Location management mistakes are every producer’s nightmare. You’ve got your project ready. You’ve rented equipment, hired talent, and coordinated schedules. But when you show up to shoot you find out that you can’t because you don’t have the proper permit. You need 104-A but you only got 102-3. Oof.
And because it’s after business hours, you’ll need to wait until next Monday to start shooting. Meanwhile you’re unable to begin production. And the delay is costing you thousands of dollars each day. Double-oof. It’s embarrassing to even think about.
More importantly, this could have all been avoided.
Contemporary films are shot in a variety of locations. The Netflix movie Always Be My Maybe was shot in hotel rooms, Chinese restaurants, and lavish mansions. Each location needed specific attention and someone to not only book locations, but to arrange generators, negotiate with union reps, and ensure there was enough Ram Board available.
Every detail counts. The location manager is a member of the film crew who oversees specific film locations during the shooting duration of a movie. They obtain all government, fire, and police permits. Additionally, they work closely with the director to nail down logistics. Often they coordinate with members of the community and serve as a public face for the film.
In short, there’s a lot resting on their shoulders.
Logistics
Any film shoot mandates logistics planning. On a typical big shoot, they may be managing 18 different types of logistics. It takes a lot of preparation. ECG has extensive experience managing film locations and can help make this step a breeze. We’ll double — and quadruple-check — logistics to make sure that your production runs smoothly.
Paperwork
There’s a whole lot of paperwork involved in a film shoot. A whole lot. This can include contacting local officials about road closures to negotiating insurance contracts. Plus there’s a mess of technical and legal aspects to contend with. ECG has been there, done that. If it can happen, we’ve seen it. We are confident we’ll make your production as smooth as an inkjet printer duplicating forms in triplicate.
Negotiation
Look: negotiation is tough stuff. And for many people the kind of negotiation necessary for filmmaking may not be their cup of tea. Studios want their production environment to be trouble-free. So when issues pop up with caterers or property owners, we have the ability to engage in productive dialogue and get your shoot back on track.
ECG will serve as your guide between studios, talent, government organizations, and industry bodies. We’ve done it all before and understand how to handle your problems with professionalism, grace, and expediency.
Managing locations through all the little things
Whether it’s something as big as making sure your props department is able to source everything they need or having tables and chairs when you break for lunch, location managers have to think about all of those details and make them happen in real time. When it’s done well, you probably won’t notice. But goodness-help-ya when a production gets off schedule.
The bottom line is: no project goes off without a hitch. Things happen. But having a flexible team and good location management means that you won’t be delayed by unforeseen issues. ECG keeps track of your logistics so you can get back to making your story.
We want to hear about your project. If you have questions about our Location Management services please contact ECG today!