The life of a filmmaker is all about choices. At every stage of production there will be decisions made that can make or break the production.

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Who would be the best actor for the main role? How will we pull off that dangerous stunt in the second act? Will we shoot most of it in a studio or a ‘true to life’ location? The last question can be a tough one. It’s a question that made one of the biggest box office flops of all time turn into a logistical nightmare. The mid-90s aquatic blockbuster, ‘Water World’ had a list of problems that saw its budget balloon up to over $200 million dollars. That’s quite a bit of cash for the time. Apart from problems like Kevin Costner’s stunt double being lost at sea and the director quitting halfway through post-production, one of the main problems was the location. Without the visual effects that are available today, they had to build a floating island set miles from shore to create the perfect realistic ‘at sea’ setting for the post-apocalyptic world. 

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It was a logistical nightmare, with hundreds of cast having to be put in costume and then ferried out to shoot a scene and then back again for lunch. Not to mention how difficult it was to set up stable camera shots while out on the open ocean. Long story short, location matters. There are plenty of modern technical options to reach the full potential of your vision either in the studio or out in the wide world. The choice is yours.

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The answer is in your creative

The ideation phase of any project is an exciting world of possibility. Creating the vision for your next big ad should never be held back by anything other than your own imagination. Although there will come a time when you’ll need to make that vision a reality. This is where the difficult questions will arise. In the world of film, anything is possible but finding a way to do them is the challenge. Luckily, the creative will often make the decision between studio and location for you.

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Say for example, you’ve come up with a high concept idea that has your main actor jumping from an aeroplane and hurtling towards earth. You’d think that’s going to cost a bit. Before you cost up the price of your light aircraft and stunt man, there might be a more cost efficient way to get the same effect. With a trusty green screen and a little bit of post-production magic you can recreate that skydiving shot in the comfort of a studio for a fraction of the price.

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There are times when filming on location is actually more cost effective and can give you a ‘real world’ feel not always possible in a controlled studio space. Our recent work with Medical Travel Compared needed an authentic ‘old school’ barber shop to match the script. We could have booked a studio, built a barber shop set, rented the tools of the trade and pieced together what we needed to recreate the location in a studio. Or, we could send out our crack locations expert to find us a genuine shop that fits the bill, meaning we save money and time getting the shots we need.

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Cost, control and availability

The studio setting is a place where you can always have control of the environment. This means that come rain or shine, you’ll be able to keep your camera rolling. It’s also easier to plan out your day with more certainty as a studio is custom designed for optimum filming conditions. The entire team will have the best opportunity to work their magic with little or no distractions. It’s an especially ideal environment to get the technical elements just the way you need them, such as the lighting, sound and camera set ups. You could even squeeze in an on-site editor to give you a first cut of the ad as it happens. 

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It’s also a guaranteed expense on your budget to hire out a pricey studio. That’s not to mention all the extra fees that go with it from setting up the green screen to expensive set builds. Studio space is a sought after resource that can also get booked up pretty fast. If you don’t factor in enough time there’s a good chance you’ll be left with no other option but to go outdoors. There can be plenty to gain from real world settings, whether it’s out on the street or inside a unique building. 

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Of course you’ll need to consider your filming permits and location fees if you want to shoot in public. They might cost you a little or a lot, depending where you want to secure. There’s also the added stress of organising an entire crew to bounce from one scenic spot to the next. You might also run the risk of getting patchy footage because of the unreliable lighting or have sound problems with noise interference you can’t control. These are all problems that keep us professionals awake at night. 

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Thankfully our experience in both a studio or on location settings, means we can prepare for either option to the highest standards. With our network of studios and sound stages as well as an in-house team with scouting know how, we can solve all your location problems.

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