Find video shoot locations near me

When compiling a video shoot schedule and shot list, focus on the "5 Ws"—the Who, What, When, Why, and Where. For deep dives, take a look at our guide to making a film shoot schedule, as well as our tips for creating a compelling shot list. At its core, the video shoot schedule should tell everyone involved where they need to be and at what time. It should also include any necessary equipment that needs to be transported to your show-stopping video shoot location. The shot list should block out every shot you need to execute while on set for the day, keeping the production focused and productive.

Finding video shoot locations is easy if you know the right tools to use. You should start with Peerspace by searching for local video shoot locations near you, but that's just the beginning. Check out the social media accounts of popular local videographers and see what locations they're tagging. Dig with the search engine of your choice for "video shoot locations in [your city]." Finally, if your city or state has a film commission, search on their website—sometimes they keep directories of video shoot locations.

How long a video shoot takes is determined by the type and length of video. However, for most non-films, anything from a day to a few days is normal. Commercials, social media shoots, music videos, and branding videos are often shot in just one day, though they may be spread over a few days if they're longer or involve multiple locations. Shooting in a professional studio space will typically make things move much more efficiently. In a professional setting, videographers are usually organized and have a clear plan, so they're able to knock out the actual shooting quickly. Pre-production and post-production usually take longer than the actual filming.

There are two ways to shoot video with different backgrounds. The first is to move your video production from location to location, though this can be time-consuming, and lighting conditions will change from place to place. The easier, more professional route is to shoot in a local video production space, which will often have several different backdrops you can simply trade out as you shoot. One of the best things about this approach is that you don't have to move gear and people, and you won't necessarily have to adjust cameras and lights when changing out backgrounds.

Video shoot locations average $99 per hour to rent, but it’s easy to spend less or more depending on what you’re looking for. For a space on the smaller side, expect to spend closer to $138, whereas larger venues run about $100 per hour.