If you want to shoot a film, but you live in a small or mid-size town, you’re probably tempted to jump in your car and drive to the nearest large city, where resources—people, equipment, locations, funding—are more plentiful. But there can be benefits to staying put and bringing your vision to life right where you are.
I recently directed and produced a short film that was shot almost entirely in my hometown of Vancouver, Washington (population under 200k), and it was a successful and rewarding experience. We’re not British Columbia, or the District of Columbia, or even our next-door neighbors in Portland, Oregon, but we do have a lot going for us, and chances are, your town does, as well!
Here are a few tips on how to turn your small or mid-size town into the perfect location for your project:
Engage local businesses, government officials, and organizations to get them on board
You know people where you live, right? So, leverage that network. For example, I used to work with the owners of a local brewery, so when I asked if we could shoot a scene there, they were more than happy to oblige. In other cases when I didn’t know someone, I just cold-called or cold-emailed, introduced myself, and explained what I wanted to do. As it turned out, just about everyone I talked to was receptive, which was probably due to the community spirit of the project. We even managed to cast our mayor in a small speaking role!
Make it explicit that your film is shot in and takes place in your town. Civic pride can go a long way. Also, emphasize how your project benefits your local partners. With my film, one of my stated goals was to promote “pop culture” tourism to our area, where people see a place in a movie or show and then want to visit it in person. I’m even working with some local travel-focused organizations to create a tour package where the itinerary includes visits to the locations shown in the film.
There can be financial incentives, like tax breaks or grants, that help make staying local a viable strategy
The fact that I was trying to promote my town as a tourist destination while spotlighting our burgeoning arts, music, and craft beer scenes helped with securing grant funding. We received two grants, one from the Vancouver, WA Culture, Arts, and Heritage Commission, and another from the city’s Lodging Tax Advisory Committee, which together funded over half of our total budget. We also held a successful local fundraiser and received sponsorship support from local businesses.
This approach can help maximize press coverage and audience engagement
Giving your project a distinct local flavor helps to attract attention from regional press outlets, who appreciate the built-in newsworthy “hook” that comes with reporting on a film that was produced in their market. My film was featured in several local newspaper articles, as well as a television spot, which in turn drove audience interest. Following the press coverage, we held a premiere screening at a local theater, which sold out. From there, you can try to build on that local success and translate it into engagement outside your area by making people curious about what all the fuss in your little corner of the world is about!
This approach can also be used by production agencies for a larger commercial project, as long as you keep these things in mind
Put an emphasis on community, and how your project benefits the people of that community. Even if your project is based in a large city, what segment of that city’s population is your story about? How does your project promote awareness, understanding, and acceptance of those people? And how are those people just like anyone else in the world?
Pitfalls or challenges to be aware of when adopting this hyper-local strategy
There can be a risk of audiences not being able to relate to a story that takes place in such a specific locale, but if you remember that we all have a lot more in common than not, no matter where we live, then the hyper-local angle will just lend your project an extra layer of charm. Good luck!
Comments
There are no comments on this blog post.