Location, Location, Location

Lots of location information today. Got on the phone first thing and spoke with a few very helpful people.

First of all. The Los Angeles location turns out to be $300/day... not bad... ah, there's more... but $54 per hour per security guard and it might be that one guard is needed per every 10 people! Let's say I can get just 1 guard, but do 12 hour days plus one hour lunches. That's about 1000 per day. That's $18,000 - plus move in and out days. So, it isn't the happy 10,000 or the shocking 40,000. It's a workable number. But it needs to be worked some more.

They are going to call me back, I will go take photos and speak to them about options - like hiring my own security at a lesser price or if there is any sort of bulk rate. Three weeks is a very long time for this type of location I would imagine.

Okay - on to New Mexico. New Mexico has a bunch of incentives for productions to shoot there. Very few of them apply to me (like 0% loan which requires having distribution being in place which is usually only achieved by a studio). Many require 60% of below the line to be hired in New Mexico (which is fair enough since it means you are not housing people). And while the 20% rebate is very intriguing... what I'm most interested in... are the locations.

I spoke with JB Smith who is their locations person and this is what I've gleaned:

locations generally fall into the 400 to 500 or 1000 to 2000 per day category. However, the security restrictions are not as strict and the labor for it is usually just $20/hr. Police run $25 or $50/hr for state police with a patrol car.

Like everywhere, 1 million in liability property insurance is required.

But... there are 800 state buildings which are fee free. (Like the Caltrans starz locations.)

They usually require one security at 20/hr. - the math is saying $260.

There is also a lot of state trust land which would be free. No security on land.

Obviously - this is pretty appealing! The only "catch" is the logistics of getting a cast and crew out there - especially for this horror film which really doesn't require a lot of locations.

And I'd bring my keys - so I'd be housing like 8 people for 3 weeks. Probably in the neighborhood of $8,000 in hotels. Sort of balances it out.

However... if the film was "The Other Movie." It might make perfect sense. Plus the other movie requires a lot of exotic locations and warehouse type interiors and such.

So, for now, I'm going move forward thinking that I will shoot this in LA. Actors prefer to shoot in LA generally because it interrupts their lives less. Unless it's somewhere really exotic and exciting and all expenses paid.