How To Prep Your Home for a Film Crew

You’ve heard of ‘Proper Performance Prevents P*ss Poor Performance - as an experience location hire agency we have our own mantra for homeowners preparing their shoot houses: Think P.R.E.P.A.R.E.D. - A.F.!

Presentation

Make sure you’re looking shoot ready - The location must be clean, tidy, and as photographed for set up.

Pets and their paraphernalia need to be cleared away; pick up poo in gardens and hoover up those pesky pet hairs.

Print out the House Rules with wifi passwords and your contact details.

Refreshments

Get your stock of tea, coffee, milk and mugs out for crew use, and don’t forget the teaspoons! Please clear some fridge space for their catering, or their packed lunches depending on the size of the project.

Exclude

Check that any personal and sentimental items (like photos, clothes, toiletries, grandmothers ashes) and valuables are put away safely.

Put No Entry signs on the doors of any rooms to be excluded. You can lock them if you want, provided you have keys to do so - but only if it’s not a fire risk.

Parking

Ensure all car parking spaces are cleared or the necessary permits are made available if agreed in the booking information.

Absence

Someone needs to be there to let shoots in and out of the shoot location, but then they want minimal owner presence. No hovering, selfies, or fawning please, even if you are offering to be on tea duty. It’s a professionally hired shoot space, and there is no novelty in it for the crew.

Sometimes exclusive access is required, and that will be factored into the contract ahead of the crew arrival.

Respect

Respect any silence or privacy required, which is common for sound recordings. Kick the teenagers out, no band practise, tap dancing, or even electric toothbrushes. The audio kits in most film and commercial shoots are incredibly sensitive.

Extras

Any overtime of the crew needs to be recorded and signed off on the day. Anything over thirty minutes we want to know about. We run a tight ship!

Damage

Once the shoot has finished but while the crew are still there, immediately check around the house post-shoot for any damage and left behind items. Photographic evidence of damage needs to be agreed with the crew person responsible and sent to Location Creation. Make sure they have removed their rubbish, but please be flexible as many crew members arrive by public transport.

And Finally

Let us know how the day went! Any damage, overtime, extra numbers - and any information on content release. We’re always keen to learn for future shoots.