Once you have your budget and production schedule firmly in hand, the next step is to plan how and where you'll be shooting your film. First and foremost is the importance of obtaining permits for shooting, whether you're in Los Angeles or New York.
Says line producer Dino Donofrio (The Food Chain: A Hollywood Scarytale), "I'm a firm believer that you must always get a permit, no matter what. Save money for those permits, because if you're shut down, all the money you spent for that shooting day is wasted."
City, May I?
The good news is that getting permits to shoot is easy and not expensive. In L.A., filmmakers should contact the Entertainment Industry Development Corporation (EIDC), a nonprofit organization dedicated to help production companies obtain everything they need to shoot on location. The production company pays a $450 facilitation fee ($385 for low-budget films), which allows up to two weeks' shooting in as many as 10 locations. EIDC vice president/general manager of operations Darryl Seif points out that there is no permit cost to film in the city of Los Angeles or unincorporated areas of L.A. But EIDC handles all the variety of use and service fees, ranging from closing streets to having county lifeguards or fire marshals on hand.
"We will give a low-budget structure that reduces permit and notification fees," says Seif. "If the new filmmaker comes to us in advance, we can help them in the overall approach to filming. We welcome anyone coming in so we can help them identify locations where they might be able to cut costs."
Although it may be quite tempting to shoot without permits, especially with today's smaller, lightweight digital cameras, Seif notes that neighbors often give a call to see whether the shoot is permitted. If it is not, the LAPD will come and close down the shoot.
At the City of New York Mayor's Office of Film, Theatre, and Broadcasting, assistant commissioner Julianne Cho calls New York "a perfect place to make a low-budget movie." She elaborates: "All of our public locations are free of charge, and all of our police assistance is free of charge. Parking privileges, if you need them, are also free." Of the 180 films that shot in New York last year, says Cho, most were independents. She relates that the Directors Guild of America recently worked out a low-budget agreement with local unions that makes it more cost-effective for producers to work in New York. Real estate mogul Douglas Elliman's website (www.elliman.com), which operates in conjunction with the mayor's office, lists a range of private shooting locations and facilitates negotiation with the owners.
A Roof Over Your Head
Greater L.A. is a mecca for sound stages. According to the EIDC, the city is home to more than 400 sound stages comprising more than 4.4 million square feet. Resources for stage listings include the EIDC website and the IFP (Independent Feature Project) resource library. At IFP West, membership manager Marceil Wright reports that, in addition to the library, IFP members get a vendor discount book, which includes a list of sound stages. The list includes Glaxa DT's sound stage and bar/nightclub set, a spooky basement and cyclorama with loading door, and Aero Mock-Ups, which provides an authentic and realistic airline and cockpit interior.
In L.A., even motion picture studios rent out their sound stages. According to 20th Century Fox's Hal Haenel, vice president of production services, this studio has 15 stages in its rental inventory, ranging from 13,400 square feet to 28,275 square feet. He advises producers to tailor the size of the stage they rent to their production. "People often think they need a bigger stage than they do," he says. "I Love Lucy was shot on a 7,000-square-foot stage. Rent what you need, not what you think you need."
Though low-budget filmmakers may assume that 20th Century Fox is out of reach, Haenel notes that "pretty much everybody in town tailors the price to the project"—and that includes projects by students and novices. "They're next year's producers and directors," he says. "And we certainly want to work with them."
Century Studios (www.centurystudio.com) is home to big productions such as NBC's Las Vegas and The Office. But, says studio manager Dale Duko, who is an alliance member of IFP, it also has plenty of experience working with small indie productions. He encourages indie filmmakers to find "like-minded people" to be their allies in getting the movie done on the cheap. "Be ready to shoot on the fly," he advises. "It's almost like flying standby." Duko advises filmmakers to see whether the sound stage is clean—a strong indicator of its general condition. Quilting on the walls keeps sound from bouncing around, and readily available power distribution and lots of parking are also important.
If you don't need a sound stage, L.A. is also home to large stages. The Barkar Hangar in Santa Monica, for example, is a 35,000-square-foot stage, with dressing rooms and lots of outdoor areas and its own power distribution contractor. The Big Lebowski shot there. Barkar Hangar's Linda Sullivan notes, although she's loath to negotiate the space's rates ($3,000 for shoot days, $2,500 for prep), "Negotiating contracts is a real skill." She says, "For anybody starting out, it doesn't hurt to ask. You might hit a chord with somebody, and they'll try to help or refer you."
New York doesn't boast the same number of stages but still offers a range of choices, all of which can be found on the Office of Film, Theatre, and Broadcasting's website. Chelsea Studios has eight sound stages, mainly serving the television market. "Because it's New York and real estate is a hot commodity, you don't find the very large, warehouse-style studios you find in Los Angeles," says studio production manager Kate Miller. Her advice is to use your connections to the best of your ability. "Call in favors," she says. "Try to rent all of your own equipment from friends or vendors with whom you have a great relationship. Try to be flexible with your schedule."
One of the more prominent sources of stage space in New York is Silvercup Studios (www.silvercupstudios.com), which has 18 stages ranging from 3,000 to 18,000 square feet. Executive vp Gary Kesner says that one of the company's principals is chair of the Hampton Film Festival. "So we certainly try to be supportive of up-and-coming filmmakers," he says.
Kaufman Astoria Studios is another familiar locale for stage rentals. President Hal Rosenbluth's advice to low-budget filmmakers is succinct. "Call," he says. "Low-budget people don't call. Many of them think they can't afford to work on a stage, but more often than not they'd be surprised."
The Best Policy
Shooting permits aren't the only authorization you'll need. Insurance is a necessity for sound stage and location rental. "Even if they're students or first-time filmmakers, they still need to meet the grown-up requirements of insurance," says Haenel. "That's Square One, before you get anything out the door, on location or a set."
Kesner agrees. "Even low-budget films need insurance," he says. "They shouldn't put themselves out of business before they're in business."
Donofrio strongly agrees. "You have to have insurance," he insists. "It's ridiculous not to." For first-time filmmakers unsure of how to find and purchase insurance, resources such as IFP can be invaluable. Many smaller, low-budget productions do what Donofrio did: He signed on with the Filmmakers Resource, which makes them the titular production company in exchange for insurance coverage. "It's a legitimate way of doing things, and it saves money," says Donofrio. "They don't retain ownership, but they give you good rates [for the insurance]." There are other organizations that provide a similar form of fiscal sponsorship that take the burden of insurance off the indie production, and it's a key step to take before production is underway.
Site Specifics
When you consider whether to rent a sound stage for your production, other expenses have to be taken into account. "An art department is underestimated in that respect," says Donofrio. "You have to put up walls, bring in sets. You're paying the art department for an extra day of setup and for the set for an extra day." When to shoot on a set and when to seek out a location depends on many factors, from the content of the scenes (such as fantasy sequences, which might need a sound stage) to the budget.
Locations are often a more cost-effective solution for the low-budget film. Nearly every notable site has provisions for film/video shoots, from the Santa Monica Pier to the Los Angeles Arboretum. A spokesperson for the Los Angeles Department of Airports, for example, reports that although there are fees for shooting at LAX, the department tries to waive as much as possible for student films.
Calling in favors and using connections are the best bet for the low-budget filmmaker. For Food Chain, writer/co-producer Lisa Valerie Morgan used her personal connections to shoot at a gated home where Orson Welles had once lived. For another location, the Hotel Café in Hollywood, Donofrio says that he called hundreds of clubs around town until he found one that would work with them. Working on location requires close communication between the production and the site's owner. "We walked through the entire place, and he told us what not to touch," recalls Donofrio. "We made dozens of 'Don't Touch' signs and put them up, and I assigned PAs to make sure this was enforced."
Next month, we'll examine how to choose whether to shoot film or video, and how to choose a camera. BSW
If you have stories about a production you're involved in, please let us know, at signings@backstage.com.
Where to get a permit:
EIDC
7083 Hollywood Blvd., 5th floor
Hollywood, CA 90028
Tel: (323) 957-1000
Fax: (323) 463-0613
Permit fax: (323) 962-4966
www.eidc.com
The City of New York Mayor's Office of Film, Theatre, and Broadcasting
1697 Broadway, 6th floor (entrance on 53rd Street)
New York, NY 10019
Tel: (212) 489-6710
Downloadable forms at http://www.nyc.gov/html/film/ html/permits/permit_download.shtml
IFP
www.ifp.org
Chicago
33 East Congress Parkway, Room 505 Chicago, IL. 60605 Tel: (312) 435-1825 Fax: (312) 435-1828
Los Angeles
8750 Wilshire Boulevard, 2nd Floor Beverly Hills, CA 90211 Tel: (310) 432-1200 Fax: (310) 432-1203
Miami
210 2nd Street Miami, FL 33139 Tel: (305) 538-8242
Minneapolis
401 N. 3rd St., Ste. 450 Minneapolis, MN 55401 Tel: (612) 338-0871 Fax: (612) 338-4747
New York
104 West 29th Street, 12th Floor New York, NY 10001-5310 Tel: (212) 465-8200 Fax: (212) 465-8525
Seattle
1100 Republican St Seattle, WA 98109 Tel: (206) 860-8490