A lot of hard work goes behind the shooting of a film. Whether it is shooting for a song sequence, a depiction of a palace, or the climax fight shot between the hero and the villain, if the location is perfect, then it adds to the beauty of the scene.
Hindi movies these days have moved out of the sets in the studios and have taken over the world too. The snowy mountains of Switzerland became more popular, with the heroine in her chiffon sarees dancing with the heroes in Yashraj films.
Even our very own Udaipur palace played host to the crew of “Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani”. So, who picks the location and organizes shooting? Let us read more about them.
Who are shooting organizers and what do they do?
Once a director has the plan ready for shooting a film, the production manager or the assistant director would go around scouting for location and cast. If the main star cast is already decided, then there would be no problem with that. But for getting the right location, contacting a reputed company for recce will be the next job.
The shooting organizers or recce team would have contact of teams of background dancers, stunt persons, and even crowds. They would then proceed with location scouting too. But the team going for shooting locations should also follow the steps below to get the right frame and the right spot that would define a scene in the most scenic manners possible.
Things to keep in mind while scouting for location:
Shooting organizers must look for the following things while looking for locations:
- The film’s script: The organizers must have to get the right people for the crowd or audience if the shooting involves them. The shooting organizer must know the script and have the right places selection for each and every scene and sequence ready.
- Discussion with the director: Every director would consider the film to be his baby and might be chalking out a unique plan for each and every scene. The shooting organizer should communicate with the director every time he gets a place or spot. This place should be at par with the requirement of the director for excellent results.
- Budget constraints: The shooting organizers must know the exact budget and though exotic foreign locale might be good. But will it be feasible enough to get the entire cast and crew to come with all the bags and gear to these locales? This kind of consideration is only possible if the shooting organizers know the budget constraints.
- The Geographical and climatic conditions: Shooting organizers must also know geographical conditions and be aware of the climatic challenges that might hamper a day’s shot.
It is not a simple task to just don the hat of a shooting organizer or have a team of shooting organizers. It requires a lot of research, and perhaps even trying out an internship under a maverick director to get the hang of the art of getting the best location.
