Location Scouting
The process of finding and evaluating real-world locations for use as filming sites in a production.
Definition
Location scouting is the pre-production process of identifying, evaluating, and selecting real-world settings where a film or television production will shoot. Location scouts and managers visit potential sites, photograph them from multiple angles, assess practical considerations like power access and parking, and present options to the director and production designer.
Beyond aesthetics, location scouting involves negotiating with property owners, obtaining filming permits, assessing noise levels, evaluating natural lighting conditions, and ensuring the location can accommodate the production's technical requirements.
Why It Matters
The right location can define a film's visual identity and save significant budget. Shooting in real locations often provides authenticity and production value that would be prohibitively expensive to recreate on a soundstage.
Poor location choices, conversely, can derail a production with noise problems, inadequate space, permit issues, or visual mismatches. Thorough scouting prevents costly surprises during principal photography when the entire crew is on the clock.
Examples in Practice
A location scout finds an abandoned factory that perfectly matches the production designer's vision, saving the production $500,000 in set construction costs.
A TV series scouts six different cities before selecting one that offers the right architecture, film-friendly regulations, and tax incentives — a decision that saves $2 million per season.
A location manager identifies that a seemingly ideal beachfront location is under a commercial flight path, redirecting the search before the entire crew discovers the problem on day one.