What Makes a Great California Film Location?

By Amy Takhmazyan | January 23, 2020

When Hollywood producers want to add a level of realism to their feature films, they send studio scouts out to find the perfect California film locations to fill that need. Whether the film needs a single family dwelling, an apartment complex or an independent convenience store or restaurant, the studio will rent these areas from the everyday, regular people who happen to own them.

Registering your property as a California film location is a great way for your home, business or property to serve as an additional financial resource. It’s no hidden secret that Hollywood studios shell out large sums of money, sometimes as much as five thousand dollars a day, just for the opportunity to use someone’s property in a shot. Imagine if the production takes days or months to wrap, and your property is being rented out that entire time!

But, before the dollar signs light up your eyes, you should first determine whether or not your property will make for a great California film location. Here are a few things to consider:

  • Does your property have enough interior space to fit a cast and film crew comfortably?
  • While the property is being used by the production crew, you may not be able to live there. Do you have somewhere to stay in the meantime?
  • Occasionally, the script may call for a property to be damaged in some way. The studios will make any necessary repairs but are you emotionally ready for that type of alteration to your home?
  • In some cases, a director has a specific vision for his film which may require your home to be repainted or altered in some other way, like having a pool in the backyard. Are you willing to have your property altered?

If you don’t have any qualms about Hollywood making necessary changes to your home, although most changes are almost universally reversed, and your property meets the previous considerations, then you can seriously give thought to registering your home as a California film location. For more information, visit 5starfilmlocations.com.