Lights, Camera, Profit! How to Make Money Offering Your Home as a TV or Film Location

Nick Making Money 11 Comments

Today I’m discussing an opportunity with the potential to generate a lot of money for little effort. As you will gather, that is allowing your home to be used as a location for film, TV or still photography.

Of course, this opportunity won’t be suitable for everyone. You need to live somewhere with characteristics or features that might be in demand by a production company. But, as I’ll be explaining, you definitely don’t need to live in a stately home. A huge range of properties is required, so wherever you live there’s a chance it could be the perfect location for an upcoming project.

I’ll put my cards on the table and admit that I haven’t any direct experience of doing this myself. Some friends who live in a perfectly normal suburban semi did, though. Their house was chosen for filming a toilet roll commercial. As well as a generous fee for two days’ filming, they received several large boxes of premium toilet rolls for their trouble!

What Homes Are Required?

All sorts of properties may be of interest, although those meeting the following criteria are in most demand…

• Good accessibility and parking – film-makers in particular may have trucks and lorries that need to be parked near-by.
• Large rooms and through lounges – around a dozen crew members plus their equipment are likely to be in the house at any time, so there must be enough space for them as well as the actors.
• Unusual features – traditional stone fireplaces, spiral staircases, farmhouse-style kitchens, extra-large bathrooms, and so on.
• Not too many narrow stairs and hallways, and not too close to main roads, busy railway lines or aircraft flight-paths.
• Homes with a particular “look” – a typical English country cottage, for example, or a 1970s-style bachelor pad!
• In addition, homes within the M25 are likely to generate more interest, as most production companies are based in and around London.

Earnings can range from a few hundred pounds for an ordinary house or flat, up to £5,000 or more for an unusual (e.g. ultra-modern/architect-designed) home. Other things being equal, film-makers tend to pay better than TV companies.

As mentioned above, there is also a demand for properties for still photography (typically featuring the latest designs or fashions). For this type of opportunity, it helps to have a larger house, ideally with attractive gardens as well.

How to Apply

The Location Partnership is one agency that is always keen to hear from people willing to offer their homes for filming. It is free to register with them, and all they ask initially is that you take some photos of your property (interior and exterior) and send them with a completed registration form.

If your property is used, The Location Partnership will negotiate the fee for you and provide a contract and any other advice you might need to ensure a successful shoot. They charge a 20 percent commission (+VAT) of the final fee paid to you by the production company.

Two other agencies you can also try are Location Works and JJ Media.

Can You Offer Up Your Home with Equity Release for a TV or Film Location?

According to equity release terms and conditions, there’s no indication that homeowners can’t rent their property as a film or television location. Most equity release lenders allow borrowers to take lodgers on their property as long as it remains their primary residence. Therefore, the same principle would apply to advertising your home as a production location. It’s always wise to discuss your intentions with your financial adviser during the planning process to avoid running into trouble at a later stage.

• Please see also Why Does the Equity Release Industry Look Set to Boom This Year? and How Will Rising Interest Rates Affect the Short-Term Future of the Equity Release Market and Can I Rent Out My House With Equity Release?

Good luck, and I hope to see your home in a film or TV show sometime soon 🙂

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