Creating short films and videos captured in multiple locations across the state, or even the country, is a logistical dance that takes time and experience to master. The expertise required to coordinate large-scale projects calls for skills beyond filmmaking—it requires meticulous planning and careful consideration of how everything impacts the budget; knowledge about how to carry out remote location scouting and securing; a deep understanding of local rules and regulations; and, most importantly, trusted relationships with producers and crews who can give local insight and support.
Logistics and budgeting
While thorough preproduction is always important for a project’s success, this is doubly true for projects with multiple shoots spanning long distances. Depending on the project, it might make sense for your video production team to pack up the truck and drive to the shoot, ship equipment and fly, or partner with a crew local to the filming location. Each path comes with its own set of pros and cons, but regardless, planning is essential to the project’s success. Each decision in the preproduction phase has an impact on the overall budget, and travel expenses will add up quickly without a watchful eye.
The more experienced your crew is, the less likely you will encounter an unexpected circumstance that will derail your project. However, that doesn’t mean unexpected circumstances won’t arise—it just means your crew is prepared with plans A, B, C, and beyond. Whether it’s the weather, illness, or equipment failure—we’ve seen it all and know how to respond quickly and efficiently to ensure things stay on track.
Remote scouting
If you’re planning to shoot in a location that is easily accessible (for example, your organization’s own building), you can simply have a team member at that location lead a virtual tour with your video production team via video call. This will allow the video team to get a good grasp on the space and have their questions answered in real time. If a video call is not possible, snapping photos of the space and providing measurements and/or a room layout can also work. However it gets done, scouting is an essential part of the preproduction process. It brings the team invaluable knowledge about the filming space, including:
Size and layout of space, either indoors or outside
Light conditions, including how the sun’s position throughout the day will impact the natural lighting
Sound considerations, such as a nearby noisy elevator, hard surfaces that produce an echo, etc.
Furniture, decor, and color palettes
The flexibility among these features
Potential roadblocks or circumstances that will need to be worked around
Now, let’s say you’re filming at an unfamiliar location. It’s still vital to find a way to scope out the space, and we recommend finding someone in the region to lead the scout for you. Someone who knows the area can help you better determine what the conditions will be like during your shoot. For example, only a scout in Michigan is going to warn a crew about filming in the UP outdoors during fly or mosquito season.
All of this data will inform what crew and equipment need to be present on the day of filming.
Understanding laws and regulations
While the First Amendment protects your right to film in public, you need to know the permissibility of the state and municipality you are filming in. If your production will interrupt traffic flow on a sidewalk or roadway or pose a safety concern to the public or the land, you likely have to pull a permit to use the public space. The permitting process can be extensive and will include information for route closures, proposed detours, traffic control details, and safety measures. It’s likely your team will also have to provide a surety bond and insurance.
Aside from location regulations, there are often rules related to labor. Knowing your location’s rules regarding union or nonunion work ensures you hire the right crew to remain compliant and have a successful shoot.
Strong relationships
The intricacies of preproduction for a project filming across the country demand more than logistical expertise—they require a well-established network of trusted, region-specific relationships. The success of a multi-location shoot rests on the shoulders of experts who bring insights and tried-and-true relationships to the table. While these relationships often take years to build, they are essential to transforming the complexity of a multi-location production into a well-oiled operation, ensuring the story you’re telling on screen is not overshadowed by the challenges behind it.
Maintaining good rapport with crews over many years ensures your video production team has someone to call on when needs arise. Render Studios has been a part of two crew brokerage agencies for more than 20 years. We’ve worked with crews in a majority of the lower 48 and know who we want to hire when we travel. Having these strong relationships means we can count on our network to accommodate our schedule and go the extra mile in the event of unforeseen challenges.
While a project of this scale can be quite the puzzle and balancing act, it is easily accomplished when working with a thoughtful, knowledgeable, and experienced video production team!