Lessons In Failure: The Importance Of Setting Your Location For Success In Filmmaking
Recently, we completed two separate projects for two kitchen remodeling businesses. One of them was a massive success. The client was over the moon, and we were quite pleased with our accomplishment. The visuals had a certain aesthetic that was spot on, the lighting was moody, the sound design was on cue. We even received a recommendation for a new project from that client, which was fantastic! However, the new project didn't quite meet expectations. The client wasn’t necessarily dissatisfied, but since they were comparing it to the other work we completed. In the back of their heads, it left room for improvement. We thought so too. The ambient was too high, the lighting was flat everything lacked a bit of the quality we hoped to get out of our visual standards.
Here’s an interesting scenario where we allocated almost identical resources for both bodies of work. In fact, we invested more in the second one - additional lighting, extra crew – But we set ourselves up for failure, and in failure is where we really learn to improve.
Location is a big part of your battle.
While both projects were small-scale video ads for similar kitchen renovation businesses with limited resources and budgets, it was evident that location played a crucial role to the success and failure of the two.
Between the two kitchen renovation projects. The first one was a showroom in a studio space with high ceilings, dark walls, and large windows. It was a dream come true! We used it as a black box and brought in our own lights and didn’t have to worry about getting lights to where we needed them in or applying negative fill in fact most times, we were trying to bring in more lights to get more exposure. The second location had all the physical constraints that made it impossible to place and shape lights. It was against walls on extremely low ceilings, it had ugly florescent lights in the ceiling panels that illuminated the space. It had everything that we had to work hard to combat along with the limited time frame within business hours. We were fighting a downhill battle from the start.
The moral of the story, if you have the resources, go all out. But, if you're on a tight budget, concentrate on location and lighting. Forget about the high-end cameras and lenses and shooting on an ARRI or using Cooke lenses. None of that matters until you can get a proper frame and some light shaping going on. I know many of you who are just beginning often obsess over the equipment. You're always pursuing the newest and best, the stuff all your Youtube subscriptions and film-making heroes are talking about. Gear does matter. But with a great location, you can produce some incredible projects even when your budget is downhill.
So, what constitutes a good location for filmmaking?
Whether you're a producer, an aspiring director, cinematographer, gaffer, or production designer, I believe it's vital to understand how to identify an excellent location. Having this knowledge under your belt can significantly contribute to your project's success rate.
Firstly, you need to consider the textures of the location. Are the walls glossy or do they absorb light? Most of the time, you'd prefer the latter. White walls can be tricky unless you're going for a minimalist, high-fashion look. Even then, it's better to use off-whites and non-reflective materials. If not that’s a battle that you might want Art department to know ahead of time. Whether it’s going to be repainting the walls or adding set design such as wallpapers, and other witchcraft and miracles that art do. This will significantly simplify your lighting team's job and keep your visual style in your control.
Next, you should examine how easy it is to light and neg the location. Are there windows? If so, where are they situated? The size and position of the windows can significantly influence how your space will translate visually. Is there power in the space? How easy is it to get to it? Understanding principles of lighting, even as a producer, can help you foresee potential challenges and costs associated with a location that has poor lighting situations. You don’t want to be paying for extra lighting gear but you also don’t want to be missing anything during production either.
The dimensions of the space can also determine the success of your shot. Is the space large or small? Can you create depth? Can you rig lights in a way that they're hidden from the camera but still provide the shot size you need? Can you actors move around the space easily along with the camera? Is it a tall building with the bedrooms on the third floor? These are all crucial considerations because a lot of our work involves working around the location it’s always a horrible idea to make it your enemy.
Just do the location scout
Before production, a location scout is essential. You need to figure out where you want to shoot and what challenges you might encounter. Where is parking? Are there loud neighbors or schools, or flight paths above, many elements dictate a good location, and we can get creative with the work around. Professionals aim to find locations that work for the story and all the departments involved in creating the story. They're not looking for an enemy, they're looking to make the optimal decisions to focus on servicing the story. Not every location can be transformed into the perfect situation so it’s best to avoid or find alternatives but when you can't it's also great to know ahead of time of the difficulties.
As filmmakers, we're always aiming to create the best project possible and setting ourselves up for success. But it's also important to learn from our less fruitful projects. They can teach us how to enhance our skills and do better next time. So, don't be afraid to revisit your "failed" projects. They can provide valuable insights to make you better at your craft.
