Your home may be you castle, but could it be a film set? – Residential properties from mid-century homes to mansions, shacks, farmhouses and apartments are in hot demand as film locations, as the level of screen production grows in Western Australia.
Screenwest is calling for new suggestions of residential properties for its online locations gallery as location scouts seek out exciting new spots for upcoming film projects.
It comes as Screenwest receives an increased number of calls from homeowners and tenants questioning whether unsolicited approaches and letterbox drops are scams.
Screenwest Acting Head of Industry Development Gabrielle Cole said Western Australia has been a hive of activity for film production this year, with the latest two scripted productions – comic thriller Reckless and a series about armed robber Brenden Abbott, also known as The Postcard Bandit – wrapping last month.
“Production teams and location scouts are contacting Screenwest daily for location packages for potential shoots in Perth and regional Western Australia, so we are looking to build out the number of residential properties we have in our gallery,”
– Ms Cole said.
“It’s not just luxury homes that are in demand for screen production. All sorts of properties can be used as film locations depending on the genre, location and era of the storyline. Character homes are really sought after, as are impressive mansions and even unrenovated retro homes from the 1960s and 70s.
“In some cases, property owners have been used as extras or have found themselves in cameo roles, which can be quite a thrill to be involved in the production and eventually see yourself on screen.
“With the Perth Film Studios due to open next year and local production expected to increase, we are looking to boost the Screenwest locations gallery to help shape our state as a one-stop destination for screen production – combining state-of-the-art studios and great locations.
“Having a comprehensive locations gallery will help us to attract large scale productions, service WA generated productions and deliver social, cultural and economic outcomes to WA.”
Currently, the Screenwest Western Australian Locations Gallery has 1900 listings, including more than 600 residential properties, registered as possible film locations.
“It was just random. There was a knock on the door,”
– said Randall.
“It was a bit left field, but once we received an official letter, we realised it was real.”
The family moved out to an Airbnb for a week, while set designers transformed the couple’s bedroom for football fanatic character Hammer, painting it burgundy and using Randall’s old footy trophies on the bedhead.
“They used everything – our bed, my old footy trophies, all our furniture. They changed our bedroom around a little bit and painted a wall – and by the time we got back home, it was as if it hadn’t happened. Everything was back in place.
“It was really good fun. We loved it. It was a great experience. Actually, the whole street loved it! It was really exciting to be involved and the excitement continues once the production is screened as well. It’s a nice little story to tell over a beer with your mates.”
Tenants Mikaela Trenorden and Naomi Halls used their rental property in Embleton for the recent Warner Bros/Foxtel Group production about Western Australian bank robber and prison escapee Brenden Abbott.
“It is a very quirky house. It’s a mid-century vibe, with only a few newer updates. It’s got the original wood staircase and bannisters, it’s got the original timber door frames and lots of amber glass. We love houses with character, we both grew up in old houses,”
– Mikaela said.
What they liked about it was that parts of it look nice but parts of it are original. It is also a very odd house, generally speaking, with fake floors and hidden safes and a big roundabout in the centre of the front yard. They also loved our furniture and a lot of our things, we have a pretty eclectic style which ended up fitting with the look they were going for.”
Mikaela said their landlord was happy for the home to be used as a location.
“They did two separate blocks of filming, inside and outside. We sat in on the set for one day, which was really cool. They put us up in an Airbnb. We have a dog and a cat so they found us a pet-friendly place to stay and we got to take them with us. “We just wanted to be a part of it. It’s not something you get to do every day and it’s an interesting thing to be a part of. People have to say yes for things to happen so were happy to be on board”
Kevin Sanderson’s distinctive Fremantle home was used as a location for the upcoming Bruce Beresford film The Travellers, which is due to open in Australian cinemas on October 9.
As manager of the Buffalo Club in the port city, Kevin has seen a steady stream of location scouts at the old workers’ club, and found his own home as a film location quite by chance last year.
“While they were there scouting they mentioned they were looking for a house for an apartment so they came and had a look at my place around the corner, and they chose the first floor as a bedroom and a breakout area for Stephen’s London apartment,”
– Kevin said.
“We’ve never done this sort of thing before. We had magazines photograph inside a house we lived in before but not this particular Fremantle house – and never a film crew!”
Retirees Lane and Shelley Long hit pay dirt when they upgraded their kitchen and the renovation business featured it in a television advertisement. The ad led to their character East Fremantle home being used in other commercials and production of BINGE series The Twelve: Cape Rock Killer, starring Sam Neill.
“The location managers and directors like our place. They’ve used my shed, they’ve used our bedroom, they’ve used our bathroom, they’ve used the veranda and the kitchen/living/dining area at the back, which is an extension on the old 1910 home,”
– Lane said.
“For The Twelve, we were supposedly a house in England. They used our ensuite bathroom and bedroom, and our living room, and even put a green screen up outside the window so they could change the exterior view to an English street.
“They used a lot of our furniture, and brought a lot in. They rearrange things. They take thousands of photographs and when they leave, you wouldn’t know they’ve been here. Everything is back where it was.
“Our experience has been very, very positive. You’ve got to be patient because there’s 30-40 people on location, with trucks and generators and all sorts of stuff. We love watching the technology involved, and the lighting, the cameras, how they set it up, and the sound. I just hide in the corner like a mouse and watch…It’s just good fun – I actually enjoy it.”
Locations Manager Rachael Hawkins said homeowners in Perth should be on the lookout for ‘filming request’ letters in their mailboxes.
“Location scouts are always on the lookout for unique properties whilst on the road searching for filming locations,”
– Rachael said.
“We will doorknock locations that align with the creative brief, and if no one is home will leave a letter expressing an interest in the property, and request that the owners or occupiers contact us.” “A location fee is paid to each location used in filming. This fee differs with each location and production, and is dependent upon access requirements and filming lengths and times.”
Anyone can nominate a location on the Western Australian Locations Gallery. The Screenwest Production Attraction Team reviews all listings to make sure they meet requirements.
For more information about the Western Australian Locations Gallery, visit: https://www.screenwest.com.au/filming-in-wa/locations/locations-gallery/
Media Release – Screenwest
Link to Screenwest HERE
TV Central Screen Australia content HERE
Your home may be you castle, but could it be a film set?
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