If you are producing a movie that has requirements for a number of locations and might be filming in a location that is not English speaking, this is where a location support crew is worth its weight in gold. This team is responsible for a number of different tasks that are inherently important to ensure a movie production is run as smooth as possible. You might be asking yourself why you need a location support crew and what exactly do they do? Well, let’s start with the main members of the team and their specific roles.
Who is part of the location support crew?
Location Manager: The location manager is in charge of finding and securing locations to be used for the production and managing the logistics, permits and costs involved. The location manager can also manage any applications that are required to film in native or culturally sensitive areas, protected regions, restricted areas or even military managed locations. This person is also the face of the production to the community, as we all know that there can be some disruption to the general community when filming begins. The location manager is the person who will directly advise the community of these disruptions, how long it will take and any noise associated with the film shoot. This person will also address any questions or concerns that are expressed by the community.
Location Assistant: This person assists the location manager and is on-set before, during, and after the filming process. Their responsibilities include arriving first at the location to allow the set dressers onto the set; maintaining the cleanliness of the location areas during filming, inspecting the final clean at the end of the production, and handling any complaints from neighbors. If complaints are received from neighbors, the location assistant will discuss these with the location manager and try to come to an agreement with the complainant.
Location Scout: The location scout is responsible for the initial scouting of locations for the production, taking into account production logistics which can include location fees and budgetary restrictions, local permitting costs and regulations, camera and lighting requirements, convenience to other locations, production services, crew and unit parking.
Multilingual support team: The multilingual support team are the people you want on-board when you are filming in a location where English is not the first language. Even when negotiating with people who have a small amount of understanding of the English language, it is very wise to have a staff member to translate into their own language, as agreements need to be completely understood before filming can commence.
Apart from the above roles, the location support team are also responsible for providing the following services:
Catering set-up: Facilitating small or large numbers of people for dining including all tables, benches, heating and lighting needed to accommodate the film crew and talent.
Hair and makeup location equipment: This can include setting up makeup mirrors, tables and chairs, and even free standing shelving for storage.
Green room set-up: This is usually the comfortable space required for artists when they are not filming.
