How To Rent Your Home As A Film Location

Your home could not only be the perfect location for creatives to bring their artistic visions to life but also for you to earn anything up to €4000 per day of production rental!

Register your home as a film location to benefit from a lucrative stream of passive income any time it’s rented. You’d also have the opportunity to show your home off on the big screen or in a trendy fashion editorial. And If you happen to be interested in the creative industry, renting can open the door for some valuable networking opportunities.

This guide will cover everything you need to know about renting your home as a film location. Welcome to your new side hustle that fits your lifestyle.

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Let’s get a few questions out of the way first!

Is my space suitable?

Of course! Since no two productions are the same, creatives are always looking for different spaces to bring their artistic visions to life. This is why you won’t see any particular requirements on the size, look or type of space that can be listed across rental platforms.

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We believe that no home is too “ordinary” to rent out as a location. An “ordinary” home would make the perfect set for brands wishing to shoot content which is authentic and relatable to their audience. You don’t need to be in a big city for this to pay off either. Brands will often travel a considerable distance to shoot at a space that fits their brief. 

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And it’s not just your home that you can rent out. Hosts have listed all sorts of unique spaces. From fully equipped film studios to grand castle grounds.

Who will rent my space?

Types of location renters can vary significantly based on their projects. For movie scenes, expect professional filmmaking crews with lots of gear. But for a photography project, things tend to be on a smaller scale with only a few freelance photographers and crew.

Always make sure to ask potential renters important information like the purpose of their shoot, amount of crew members and the equipment they will be using before acceptance. This will help to avoid any surprises on the day.

Seek Permission

In most cases, you will not need to seek permission to rent out your home as a film location, but there are a few exceptions:

You are not the legal owner

If you do not own the property and are renting, reach out to the landlord before listing your space to ask permission. Certain landlords may not feel comfortable with productions happening inside their property for various reasons. However, with those who are, you may be able to come to an agreement with them to split the revenue so both parties benefit. 

Be as transparent as possible to avoid any misunderstandings or angry landlords, we don’t want you getting in any trouble or losing your deposit!

You live in a block of apartments

If you live in an apartment block, then there is a possibility that the management company does not allow filming, or has certain restrictions in place to protect you and your neighbours. Be sure to reach out to them and check ahead of time. The involvement of a management company could add another layer of charges on top of the location fee for the renters.

If you do own your property, we’d recommend just making sure any partners or roommates are cool with the idea of renting your home as a film location.‍

Sign a location release form

Regardless if you are shooting food content or a music video it is a legal requirement to obtain the property owner's permission. That’s where the release form comes in. A location release form permits the filmmaker or photographer to show the location on screen and must be signed by the property owner. Releasing content from a location without permission could lead to a scary lawsuit. If you are renting, make sure your landlord signs this document before shooting.‍

If you have any doubts at all, hit us up; we’d be happy to help.

Take some photos

Now that you have permission. It’s time to take some photos of your space!

Having high-quality professional-looking photos is one of the best ways to make your space stand out among the rest. Be sure to capture multiple angles of each available room to give potential renters an understanding of what the space is and how they could use it. 

Think about why a creative would pick your space. Does it have any unique features or a particular aesthetic? Take photos that show these off. Something about your space must appeal to the filmmaker to make it an ideal backdrop for their shoot. 

The more high-quality photos you can show of your space the better. This will help to capture the imagination of the artist and will help them gauge the logistics of a shoot such as lighting and placement of equipment. And could even help to avoid the inevitable request for “more photos”.

It is important to accurately represent the size and proportions of your space through the photos. Avoid shooting with a fish eye lens or anything that would skew the proportions. Nobody likes a catfish!

Don’t underestimate the power of a set designer in this photo-taking process, they can help transform your space so it stands out both visually and commercially. 

“Not hiring a set designer to style and prepare the set to be photographed is like not hiring a chef to cook the food and wanting for the waiter to just serve the raw ingredients.” - Magdalena Lindstedt

Once you’ve had a few bookings consider asking the photographers for some photos of the space in action. This would help build your credibility on the platform and allow potential renters to see what your space is capable of! 

Need photos taken of your space before listing? Check out our photographers here.

‍List your space

Now it’s time to list your space! This is your opportunity to really show what it is made of. Check out Beazy to see how other homes set up their listings. Popular spaces often have unique features, and professional-looking photos whilst also being flexible for renters.

In just a few clicks you can have your space up and running. Simply select the category of your space, and start writing a description. Be as descriptive as possible here by including all important features and aspects of your space. Point to the benefits of shooting and why you believe production should take place. ‍

Think of this description as a general overview. Mention important details such as which rooms you have available, what they would be suitable for and hours of natural sunlight coming into the space etc.

With the description out of the way, it’s time to get more specific. Below is a list of all the required details you must include:

• Space type

• Height (in m)

• Available equipment

• Cancellation policy

• Surface (in m2)

• Max # of people

• Space Amenities

Be as accurate as possible with these details as they are all things creatives will need to take into consideration before the shoot.

To guarantee users can find the perfect location for their next shoot, they can often narrow down their searches using a range of filters, allowing them to specify exactly what they want for their project. Make sure you include all specifics of your space so nobody misses you!

Read more on what creatives consider when they are trying to find the perfect location.

Pricing your space

We suggest comparing your space to other listings to get an idea of what yours could be worth. Consider their hourly rates, similarities and any unique features your space has. Once you’ve done the research, then price accordingly to stay competitive.‍

Monthly earnings vary from space to space. This is dependent on various factors such as the uniqueness of your space, its features, appearance and your fixed hourly rate. You could earn anything from €80 to over €4000 per day.

Another variable is the productions themselves. Booking times vary dependent on the nature of a shoot and the budget. Productions can run anywhere from an hour to multiple days. As a general rule, larger shoots are going to pay more and smaller photography projects would pay less.

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Communication

Hosting a production can be an invasive process so excellent communication is the KEY to keeping everyone involved happy.‍

Once you receive a rental request, start the communication process right away. Ask potential renters for the important details of the shoot before you accept. Find out information like the purpose of their shoot, amount of crew members and the equipment they will be using prior to acceptance. This will help to avoid any surprises on the day and help you get to know who will be using your space. It’s in your best interest to know what's going on.

When setting rules for your space, be open and honest about what you will allow renters to do. Set rules about the crew capacity, moveable furniture and room restrictions. Setting such rules can manage expectations and mitigate any risk to you and your space. Your space, your rules.

The more bookings you take, the more you will learn about the process.

Neighbours

One of the reasons renting your home as a film location pays so well is that it can be disruptive to home life.

So, Don’t forget the neighbours! Make sure to respect them and their privacy at all times. Do your best to keep them informed and up to date with any significant goings on. Consider going the extra mile and provide them with your contact number. This will help to avoid any complaints or worse, a parking dispute. Getting on the wrong side of a neighbour could make the process more challenging for everyone.‍

We want to reiterate that excellent communication is the KEY to keeping everyone involved happy!

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Insurance 

Last, but certainly not least is insurance. We know this may not be the most exciting topic but we’ll make it quick!

We strongly recommend that you purchase an insurance policy before renting your space out for production. This will cover any damages that could occur to your space/ furniture throughout the rental. It’s unlikely but worth being covered… just in case. 

As per the production industry standard, any crew that rents your space should leave it exactly how they arrived. However, accidents can happen so make sure that renters are covered by their own liability insurance to cover any mishaps.

For location rentals, we recommend taking out:

• Commercial General Liability insurance (CGL)

• Errors and Omissions insurance (E&O)

When shopping for insurance, think about the job and all the risks related. Some insurance could be recommended in some countries or even mandatory. So get yourself up to speed with the rules of the place you live. 

For more info, check out our Insurance Guide for Creative Freelancers.

‍Start accepting bookings now and begin reaching your financial goals! We can’t wait to see your amazing spaces featured in everything from lifestyle photoshoots to epic movie scenes. You may even make some friends along the way too. ‍

So what are you waiting for? List your space HERE.