A production wants to film at your house, restaurant, farm or business.
Great.
Now what?
Filming on private property in Tennessee can be relatively straightforward, but a handshake and a Venmo payment aren't exactly the production plan we'd recommend.
Whether you're the producer trying to secure a location or the property owner deciding whether to say yes, here's what you should know.
Do You Need a Film Permit on Private Property?
If the entire shoot takes place on private property, the primary permission comes from the property owner through a location agreement.
But don't assume "private property" means permits can never be involved.
A production may still need local permits or approvals if it:
Reserves public street parking
Places equipment on a public sidewalk
Impacts traffic
Closes a street or lane
Uses public right-of-way
Requires police or other municipal services
Uses certain special effects, open flames or other regulated activities
In Nashville, those public impacts can bring the Nashville Department of Transportation, Fire Marshal, Metro Police or another agency into the conversation.
For Nashville-specific permitting, see How to Get a Film Permit in Nashville: Requirements, Costs + Timing.
Always Use a Location Agreement
This protects everyone.
A proper location agreement should clearly establish what the production is being allowed to do and under what terms.
That typically includes:
Shoot dates + hours
Prep + wrap dates
Location fee
Overtime
Areas production can use
Areas that are off-limits
Furniture or alterations
Parking
Insurance
Damage
Cleaning
Cancellation terms
Restoration
Use of the property's image
If the production needs to paint a wall, remove a door, bring a picture car onto the lawn or turn someone's dining room into a fake pharmacy, put it in writing.
Surprises are considerably less charming when they involve someone's house.
Productions Should Be Honest About Their Footprint
"Small commercial shoot" means different things to different people.
Tell the property owner what is actually coming.
How many crew?
How many talent?
How many vehicles?
What equipment?
Are you bringing a motorhome?
Will furniture move?
Will anything be attached to walls?
Is there food styling?
Animals?
Children?
Exterior lighting?
Smoke?
Rain effects?
Prep?
Wrap?
A homeowner expecting twelve people will understandably have questions when forty-five arrive.
The easiest location relationships are the ones where expectations are clear before call time.
Property Owners: Ask Questions
You don't need to understand film production to ask good questions.
Before agreeing to a shoot, ask:
How many people will be here?
What are the hours?
Is there prep or wrap?
Where will everyone park?
What rooms will production use?
Will furniture be moved?
Will anything be altered?
Who is responsible for cleaning?
Who is my contact on the shoot day?
What happens if something is damaged?
If this is your first production, our Hosting a Film or Photo Shoot: What to Expect guide is a good place to start.
How Much Should a Property Charge?
There's no universal Tennessee filming rate.
The right fee depends on the property and the production.
A five-person editorial shoot for six hours is very different from a 50-person commercial taking over a house for three days.
For Nashville commercial productions, a private home might roughly start in the range of $1,500–$5,000 per shoot day, while unique, high-end or architecturally significant properties can reach $3,000–$7,500+.
Restaurants, venues, farms and commercial properties may be priced differently depending on business interruption, exclusivity and production impact.
Property owners should also consider:
Prep + wrap fees
Overtime
Cleaning
Site representative
Security
Damage deposit
Lost business revenue
For more detail, see How to Set Film + Photography Rates for Your Property.
Producers can also reference How Much Does It Cost to Shoot on Location in Nashville? when building a location budget.
Insurance Matters
Productions should carry appropriate commercial insurance and provide a Certificate of Insurance when requested.
Property owners should review the insurance requirements before the crew arrives — not after something happens.
The location agreement should also establish responsibility for damage and restoration.
If you're a property owner, see What to Do if a Production Damages Your Property for more.
Parking Can Make or Break the Location
This is one of the biggest things both sides underestimate.
Twenty-five crew members can generate a surprising number of vehicles.
Before the shoot, determine where you're putting:
Equipment trucks
Motorhome
Camera vehicles
Catering
Client
Talent
Crew cars
If everything fits on private property, great.
If production needs public curb space, Nashville permitting may come into play.
And if you're hosting a production at your property, don't let "we'll figure out parking when we get there" be the plan.
See Where Can Production Vehicles Park in Nashville? for the production side and How to Handle Production Parking for property owners.
Protect the Property Before the First Case Rolls In
A good location department doesn't wait for damage to happen.
Depending on the property and production, protection might include:
Floor covering
Corner protection
Furniture pads
Tennis balls on stands
Shoe covers
Ram board
Exterior ground protection
Designated equipment routes
It's also smart for both sides to photograph the property before production begins.
Document existing scratches, stains or damage.
It takes five minutes and can save a very annoying conversation later.
Consider a Site Representative
For larger shoots, property owners may want someone representing their interests on-site throughout production.
That could be the owner, property manager or designated site representative.
Their job isn't to direct the commercial.
It's to know the property, answer questions, monitor agreed-upon rules and help solve issues before they become problems.
For more, see Should You Require a Site Representative?
Neighbors Still Matter
Private property does not exist in a bubble.
Early call times, trucks, generators, crew parking and exterior lighting can affect neighboring properties.
For residential shoots especially, productions should consider whether neighbor notification makes sense even when it isn't formally required.
A little communication goes a long way.
A 6 AM grip-truck arrival is a particularly aggressive way to introduce yourself.
Not Every Property Is Right for Production
A beautiful property can still be a bad film location.
Productions need more than the hero angle.
We look at:
Access
Parking
Room dimensions
Truck placement
Holding
Bathrooms
Power
Sound
Neighbors
Equipment movement
Basecamp
Owner comfort level
For property owners wondering whether their home, farm, venue or business actually makes sense for commercial production, see Is Your Property a Good Film Location?
And for producers searching specifically for homes, see How to Find a Residential Location for a Commercial Shoot in Nashville.
The Short Version
For productions:
Get permission in writing. Be honest about your footprint. Carry insurance. Plan parking. Protect the property. Leave it the way you found it.
For property owners:
Understand what you're agreeing to. Set clear rates and rules. Require insurance. Document the property. Ask questions before signing.
A successful location shoot should work for both sides.
The production gets the location it needs.
The property owner gets fairly compensated.
And everyone still likes each other at wrap.
Need Help With a Private Film Location in Nashville?
Nashville Location Company works with both productions and property owners throughout Nashville and Middle Tennessee.
For productions, we provide location scouting, sourcing, vetting, location management and permitting support.
For property owners, venues and institutions, we provide location consulting to help establish rates, policies, photography, listings and systems for hosting commercial productions.
Whether you're looking for the property or wondering what to do because a production just found yours, we can help.
Because a great location relationship starts well before the first truck arrives.