FILM LOCATION CONSULTING FOR UNIVERSITIES + INSTITUTIONS

Universities, colleges, museums, churches, schools, cultural organizations, healthcare campuses and other institutions often own some of the most distinctive potential filming locations in Nashville.

Historic buildings. Modern architecture. Libraries. Classrooms. Auditoriums. Athletic facilities. Offices. Landscaped campuses. Parking structures. Institutional corridors. Dining halls. Chapels. Green spaces.

But making an institutional property available for film and photography production involves considerably more than simply approving a request.

A clear film location policy and internal process can help an institution evaluate opportunities, protect its property, minimize disruption and make sure everyone involved knows who has authority to approve what.

WHY INSTITUTIONAL LOCATIONS ARE DIFFERENT

A privately owned home may have one person making decisions.

An institution can have many.

A single production request might involve:

  • Facilities

  • Communications

  • Marketing

  • Legal

  • Risk management

  • Security

  • Parking

  • Campus operations

  • Events

  • Property management

  • Senior administration

  • Individual departments

Without an established process, a relatively simple location inquiry can turn into a chain of forwarded emails with nobody quite sure who is supposed to say yes.

Creating a film-location framework in advance makes those decisions much easier.

START BY IDENTIFYING WHO CONTROLS FILMING REQUESTS

Every institution should establish a clear internal point of contact for outside film and photography inquiries.

That might sit within:

  • Communications

  • Marketing

  • Facilities

  • Events

  • Property management

  • Campus operations

  • Another designated department

The exact department matters less than having a defined process.

When a producer asks about filming, someone should know:

Who receives the request?
Who evaluates it?
Who needs to approve it?
Who negotiates the terms?
Who represents the institution during production?

Document those responsibilities before the first truck arrives.

DETERMINE WHICH SPACES ARE AVAILABLE

Not every part of an institutional property needs to be offered for filming.

Create an internal inventory of spaces that could potentially accommodate production.

For a university, that might include:

  • Classrooms

  • Lecture halls

  • Libraries

  • Laboratories

  • Dormitory exteriors

  • Athletic facilities

  • Administrative offices

  • Quads

  • Walkways

  • Parking structures

  • Dining halls

  • Theaters

  • Auditoriums

A museum might evaluate galleries, event spaces, offices, loading areas and exterior architecture.

A church or religious institution might consider sanctuaries, fellowship halls, classrooms, offices and exterior grounds.

Then identify spaces that should be restricted or unavailable because of privacy, security, operational or preservation concerns.

CREATE A LOCATION LIBRARY

Once you've identified potentially film-friendly areas, photograph them.

Build an organized internal location library containing:

  • Current photographs

  • Basic descriptions

  • Dimensions when useful

  • Floor plans when available

  • Parking information

  • Loading access

  • Power information

  • Restrictions

  • Availability

  • Production support spaces

This makes it much easier to respond to location scouts without arranging an in-person visit for every initial inquiry.

Our guide to How to Create a Film Location Information Packet provides a useful starting point.

THINK BEYOND THE HERO LOCATION

Production doesn't only need the room appearing on camera.

A shoot may also require space for:

  • Equipment

  • Hair and makeup

  • Wardrobe

  • Talent holding

  • Client and agency

  • Catering

  • Production office

  • Restrooms

  • Crew parking

  • Production vehicles

Institutional properties can be particularly attractive to productions because campuses often contain multiple support spaces within one property.

Identify those possibilities when creating your filming plan.

ESTABLISH FILM + PHOTOGRAPHY RATES

Institutions should establish a framework for determining location fees.

You don't necessarily need one fixed price for every production.

Rates can vary depending on:

  • Type of production

  • Areas requested

  • Number of people

  • Number of vehicles

  • Hours

  • Prep requirements

  • Shoot days

  • Wrap requirements

  • Required staff

  • Security

  • Parking

  • Utilities

  • Operational disruption

A national commercial using several campus buildings should not necessarily be evaluated the same way as a small editorial photo shoot.

For more information, read What Location Fees Actually Cover and Prep, Shoot, Wrap + Overtime Fees Explained.

ACCOUNT FOR STAFF TIME

Institutional filming often requires employees to support the production.

That might include:

  • Facilities staff

  • Security

  • Parking personnel

  • Building engineers

  • Custodial staff

  • Site representatives

  • Event staff

Determine whether those personnel are required and how their time will be charged.

If production requires a staff member to remain on site for a 12-hour shoot, that expense should be considered when evaluating the overall location fee.

REQUIRE A SITE REPRESENTATIVE WHEN APPROPRIATE

For many institutional properties, having a designated representative present during filming is a good idea.

The representative can:

  • Provide access

  • Coordinate with security

  • Answer building questions

  • Monitor restricted areas

  • Approve minor requests

  • Communicate property rules

  • Coordinate restoration

  • Complete the final walk-through

They also give the production's location manager one consistent institutional contact throughout the day.

Read Should You Require a Site Representative? for more guidance.

BUILD AN INSURANCE PROCESS

Professional productions should be prepared to provide evidence of appropriate insurance.

Your institution's legal or risk-management team can establish standard requirements covering issues such as:

  • General liability

  • Automobile liability

  • Workers' compensation

  • Additional insured requirements

  • Certificate holder information

  • Required endorsements

Once established, keep the exact insurance language readily available so producers aren't waiting several days while different departments determine what should appear on the certificate.

For an introduction to production insurance documentation, see What Is a Certificate of Insurance (COI)?.

General information about insurance regulation in Tennessee is available through the Tennessee Department of Commerce & Insurance.

CREATE A STANDARD LOCATION AGREEMENT

Institutions that expect to host productions more than occasionally should consider having legal counsel develop a standard film and photography location agreement.

Depending on the organization, it may address:

  • Property access

  • Fees

  • Payment

  • Prep and wrap

  • Overtime

  • Insurance

  • Indemnification

  • Damage

  • Restoration

  • Cancellation

  • Security

  • Parking

  • Restricted areas

  • Branding

  • Confidentiality

  • Use of the institution's name

  • Trademarks

  • Signage

  • Photography of identifiable materials

A consistent agreement can dramatically simplify future inquiries.

Read What Is a Location Release? for a general overview of location agreements.

PROTECT THE INSTITUTION'S NAME + BRAND

This is particularly important for universities, healthcare organizations, religious institutions and cultural organizations.

Allowing a production to film inside a building doesn't necessarily mean the institution wants its actual name, logo, signage or identity visible in the finished project.

Decide in advance:

  • Can the institution be identified?

  • Can exterior signage appear?

  • Can logos appear?

  • Can uniforms appear?

  • Can branded materials appear?

  • Can the production imply the institution is endorsing the project?

  • Does signage need to be covered or replaced?

These questions should be addressed before filming.

CONSIDER PRIVACY

Institutional properties may contain people who are not participating in the production.

Universities have students.

Hospitals and healthcare facilities have patients.

Schools have minors.

Museums have visitors.

Offices have employees.

A production's permission to film at the property doesn't automatically mean it has permission to photograph or record everyone who happens to be there.

Evaluate whether filming areas need to be closed, controlled or separated from normal operations.

For environments involving particularly sensitive populations or information, involve the institution's legal, privacy or compliance team early.

SCHEDULE AROUND OPERATIONS

Institutional properties rarely exist solely for filming.

A university still has classes.

A church still has services.

A museum still has visitors.

A hospital still has patients.

A production should be scheduled around the property's primary purpose rather than the other way around.

Consider:

  • Academic calendars

  • Exams

  • Events

  • Performances

  • Worship services

  • Visiting hours

  • Athletic schedules

  • Deliveries

  • Maintenance

  • Construction

  • Holidays

  • Peak operating periods

Maintaining a calendar of obvious blackout dates can save significant time when reviewing inquiries.

PARKING CAN MAKE OR BREAK THE LOCATION

Large institutional properties may appear to have abundant parking, but that parking often already serves students, employees, visitors, patients or events.

Before approving production parking, determine:

  • Which lots production may use

  • How many spaces are available

  • Whether parking is shared

  • Whether permits are required

  • Where production trucks can stage

  • Whether motorhomes are allowed

  • Where equipment can load

  • Whether crew parking should be remote

  • Whether shuttles are necessary

In Nashville, public street parking and right-of-way activity may involve additional Metro requirements.

See How to Handle Production Parking and current information from the Nashville Department of Transportation and Multimodal Infrastructure.

PLAN FOR SECURITY + ACCESS

Institutional properties may have significantly more complicated access requirements than private residences.

Production may need:

  • Security credentials

  • Badges

  • Gate access

  • Elevator access

  • Loading-dock access

  • Keys

  • Escorts

  • After-hours access

Establish who is responsible for providing access and whether additional security personnel must be hired.

Also identify spaces production may not enter.

PROTECT HISTORIC + SENSITIVE SPACES

Nashville and Middle Tennessee have many historic institutional properties where floors, walls, furniture, artwork or architectural details may be difficult—or impossible—to replace.

For these spaces, establish specific protection requirements.

Production may need to:

  • Protect floors

  • Limit equipment

  • Restrict furniture movement

  • Use designated entrances

  • Avoid attaching materials to walls

  • Maintain barriers around sensitive objects

  • Work with an institutional representative

For additional guidance, see How to Protect Your Property During Production.

DEVELOP A SIMPLE PRODUCTION INTAKE FORM

Instead of handling every inquiry through a long chain of emails, create a standard intake process.

Ask productions to provide:

  • Production company

  • Producer

  • Client

  • Type of project

  • Description of filming

  • Requested spaces

  • Proposed dates

  • Prep dates

  • Shoot dates

  • Wrap dates

  • Hours

  • Headcount

  • Vehicle count

  • Equipment requirements

  • Parking requirements

  • Special activities

  • Insurance information

Our guide to What Information Should You Collect From a Production? provides a more complete checklist.

BUILD A PROCESS BEFORE YOU NEED ONE

The best time to establish an institutional filming policy isn't when a producer calls on Tuesday hoping to scout on Wednesday.

Create a simple internal workflow:

Inquiry → Initial Review → Location Options → Internal Approval → Scout → Rate + Terms → Insurance → Agreement → Production Planning → Shoot → Restoration

Not every production will require every step, but having a framework gives staff somewhere to start.

FILM LOCATION CONSULTING FOR NASHVILLE INSTITUTIONS

Institutions don't necessarily need to build a full-time internal location department to successfully host professional productions.

A location consultant can help evaluate an organization's property portfolio from a production perspective and develop systems for handling future inquiries.

That may include:

  • Evaluating properties for filming potential

  • Identifying marketable spaces

  • Creating a location photo library

  • Developing property information packets

  • Establishing inquiry procedures

  • Reviewing production logistics

  • Developing rate structures

  • Creating film-friendly property rules

  • Planning parking and production support

  • Helping internal teams understand how professional productions operate

The goal is to create a repeatable process that protects the institution while making appropriate properties easier for professional productions to use.

THE BOTTOM LINE

Universities and institutions often have something production companies are constantly looking for: multiple distinctive environments contained within one property or campus.

The challenge is making those spaces accessible without disrupting the organization's primary operations.

A strong film-location program establishes who handles inquiries, which properties are available, what they cost, what insurance is required, where production can park, how the institution is protected and who has authority to approve the shoot.

Once those decisions are made, future inquiries become considerably easier to evaluate.

Nashville Location Company provides film location consulting, location scouting and location management for universities, institutions and commercial properties throughout Nashville and Middle Tennessee.