Location owners can make extra income by renting out their house, loft, apartment, business, hotel, restaurant, warehouse, open space, and more to the film industry. Here are some frequently asked questions and answers....

Tell me about that extra income! — The amount that you get paid depends on the budget. You might get approached by a low-budget student film that hopes to use your place for just a couple hundred bucks, or it could be a Hollywood movie that will pay you many tens of thousands of dollars to use your place for several weeks. The average amount, though, for a one-day film or commercial shoot that is minimally-intrusive is anywhere from $800 to $8,000 per day. One rule of thumb is that you often can earn your monthly rent or mortgage payment per day.

Can I negotiate? — Yes, you can, but remember too that although the Location Manager receives a paycheck from the production company, he or she also works to protect you too. Thus, he or she will likely be very upfront about just how much money the show can afford. There may be some wiggle-room, but not always a lot. Sometimes, though, there are additional ways that you can be compensated: a thank-you in the end credits, a walk-on part as a background extra, product placement for your company, etc. These are not always possible, but the Location Manager will try if it is something that you really want. Also, sometimes it might be worth your while to take a lower amount than you would hope for so that your place will get noticed by audiences and remembered by production crews. It might be an indie film this time, but, two years from now, one of those people might bring back a big Hollywood feature. You never know.

Will my property be safe? — The members of the film crew are professionals and they will take many precautions to protect your location. Also, the details of their use of the place will be set forth by the Location Manager or Producer in a Location Agreement (also known as a Site Rental Contract) that all parties will sign. If there is any damage afterwards, the production crew will have it repaired as quickly as possible. In addition, you are always covered as an additionally insured on their insurance policy. If you are still nervous, though, you may request a refundable security / damage deposit.

What about when they redecorate? — What often happens is that the Art Department will want to touch up your place here and there. Sometimes, it's as simple as just decorating the living room with items that belong to the character, and other times it could mean repainting the exterior, removing trees, adding new gardens, constructing buildings, and more. For all of these changes, the production company will agree to return your place to its original condition. That is, of course, unless you want to keep that new coating of paint! Or, if you don't like the shade they chose, they can paint it back to your choice instead of the original color. Both of these options could be extra perks for you. Just be sure to work everything out ahead of time with the Location Manager, make sure it's in the contract, and ask a lot of questions along the way so that there are no surprises.

Do I get paid for those non-filming days? — The days that Art Department prepares your place and returns it back to normal are called prep days and strike (or wrap) days respectively. Yes, you do get paid for these days, but the amount is less than the actual shoot days (usually about half the amount) since the crew and their impact is much smaller.

Is it true that the income I receive is not taxed? — No taxes will be taken by the government if the rental is your actual home residence and if the production company rents it from you for no more than 14 days per calendar year. Check with your accountant or tax preparer for more details, but, in the meantime, this link will confirm this: SmartMoney via NBC4 (use a lot, rent a little, at the middle of the page).

What about the weather? — If you live in an area afflicted by snow, rain, fog, and other natural elements, the Location Manager will work with you on finding alternative days if the original choices are affected, so please be flexible. This is usually arranged in advance, just in case.

What are some other opportunities for me? — Besides renting locations for filming, the Location Manager will also look for places where (a) the cast and crew can sit down for catered lunch, (b) the background extras will hang out for most of the day when they're not on set, (c) the drivers can park equipment trucks, and (d) the crew can park their personal cars. Maybe you or your neighbors have possibilities for all of these necessities? Also, the crew might be filming at one house, but they might need to pay a neighbor to be able to do something like place a light on their roof or a background extra on the porch. Note that the amounts paid for these kind of activities are much less, perhaps $25 to $800, depending again on the impact.