HOW TO BUILD AN INTERNAL FILM LOCATION DATABASE

If your university, institution, company or organization owns multiple properties, you may already have a list of buildings, rooms and facilities.

That doesn't necessarily mean you have a useful film location database.

Production teams evaluate properties differently. They need to quickly understand what a space looks like, how it functions and whether a film or photo crew can realistically work there.

An internal film location database organizes that information so your team can respond to production inquiries without starting from scratch every time.

WHAT IS AN INTERNAL FILM LOCATION DATABASE?

A film location database is an organized, searchable library of properties and individual spaces that could potentially be used for:

  • Commercials

  • Film

  • Television

  • Photography

  • Music videos

  • Branded content

  • Editorial shoots

  • Corporate productions

It can be as simple as a well-organized spreadsheet connected to photo folders or as sophisticated as a dedicated searchable database.

The technology matters less than the information.

A good database lets someone on your team quickly answer:

Do we have a location that could work for this request?

START WITH YOUR PROPERTY INVENTORY

Begin by identifying the properties your organization controls.

Depending on your organization, that might include:

  • Academic buildings

  • Offices

  • Historic buildings

  • Warehouses

  • Retail spaces

  • Restaurants

  • Hotels

  • Churches

  • Schools

  • Athletic facilities

  • Theaters

  • Auditoriums

  • Parking garages

  • Farms

  • Industrial properties

  • Residential properties

  • Vacant buildings

  • Outdoor spaces

  • Land

Don't decide too quickly that a property is "not interesting enough."

Location scouts aren't always looking for the beautiful spaces.

A dated office, empty warehouse, institutional hallway, loading dock, ordinary classroom or large parking lot may be exactly what a production needs.

BREAK PROPERTIES INTO INDIVIDUAL LOCATIONS

A large property shouldn't necessarily have one database entry.

For example, a university building might contain:

  • Exterior

  • Lobby

  • Classroom

  • Lecture hall

  • Laboratory

  • Hallway

  • Stairwell

  • Faculty office

  • Conference room

  • Rooftop

  • Loading dock

Those spaces may satisfy completely different creative briefs.

Think about your portfolio as a collection of filmable environments, not simply buildings.

PHOTOGRAPH EVERYTHING CLEARLY

Each database entry should include current photographs.

Prioritize wide, descriptive images that show the entire space.

For interiors, photograph:

  • Multiple corners

  • Entrances

  • Windows

  • Ceiling

  • Connecting rooms

  • Hallways

  • Distinctive architectural details

For exteriors, include:

  • Building exterior

  • Street view

  • Entrance

  • Rear access

  • Parking

  • Loading areas

  • Surrounding property

Location photographs should help someone understand the space—not simply make it look attractive.

For more guidance, read How to Photograph Your Property for Location Scouts.

USE CONSISTENT LOCATION NAMES

Give every property and space a clear, consistent name.

For example:

Campus A — Science Building — Exterior

Campus A — Science Building — Laboratory 204

Campus A — Science Building — Main Hallway

Campus A — Science Building — Lecture Hall

This makes searching and sharing much easier than having folders called things like:

Building Photos FINAL New 2

Future you will be grateful.

CREATE SEARCHABLE CATEGORIES

The real value of a database is being able to search it.

Create categories based on how location professionals might describe a request.

Examples include:

PROPERTY TYPE

  • Residential

  • Commercial

  • Institutional

  • Industrial

  • Hospitality

  • Agricultural

  • Religious

  • Educational

  • Medical

  • Retail

SPACE TYPE

  • Office

  • Classroom

  • Kitchen

  • Auditorium

  • Laboratory

  • Warehouse

  • Gym

  • Library

  • Parking garage

  • Conference room

  • Lobby

  • Restaurant

  • Rooftop

  • Field

  • Hallway

ARCHITECTURAL STYLE

  • Historic

  • Mid-century

  • Contemporary

  • Traditional

  • Industrial

  • Brutalist

  • Modern

  • Rustic

  • Institutional

  • Craftsman

  • Victorian

VISUAL CHARACTERISTICS

  • Brick

  • Wood paneling

  • White walls

  • Large windows

  • High ceilings

  • Exposed beams

  • Concrete

  • Colorful

  • Minimal

  • Ornate

  • Distressed

  • Polished

These tags make it possible to search your inventory creatively.

TAG THE ERA

Productions frequently search by period.

A scout might be looking for:

  • 1950s

  • 1960s

  • 1970s

  • 1980s

  • 1990s

  • Contemporary

  • Timeless

A space doesn't necessarily need to have been built during that era.

What matters is what it can visually represent on camera.

A wood-paneled conference room renovated in 1992 might be considerably more useful to a period production than the organization's newly renovated executive suite.

INCLUDE BASIC DIMENSIONS

When practical, include:

  • Room dimensions

  • Ceiling height

  • Door width

  • Elevator dimensions

  • Loading-door dimensions

  • Driveway width

You don't need architectural-level measurements for every storage closet.

Focus on spaces that are likely to be considered for production.

If floor plans already exist, link them to the corresponding database entry.

DOCUMENT PRODUCTION ACCESS

A beautiful space can become unusable if getting equipment into it is impossible.

Include information about:

  • Ground-floor access

  • Stairs

  • Elevators

  • Freight elevators

  • Loading docks

  • Service entrances

  • Gates

  • Narrow hallways

  • Equipment routes

  • Accessibility

If a location is on the fifth floor and the only elevator is tiny, production should know that before falling in love with it.

TRACK PARKING

Parking is particularly important for Nashville productions.

For each property, document:

  • On-site parking

  • Approximate capacity

  • Truck access

  • Loading areas

  • Shared parking

  • Restrictions

  • Nearby lots

  • Street parking conditions

  • Possible unit-base areas

Don't simply write "parking available."

Twenty parking spaces and two parking spaces are both technically parking.

Be specific.

For more Nashville-specific guidance, read How to Handle Production Parking.

INCLUDE PRODUCTION SUPPORT SPACES

Sometimes the support space is what makes the primary location workable.

Identify whether a property has potential areas for:

  • Hair and makeup

  • Wardrobe

  • Talent holding

  • Client and agency

  • Catering

  • Equipment

  • Production office

  • Crew holding

  • Restrooms

A beautiful room with nowhere to put the production may be difficult to use.

A slightly less spectacular room with an empty floor next door, loading access and 100 parking spaces can be extremely attractive.

DOCUMENT POWER INFORMATION

When known, include basic electrical information.

That may include:

  • Electrical service

  • Panel locations

  • Exterior power

  • Available higher-capacity service

  • Generator access

If you don't know the specifics, mark the information as TBD / confirm during tech scout rather than guessing.

TRACK AVAILABILITY + BLACKOUT PERIODS

Institutional and commercial properties may have predictable periods when filming isn't practical.

Examples include:

  • Academic semesters

  • Exams

  • Weddings

  • Conferences

  • Performances

  • Sporting events

  • Religious services

  • Holidays

  • Peak business periods

  • Construction

  • Renovations

Record obvious restrictions so your team doesn't propose a football stadium during game day or a university quad during commencement.

INCLUDE APPROVAL REQUIREMENTS

Different properties may have different decision-makers.

Your database should identify who needs to approve filming at each location.

That might include:

  • Property manager

  • Facilities

  • Communications

  • Legal

  • Security

  • Department head

  • Tenant

  • Landlord

  • Board

  • Risk management

Knowing the approval path can be just as important as knowing the square footage.

FLAG SENSITIVE LOCATIONS

Some properties may technically be available but require additional review.

Examples include:

  • Historic interiors

  • Active healthcare spaces

  • Laboratories

  • Areas involving minors

  • Secure facilities

  • Archives

  • Religious spaces

  • Areas containing confidential information

  • High-value artwork

Create an internal flag such as:

STANDARD APPROVAL

RESTRICTED

CASE-BY-CASE

NOT AVAILABLE

This helps staff understand what can be offered without accidentally promising something that cannot realistically be approved.

TRACK LOCATION FEES

Your internal database can also store rate information.

Depending on the organization, that might include:

  • Base shoot rate

  • Prep rate

  • Wrap rate

  • Overtime

  • Site representative

  • Security

  • Parking

  • Cleaning

  • Utilities

  • Other required staffing

These rates don't necessarily need to be publicly available.

They simply give your internal team a consistent starting point when responding to inquiries.

For more information, read What Location Fees Actually Cover.

TRACK PRODUCTION HISTORY

After hosting a shoot, update the database.

Record useful information such as:

  • Production date

  • Type of project

  • Crew size

  • Areas used

  • Parking solution

  • Support spaces used

  • Issues encountered

  • Restrictions discovered

  • Property feedback

  • Operational notes

Be thoughtful about confidential information. You don't need to store sensitive creative or client details.

The goal is to make the next production easier.

INCLUDE A "PRODUCTION NOTES" FIELD

This may eventually become one of the most useful parts of your database.

Examples:

Freight elevator unavailable after 6 PM.

Neighboring tenant must approve weekday truck parking.

Great natural light in morning.

Auditorium HVAC cannot be turned off.

Exterior looks west—best afternoon light.

No filming during academic exams.

Generator must be positioned behind building.

These are exactly the kinds of details that location professionals need.

KEEP PUBLIC + INTERNAL INFORMATION SEPARATE

Not everything in your database should necessarily be shared with productions.

Consider separating information into:

SHAREABLE

  • Photographs

  • General description

  • Dimensions

  • Basic access

  • Parking overview

  • Available spaces

INTERNAL

  • Security information

  • Alarm details

  • Keys

  • Staff contacts

  • Internal pricing

  • Approval hierarchy

  • Sensitive operational information

  • Incident history

Only provide productions with what they actually need.

WHAT SOFTWARE SHOULD YOU USE?

You don't need custom software to start.

A film location database can be built using:

  • A spreadsheet

  • Cloud storage

  • A digital asset management system

  • A project management platform

  • A relational database

  • Your organization's existing property-management software

The best system is the one your team will actually maintain and search.

At minimum, you need:

Searchable information + organized photographs + links to supporting documents.

CREATE A STANDARD DATABASE ENTRY

Consistency makes the database significantly more useful.

A basic entry might contain:

Location Name
Campus A — Administration Building — Boardroom

Property Type
Institutional / Office

Visual Style
Traditional / Wood Paneled / Executive

Era
1980s / 1990s

Address
Internal record

Photos
Link to gallery

Dimensions
28' × 18'

Ceiling Height
10'

Access
Second floor / passenger elevator

Parking
40 spaces on site

Production Support
Adjacent conference room + restrooms

Power
Confirm during tech scout

Availability
Weekends preferred

Restrictions
Artwork cannot be moved without approval

Approval Required
Facilities + Communications

Rate
Internal

Production Notes
Quiet building on weekends; weekday filming difficult

That single entry tells a location professional considerably more than a folder of photographs.

ASSIGN SOMEONE TO MAINTAIN IT

A location database becomes less useful when nobody owns it.

Designate a person or department responsible for:

  • Adding properties

  • Updating photographs

  • Removing unavailable spaces

  • Updating renovations

  • Recording new restrictions

  • Maintaining rates

  • Adding production history

Consider reviewing the database at least periodically, particularly after major renovations or property changes.

USE THE DATABASE TO RESPOND TO REAL LOCATION BRIEFS

The ultimate test is simple.

If a producer emails:

"We're looking for a 1980s institutional office with wood paneling, a long hallway, easy truck access and room for 40 crew somewhere in Nashville."

Can your team search the database and identify possible options?

If yes, it's working.

If someone still has to email six departments asking, "Does anybody know if we have something like this?" the database needs more work.

THE BOTTOM LINE

A useful internal film location database isn't simply a collection of beautiful property photographs.

It combines creative information with production logistics.

For every potential filming location, document what it looks like, what it can represent, how production can access it, where vehicles can park, where crew can hold, what restrictions exist and who has authority to approve filming.

Start simple.

You can always add technology later.

The most important thing is creating an organized, searchable record of what your organization owns—and understanding those properties from a production perspective.

Nashville Location Company provides film location consulting, property portfolio evaluation and location database development for universities, institutions, property groups and organizations throughout Nashville and Middle Tennessee.