Home : Blogs : Lisa Imbriani : Lisa's Blog

Movie shoot using your home creating added value!

I just wanted to share some interesting information with all of you regarding your own real estate.

Did you know when a home is used for film or television setting, the owners can reap the rewards, and you can too!

Just by renting out your house it can pay for your mortgage for a few years.

Keep in mind although the pay is substantial, this isn’t for everyone. Why you ask, well for starters when you consider you will have over a 100 person crew and lighting people knocking down everything you own, you will also lose what privacy you have. Oh and yes the neighborhood traffic, it’s just that traffic. It is an inconvenience for the neighbors.

This is something to think about.

For this reason production companies are willing to pay fees of $1000 to$15,000 per day depending on the budget of the film, length of time of shoot and the type of home being used.

There are more than the monetary perks associated to this.

Some is the necessary cleaning and the fix-ups. Film companies try to leave a home in the same condition as they found it if not better. The fix-ups are authorized of course with the home-owners permission and can include a new coat of paint to a total landscape overhaul.

And once your home is featured in a movie, who know's maybe a magazine ad will follow.

So while the flood of cars, cast and crew that come along with a shoot can be a temporary inconvenience to the neighborhood, a film can also be a financial boon for an entire community, as well as the state. Local businesses such as caterers, restaurants and hardware stores benefit from the influx of clientele and service needs--not to mention the number of residents employed by the entertainment industry who suddenly have work.

If you want to get a leg up on your competition, list your home with your local film commission as well as with location agencies. These agencies will aggressively promote your property, in exchange for a cut of 10% to 30% of the shooting fee.

Just think of the fun and allure of participating in the process of Hollywood as well as having some nice stories to share at your party, of course, not to mention the added value your home will gain once its been associated and featured in Movie,Commercial or a Magazine ad.

Posted by Lisa Imbriani on 09/20/2006 10:00 PM

Comments (14)

14 Comments on Movie shoot using your home creating added value!

SEP

2006

An associate recently had a listing where MTV filmed a promotion for the show Laguna Beach.

While that may be so for "big" movies, I've been involved with more than one location shoot and the pay was not terribly impressive and certainly would need to be tempered by the incredible inconvenience to the owners if they are currently living in the house. Movie shoots tend to be 12 hour days and if the home is the only location for the day, the owners are faced with lots of people traipsing through their space, dragging cables through, tapping into their electrical service, using their facilities and having cast and crew all over their home -- to say nothing about the craft service tables and all the food and debris.

I've been witness to it and accommodated it once in my own home. Never again!

Geri, I'm sorry to hear your horror story associated with renting your home. My thought of course would be, was this a ligit film production company? or was this some sort of a "B" budget film?

To me, its sounds like the latter. What was the name of the movie your house was feature in and what was the name of the film company? I would like to know as I have a friend that is a freelance writer for an entertainment magazine.

Thanks Geri,

Lisa

There is this man Matt Leffers, a San Francisco resident who opened his home up to the crew of Reese Witherspoon's Just Like Heaven, he was paid hansomely for his troubles, $2,500.00 per day! I guess some research on the filiming crew and obviously the quality of celebs associated with the film would have help in Geri's case.

However, I wouldn't not consider this a second time around!

Lisa, I did say if it was a major motion picture the monetary impact might be different. In the cases in which I've been involved, and I'm called by television shows, magazines and smaller budget film makers all the time, the inconvenience has far outweighed the benefits. To a person the owners of the homes used have said they'd not do it again.

Now if someone were to call them and say they were filming a scene with Brad Pitt and they needed their home, the answer might be different.

SEP

2006

Yes Geri, I agree with you on the lower budget companies. If I had less than good results the 1st time, I certainly wouldn't have done a 2nd go around, being that it is of the same caliber.

By the way, which television shows and magazines has your home been feautured in?

Lisa,

The President of Pacific Coast Mortgage's (Scottsdale) home in Scottsdale was used in Raising Arizona. (The chase scene).

I was there for a Christmas party in 1999 and we all ended up recreating that weird scene.

Just some useles information for you

SEP

2006

Thank you for sharing Brian! haaahaa

Great idea Lisa! Correct me if I am wrong, but I believe there is a television show currently filming in Avondale and a movie setting up production in the West Valley. This could be a great way for those with rental properties to realize income in a vacant property.

Wow Tracy I wasnt not aware of this. And yes for those people who do have some rentals out there might want to look into this and see what film production company is here in town.

Thank you Tracy