Atlanta and surrounding areas have become the darlings of Hollywood. We are now the number one filming location in the world for movies! And you have undoubtedly seen Atlanta taking a starring role in many television shows and movies. It all started with the Georgia tax credits for filming, and then seemed to snowball as production companies learned how much else our state has to offer, like temperate weather for much of the year. Also, a ready, willing and skilled workforce. A wide variety of different environments, cities, housing stock and “looks”. And voila, before you could say “there’s no business like show business”, our city became a star!
More and more movies and television shows are being filmed in Atlanta. Could your HOME be the next STAR?
With so much Hollywood going on here in Gollywood (Georgia), chances are that if your home hasn’t had a starring role in a movie or television production, your neighbors home HAS. Why not your home, and what does it take to get your home considered as the next movie set?
The first step is to be sure that you want to do this. It sounds very sexy and amazing and all, but consider the downside before you decide to allow Hollywood into your home. First, film crews have lots of heavy equipment and that equipment and accompanying crew will be traipsing through your property without your supervision (since generally the agreement will be that you stay away from the home while the filming is taking place). The price of stardom, as it were. Is this something you are willing to put up with?
Is your family willing to move out while filming takes place? Different productions pay differently, and while it is true that it can be more than worth your while, some productions will barely cover your costs of making the home available and moving into a hotel or other rental property for the duration of the shoot. And keep in mind that delays in filming are common. Damage can happen. Are these risks you are willing to take?
It is important to keep in mind that terms are negotiable. If you are interested in having your home used as a “set” and a production company is interested in YOUR property, you can negotiate the terms. Of course, if you have unrealistic expectations you are unlikely to get any Hollywood types to agree and you risk the “gatekeepers” writing you off as unrealistic and not putting forth your home for consideration in the future.
But before we get to negotiating the terms, we must get interest in your home. Exactly what makes a home Hollywood worthy? Typically location managers will be looking for very specific things. For instance, for a recent shoot the producers were looking for a 1970s style home very close to a similar home right next door that would also allow shooting to take place. It was the need for two homes beside one another that eliminated many homes from consideration, since even if YOU are willing to make the sacrifices required, many times your neighbor may not agree. Perhaps the location manager needs an Italianate Palace and you own a small ranch. So just like HUMAN stardom, home stardom carries a large element of luck and of being in the right place at the right time.
But you will not know if your home is right for a particular role if it is never called to the “audition”. Sometimes the audition comes to you in the form of a location scout. Particularly if you have a unique home, you may get a flyer in your mailbox asking if you are interested in your home being considered for a particular use. The flyer will state the working name of the production and what they are looking for. If you agree to be considered, the location manager sends a photographer (or takes the photographs him or herself) and will submit them to the producer for consideration. This is the functional equivalent of being “discovered” at the Hollywood soda shop and just about as likely. So you might consider proactively seeking consideration.
One place to start is the official Georgia Film Commission website, where you can submit pictures of your home for inclusion in their database. http://www.georgia.org/industries/entertainment/georgia-film-tv-production. Note that the property you submit does not have to be a home – it can be a business or other property. Once you upload to the database, it will be available to a wide range of producers and companies for consideration.
There are also “home casting specialists” in Atlanta who will handle the process for you. They can oftentimes negotiate a greater deal for you than you can do on your own because a good specialist will know the industry, the players, and what can be negotiated. One great specialist in Buckhead is Taryn Bowman, and her website is http://www.castmyhome.com. Taryn told me of a recent experience: “I received a call from a neighbor who had a movie production company show interest in her home. She immediately called me to work out the deal. I told her to let them say a price first and that I would take it from there. They quoted her $10,000 for a set-up day, a shoot day, and a wrap day. Then I had the homeowner step out of the equation, and I worked directly with the company, 20th Century Fox, to negotiate much better terms for her. I got her $20,000 and a night in a suite at the Ritz plus per diem.” Taryn does not charge the homeowner – she negotiates a fee for her services from the production company.
Perhaps instead of presenting your home as a place to film, you want to rent out a property for cast or crew housing. To do this you can list your home for rent with us (or one of our team members) on the multiple listing service, thereby opening up your property to a wider range of executives and professionals in addition to the entertainment industry. We list rentals that are offered on a yearly basis (rather than month to month). While we do not market properties to casting directors, we are always here as your property advisors when you want to buy, sell, or lease your home! If you will forgive the pun, you are “star” of our show and we appreciate your business and your referrals!
Atlanta Real Estate Wisdom 