FILM LOCATION ESSENTIALS: HOW TO SHOOT VIDEO OF YOUR HOME FOR MAXIMUM IMPACT
How to Shoot Video of your Home for Film Location Work
4th of Aug, 2025.
Film Location Essentials: HOW TO SHOOT VIDEO OF YOUR HOME FOR MAXIMUM IMPACT
Key Takeaways:
Create polished, professional-looking walkthroughs of your filming location using just a smartphone – and boost your listing’s appeal to location managers, scouts, and production companies.
Enhance your listing with landscape hero videos, short social interviews and even drone footage to fully showcase the scale and character of your space.
Why Video Matters for Your Film Location Listing
At Silverstein Locations, we know that great video content makes great listings. A well-filmed walkthrough allows production teams to truly visualise your space—and that can make all the difference when it comes to landing bookings.
Many of our top-performing listings feature high-quality video, and while we cover as many locations as we can during our monthly filming days, we can’t reach everyone straight away. That’s where you come in.
With a bit of planning and the phone in your pocket, you can shoot footage that genuinely elevates your profile on the SL platform.
How to Film a ‘Hero’ Video for Your Listing
Your hero video, see above, is the first impression your space makes. It sits at the top of your listing, so make it count.
Do:
Film in landscape (horizontal) format.
Move slowly and steadily, using a phone gimbal if possible.
Pan through each room, capturing architectural details, natural light, and spatial flow.
Include all areas available for filming—both interior and exterior.
Use daylight, and keep light behind you to avoid silhouetted or overexposed footage.
Don’t:
Submit vertical footage as a hero video.
Rush through the space or film in poor lighting conditions.
Shoot handheld without stabilisation—shaky footage is hard to watch and won’t be used.
If editing isn’t your thing, simply send us your raw video files via WeTransfer, organised into folders:
Hero Video
Social Media Reels
Interviews
We’ll take it from there.
Social Media Reels & Vertical Content
Social media is where many scouts and producers discover new spaces. Short, engaging reels (see above) can drive attention to your listing and tell your property’s story in bite-sized formats.
Tips:
Always film reels in portrait (vertical).
Use your phone’s time-lapse feature for a fast-paced walkthrough.
Or create slower, cinematic vertical clips highlighting your property’s most unique or picturesque features.
Keep it under 30 seconds if possible—this improves engagement and is ideal for Reels and TikTok.
Talk to Camera: Your Story Matters
Want to stand out? Record short, vertical videos where you speak directly to camera, see above. These can be quick, informal clips that help humanise your listing and connect with creatives.
Each video could cover:
Why you got into film location work
What makes your property a great shooting space
A unique feature or story about your home
The best or most memorable shoot you’ve hosted
Keep each one brief—30–60 seconds is ideal.
Drone Footage: Show Off the Bigger Picture
If your property would benefit from a grander visual perspective—think sweeping estates, coastal or countryside views, or dramatic architecture with height or symmetry—then drone footage can truly elevate your listing.
If you already own a drone and have the capability, get it up in the air and capture both stills and video.
Highlight scale, rooflines, landscape context, and architectural geometry—especially useful for large homes, estates, and rural or scenic locations.
If you don’t own a drone, SL partners with Droneworks, a UK-wide database of licensed drone operators. They can shoot on your behalf for a fee—just let us know and we’ll connect you.
Drone footage brings scale, cinematic appeal, and a fresh perspective that production teams love. If your property suits it, it’s well worth the effort.
Final Tip: Quality = Bookings
We regularly receive video content that can’t be used—because it’s shot in the wrong orientation, too fast, unsteady or poorly lit. That’s a lost opportunity.
If you follow the above advice and look through existing examples on the SL site, we can work together to polish your listing, improve visibility, and help you land more productions.
Whether you’re shooting yourself or working with us, a well-documented location is a booked location.
