Thank you for your interest in listing your property in the Creative BC Locations Library for the film and television industry.
If you are a residential or business property owner in British Columbia, you may directly register your property for inclusion in the library and should it be of interest, you will be contacted directly by the production company. There is no cost to list your property with Creative BC.
For further information about motion picture production, what to expect and best practices, see our Filming in your community.
Submitted locations will not be accepted if they do not meet the following guidelines
If you would like your home, business, or property considered as a possible filming location, please upload digital photos via the electronic submission form at the end of these instructions. We will review your photos and, if approved, your property will be added to our password protected Creative BC Locations Library.
Submission Guidelines
-
Professional photos are not required. However, photos that are dark, out-of-date, poorly focused, or too small or low-resolution will not be accepted.
-
Images must be properly oriented. Photos submitted upside down or sideways will not be accepted.
-
The submitter must be the actual owner of the property and/or have the authority to lease it for production.
-
If the property is currently under construction or undergoing a remodel, please wait until the work is complete before submitting photos.
-
Property descriptions should include specific details such as square footage, architectural style, year built, number of bedrooms, special features or assets, etc.
-
Include photos of the assets in your description (pool, barn, etc.).
-
Please do not submit locations more than once.
GENERAL PHOTO GUIDELINES:
-
Shoot the exterior and interior of the property.
-
For exteriors, take a photo of the building, including driveway, sidewalk and green space from across the street.
-
Take a photo of the street looking both directions
-
From the front entrance, take a reverse photo to show the property and what is across the street. Use the same process for the back of the property.
-
For interiors, duplicate the experience of someone walking through the building.
-
Starting at the entrance, take a photo looking through the door. From the opposite side of the entrance, take a photo of the reverse looking toward the door.
-
Stand at one end of each room, off from the corner, and shoot a reverse from the opposite side of the room. Show entrances in your photos if possible.
-
Shoot the room to give a sense of space – not individual decorative details.
-
Please ensure photos are in focus and in colour with no filters applied.
- 20 to 40 photos are adequate for most locations.
-
There is a 40-image maximum per each submission. We reserve the right to select the best group among the submitted photos and delete those which are redundant or of poor quality.
- If you are photographing a residential property, please ensure the lights are all turned on and curtains/blinds are open in the rooms. This will ensure the rooms show up clearly in the photos and are not too dark.
MOBILE PHONE GUIDELINES:
-
Hold the phone horizontally with the camera on the left hand side (landscape), not vertically (portrait).
-
When sending the images from your phone, select Actual Size. Do not reduce the image size as they become too small and will appear pixelated.
-
Once you have gathered your photos, please submit them using the Electronic Submission Form at the end of these instructions.
DIGITAL SLR GUIDELINES:
-
If using an SLR camera, please do not use a wide-angle lens. It will distort the visual space and will not accurately represent a room. Keep the lens at 50mm.
-
File size is minimum 500 KB and maximum 10MB.
-
Images must be in JPEG format
-
Preferred HD size 1920 x 1080. Once you have gathered your photos, please submit them using the Electronic Submission Format the end of these instructions.
WE CANNOT ACCEPT:
- Files with less than 20 photos.
-
Properties that are listed for sale.
-
Photos that are watermarked.
-
Submissions sent via email. You must use the Electronic Submission Form at the end of these instructions.
-
Photographs that were taken by a professional photographer for purposes other than listing your property in the library.
-
Photos with date stamps, filters or text.
-
Staged photos highlighting people, pets or objects.
-
Screen captures or brochures.
Please adhere to the above guidelines. They are in place to ensure your submission will meet our minimum standards required for inclusion in the database.
Read through our FAQs before registering
FAQs + Registration
HOW WILL I KNOW MY LOCATION HAS BEEN RECEIVED?
You will receive an automated email confirming receipt of your electronic submission.
WHAT HAPPENS AFTER I UPLOAD?
Electronic submissions will be placed in the queue and reviewed for processing in the order they are received. Staff will adjust minor image issues and attach search keywords. Depending on the number of files in the queue, processing can take 1-4 weeks.
I HAVE MORE THAN 40 PHOTOS, WHAT DO I DO?
If the property is large and more photos are required for adequate coverage, you can upload a second time. The second upload will be merged with the first. When making multiple submissions for the same property, please include a note in the Location Name section (i.e. part 1 of 2).
HOW CAN I UPDATE MY LISTING WITH NEW PHOTOS?
If the property has been renovated or altered, you should submit a new listing. Please note in the Location Description field that you are updating an existing file.
CAN I EDIT/CHANGE/DELETE MY CONTACT INFORMATION OR PROPERTY DETAILS AFTER I HAVE UPLOADED?
Once the file has been uploaded, any changes must be communicated to us by email library@creativebc.com. Our staff will make the changes for you.
WHAT SHOULD I WRITE IN THE DESCRIPTION? HOW CAN I MAKE MY PROPERTY STAND OUT?
The description should be simple and factual. Include specific details such as square footage, architectural style, year built, number of bedrooms, etc. Make note of unique features and assets such as pool, barns, extra parking areas, etc. Follow the photo guidelines to provide quality photos that properly represent your property, including any special features or assets.
HOW SOON WILL I HEAR FROM A PRODUCTION?
A production will contact you directly once a production is interested. Remember that the process is script driven – if your property is not what is described in the script, they won’t be looking for it.
HOW MUCH DO I GET PAID TO HAVE FILMING ON MY PROPERTY?
There is no standard location use rate for filming on a property. The rate of compensation is a negotiation between the production and the property owner. Compensation will vary depending on several factors (i.e. number of days requested on property, special requests, etc.) In most cases, the production will make a specific offer based on budget and shooting requirements.
HOW IS LIABILITY INSURANCE HANDLED?
Film and TV productions carry insurance policies that indemnify the property owner. You should receive a copy of the insurance with your location contract.
HOW CAN I VERIFY THE FILMING REQUEST IS LEGITIMATE?
Location Scouts may call you or leave a letter at your door expressing interest in using your property for filming. You are welcome to call the Creative BC Film Commission at +1 604 736 7997 to verify any requests you receive.
If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact us at library@creativebc.com
Access the submission form here
Contact Us
For questions regarding guidelines, submissions, and updating your property, please contact library (at) creativebc.com