make sure there is no existing damage and repeat the same at end of shoot. All damages must be reported within 24 hours. Do not repair any damages until Licensee is able to send insurance company to view & a photograph has been taken of damages.
- The licensee (client/ production company) is responsible for acquiring all necessary permits and payment of any fees associated therewith. Likewise, production is expected to abide by any local laws or customs regarding parking, traffic, noise or late-night activity.
- The licensee (client/ production company) is responsible for making sure locations used are returned to their original state.
- Please note that location photos in the public area of our location library are presented as a courtesy to provide creative ideas and reference for location scouts, location managers, production designers, producers, directors, art directors and graphic designers and may not necessarily reflect actual current aesthetic or availability status. If you are interested in a particular location or don’t see what you are looking for please contact us and we will be happy to provide you with a quote for custom file pull / location research / location scouting / location management services.
- By clicking on any of the links below to search/browse our locations database, you certify that you have read, understand and agree to the above terms and that you furthermore enter into this agreement in the general spirit of cooperation, understanding, mutual benefit (and fun!) for all concerned. If so, then click away!
Location Scout R. Richard Hobbs Locamundo Location Scout Portfolio
See also: LocationFiles Location Scout + Locations
Location Request Questionnaire / Production Dept Location Scout Laundry List
- Location Request Questionnaire at nyc.locationscout.us
For just about any location or production services request there are 8-9 basic location scout questions we need answered right from the git-go! - Location Scout R. Richard Hobbs – nyc.locationscout.us FAQS
Basic info we need with regard to just about any location or production services request:
- Your own complete contact info
- Has the project been awarded or are you requesting info in order to provide a bid / estimate?
- Is the project: film, video, photo, an event or…?
- Client, Product / Show names / subject matter / content, intended media usage (as applicable); descriptive info, i.e. sketches / layouts / storyboards / overviews / verbal descriptions are VERY helpful! Please be sure and indicate if there might be potential for any alteration to the permanent structure (i.e. painting, construction) of a location or if the scope of the project might possibly involve any exceptionally large or heavy equipment / props or other extraordinary circumstances.
- Director / Photographer name
- Production company / Producer name
- Date(s) / schedule / hours
- Size of crew, talent, clients; number and sizes of vehicles
- Location budget breakdown: budget for location services (location research / location scouting / location management), location fees, permit fees
- We need the (5) digit location number (i.e. US1204-XXXXX-YY) if you are inquiring about a specific location from our location library. Please note that photos in the public area of our location library are presented as a courtesy to provide creative ideas and reference and may not necessarily reflect actual current aesthetic or availability status. ANY location with potential for use for a shoot or event must be cleared, should be scouted and must be tech scouted prior to booking. Depending on the scope of a given project, permitting, location management or other services may be needed. Performing / overseeing these tasks as well as researching, clearing, permitting, scouting and managing additional possible location options are some of the fee-based services we provide.
Please Note:
- All information received is regarded as confidential.
- FAQS
- Location Procedures – Production
- Location Research Guide
Film Location Research Guide Using Location Scout R. Richard Hobbs’ Locamundo Location Database for Film, Photo, Video / TV and Events Production
What would you like to do?
- First time here?
PLEASE REVIEW OUR PROCEDURES AND POLICIES
- PLEASE REVIEW OUR FAQS (Frequently Asked Questions)
- Scroll the rest of this article for more info and search tips.
If you are familiar with how we work:
The location database is organized and keyworded by categories as might apply to a wide range of elements, starting at the base with natural locations and man-made locations and becoming more specific from that point (i.e. public locations / office buildings, water sites, industrial sites, etc; private locations / houses, rural locations, etc.) then, optional elements
of those locations (i.e. private locations / houses / kitchens, etc.). Take a few moments and get a “feel” for the way the database is structured.
The primary purpose of providing public access to our location database is to give the creative team (you) a starting point for ideas and some direction to give us.
Please contact us for rates and packages for the many location services we offer:
- Location Research – Hire us to perform a custom search of our files as well as other resources per your specs
- Location Scouting – Hire us to find, obtain permission / negotiate rates and photograph locations per your specs
- Location Management- Hire us to oversee the location duties of your project from concept to wrap
- …and more!
- For *more* results use fewer search terms
- Trying using different search terms (in separate searches)
Often-asked-for search examples:
- Houses= Private Property/Houses
- Apartments= Private Property/Apartments, Lofts, Flats…
- Kitchens= Optional Elements/Kitchen
- Offices= Public Property/Office Buildings
Instructions for accessing Locamundo location albums:
- Use the dropdown box “View MORE locations with this box“
- Use the link, “View more images of this location”
- Thumbnails can be enlarged – full images are scrollable in folders.
IMPORTANT – PLEASE READ:
- Please include the 5-digit location number(s) (i.e. US1204-xxxxx-yyy) where “x” is the location number) in all correspondence!
- Location Request Questionnaire
Other…
Location Scout Resource: ATTN – Int’l Crews: Get Your Production Insurance in Order!
If you are a foreign film / photo production planning to work on location in the United States and / or more specifically, in the New York City area, you may or may not be aware that use of just about any private property, as well as many public venues and towns / municipalities (New York City included, for film / video) as a location will require you to provide proof of commercial liability insurance providing coverage of at least $2m US in the form of a certificate of insurance and naming same (property owner / venue / town or municipality) third-party additionally insured. These or similar conditions apply to many gear / equipment rental agreements as well. Furthermore, any insurance you may have in your home country must provide coverage abroad and that coverage must be recognized and accepted by all parties involved in the United States. Fear not, there are many insurance brokers nationwide in the U.S. that offer affordable short-term
production insurance packages. The insurance company I usually work withwas charging about $650 for a basic 14 day package last time I spoke with them.
Location Scout Resource: GO FOR RESOURCES: Location Scouting
GO FOR RESOURCES: Location Scouting | by Scott T.S. Trimble
The Location Managers fill important creative and logistical roles on motion pictures, TV shows, and commercials. They work for the Director and Production Designer in that they are partly responsible for the look of the movie through their role in scouting the filming locations, but, at the same time, they also work for the Producers and Production Manager in that they need to organize everything that needs to be done to actually film at those locations.
Scott Trimble is an L.A. based location scout who is well-known to many of us in the film location services industry.
Scott’s Go For Locations website has a number of helpful sections, including a resource page that will help answer a lot of questions someone considering entering the locations department sector of the film production industry might have.
This article may also be helpful to a client or producer that has not previously worked with locations personnel to understand what they might be able to expect in terms of services provided by a location scout or location manager and the methods location scouts use to perform their duties.
On my own website, nyc.locationscout.us, there are a number of FAQS that also attempt to answer some of the questions a client, producer, property owner, or someone considering a career as a location scout might ask.
USEFUL LOCATION SCOUT LINKS
- Location & Production FAQS
- NYC Film Zone Map
- NYC Film Office
- New York State Film Office
- New Jersey State Film Office
- Pennsylvania State Film Office
- Connecticut State Film Office
- Association of Film Commissions International
Location Scouting & Location Management at Amazon
Film Locations at Amazon
