Is UKFilmLocation.com a new company?

No, Our agency was formed in 2008 and has contracted hundreds of shoots that include: fashion shoots, music videos, TV dramas, major films, outside broadcasts, brand films, short films, and content for the internet. A small snapshot of companies that we've secured location shoots for is available to view from our Home Page.

Is there a charge for searching the library or making an enquiry?

No. Searching the library and sending an enquiry are free. You only pay once a booking is agreed, and the quote sets out the hire fee and any booking fee separately.

What will a location cost?

Every location is quoted individually, and there is no standard price list. What the shoot involves counts as much as the property itself: a stills shoot with four people is not the same booking as a drama unit with forty. Tell us the brief and the budget you are working to, and we will tell you straight away what is realistic.

Is there a booking fee?

Yes, and the hirer pays it. It is a flat fee rather than a percentage of the hire rate, and the quote sets it out separately from the hire fee before you commit to anything.

How quickly will we get location options?

Usually the same day, and often within a couple of hours. How long it takes depends on how specific the brief is.

How long is a booking, and what counts as a day?

There is no minimum number of hours. Most bookings are a half day of five hours, a full day of up to twelve hours, or several consecutive days. If a shoot is likely to run longer than the hours booked, that is agreed with the owner in advance and reflected in the quote.

Can we see the location before we book?

Yes. Recces are free of charge, and the owner hosts the visit.

What insurance do you need from us?

Public liability cover of at least £2 million. Most locations ask for £5 million, and some require £10 million. We will tell you which applies to a property before you commit to it.

What happens if we have to cancel?

If you cancel more than seven days before the hire date, the owner will, where possible, offer you a new date within 45 days. Cancellations within seven days of the hire date are subject to a 50% charge. If the owner has to cancel because the property has suffered damage or another serious event, and can evidence it, you receive a full refund. The contract sets out the full terms.

Do you arrange permits, parking or a unit base?

No, those arrangements are made by the production. We look after the location itself: the owner relationship, the contract, access and the hire fee.

Common Owner Misconceptions

1. Decoration will be required

Decoration may be requested but this is by no means the norm. Clients are looking to use properties that meet their vision as closely as possible, and often this means that they don't need to make significant changes.

2. Shoots are all very large and stressful.

The reality is that shoots vary in size, length and budget. A shoot can generally be as easy or hard as the owner wants to make it. If owners aren't comfortable with hosting large shoots then we simply don't give them large shoot opportunities. Conversely, if owners want large shoots then we will provide guidance as to what that actually involves, and support the owner through their first experience. We often recommend that owners start with smaller shoots and build up as they get to understand whats going to be involved. Larger shoots pay more money but are more involved.

What Are The Benefits Of Registering Your Location With UKFilmLocation.com?

Firstly, our agency is smaller than some of the mega agencies. This has advantages to owners in respect that our locations can be used more often and don't get lost in a mass of similar offerings found on other sites. Owners who register with our locations library also benefit from us having a broad local and international coverage, a clientele which includes some of the best known international brands. Our ethos of always having developed contracts to ensure that there is mutual accountability and surety that any shoot contracted through our agency is carried through on agreed terms, has been mimicked by other companies, but is something we've been doing since our inception in 2008.

Do I Need To Have A Show House To Attract Filming Revenues?

Absolutely not. I was asked this question many times, including on BBC radio. The answer is always the same... any property can be a location for filming. That said, we often see that the properties that are different in some way - luxurious, in disrepair, contemporary builds, distinctive period architectures, ex-council stock etc, all make for highly desirable locations.

I Have A Warehouse. Is this Any Good?

Absolutely. Warehouses and former industrial buildings, indeed any building that had a previous industrial, civic or commercial use all attract shoots with our clientelle. Indeed, we even hire out sites scheduled for demolition or building sites with buildings in progress. Unmodified and dated properties are of particular interest too.

Library Reference Numbers Explained

Here at UKFilmLocation.com our team of location managers like to make things as easy as possible! To help us all quickly determine whether a location is in the right general area we created a library structure that enables us to quickly identify where locations are within the UK, and if outside the UK, which country they are located in. For the UK, the database references are:

• LON - Inside M25
• SE - Counties around the M25 (excludes Cambridgeshire which is technically in East Anglia!)
• EA - East Anglia
• Midlands is split
  • WM (West Midlands)
  • EM (East Midlands)
• North of England is split (from Yorkshire up to Scottish border)
  • NW (North West)
  • NE (North East)
  • N - These are usually in the north west and are historic records
• S - Scotland
• W - Wales
• NI - Northern Ireland

We also represent locations outside the UK, currently in Austria, Bahamas, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cayman Islands, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, France, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Morocco, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and United States. Use the country filter on the search page to find them.

Training & Support For New Owners

Most of our database comprise of owners who had never had filming at their property before. No drama's here though as we support owners through every stage of securing a film shoot, and most importantly, following up to assist in clearing up any situations after the shoot. Boiled down, to be selected for a shoot usually involves a recce to determine suitability of the location, a negotiation (we undertake this element), and the shoot itself. The recce and shoot are both supported by our owner but with our guidance to ensure that these are as stress free as possible.

Location Rates

Hire rates for locations are negotiated with our owners and are typically based on a series of key metrics. These include: what the location will be used for (music video, commercial, stills etc), number of cast/crew, hours of access required/times, and budget for the shoot. In some cases our locations have a rate card, and in these cases rates may not be negotiable.