Experience with your home as a set location?
December 21, 2008 5:40 PM Subscribe
We wanted to get comments from anyone who has had their house used as a set for movies, commercials, etc.
We are considering doing this with our house.
What was your experience? Would you do it again?
How did you do it? I see sites like this:
http://www.filminglocations.com/
that list your house.
I don't have any personal experience but here's an article from my local paper about the experiences of a couple who gave up their house for a recent movie.
posted by octothorpe at 6:55 PM on December 21, 2008
posted by octothorpe at 6:55 PM on December 21, 2008
Make sure you're getting paid for electrical if they aren't using their own generator to power their lights because that can add up.
posted by cazoo at 7:00 PM on December 21, 2008 [1 favorite]
posted by cazoo at 7:00 PM on December 21, 2008 [1 favorite]
I know of two NYC horror stories about this. While much $ was made, and the places were returned in reasonable shape, both productions had DEEPLY damaged relations with neighbors. That might be NYC centric, but the neighbors put up with production teams - for no or little consideration.
posted by R. Mutt at 7:09 PM on December 21, 2008
posted by R. Mutt at 7:09 PM on December 21, 2008
My parents' next door neighbors constantly rent out their place for filming because they don't live within their means otherwise and it disrupts the whole block: people can't park in front of their own houses, actors and crew won't keep to the production space.....
posted by brujita at 11:17 PM on December 21, 2008
posted by brujita at 11:17 PM on December 21, 2008
Many years ago some folks rented out my parent's basement to shoot one of those "After School Specials" (I think it was "High School Narc" or some such thing) because we had a pool table.
This was an unfinished basement. They spray-painted some primitive murals on the walls ahead of time, rearranged a lot of junk, brought in some other props. The day of the shooting they used some bedrooms as dressing rooms. The actors shot hoops in the backyard between takes. I was in grade school at the time so I don't remember much beyond that.
Along with whatever fee they paid, they also paid for the water pipes they accidentally broke. As the pipes were fairly old I don't think my parents minded that at all. As a kid it was a fun story to tell and some of the girls in class were excited because I got autographs from the soap opera guy who was starring in the movie.
posted by mikepop at 7:39 AM on December 22, 2008
This was an unfinished basement. They spray-painted some primitive murals on the walls ahead of time, rearranged a lot of junk, brought in some other props. The day of the shooting they used some bedrooms as dressing rooms. The actors shot hoops in the backyard between takes. I was in grade school at the time so I don't remember much beyond that.
Along with whatever fee they paid, they also paid for the water pipes they accidentally broke. As the pipes were fairly old I don't think my parents minded that at all. As a kid it was a fun story to tell and some of the girls in class were excited because I got autographs from the soap opera guy who was starring in the movie.
posted by mikepop at 7:39 AM on December 22, 2008
Having spent many hours in other people's homes as both a Location Manager and a director, I would say these are the guidelines:
1. If the production can afford it, make sure you get paid well.
2. Be there at all times during filming.
3. Form a good relationship with the Location Manager and Assistant Location Manager, ensuring that they will ask permission before anything is done to your property (which they will if they're professionals).
4. Prepare yourself for damage and make sure the production repairs it or pays you for it.
It can go either way. It might be a great experience in which you are well paid and the crew is respectful of your home and everything goes smoothly. It can just as easily be a nightmare in which your floors and walls are damaged and you and your neighbours are horribly inconvenienced.
Bear in mind you are inviting between 20 and 40 craftspeople into your home, none of whom will be taking their shoes off at the door, and a million dollars of equipment that is made of metal and rubber and glass. These people are experienced and professional, but sometimes shit just happens.
posted by Bobby Bittman at 11:05 AM on December 22, 2008
1. If the production can afford it, make sure you get paid well.
2. Be there at all times during filming.
3. Form a good relationship with the Location Manager and Assistant Location Manager, ensuring that they will ask permission before anything is done to your property (which they will if they're professionals).
4. Prepare yourself for damage and make sure the production repairs it or pays you for it.
It can go either way. It might be a great experience in which you are well paid and the crew is respectful of your home and everything goes smoothly. It can just as easily be a nightmare in which your floors and walls are damaged and you and your neighbours are horribly inconvenienced.
Bear in mind you are inviting between 20 and 40 craftspeople into your home, none of whom will be taking their shoes off at the door, and a million dollars of equipment that is made of metal and rubber and glass. These people are experienced and professional, but sometimes shit just happens.
posted by Bobby Bittman at 11:05 AM on December 22, 2008
Response by poster: Thanks for the feedback. I learned a couple things.
posted by allelopath at 10:02 AM on December 27, 2008
posted by allelopath at 10:02 AM on December 27, 2008
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Keep in mind that to make it work, the crew may find (we found) that they need to repaint walls (white walls are fucking *terrible* to shoot against), move furniture, remove doors, move everything out of your kitchen.
You have a very good chance of having your house turned upside down.
It's more than likely that everything will be set straight after production... but, keep in mind that your once-beige walls may be blue for a couple weeks.
posted by Netzapper at 6:09 PM on December 21, 2008