UK - How to find locations?

[andrew00]

Hey,

My 'day' job is working for a record co and my second job is making music videos, often in low budgets where it's mostly just me and maybe one or two other people.

I've got one to do really soon, just over a week, basically one of those 'we need a video and fast!' deals.

It's a rock band, good but a bit american rock/mor so I thought I'd do the performance bit in a warehouse, a nice dark one without white walls everywhere, I thought I'd put some lights around them for lots of flaring and stuff.

The only problem is I've literally no idea how to find a place like that, I'm doing googling and nothing. I don't work for a big production co with location guys or resources on tap, it's what I can find/scrounge up.

So yeah, basically anyone know what I should do to find these locations? As I said I'm in the UK and don't have billions of pounds!

 

[ggoggin]

way too late to help you on this one, i think, sorry- i just joined. hope you sorted it.

but for future ref, screen commisions (there's something like 6 in the uk like screen yorkshire, screen south etc) all have locations depts to help people find places, and usually have databases. but i'd ring them direct cause they're usually really helpful. i used one in wales and they got us a perfect location surprisingly cheap

 

[Reith tv-films]

Hi Andrew, I'm too late to help on this too, so hope You found a useable location.
For future reference and anyone else in the U.K., I would start by ringing 'round
the commercial estate agents, and depending where You're based/willing to travel to,
the larger cities will often have redundant or mothballed factories and wearhouses
suitable for that 'industrial decay' look!

Also, don't forget to ring a few demolition companies too - depending on Your negotiating skills, You could secure some really interesting buildings for little more than 'beer money'.
I got pretty much unlimited access for a couple of weeks, to the BBC's old studios in London at Lime grove during demolition, so it does happen.

In My (limited) experience of location scouting, the trickier bit is dealing with the people
in charge of the buildings, especially on a no/low budget.