Cape Town is known as a hotspot for local and international film companies who come to shoot TV commercials, films, photo shoots, series, feature films and more.
In various films, viewers also get to see the backdrops of outdoor and indoor venues, the ocean, mountain and among some locations are often the homes of local families on the Cape Flats or the high end expensive large homes in Camps Bay.
Either way, location scouts have a vast pallet of options to choose from when filming in Cape Town.
Gambit Films CEO and executive producer Bradley Joshua spoke about what goes into a perfect location selection and the price tags attached to the various options.
“There is no set price, it really depends on your budget. Back in the day we used to do short films where we had no money and then had to ask people if we can offer a gratuity of some sort,” Joshua said.
“When you have a certain budget, you might even take the residents(home owners) of the location, out of their home. Once we took a family out of Lavender Hill and put them in Marina Da Gama for two-weeks while we used their house."
“If the guy is willing to accept R5 000 a day, then cool, but the home owner might add a request to fix something in the home as compensation.
“On the Cape Flats its less formalised because you never know which locations work. You might go into an area looking for a more dated house and then in another you look for a modern home,” Joshua said.
“We have people on our teams who are location managers. They read the script and find the locations to accompany the story.
“In Blood and Water, we used two houses, one in Llandudno and one in Cape Town and these homes are used for various purposes and the owners don't live in these houses, they make a business of the house.”
“In three seasons of ‘Blood and Water’, we used one house based in Monte Vista and we started with 5k a day, but the other thing is, its also dependent on how many days, sometimes you will use it 20 out of 60 days and the daily rate would be different.”
Brandon Eckardt, a location scout and filmmaker, said the storyline is key to deciding which backdrop is needed for the film.
“The storyline will tell you what house you need to find for the story, I then do a video walk through the house and then take it back to the director to see if the location is fit.
“We recently used a set of flats in Ottery for a film we were working on and this specific set worked best as it ties in with the synopsis of the film. In our case, we have people who assist us with allowing us to use their homes, friends or family or fellow film colleagues.
“Technician scouts also need place to store their equipment and there are other set ups that must also happen.”
If you’re keen to have your house used in a film and earn a quick buck then you’ve got to start by getting registered with a location agent, but is it as easy at is sounds?
Observatory home owner Gino Solomons hired out his home for filming.
“I've had great and bad experiences.” He shared some do’s and don’t’s:
1. Initial Contact and Visit: Arrange a visit with potential filmmakers to assess your home's suitability.
2.Clear Communication: Clearly outline the areas of your home available for filming, including the yard.
3. Written Agreement: Ensure a written agreement is in place before filming commences, covering all terms and conditions.
4. Upfront Payment: Require a substantial upfront payment (e.g., 75%) to secure the booking.
5. Pricing: Establish a clear hourly rate (e.g., R1000/hour) and location (Observatory).
6. Flexibility: Be open to reasonable adjustments in filming hours without additional costs.
7. Utilities: Inform filmmakers about your electricity supply and any potential limitations.
8. On-Set Amenities: Request filmmakers to provide their equipment (eg: fridge, kettle, microwave).
9.Privacy: Secure unused areas of your home to protect personal belongings.
10. Furniture and Set Design: Discuss the desired state of your home during filming (e.g., furnished or cleared).
11. Additional Costs: If necessary, outline any extra charges for furniture removal or set design.
12. Have clear parking arrangements with your neighbours: you don’t want to disregard your neighbours with an amount of cars parked in front of their homes. The crew needs to know where to park.
13. The film company need to know that any injuries that takes place on your property, will not be covered by you.
14. Consider adding a section highlighting the unique features of your home that might appeal to filmmakers, such as architectural style, natural light, or location.
Founder of Amazing Spaces, Julia Finnis-Bedford adds: “The fashion industry has four seasons, and so the requests are always shifting, which is why there is a constant need for quality locations that are well-managed for shoots.
“We are always adding new properties to our portfolio so that clients who shoot in Cape Town always have new locations to choose from.
“Listing your house as a film location can be profitable. Depending on the size of the house and its wow factor, daily rates can range anywhere from R10 000 to R60 000 per day.”
Weekend Argus