Welcome to the neighborhood

Successful location filming ultimately requires the cooperation of the neighborhood. This is particularly true in residential areas, where the impact of film production is often felt the hardest. I take a proactive approach to this whenever possible, by engaging with the neighbors early and often. I make every effort to keep the neighborhood informed, balancing this against the need to protect the privacy of the set.

For a recent project that that involved a lengthy shoot on a residential street, I held a neighborhood meeting at the filming location a few days before production was scheduled to start. The film’s producers and director were in attendance as well as representatives from the Seattle Film Office, Washington Filmworks and the local police precinct, who all helped me to address the neighbors’ questions and concerns. The response was overwhelmingly positive, and laid the groundwork for a smooth and successful shoot.

It also yielded an unexpected bonus– several people who attended the meeting were gracious enough to offer their homes as additional filming locations. We found another key location for the project as a result.

Hanging with the neighbors down in Rainier Beach.