How To Location Scout For A Film
Picking the perfect location to shoot your film at can be key, but it can also be a whole undertaking on its own. There's so many things to consider, like, is there power? Or are there even bathrooms? So let's get into some tips on how to location scout for a film.
First off when location scouting, you want to look for bathrooms. This might sound like a no brainer, but it's usually pretty easy to overlook, especially when you're planning to shoot outside. So make sure your location either has a bathroom or that there's an accessible one nearby. For example, I recently did a shoot where we shot in a park that had no public bathrooms. So the producer and I planned a break in the schedule for the whole crew to go get lunch and have a bathroom break at the restaurant nearby.
Second is power. Make sure you take note of how many power outlets are available and where they are located. This can help you plan out how many extension cords or power strips you might need to bring. If you're shooting inside, you might be tempted to think you'll be fine and have nothing to worry about. But depending on your location and equipment, you might not be. If you're planning on using a lot of equipment that pulls a lot of power, you'll want to do some research and make sure you won't be pulling too much current from any one electrical current or outlet, as that can be a potential fire hazard.
Also, if you're shooting and an older home, you might want to investigate just how much power you can pull, as it might be more limiting. After all, you don't want to blow a fuse. Oh man, not again. If you're shooting outside, then your power options are even more limited, but you do have a few options. Things like car chargers, beefy battery bricks, or even 100 foot long extension cords can be lifesavers. I recommend scouting out your exterior location and coming up with plans for how you can make sure that you never run out of juice.
Third is special equipment. Location scouting can help you identify if you'll need any special equipment to make sure your shoot goes smoothly, such as special gear or weather related items. For example, I did a shoot where we planned to shoot outside at a location with little to no shade. The producer luckily thought ahead and brought an outdoor canopy, which actually ended up saving us majorly because it randomly rain during the shoot. Rain in Southern California, random, right? But being prepared for any situation can make sure your shoot weathers the storm.
Fourth is lighting. And this is especially challenging if you're shooting outside. While location scouting, consider lighting challenges that might arise throughout the day as the sun moves and also make sure you know exactly when the sun will rise and set on the day of shooting.
Fifth is making sure you visit at various times of day for lighting and sound concerns. The lighting might be perfect in the morning, but what happens when the sun moves the shadows of a nearby house or tree. Or the sound might be great in the evening, but during the day a nearby school or street might cause a lot of sound issues. Visiting your location at various times of day, and even on different days can help you better understand all the challenges you might have to face when shooting.
Sixth, bring a camera and shoot video and stills. Unless you've got a photographic memory, you're probably not going to remember exactly how the location looked. So bringing a camera is key. Photos are a fantastic reference to use when storyboarding, but taking the extra time to shoot actual test footage on the camera you plan to shoot your film on at the actual location can be even better.
Seventh, if you're shooting inside a house or apartment notify the neighbors. This can be extremely useful so they are aware and you can discover any conflicts that might occur on the actual shoot day. For example, your neighbor might be planning on throwing a raging party the same day as the shoot.
So now that you know what to look out for when location scouting, you'll be able to pick the perfect location for your shoot.
My Filmmaking Resources:
➜ Get Neat Video: https://www.neatvideo.com
➜ Get Free Filmmaking Checklists through my newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/e071707aca31/fiy
➜ Get my Filmmaking Templates on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/FIY
➜ All of my Filmmaking equipment: https://www.amazon.com/shop/laughstashtv
➜ Rent gear like a pro on BorrowLenses: http://shrsl.com/29h7t
➜ Learn how to be a successful YouTuber: https://linkedin-learning.pxf.io/BbBN4
➜ Get $10 off of Subtitles and Captions for your videos: https://www.rev.com/blog/coupon/?ref=...
*This post contains affiliate links which give me a small commission once clicked on.