My house as location for shoot. Help!

[kasippu]

A fashion magazine wants to organize a shoot in my house.
I have never done this before so I am full of questions.
Can anybody please tell me how this usually works?
How much should I charge?
What should I provide?
Do I need to be insured? Do I make them sign a waiver of Liability?
What happens if they break something. What else should I be thinking off
I am very excited but also worried.


Here the letter I got. So the photographer came on Sunday and today I got an sms that they would like to use the house on Thursday.

passed me your details. What an amazing house you have!! Absolutely stunning.

I organise photo shoots for clients like Conde Nast.

I am currently preparing for a fashion shoot and I would love your place as a location to them if you are interested. It's a womenswear fashion shoot and they have a fantastic model and photographer.

The budgets we work with vary greatly from project to project. The magazines have the smallest budgets and the catalogues a bit more and the advertising companies the biggest budgets. The rates are in the range of US$500-1500/day. We only do stills photography so there is not much equipment and the size of this team is 7. They are always escorted by a production manager and assistant from the company.

If you are keen on the above that would be fantastic. Looking forward to hearing from you

 

[BetteT]

UH ..... there is a lot of information missing here. And it's a bit risky if you don't know who you are dealing with.

Most importantly, I'd want to know who is paying the fee and how much are they offering. The gave you a range .... but no one has given you any specifics. He said he Organizes shoots for clients "like" Conde Naste .... what does that mean? Is this a shoot for them, or not?

This is soooo vague ... I'd take an educated guess that it's just a random photographer, shooting for himself and his portfolio with the intention of submitting it to the magazine. If that's the case ... then it's not the magazine that wants your house ... it's the photographer looking for a "location". And he's "puffing" his credentials to make himself seem important in your eyes, to try to convince you to do it. And if it's just a "submission", then there is no guarantee that the magazine will ever use it .... they get multitudes of submissions and choose only a few to actually publish.

You need to know who you are dealing with. If it's the magazine, then ask for a letter of intent from the magazine, signed by the editor, on their stationary. Then call them to confirm. If you can't verify that this photographer was actually commissioned to shoot for the magazine, then you need the money up front, when they arrive... cash or a cashiers check (which you will verify by calling the bank ... since there are scams out there using counterfeit cashiers checks).

You also need to have them provide insurance ... in case someone gets hurt or something in your house gets damaged. so ... you need to ask for proof of insurance for damage and liablitiy up to probably $100,000 K .... talk to your own insurer first to find out how much coverage would be prudent ... your insurance agent will advise on what you need to do to protect yourself financially.

Then you need to find out how many hours they need to be there ... 8 to 10 is common. ... but it could run 12 or more, depending on how things go. I'd say a minimum of at least $50 (up to $100) an hour is a good range if they are asking for access to the inside of your home. So ... $500 to $1000 for up to 10 hours and time and a half for any hours they go over. You will have to negotiate this with him, in advance.

You need to sign a contract ... in case something goes wrong and you need to handle this in court. A contact with the magazine ... or the photographer. Whoever signs it will be the party who is responsible. Without that, you don't have a leg to stand on, if there you suffer a loss as a result of this arrangement.

In that contract you outline which areas of the house they will have access to, that they will provide insurance per your requirements (see above), that they will be liable for any damage, theft or injury that occurs during the period they are on the premisis, that they will leave the premisis in the condition it was in when they arrived (clean, no damage, etc.), how much your fee will be, when and how it will be deleiverd to you and how much they will owe you in addition, if they go over the time.

Yeah ... you can dispense with all this rigamarole if you want ... but you open yourself up to possible problems, if you don't do it all in advance.

 

[tigerrouge]

Also bear in mind that any claims of Conde Nast and a 'womenswear fashion shoot' might translate in reality to a team of people who produce content that doesn't involve anyone wearing any clothes because that's what actually pays their bills... you need to know who you're letting onto your property and the work they typically produce.

 

[softgrey]

what bette said...

 

[kasippu]

UH ..... there is a lot of information missing here. And it's a bit risky if you don't know who you are dealing with.

Most importantly, I'd want to know who is paying the fee and how much are they offering. The gave you a range .... but no one has given you any specifics. He said he Organizes shoots for clients "like" Conde Naste .... what does that mean? Is this a shoot for them, or not?

Thank you so much! I realize i've been explaining it really badly

The shoot is for MC Italia and they will be there with a crew of 10, only one model.

The one who is arranging the shoot is the local person (in Asia) for an agency that arranges locations. They said they pay upfront.
A client of ours (the local agent) saw the house and a week ago casually asked if we wouldn't mind for MC italia to come and do a fashion shoot. We thought 'Why not?' (NO I was more like YES YES OF COURSE WOW as nothing really happens here especially when it concerns fashion)

Then on Saturday they called and asked if the photographer could come to check out the place (see the light...and took already a million of pics) and we agreed. He wants to use it and the agent offered us $500 (yesterday),
The rest of the crew are flying in today and they will shoot tomorrow.
I had no clue so asked $1000 and the local agent immediately agreed. I asked you guys and also a friend in Europe, who was texted me yesterday saying that $1000 was not enough, that MC pays up to 5x as much. (have no idea if this is true). Too late we already agreed and I am not going to renegotiate but pretty much suspects the agent take the biggest cut.

Since yesterday I have googled and seen lots of sites with locations but they never give rates.
This is the first time and we had never even thought of the possibility.
IT is a $1000 and the agent want to put the house in her portfolio for future collaborations.

Here is the email I got from the agent

The magazine is responsible for their own insurance and should anything break or happen we'll sort it out immediately. If you do not have public liability for the house (most don't unless it's run commercially) and would like to further safe guard himself I suggest to print out a disclaimer for the magazine editor to sign on arrival. If there are any slightly dangerous spots, like slippery steps, kindly get a member of staff to point them out to you on arrival so you can brief the team to be extra careful.

The rate of $1000 USD is fine. Would you please be able to convert this into rupees as I'll not be able to get my hands on this amount by tomorrow. Alternatively I could have the cash to you on another day.

Look forward to hearing from you soon.

I realize that the house is full of dangerous spots, There is a moving terrace on the pool. The drop from the pool is 20ft.. There are two levels without a dividing wall...
I almost wished we hadn't agreed but the extra cash is really welcome and it is fashion (even though it only MC)

 

[kasippu]

Edit: I should add that the above the email is the one the local agent got from the head office and forwarded to us. So with YOU they mean the agent not US.

 

[BetteT]

Call your insureance agent right now .... just to make sure that everything they are instructing you to do will cover any possible losses. And yes ... have the rep from the magazine sign a disclaimer signed by the magazine is necessary to release you from all liabitily in that event ... and in the event that there is damage or theft on your property .... before they step onto your property.

 

[kasippu]

Thank You Bette T, you've been a big help.
I did, had them ALL sign the waiver, they did. Payed upfront and just now they booked again for tomorrow. Now I just need to do some research on what are the normal rates for this location, as I have heard many different stories. If only Alt or Battaglia would find the way.