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This was really good advice. Most videos on KZfaq that talk about making your first indie feature or making a low budget project discuss using what's available to you. Does your uncle have a Auto Body Shop, write it into the script. That sort of advice, and while that's good for securing some locations, my producer has a friend from high school that owned one. But other things, we tried to get the best looking sets we could get. A line that has always worked for me, outside of NY or CA, is - This is the perfect location. We've been looking for this location for days, and everything we saw just didn't have that cinematic quality to it. But this, is like I've just walked into a movie. Flattery will get you everywhere. This method has gotten locations to roll out the red carpet for us, sometimes closing the location to let us film, or, letting us in on their closed days, and providing a chaperone, to let us in and out, show G&E the breaker box, etc. turn A/Cs off and on for us, almost acting as addition locations, because everyone is excited that you're using their location. We've even had restaurants and other eating establishments provide free meals to cast and crew, without promoting. We've also gotten a lot of restaurants to just close one section for us, which isn't always the best for sound, but it also hasn't been a nightmare either, cause generally you set it up on their non busy day, and you can also usually get free background shots of the real patrons, just have lots of releases handy. Also, I didn't come up with this method on purpose. I said it in earnest, after seeing dozens of cafes, but the owner felt it so much, I always say it when approaching owners of any type of location, from private home on up. And of course, I look at tons of places before deciding on a location, but I just do it virtually. Via photos and even pulling up floor plans if available to check dimensions. I only approach the location I want to get, and it's worked everytime I've done it outside of NY or CA. It works in those places to, but they want money, where everywhere else, is excited to be in a film. And if you can most of your locations for nothing, then you save a lot over the course of the shoot. We would always budget for the locations, but then just get them for free with sweet talk. And when they tell you they'll provide food, even when you have people on crew/cast with dietary restrictions, you're also saving on catering for the day. Then if you get free background, which we have with most locations we've done, only having to hire a couple of our own, you also save big. Everyone wants to be in the movies, everyone thinks it could be their big break. Help people fulfill that dream. Also, if you have name actors attached, they get excited that they could take a picture with them for their wall. They start bending over backwards wanting to do even more for you. It's also a great way to give back to the community that's helping you get your movie made, because they end up feeling like they are part of it, and not just an other transactional customer.

Your approach to securing locations through genuine appreciation and flattery seems to be quite effective.It helps you get free places to film and sometimes even free food. Plus, it makes the community feel involved in your movie, which is great. All big wins!