Somewhere right now, a location manager is staring at a script that says "INT. SUBURBAN KITCHEN, DAY" and trying to find the perfect one within an hour of Manhattan. It could be yours.
New Jersey is one of the busiest places to film on the East Coast, and productions need real homes: kitchens, living rooms, backyards, front doors and long driveways. They pay owners well for them. Here is how it works, in the language the crew actually uses.
Key takeaways
- Published figures put a TV or film day at roughly $5,000 to $10,000, with prep days paid less.
- Scouts want good bones, neutral style, natural light and room for a crew.
- Never let a crew in without a signed contract and a COI naming you.
- A popular home might host 8 to 10 shoot days a year.
What productions pay
Every production sets its own budget, so there is no single price. New Jersey Monthly reported that filming days typically pay about $5,000 to $7,000, with prep days around $2,000. A New York location agency owner has quoted about $5,000 to $10,000 a day for TV or film and about $3,000 for a print shoot. Longer shoots sometimes cover a hotel if you need to move out for a few days.
Your money is in the day rate, plus overtime, prep and wrap days, and a refundable security deposit that protects the house.
What location scouts look for
- Good bones, quiet style. The house is the background, not the star. Neutral walls and simple furniture let the art department make it anyone's home.
- Open rooms and light. Big open kitchens that flow into a family room are always in demand. So are tall windows and high ceilings that give the camera room.
- Space to work. A big day can bring 80 to 100 people. Scouts look at parking, basecamp, a room for holding, and a clear path to load gear in.
- Distance to the city. Homes within about 30 miles of Manhattan save productions money on crew travel. Farther out, New Jersey's film tax credit gets bigger, which gives estates in the hills and woods their own pull.
- Something special. A pool, a grand staircase, a stone wall, a long private drive. One standout feature can be the reason you get the call.
From scout to wrap, step by step
- Photos. Shoot every main room in daylight with the lights on, plus the outside, the driveway and the street. Wide shots beat close ups.
- Get listed. List with a company that represents homes, like Set & Stay Locations, so your home is in front of the people who book.
- The scout. A scout visits and photographs the house for the director. Nothing is booked yet.
- The hold. If they like it, they ask to hold dates. Agree on how long the hold lasts.
- Contract and COI. The contract spells out dates, hours, crew size, the fee, overtime and the deposit. The COI names you as additional insured.
- Tech scout. Department heads walk through and plan every shot, light and piece of furniture that moves.
- Prep, shoot, wrap. Layout board goes down, the house gets dressed, the cameras roll, then the crew strikes the set and puts everything back.
- Walkthrough. You walk the house together after wrap, and the deposit is settled.
Speak the language
A few terms you will hear on your first call, so you sound like a pro:
- Location manager
- Runs the locations department. Finds the house, negotiates the fee, and is your main contact.
- Scout
- Hunts for options and photographs them. A good scout photo is how your house gets picked.
- Tech scout
- The walkthrough before the shoot, when the director, camera, lighting and art teams plan every room.
- Day rate
- The fee for one shoot day, usually a set number of hours. Time past that is overtime.
- Hold
- A production asking you to keep dates open while they decide. Ask how long the hold lasts.
- Prep and wrap
- Days before and after filming to dress the house, then put it back. Usually paid at a lower rate.
- Basecamp
- Where the trucks, trailers and equipment park. Often a lot nearby, not your driveway.
- Holding
- A room or tent where cast and extras wait between scenes.
- Crafty
- Craft services: the snack and coffee table that keeps the crew going.
- Layout board
- Protective boards the crew lays over your floors before equipment comes in.
- COI
- Certificate of insurance. Your proof the production's insurance covers your home.
Permits and taxes
New Jersey has no statewide film permit. Each town sets its own rules, and the production usually files. Our New Jersey film permit guide covers how it works. On taxes, the IRS has special rules when a home is rented fewer than 15 days in a year, so ask your tax professional how they apply to you.
Is your house right for it?
Shoot days are exciting, but they are busy. Expect trucks out front, a crew moving fast, and your living room rearranged for a day. If you are comfortable with that and you keep the house in good shape, a popular home can host 8 to 10 shoot days a year.
List your home with Set & Stay Locations
We find the productions, handle the contract, the COI and the payment, and keep a rep on site for every booking. Your address stays private until a booking is confirmed and paid.
Sources
- Gary Phillips, "How Scores of New Jerseyans Get Their Homes in Movies and TV Shows," New Jersey Monthly, April 19, 2023
- "Filming In Westchester Homes: What Location Scouts and Homeowners Should Know," Visit Westchester, October 26, 2017
- New Jersey Film and Digital Media Tax Credit, NJEDA
- "Know the tax facts about renting out residential property," IRS