HELP and Advice on how to get a location.

[David W. Jones]

Point taken.

[mörkö]

How come lately the discussions seems to have been so hostile? Uhhhh...

Anyway, really, finding the owner of a place should not be hell. Its just calling and asking some relevant people, and if they dont know, ask who they think you should ask next. For me its pretty standard to dedicate a day or two for calling various places to find out about props and locations. Nothing hell about that, just work, and you need to work to get what you want.

- Google, whatever. From the first result page and wikipedia I would add Matty Moroun / Controlled Terminals Inc. (owner 1996-> ?) and National Register for Historic Places, to the call list. Additional googling should get you a bunch of phone numbers or emails to approach.

- Not from the US so I dont know if its different, but where I live every non-private building has a sticker somewhere with details of the company that takes care of the place. Usually near the main entrance. If they take care of the place, they'll have contract with the owner, and should always be able to answer that. They will probably know the most relevant persons or sections from the owner company to approach for permissions to that specific building. If in doubt, Head of Marketing, or in the case of small-medium sized companies, CEO are the best bets for the first approaches (if you have preliminary approval from marketing or the higher management, you will be taken more seriously by the persons directly/practically responsible of the building).

- Any workers around the place? Ask their employer who they work for.

- Ask the filmmakers who have shoot there before. They also have dealt with the owners before so they know what kind of persons/companies they are and how they are best approached. Location manager I think would be the best bet.

As to the insurance, yes its probably required by the owner, in which case there is no way around that. For your crew, its not my business but, you really should put things in perspective. Art is important and its great if you dedicate your life to make it. But that dedication should come in the form of work and creativity you put in it, not by risking lives and future of your crew, even if they volunteer for the risk (specially in the US where the medical system apparently can really screw your life and finances). Art is not THAT important.

[morgan_moore]

In the UK there is something called the Land Registry.

[David W. Richardson]

In the UK there is something called the Land Registry.

In the U.S. it would be the local Register of Deeds office.

[Brickhouse Media]

Kenazure if you're really going guerilla style why not get your exteriors at the real location and your interiors at a safer and more accessible one? The insurance thing is a good thing to remember, however. Five hundred bucks is a lot cheaper than one ambulance ride to the hospital.

[Ken Hull]

Many cities and states have film commissions to help filmmakers with questions like this. Of course, what they are hoping for is a big budget movie to come and spend lots of money, thus helping the local economy. But they might help you anyhow.

http://www.michiganfilmoffice.org/

http://filmdetroit.com/

Good luck,
-- Ken

[daveswan]

I don't know how it is in the US, but when I was shooting my no-budget short and needed public liability (And employer's liability) insurance I was able to get a 3-month small crew / low budget insurance for £110.

And I wasn't shooting in a dodgy location either, but a local park. Still needed a permit, and was very glad I had it when a security goon tried to stop us even entering. The local film contact was VERY helpfull.

[unadog]

4. I understand the protection part

You need a serious, PROFESSIONAL security team if you are going to take actors/actresses and crew to shoot at that location.

My best friend is a 6' 2" Afriacn American man who is about 260 pounds. He is a still photograper with a much smaller timeframe/footprint. He has had to pick up equipment and RUN when shooting with models in broad daylight in Detroit when he was being stalked by a few guys/gang for a rip off.

I have shot there myself without a crew/actors. But that is only putting myself in danger, and depending on my street smarts, and paying attention all of the time.

When I lined up a bigger shoot there, the head of my security was a retired Detroit detective who was a former sniper in the military, and for the Detroit PD. Lots of stories from him ....

YOU NEED MONEY TO DO THIS SHOOT SAFELY. Insurance and security. Otherwise fake it in Royal Oak, etc.

Good luck!

This is not meamt to be negative - just real. Before 2008 the city was a lot better than it had been previously (I worked downtown beginnging in 1991.) Since then, well ... it's an f'ing mess!

Best,
Michael

[nycineaste]

I thought a major component of the "no budget filmmakers skill set" that (im guessing) alot of us are trying to develop, is learning to think of locations you have available, or finding free locations first, and then writing scripts to those locations (same for props, actors, etc.).

see theres this wierd phenomenon in reality that I call "it takes money to spend money". notice how paying for a (dangerous?) location opens the door for you having to pay insurance and security.

which is why robert rodriguez say you must REFUSE TO SPEND- that is, if you want to make a movie for no money.

guess what:

if you dont have 500 dollars to spend on a short- you're a NO budget filmaker (not even a low budget or micro budget one).

[fde101]

If you can't afford it right now, maybe it would be best to put off that short and work on other projects you can do, come back to that one later when you have a budget for it.

Since it seems this one is important to you, get additional practice with things in the meantime and be more prepared to do an even better job of this one once the funds are available to do it right.