1. Film Location Contracts and Negotiations
Robert Parker
Historic Houses Technical Advisor

2. Case Study 1- March 2019!

3. What the Location Manager wants!
To make a film within a set time and budget
What the Historic House owner wants!
Money!
Protect property and chattels from damage
Raise profile to attract visitors

4. Essential questions to ask the Location Manager
What type of film eg documentary, drama, film, TV
Who has commissioned the production BBC, ITV, an independent, Amazon or Netflix
What rooms/ buildings and exteriors are they looking for.
How many vehicles?

6. Essential questions to ask the Location Manager
How many days filming/set up and strike
How many in the film crew inc actors

7. ……..other considerations
Electrical needs and lighting proposals
Type of props to be brought in and proposals for each room used.
Will furniture need to be moved and stored?
Are any gas lighting diffused methods to be used?
Will the production conflict with other commercial activity.?

8. …….yet more issues to raise
Location of Parking
Hours of working
Wet weather provision
Protection of chattels, or other features
Insurance
Contract and payment of location fees

9. The ‘ Film Fee’
How interested are you (and family) in your house being used as a film location! It may not all be about a maximum fee…….fun, the actors involved or raising profile!
Budgets
Location
Production eg use of your additional props and equipment
Employees time for work, or security
Accommodation and food
Location fee is not based upon an HH ‘scale’ but negotiation.

10. The ‘Contract’
It is essential to have a written contract for almost all filming.
Historic Houses has a ‘model film location contract’ approved by the BBC legal department.
Contract also advised for ‘Still photography’

11. Case Study 2 Spring 2019 Netflix (Marcella series)
Initial offer £45k for 90 days (only 30 days filming)
Final offer £130k but no filming or prep on weekends or wedding days (there are 37 of these days!)
30-35 days filming; days setup/strike; rest are Dormant with no one on site (circa £3400 per day filming and £1700 setup/strike)
This fee included our relocation fee and 1 employee on site
Included solicitors fees, extra insurance by us not living in house and tax implications

12. Case Study 3 Spring 2019
Rebecca, Netflix / Working Title production, budget around £20m
£4000k per shoot day, same price for interiors and exteriors. Roughly 8 filming days, half interior, half exterior.
5 prep days, two strike days and one ‘hold day’ (Sunday) at £2k each ie 50%
Shoot day 10 hours, plus 1 hour either side. Extra time is pro rata.
The location manager was very open, said that for larger houses they would go up to £7.5k, range £2k to 7.5k.
NB: Said that National Trust seems to charge more that HH houses!

13. Case Study 4 – June 2012 BBC ‘Flog It’ Initial offer £300 for 1 day
Final offer £ 500 for one day
Episode repeated at least once a year since

14. Summary
Take time to understand and agree all that the location manager requires and its impact on the historic setting.
Set the number of rooms and areas to be used and when
Don’t hurry negotiations and beware of ‘Reality’ shows!
Charge and agree all extra services provided (in writing).
Insist on a contract and payment in advance

15. ……and finally

16. Film & Photography Technical Guidance Note
Download from members section of Historic Houses website