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Location Hire

Owning a period house is a pleasure, and a privilege, but it can also be expensive. What thousands of Listed Property owners fail to realise is that it can also be rather lucrative.

The 1990s saw a rise in the making of British Costume dramas, which has been sustained until now. Who can forget Darcy leaping out of that lake? This year alone has seen huge big budget productions such as ‘Becoming Jane’, ‘Amazing Grace’, in addition to the recent BBC Jane Austen season and many, many more screen adaptations being made as you read this. Period-set films simply do not seem to be losing popularity. And because of the astronomical costs involved in filming in studios, practically everything is shot on location.

A couple of months ago The Treasury announced tax relief schemes of up to 20% for films shot in the UK to strengthen growth in an already booming film/media industry. Location Managers, Art Directors and Producers roam the country looking for the ideal house to shoot their next picture.

If you have ever considered gaining income from your period property, now is the time.

There are many misapprehensions when dealing with the issue of filming in listed buildings. Arguably, the most common of these is when the owners do not believe their property is ‘grand’ enough to benefit from film/photo shoots. What people fail to realise is that location scouts aren’t always looking for the palatial stately home. Yes, these buildings feature prominently in films, but so do farm houses, cottages, old rectories, modest town houses etc. As for interiors, the ‘shabby chic’ look is very sought after nowadays. Look in any fashion magazine and I can assure you at least one photo shoot will have taken place in a period property, usually in a rather dilapidated state.

The other issue that always comes up is fear that hiring the property out will have devastating consequences for the building. Of course there are risks involved but they are far smaller than people tend to believe. The best advice for anyone dealing with a film crew is to be vigilant, rigorously strict and be involved at every stage of the process, from the initial recce to the dismantling of the set. This can take time and energy, but I can assure you that you will be compensated by the size of your pay-cheque.

Never allow access to your property unless you’re 100% satisfied with the money you will be receiving. Income from commercial activity can vary from a couple of hundred pounds for using your dining room for a corporate meeting to tens of thousands for a film shoot. By far the easiest route to quick, substantial income is by landing a feature film shoot which can pay up well over £5,000 a day. The good thing about these film crews is that is that there is a no nonsense approach when it comes to payment/invoicing /contractual matters/insurance etc. Unless you are dealing with a small independent student production (at your peril!), production companies have the means and the organisational capabilities to hastily undo any wrongdoings!

And whatever the event, the company will have public liability insurance of anything from £2m – £10m, depending on the nature of the activity.

So what properties are really suitable? Film production companies may be interested in anything from classic drawing rooms and staircases to rarer survivals such as period kitchens and stables and even architectural quirks such as ice houses. For filming, rooms should be 16ft x 12ft minimum to accommodate a film crew plus equipment. Adequate parking for film vehicles nearby is also important. (The production company will negotiate parking permissions with the local council where necessary). Quieter locations are preferred for filming as intrusive aircraft, traffic or rail noise can make sound recording difficult. Although properties within 100 miles of London are the most sought after, a film crew will cross the country if the property is right…

Of course, lucrative as it is, filming is only one of many ways in which a period property can generate income. Photo shoots can pay over £2,000 a day and are much less intrusive.  Then you have product launches, parties, weddings, corporate meetings, company away days. Unlike film shoots, with the right contacts, this can be a very sustainable, if slightly less profitable, source of income. The one vital tip I would give is to make 100% sure whoever is doing the catering is familiar with procedures in historic buildings. The other tip is not to allow drinking unless there is food involved. If you think filming is dangerous to historic buildings, a drunk on an empty stomach is much worse!

Once you have made the decision to open your doors you will need to ‘get on the map’.  The most cost-effective way to make yourself known is by registering with an agency that already has those contacts and will actively promote your property to Location Managers and do all the administration on your behalf. Governmental bodies such as local film offices and councils can be quite helpful in offering advice and support but their efforts will inevitably be more passive than a commercial agency. And at the end of the day, the agent will act on the owner’s behalf. Nothing happens without the owner’s permission.

Georgian Locations is an agency specialising in period venues for all types of event, from filming and photo shoots to private parties, interviews and corporate meetings. A percentage of booking fees goes direct to The Georgian Group, the national charity for the preservation of Georgian buildings, to help its work in safeguarding our architectural heritage. The agency takes 12.5% of all bookings done through them. There is no separate charge to the owner.  Georgian Locations is working in association with the Listed Property Owners Club to promote listed buildings to the commercial sector.

All you need to do is take excellent pictures. Effectively, you are selling your house so get the best shots possible. Cover a range of angles. Take photographs in daylight. Film companies are usually more interested in the quality of the space than in the contents and furnishings, so if you are mainly interested in hiring out your property for filming do not worry about dressing the room. (Feel free to do so if you are pitching for other events such as dinner parties, but make sure the ‘look’ is a realistic and accurate one). Remove especially valuable objects from shot if possible, as a security precaution.

Hiring out a property for commercial activity, be it filming, parties, meetings etc can be a very effective way to contribute towards costs of maintaining your listed home. If interested, please get in touch, and we will help.

E-mail: kelly@lpoc.co.uk