Filming Locations for Rent in Miami, FL

If you’re not in the film industry, you might be thinking that choosing the right filming location is quite fast and easy. But you couldn’t be more wrong! Not only is this process time-consuming, it’s also extremely important for the movie’s success. An ideal location sets the tone, expresses the mood, and complements the plot!  To help you out, we’ve put together a short guide where we’ve included things you should keep in mind when looking for a place to shoot your upcoming creative project. So without further ado, give it a read, get inspired, and find the ONE within seconds!

Guide to renting a filming location:

• Know the script. Without knowing your script by heart you won’t be able to find a great location for your filming project! So when reading the script, immerse yourself in the story and try to envision it all in your mind. Think of every detail you’d like to see on the screen: the mood, lighting, colors, etc. What’s more, the location has to match the storyline to help you tell the story better. So think carefully about what would make you happy and filter out all the locations that might not fit well as a backdrop to your project.

• Interior locations. If your project requires filming in the open air, you can skip this point. But if it’s the other way around, please pay attention! First things first, the space can’t be too small, so make sure you have adequate room to shoot the scenes. Shooting in a tiny space can actually be a nightmare as there’s no place to set up your equipment properly and the crew won’t be able to work efficiently without getting in each other’s way. The unnecessary chaos can simply result in needless mistakes (which means, many retakes) and miscommunication.

• Exterior locations. Outdoor shots can be magical, but they do come with their own difficulties. When scouting for a location, have your eyes and ears open! You may think you’ve found the perfect spot until you hear the roar of planes and it turns out there’s a flight path of an airport above the space you like! And even if you don’t hear it, the microphones do. It’s also incredibly important to scout the location during the same time of day that you plan to shoot. Why? The place might have looked great in the evening when you were scouting but what if you start shooting in the morning and it turns out the sun is backlighting your shots? Not cool, right? And finally, keep in mind that there should be convenient facilities nearby so that the cast and crew don’t have to look far for restrooms or changing rooms.

• Permits. It’s very likely you’ll need them when filming out in public. But don’t worry, acquiring permits is not as scary as it sounds. Once you’ve obtained a permit, you will feel much more secure on the set and, thanks to notifying local law enforcement officials, you will avoid any scary misunderstandings. When it comes to filming permits in Miami, they are required throughout Miami-Dade County and each of its municipalities for all kinds of shoots conducted on public property.

• Authenticity. There are a few things that can ruin the illusion of your film more than a location that is not authentic enough. Can you imagine shooting a hospital scene in an apartment? We can tell you straight away: no one is going to buy it. If you can’t find a suitable place, think of making small changes to the script so that your scene looks credible but doesn’t make the whole plot nonsensical. We understand that you may not wish to compromise your vision, but trust us: it might be the best solution.

• Have a schedule. Have the shooting period mapped out and planned (although some changes might happen throughout the shooting) as it will come in handy when you determine your rental period. It will simply help you work out whether you can afford the location of your choice for such an amount of time. And don’t forget your crew! Once you have the dates set and the schedule is ready, send all of the details to everyone involved in the project so that they can mark it in their calendars as well.

Picking the right filming location can be a complicated process, so we hope that the above guide will help you at least a bit with this task. But in short: plan and budget everything correctly as soon as possible (ideally, in the pre-production process), and when the script is approved, start researching the location and filing for permits. If we can suggest one more thing, make the best use of your resources. If it’s necessary, be ready to compromise and improvise. We’re certain your artistic vision will knock everyone out!