We would all love to be able to shoot on the Universal Backlots, in big sound stages or to shoot wherever looks good. But, this might be out of your budget or you may not be able to get permission. Here are some tips on how to get a good location for your shoot and stay within your budget.

1. Know Your Filming Schedule and Script

Before you can even start planning your locations, you have to know your script and filming schedule like the back of your hand. Be sure you know how long you have to shoot each scene and how many people would be involved in the shoot, so when it’s time to send out your call sheet, you can do it without thinking twice. Once you know this, you’ll be able to move forward scheduling your location.

2. Ask Your Friends and Ask Around

Sometimes, securing a location for filming can be as easy as looking through your Facebook friends or your contact list. If you need a bar for a scene, you might have forgotten that a friend of a friend owns a bar. If you reach out to friends and family and explain what you’re doing, you’d be surprised how many people would be willing to accommodate you.

3. Reach Out to Local Businesses

It can be intimidating to contact people you don’t know and ask them to use their space or place of business to shoot in. But, there are lots of community Reddit pages or Facebook groups for locals looking to help other locals. It still might cost you some money, but reaching out to local businesses is a good way to get a shooting location without having to drive too far.

4. Look Online

There are plenty of resources online with people offering their paces for filming. Sometimes they are offering a studio space, standing sets or even their house. Places like Peerspace is a collection of locations you can browse through for a shoot. A simple Google search or Craigslist search can also generate great results.

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