We could be a Star...Errr or at least the Cabin

[Deleted]

We've been contact by an Indie Film company interested in our cabin and they would like to do their next movie there. We and the management company have independently checked them out and they're legit. No porno Archie and Dark! -whip2-Their specialty seems to be coming of age flicks. Besides getting additional insured naming us personally and the management col and paying for the incremental costs for additional utilities (winter in the mountains) anything else we should think of?

Many thanks for your help!

[Opti]

No idea, but sounds cool. I suppose you could ask them for names of people
whose properties they've filmed on and speak to them.

[dannylion]

Ask for a walk-on part in the movie.  And a percentage of the gross. 

[Deleted]

Damages & Reparations - to the cabin or the land.  You want specific reparations outlined in the contract, including compensation for your time coordinating or performing repairs.  When writing the contract, assume the worst is going to happen and make sure you outline what will be expected to correct any issues.

Personally, since Indi organization could just vaporize or bankrupt themselves to evade financial responsibility, I would want the production company to post a bond to cover a specific value of potential damages (like burning down the cabin, contents and surrounding forest/whatever).

Agreement that they provide and pay for your legal representation should they do damage to neighboring properties, state/city lands, natural resources or structures, violate ordinances or create a nuisance situation; and litigation is brought against you personally, regardless of their perceived liability or negligence.

I wonder if you can also get a waiver of any personal responsibility or liability due to any damages any person on your property at their behest sustains.  Not sure if this is an enforceable/legal waiver.  But oh, god, this is CA isn't it.  How much liability do you have if someone does something stupid on your property and gets hurt?

You'll need to be named on their insurance, but what do you want their insurance to cover?  What limit do they need to apply to  you?  If its an Indi production I don't imagine they have huge comprehensive insurance policies.

You personally need an umbrella policy with a very healthy limit.  If you already have one, you need to check if it covers this kind of ongoing event at your property.

How many vehicles will they bring on to your property & how much damage will that do to the natural environment.

Litter pick up/cleanliness & restoration to original state are also important.

Then there's the whole . . . what if the film becomes a cult classic or something?  Will you ever have peaceful enjoyment of your property again?  

[Tiny]

Did anyone else think -  Cool!  A new teen horror movie!   I hope it's Zombies!    Cause isn't that what "Coming of Age Movie" is a euphemism for? 
 

[Tiny]

Oct 28, 2013 23:35:37 GMT -5 Tiny said:

Did anyone else think -  Cool!  A new teen horror movie!   I hope it's Zombies!    Cause isn't that what "Coming of Age Movie" is a euphemism for? 
 

Ask for some signed memorabilia  or Pictures with some  autographs. 

[lynnerself]

They filmed a major movie at one of my in- laws restaurant.

It was crazy! Streets blocked with dozen of big trucks, (skinny) people everywhere.
 I don't know the details, but he made a lot of money. (They paid him to be closed in a month that he usually closes anyway.)They painted and remodeled it and would have put it all back like before if he asked.
We met a few stars and several relatives got small parts as extras.
This is it here


(Yes that is Charlize Theron and John Corbett.)

[Deleted]

Wow that's fantastic! I've always wanted to do that but our street is too narrow for the trucks. It's EXCELLENT money!

My friend's house is the house in a series of made-for-TV films here. Per my friend, it's a ROYAL PITA, but they are putting 2 kids through university in the US with the proceeds, so they live with it. The first film was about a teenage mom who decided to keep the baby. It was wildly successful, so they've done 3 more. Ironically, the first film was NOT filmed at my friend's house ... the person whose house was in the first film refused to do a sequel, so one day they rang my friend's doorbell and that's how it started.

They have a 1BR guest house so she and her DH live in that during filming. (Their kids are all at school, so gone for months at a time). She negotiated for her two sons to be able to work on the set when they are on school vacation (one is studying cinema, the other photography).

Last time she got PO'd at the people for going through the closets / sheets and using her sheets, towels, etc. She also got PO'd at them for having a BBQ/pool party on the last day of filming without asking her first (she said she would have said yes but she understandably expected to be asked, not to come home from work one day and find a party going on).

She also said the behind-the-scenes people were very nice, but the actors were unfriendly. And that the cameras scratched up her floors. 

But again, she says, the money makes all the aggravation worthwhile, and they'll replace the floors once their youngest kid graduates from college.  

[The Captain]

You are thinking about property coverage, which is good - but you also want to request a copy of their certificate of coverage for general liability and workmens comp insurance as well - there is a specific name for it (I can't seem to remember) and you can ask to have a certificate issued in your name - they should know what I'm talking about.  If they don't seem to know what it is, or refuse to provide one, then they are not as much on the up and up and they would appear.

Without the above insurance, if one of their crew gets injured on your property you could be on the hook.  Alternatively you could goose up your umbrella policy if you are ok with that. 

[Deleted]

debthaven,

The money isn't that great. They only need it for one month and this isn't a big budget film. It's an opportunity worth exploring because other than T-Day or unless we have a lot of snow, rentals during that time are pretty slow.

I think it could be a good marketing opportunity for our cabin, which as you know is already in vacation rental service. It would be a nice little blurb to add to a Trip Advisor listing.

But I think it will be a PITA. She's already asking if she can get a discount and whether one of the houses next door could be rented for storage purposes. I need to decide whether this is worth it or just keep the T-day rental which already booked a couple of weeks ago.

I got an e-mail from DH early this am who already sounds cranky and saying no. We had been contacted about this opportunity about 4weeks ago and then heard nothing. Apparently they've made a couple of trips now and the producer seems fixated on our cabin.

I think I need to talk to our manager and then her if we want to pursue it. It's even crossed my mind that I might want to be down there for at least the beginning.

Hmmmm....

[sarcasticgirl]

Coming of Age story= teens doing it in your cabin 

[Deleted]

Oct 29, 2013 13:18:36 GMT -5 sarcasticgirl said:

Coming of Age story= teens doing it in your cabin 

LOL, I did think of that. But pssssst I suspect that it wouldn't be the first time someone "did it' in our cabin.

[Deleted]

Update:

I spot to the producer this a.m. We've gone through all the salient points and I think we have a deal. The only two questions for me are 1) whether I want to drive down and kick off the first day or two and 2) whether DH and I want to get credited at the end. I want the cabin credited but don't see any personal benefit and a fair amount of down side. Anybody have any thoughts about the credit aspect?

And for fun, I put the producer and DH's cousin who, among other things is a pretty decent actress. We'll just if that works out; it's highly unlikely since she probably costs too much for this film. She also lives outside the country but is ironically in LA right now pitching a screenplay she's doing.


ETA: This isn't a coming of age movie as we thought. More of a "Chick flick" with a deep psychological undertone. It actually sounds interesting.

[Deleted]

Oct 28, 2013 23:28:46 GMT -5 @rockit said:

Damages & Reparations - to the cabin or the land.  You want specific reparations outlined in the contract, including compensation for your time coordinating or performing repairs.  When writing the contract, assume the worst is going to happen and make sure you outline what will be expected to correct any issues.

Personally, since Indi organization could just vaporize or bankrupt themselves to evade financial responsibility, I would want the production company to post a bond to cover a specific value of potential damages (like burning down the cabin, contents and surrounding forest/whatever).

Agreement that they provide and pay for your legal representation should they do damage to neighboring properties, state/city lands, natural resources or structures, violate ordinances or create a nuisance situation; and litigation is brought against you personally, regardless of their perceived liability or negligence.

I wonder if you can also get a waiver of any personal responsibility or liability due to any damages any person on your property at their behest sustains.  Not sure if this is an enforceable/legal waiver.  But oh, god, this is CA isn't it.  How much liability do you have if someone does something stupid on your property and gets hurt?

You'll need to be named on their insurance, but what do you want their insurance to cover?  What limit do they need to apply to  you?  If its an Indi production I don't imagine they have huge comprehensive insurance policies.

You personally need an umbrella policy with a very healthy limit.  If you already have one, you need to check if it covers this kind of ongoing event at your property.

How many vehicles will they bring on to your property & how much damage will that do to the natural environment.

Litter pick up/cleanliness & restoration to original state are also important.

Then there's the whole . . . what if the film becomes a cult classic or something?  Will you ever have peaceful enjoyment of your property again?  

BTW Rock it, this was a really good list. I got most of it. Property manager or I will take photos to document the "before" condition. I doubt my insurance would cover for this "commercial" event but I am getting a $1M additional certificate of insurance naming DH and me.

[lynnerself]

I would definitely be there the first few days.
1.  It's a lot of fun to watch.
2.  To keep an eye on your stuff and make sure it's being taken care of.

I my relative's case, it was weird little stuff. Like people eating stuff out of the restaurant's refrigerator that didn't belong to them.
( I guess the director took a fork straight to a whole pie that was in the walk in.)

[Deleted]

Oct 30, 2013 16:46:34 GMT -5 lynnerself said:

I would definitely be there the first few days.
1.  It's a lot of fun to watch.
2.  To keep an eye on your stuff and make sure it's being taken care of.

I my relative's case, it was weird little stuff. Like people eating stuff out of the restaurant's refrigerator that didn't belong to them.
( I guess the director took a fork straight to a whole pie that was in the walk in.)

LOL at the pie story! I wonder if he knew it wasn't his?

Our place is in vacation rental service so if there's any food left in the fridge they are welcome to it.  Better that than something turning green and getting stinky!

The main problem I have is that the cabin is 500 miles away in the Southern CA mountains and I'm up in the SF Bay Area. The producer and I discussed two antique pieces of furniture which may need to be moved. My PM has offered to store one of the pieces. What was so surprising for me to learn during my discussion with the producer was how much support they will need. They are renting rooms at one of local hotels and six additional cabins from my PM and are contacting the neighbors to get some day-time make-up/relax rooms for the actresses during the film time.

She said she wanted to keep things low-key but this is a small town. I think a lot folks are going to want to watch!

Given your in-laws situation, a big-budget film must have taken over the whole town!