How To Make A Feature Film With No Money - Part 5: Hunting For Locations

It's pretty widely accepted that negotiations are a two way street; one party gives the other something in exchange for something else...

By Kate Talbot /

However on further investigation we realised that among our ever-increasing pool of team members we had a lot to offer. One man gladly welcomed us into his bar when he discovered we'd be bringing 100 extras with us (a captive audience of bored youths on a night that the bar would normally be closed seemed like an advantageous business deal to him). And this savvy business man was proven right when he sold out of all his beer two hours prior to wrap (making him a sweet little profit and costing us nothing). The owner was so delighted in the outcome that we've had a flurry of invites to return for filming anytime we please. We were able to convince a high profile apartment complex to jump on-board our bandwagon of pro bono supports, by signing a contract stating that we would donate the location fee to a charity of their choice should our film ever turn a profit. Our contact was able to convince the board of directors that this 'exciting opportunity' not only allowed them to support the arts, but to assist a charity as well. This would look pretty good on their monthly newsletter. And of course, if we ever make a profit on this film we will be delighted to support such a worthy cause. In both these cases we found a win-win solution for all involved, and it didn't have to cost us the earth or our souls. It just required a little creativity on our part (and a significant amount of organisation). The trick was, quite simply, to ask. While it's easy to be weighted down by the fear ('there is no way THAT place will say yes' or 'they'll definitely want money so there's no point is asking') you'll be surprised at the response you get. You have nothing to lose except a little dignity and the cost of a phone call. Interestingly we received far more yes's than no's - there are over 30 locations in this little big film. But of course there were times that no matter how hard we begged, we were rejected from everywhere and our prospects looked grim. It was in these times that we dug even deeper creatively and returned to the non-script to rethink our moves. Thankfully David is an open-minded and flexible director who not only accepts location restrictions but embraces them for the creative potential they offer. So when it became abundantly clear that finding a brothel to shoot in would require us to 'pay by the hour', he was open to anything and everything that the team could throw at him. This is how the lovely Cate Commisso ended up on the roof top of the Richmond Ikea car-park, in nothing more than her underwear on a chilly December night. We turned our 'high-class' brothel scene into an 'in the back of my car' scene and it works. The restrictions of the physical space really compound the experience for the lead character (a man unable to touch). Fortuitously, the location limitations led us to a far more dynamic and fitting (narratively speaking) solution. We were also tested on how far we could push a single location. With limited resources at our fingertips (and our friends and family becoming increasingly frustrated at our mass 'call to action' emails) we discovered that it's possible to maximise a location's use by shooting from different angles and at different times of day. In one case we turned up to shoot one small scene and ended up staying for six. (I think Ms Jones is still regretting letting us in the door). All it takes is a quick rearrangement of the furniture and you can go from a abandoned house to a psychiatrist's office in a matter of minutes. But the biggest tip I can offer to any budding location scout is to think beyond the 'norm' (a suggestion our SAE volunteers and I wish we'd been told before spending a month trekking around the CBD bar district). If you're looking for a nightclub DON'T go to the city. Sure, many of the inner-city bars look amazing. That's why all the major networks film in them. And for a hefty fee (one place quoted us $1000 an hour, "mates rates", because that's what they get from the Australian TV show RUSH). Venture beyond the city to the quieter, funkier bars (I'm talking 5km and beyond people). There you're more likely to find places that are closed on Monday and Tuesday and are happy to accommodate an organised and friendly film team. Also don't write yourself into a specific location. The flexible bird gets the worm so to speak. If you find a fantastic location but have absolutely no use for it, think again. Do you really need to shut down a whole bowling alley in order to achieve that awkward first date vibe? Or could you take up your local video store's offer and film among the old VHS tapes (we did and it looks great on camera, although admittedly it was tricky to film). Join us back here in a matter of days when David explains what was so horrible that he would wake screaming in the night, in the soon-to-be-released episode of The Un-Movie Experience (also known as - Auditions: The Silent Killer). Just in case you missed Part 4 you can read it here. And find out all of the latest info on Bound By Blue on our Facebook page!

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