When Hollywood Uses Your Home for Filming - Home & Texture
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What Happens When Hollywood Wants To Use Your Home in a Movie

May 5, 2023 at 1:00 AM PST

Renting your home to Hollywood for film productions is an exciting opportunity. Production companies hire location scouts to look for residential and commercial spaces to shoot movies and TV shows in. If you play your cards right, your home could be the perfect fit for filming.

The Benefits of Renting Your Home for Productions

Renting out your home to production companies for filming can be a great way to earn passive income. It also provides an opportunity for homeowners to dip their toes in the entertainment industry and meet their favorite Hollywood stars. When it comes to property valuations, having your home featured in a movie or television show is a great draw for potential buyers.

If you decide to rent your home for an extended period of time, you might wonder where you and your family would live. No one wants to spend an exorbitant amount of money on Airbnb stays and rooming up with friends and family is far from ideal. The great thing about renting to production companies is that they foot the bill for a hotel stay until shooting is completed. That means that not only do you get to stay in a hotel for free, but also you can get paid to do it.

What Happens When Hollywood Wants To Use Your Home in a Movie

As a homeowner, you can benefit from filming opportunities by renting out your property to crews. With the right planning and preparation, renting your property for film production can be a great opportunity to expand your horizons and increase your income. If you want to know more about the process, here some tips on what to expect when Hollywood wants to feature your home in a production project.

A Hollywood crew filming a movie
Photo credit: Martin Lopez

The Initial Inquiry

Location scouts travel throughout the country in search of a space that meets the needs of a commercial, movie or TV show. Once they have found a match, they approach the owner to take pictures of and ask questions about the property for filming. This helps them to better gauge whether the space is suitable for production.

If the homeowner is interested, the location scout schedules a site visit to examine the property more closely, including measuring the space and noting its layout. The homeowner might be asked further questions concerning the property, such as zoning laws or noise restrictions. This is also a great time for homeowners to ask questions about the project, including scheduling and the duration of the project.

An Agreement is Made

If the homeowner obliges to their request to film, the production company drafts a contract to be reviewed and signed. This often includes the rate of pay, the duration of shooting and what the homeowner is expected to provide. It also outlines any liabilities for either party and allows both parties to have a clear understanding of their responsibilities.

Many companies also provide insurance to cover the cost of potential damages to the home and on set. Having this extra protection can help put the homeowners at ease knowing that their home is likely to be well taken care of.

Preparing Your Home

Preparing a home for production can be an involved process. Depending on project needs, certain changes may need to be made to the home. This can include rearranging furniture, painting walls, or adding or removing certain items. Prior to filming, the location scout can explain what needs to be done, so that homeowners can better prepare for it.

Keep in mind that production crews may need to move furniture and decor to make it suitable for filming. For this reason, homeowners should secure valuables to protect their assets. To further cover their bases, homeowners can take pictures of the home prior to shooting. This can help homeowners keep track of the damage in the event that it occurs during production.

When Production Begins

In many cases, homeowners can stay in the home during filming. However, be warned that when the camera starts rolling, the production process can become very hectic. For example, household members should expect an early start with lots of cast and crew moving about.

If homeowners plan to leave for the duration of filming, production companies can pay for their stay at a local hotel, which sometimes includes meals.

Professional location managers also advise neighbors in the surrounding area about what to expect when production begins. This can include providing a contact number for neighbors to call if they have questions.

Post Production

Filming commonly extends past the agreed-upon length of duration. When this happens, production companies typically reimburse homeowners for the additional hours, or days, that filming takes place in their space. It is important to discuss beforehand what the appropriate compensation would be for any changes to the originally agreed-upon length of time.

When filming does come to an end, check that there is no damage to the property. Homeowners can expect to hear from the production company to ensure that all is well in the home. If damages were incurred, the company might ask homeowners to submit a quote so that they can send an invoice for reimbursement.




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