Barcelona, capital of advertising

Barcelona is undoubtedly the capital of advertising productions in Spain. These productions, whether they are film shoots or photo sessions, are very varied and take place in all kinds of locations: streets, offices, parks, beaches, or even purpose-built sets, to name a few of the most common ones.

However, there is a type of location in high demand for productions: private apartments and houses.

Houses and apartments for filming

When we talk about private houses, we refer to real homes, like yours, houses and apartments where the owners currently live. If you're wondering why they are in such demand, the answer is simple: these properties have a fundamental advantage over fabricated sets, and that is that there is no need to pretend that someone lives there; the house is already in an ideal state for production.

When these houses or apartments are rented for a production, the art department removes the family’s most personal belongings, such as photos, artwork, or anything of great emotional value. The furniture and most of the decoration are usually used as much as possible. This gives that lived-in, authentic feel that is much more difficult to obtain in a set.

What types of properties are sought for filming?

Production companies look for all kinds of houses and apartments. The variety of products offered on television and online is extensive, so there is always a need to find the specific house or apartment that fits the product being advertised.

We might need anything from luxurious mansions, serving as the backdrop for a high-end car, to more modest apartments for everyday scenes: the family at breakfast, getting the children ready for school, or simply someone arriving home after a hard day's work.

Production companies are always looking for properties that are willing to be rented for one or several days and pay a good sum for the rental.

Does my home need to meet any specific requirements to be rented as a location?

You might wonder if a property needs to meet very specific specifications to be rented for producing a TV commercial or doing a photoshoot, and the truth is yes. Regardless of whether your property is beautiful or has that special something, other factors are also taken into account when renting a property as a location.

One of the most important considerations is that the production can physically take place, meaning the technical team has adequate space to work. Access is a key factor, as the production needs to arrive easily and bring in all the necessary equipment. Keep in mind that in a medium-sized TV commercial production the crew can easily be between 30 and 50 people, including the technical team, clients, and other workers like catering, makeup, etc.

Additionally, it’s crucial that the location can accommodate a large team for a production day that can extend up to 14 hours. There must be enough space for the technical crew, actors, makeup and wardrobe, or, there should be the possibility of establishing these areas very close to the location.

Other important considerations may include the availability of parking for vans and the trucks carrying materials, the ease of controlling natural lighting by placing lights outside, and, if recording sound, the acoustics of the spaces and ambient noise.

Are you interested in offering your property?

If you are interested in making your property available to production companies for filming, Spot Locations is the ideal place to do it. At Spot, we work with major national and international production companies, and they, in turn, work with the best brands and celebrities.

A production is complex as it involves many people coordinating in a very short time frame. A simple 15 or 20-second commercial involves many departments that take care of very different things, including the locations where the shoots or photo sessions will take place. For this reason, production companies contact us whenever they need to rent a specific space and manage permits and logistics easily.

To rent your house or apartment for filming, it’s best to have the help of an agency. Production companies are not looking at just one or two houses per project, they want to be able to choose the perfect candidate from dozens of locations and cannot be calling each individual owner.

Moreover, there are other requirements to consider that are usually unknown to most owners. Some of these include the permits required for filming with children, controlling the production company’s liability insurance, dealing with neighboring communities for the use of common areas, taxation, etc.

We take care of everything and advise you in every step along the way.

Spot Locations is by your side

If this sounds complex, don't worry, it is a little bit, but that's why we're here! Spot Locations is here to protect your property so we can return to it time and time again.

If you want to include your home in our archive, you can do so from our website or contact us via email here info@spotlocations.com.

Including your house in a specialized agency like Spot Locations opens doors to a very good source of income and if you are also passionate about the world of show business, cinema, and cameras, you will also enjoy an incredible experience!