Location Scouting: Checklist + Template

Location scouting for commercial and brand video: the step-by-step process, a location scouting template you can copy, permits and a tech scout checklist.

Published 2026-10-17 · AI Video Production · Neverframe Team

Since January 4, 2025, a small crew can film in most US national parks without a permit or a fee. The National Park Service summarises the new rule on its filming and photography page: "In most cases, permits and fees are not required for filming, still photography, or audio recording that involves eight or fewer individuals." Add a ninth person, a light stand that needs a cart or a closed trail, and the same shoot needs a permit, location fees and an application fee. Location scouting is the work that catches details like that before they turn into a cost on the shoot day.

Location scouting is the pre-production process of finding, assessing, photographing and securing the places where a video will be filmed. For a commercial or brand video it runs in six steps: turn the script into a location brief, research candidates, make a first scout with photos and measurements, run a tech scout with the department heads, clear the location (owner agreement, permits, insurance, neighbour notices) and lock it with a signed contract and a property release. A location scouting template, sometimes called a location scouting sheet, records the same facts for every candidate so the director and the producer can compare them side by side. The template, a scoring grid, a tech scout checklist and a worked example for a 30-second coffee spot are all in this guide.

What location scouting is

Wikipedia's entry on location scouting opens with the plainest definition available: "Location scouting is a vital process in the pre-production stage of filmmaking and commercial photography." The entry then explains that the scout's job does not end when a good-looking place turns up. "Location scouts often negotiate legal access to filming locations."

Brand teams often skip that part of the job. A location has to look right on camera, and it also has to be available on the dates you need, reachable by a crew, powered, quiet enough for sound, legal to film in and affordable. The same Wikipedia entry lists the factors a production weighs, and two of them are the ones that sink most commercial shoots when nobody checks them: "availability of electrical power or feasibility of bringing in generators for lights and electrical equipment" and "permission from and cooperation of location owner and neighbors, local government and law enforcement".

Who does the scouting on a brand or agency shoot

The Wikipedia entry on the location manager separates the two roles. The manager supervises scouts, secures permits and handles the public. The scout does the first search. The entry gives the clearest single list of what a scout has to check before proposing a place:

"Some items that a location scout must be aware of before submitting a location for approval are the budgetary restrictions of the production, local permitting fees and regulations, camera and lighting requirements, convenience to other locations, production services, crew and unit parking, and possibly incidental issues such as direction of the sun, traffic in and around the location, aircraft flight paths, weather patterns, road work, demonstrations, and even interest by local organized crime families."

Apart from the last item, the list applies to a two-day spot as much as to a feature.

On commercial work fewer people cover the same jobs, as this comparison shows.

The location manager entry also explains why this role matters beyond logistics. Location managers, it says, are "the first and last people the public sees that represent the production". For a brand, the people who knock on the neighbours' doors are effectively representing the brand too.

Location scouting vs tech scout vs recce

The vocabulary changes by country and by production, which confuses many first-time buyers. Wikipedia describes the visit with department heads as a tour that "is commonly called a" tech scout, recce or go-see. In practice:

On commercial jobs a client often approves a location from photos. Power, light and ceiling height are only confirmed once the director of photography and the gaffer have visited.

How to do location scouting, step by step

Step 1: Turn the script into a location brief

Scouting starts from the script breakdown, which lists every scene and its setting. For each setting, write a short location brief: interior or exterior, time of day, the look in three or four words, the action that happens there, the minimum floor space, any must-have features (a kitchen island, a sea view, a staircase) and any hard limits (no visible brand logos, no recognisable landmarks). A brief like modern kitchen, morning light from the left, room for a dolly track, no competitor appliances gives a scout something to search for.

Attach the creative references from the video treatment so the scout searches in the right style.

Step 2: Research candidates

Most candidates come from four places: location libraries and agencies, film commissions, the scout's own database and plain searching (rental listings, maps, social media, driving around). Wikipedia notes that this is an ongoing habit of the trade: "Location scouts also look for generally spectacular or interesting locations beforehand, to have a database of locations in case of requests."

Film commissions are underused by brand teams. In Greater Los Angeles, FilmLA runs a free advisory service, and its production planning page describes what the team does: "Our experienced Production & Community Affairs team is here to answer your questions, explain the requirements and special conditions of the areas we serve, and guide you through potential location challenges before you apply for a film permit." One of the location managers quoted on that page, Kyle Sucher, supervising location manager on Hacks, explains why he calls them first: "They are extremely responsive to help with their insight on filming frequency, neighborhood rules and restrictions, and other filming notes needed before selecting the location." Many US cities and states run a similar office. Most of them will tell you over the phone whether a street has filming restrictions.

Step 3: Run the first scout

Visit the shortlist, ideally at the time of day you plan to shoot. For each candidate, fill in one location scouting sheet (template below) and take the same set of photos every time: a wide from each corner, the main camera angle, the reverse angle, the ceiling, the floor, windows, power outlets and the breaker panel, the entrance, parking and the street outside. A short phone video walking from the parking area to the set tells the producer more about load-in than any written note.

Record the compass direction of the main windows or the main exterior angle. The sun path decides the shooting schedule. The NOAA Solar Calculator gives sunrise, sunset and solar noon for any location and date, and it is worth reading its note on why the times on your phone may feel off: "Due to atmospheric refraction, sunrise occurs shortly before the sun crosses above the horizon." For golden hour exteriors, a few minutes either way decides whether you get the shot.

Step 4: Shortlist and present the options

Score every candidate on the same criteria (framework below) and present the top two or three per setting to the director and the client, with photos, the scouting sheet and a cost estimate. The cost should include the location fee, permit fees, any police or fire officers the permit requires, parking, holding areas and any power or generator rental.

Step 5: Run the tech scout

Once a location is chosen, the tech scout turns it into a plan. The director walks the scenes, the director of photography and the gaffer plan the lighting and the power, sound checks noise, art checks what has to be dressed or removed and the first assistant director or producer works out timing, base camp and the company move if there is more than one location. The output feeds the shot list and the shooting schedule.

Step 6: Clear and lock the location

Clearing means confirming everything that could stop the shoot. Wikipedia lists what it covers: "investigating and confirming the availability of the location, the fees to be paid to a location owner or agent, obtaining a certificate of insurance, and obtaining any needed film permits, which may involve fees." Neighbour notices are often part of the permit too: "These are notices to neighbors, advising them of the intent to film in the area, which is often a local requirement."

A location is locked once the paperwork is signed. "Usually a contract signed by all parties and a property release are obtained", the same entry says, and it defines the release precisely: "The latter, a written, signed permission from the property owner or agent, allows photography and public depiction of the location via media (that is, broadcast, video, film, print publication)." For brand work, make sure the release covers every channel and territory in your media plan, including paid social and connected TV, and that it matches the usage terms in your video usage rights and licensing agreements for talent and music.

Once the location is locked, its address, parking, nearest hospital and contact go on the call sheet.

Location scouting template you can copy

A location scouting template is a one-page sheet filled in once per candidate. Keep the fields identical across candidates so the comparison is fair. Copy this into a document or a spreadsheet:

Some teams call this a location scouting sheet and keep a separate location scouting report that summarises the shortlist for the client. The report is just the top two or three sheets with photos and a recommendation.

Location scoring framework

A weighted score helps when the director and the client disagree about a location, because each criterion is rated separately. Rate each criterion from 1 to 5 and multiply by the weight.

The maximum score is 75. Anything below 45 should only stay on the list if it is the only place that fits the creative idea, and then the producer needs to price the fixes before the client approves it.

Permits: what to check before you lock

Permit rules depend on who owns the land, and they change. Check with the authority every time.

City and county streets usually need a film permit through a city film office or a regional body such as FilmLA, with lead times that vary by area and extra conditions for street closures, special effects or drones. Private property needs the owner's written permission and often a city permit as well when the crew, trucks or parking spill onto public space.

Federal land changed in 2025. The EXPLORE Act, Public Law 118-234, rewrote the rules for filming on National Park Service land and other federal land. The statute bars a permit or fee for an activity that "involves fewer than 6 individuals" and meets the conditions set in the law, and it creates a free de minimis authorization for some slightly larger groups. The National Park Service applies it on its filming page with the eight-person threshold quoted at the start of this article, and it lists the conditions a no-permit shoot has to meet, including that it "Uses hand-carried equipment only; Does not require exclusive use of a site". The NPS also states that the type of production makes no difference: "It does not matter whether it is commercial, non-commercial, for content creation, by a student, or conducted by media or for news gathering."

When a permit is required, the NPS is just as clear about the cost: "When a filming, still photography, or audio recording permit is required, the National Park Service will charge location fees and fees to recover its costs to administer the permit, including application fees." A commercial crew with dollies, lights and a client monitor will almost always fall into that category, so contact the park early. Two more lines on the same page are worth knowing. Coverage of an event that already has its own permit is exempt: "Permits and fees are never required for filming, still photography, or audio recording that is associated with an activity or event that has been authorized under a written instrument (e.g., permit or agreement), such as a wedding, sporting event, demonstration or other activity." And a free filming day still costs the gate: "Individuals and groups conducting filming, still photography, or audio recording are subject to entrance and/or recreation fees that may apply in park areas even when a permit is not required."

Drones add a second authority. The Federal Aviation Administration puts the commercial rule in one sentence: "If you have a small drone that is less than 55 pounds, you can fly for work or business by following the Part 107 guidelines." Since 2021 the rules have been looser than many producers remember: "Drone pilots operating under Part 107 may fly at night, over people and moving vehicles without a waiver as long as they meet the requirements defined in the rule." Night flights near cities still need extra paperwork: "Airspace authorizations are still required for night operations in controlled airspace under 400 feet." A drone shot also needs the landowner's permission and, in many cities, a note on the film permit.

Tech scout checklist

Bring this list to the tech scout and do not leave until every line has an answer.

Send a written summary of the decisions to everyone the same day, because the schedule and the call sheet are built from it.

Example: location scouting for a 30-second spot

Here is how a filled example looks for a fictional 30-second spot for a coffee brand, with two settings: a home kitchen at sunrise and a street corner cafe. The brief asks for warm morning light, a lived-in modern kitchen and a cafe with a window seat.

The kitchen wins on light and sound. The cafe scores lower because of the bus route, and the fix (shoot interiors before nine, exteriors later in the morning) goes straight into the shooting schedule. The same sheet tells the producer that two generators and two parking permits belong in the video production budget.

Weather, backups and changes

Exterior locations need a plan B. Wikipedia's advice is specific: "Local weather conditions can figure heavily into a location's viability and affect many areas of production scheduling, so contingencies and alternate, budgetary-efficient plans should be made well in advance of any shoot day that could be affected by weather." In practice, that means a weather hold agreed with the owner, a cover set (an interior that can be shot instead), and a clear call time for deciding whether the day goes ahead.

Changes after lock are expensive. Wikipedia puts the risk in a single line: "A change of creative concept at this stage or a glitch of any kind (such as property owner cancellation) is potentially costly, and legal action is a possible consequence." The fix is to lock the creative before you lock the location and to have the owner's cancellation terms in writing.

Wikipedia also gives the locations team the job of reporting problems early: "It is the locations department's job both to anticipate and minimize problems associated with a location and to advise other production-department heads of intractable problems for which contingencies can be planned or the decision to use an alternate location can be made, which might involve additional planning and budget allocation for additional location scouting." A good scout tells you early when a place will not work, even when the director loves it.

How AI production changes location scouting

AI-generated imagery changes which locations a production needs. When a studio can build an environment that does not exist, or extend a small set into a large one, part of the scouting moves from finding a real place to gathering references: architecture, light, materials, weather and the feel of a neighbourhood. The location brief still matters, because it tells the team what the world should look like, and the scoring framework still works for the scenes that are filmed for real.

Some scenes still need a physical room. A product shot, a founder interview, an avatar recording session or a plate for compositing still happen in a room, and that room needs power, quiet and permission. Mixed productions often need fewer and simpler locations, which shortens the scouting phase and reduces permit risk. The AI vs traditional video production comparison covers where each approach fits.

Common location scouting mistakes

• Scouting at the wrong time of day, then discovering on the shoot that the sun is behind the building.
• Approving a location from photos without a tech scout, then finding there is no power for the lights.
• Ignoring sound. Fridges, air conditioning, flight paths and buses ruin more takes than bad light.
• Forgetting parking and load-in. A third-floor walk-up costs an hour every time a crew moves gear.
• Assuming a public place needs no permit, or that a park permit covers a drone.
• Getting verbal permission only. Without a signed release, the footage can become unusable for a brand.
• Leaving logos, artwork and other brands in shot without clearance.
• No weather backup for exterior scenes.

For the wider pre-production picture, see the video pre-production guide and the video production checklist.

How Neverframe handles locations

Neverframe is an AI video production studio in Miami. We make four formats for brands and agencies: films, spots, social ads and avatars. Brand films run 60 to 90 seconds with an original script, a cinematic score, a 4K master and social cutdowns, in three to four weeks. Spots are 30 seconds, with script, storyboard, licensed music, sound design and voice-over, delivered as a 4K master and a vertical version in two weeks. Social ads come as three 15-second ads with different hooks plus two 6-second bumpers, in 9:16, 1:1 and 16:9, in two weeks. Avatars are a digital double of your CEO that records new messages without new shoots.

Because much of the world in our films and spots is built rather than found, location work for us usually means a reference brief and, where real footage is needed, a small and simple set that is easy to clear. You see a first version within days (72 hours for agencies) and the final delivery in two weeks, or three to four for films. If you have a script and are wondering whether it needs a location hunt at all, see the formats for brands or tell us about the project. Agencies can work with us under white label through the partner program.

FAQ

What is location scouting?

Location scouting is the pre-production process of finding, assessing and securing the places where a film, commercial or brand video will be shot. A scout searches for candidates that match the script, visits and photographs them, records practical details such as power, sound, parking and permits, and presents a shortlist. After the director chooses, the location is cleared with the owner and the authorities and locked with a signed contract and a property release.

What should a location scouting template include?

A good location scouting template includes the setting and scene numbers, address and contact, availability and fees, room dimensions, light direction and sunrise or sunset times, power capacity, noise sources, parking and load-in, space for holding and facilities, permit requirements, restrictions, safety notes, a link to photos and the scout's notes. Use the same fields for every candidate so the director and the producer can compare locations fairly and score them.

What is the difference between a location scout and a tech scout?

The location scout is the search and first visit, usually done by a scout or producer to find and document candidates. The tech scout, also called a technical scout or recce, happens after a location is chosen. The director, director of photography, gaffer, sound, art and the first assistant director or producer visit together to plan shots, lighting, power, logistics and safety in detail, usually one to two weeks before the shoot.

Do you need a permit to film at a location?

Usually, yes, at least for anything beyond a very small crew. City streets and public property normally need a film permit from a city or regional film office. Private property needs the owner's written permission and sometimes a city permit for parking or sidewalk use. On National Park Service land, small crews with hand-carried equipment are often exempt under the EXPLORE Act, but larger shoots need a permit and fees. Drones also need FAA compliance.

How long does location scouting take for a commercial?

For a simple commercial or brand video with one or two settings, scouting usually takes a few days to two weeks, depending on how specific the brief is and how quickly permits come through. Research and a first scout can happen within a week, the tech scout follows once the director has chosen, and permits add their own lead time, which varies by city. Productions that build part of the world with AI often need fewer real locations, which shortens the process.