# Location agreement

Source: https://storiara.com/glossary/location-agreement
Last updated: 2026-09-14
Author: Spencer Kaufman, Storiara

> A location agreement is the long-form contract between a production and a property owner for use of a filming location. Beyond the permission in a basic release, it sets fees for prep, shoot, strike, and holding days, hourly overtime, damage deposits, alterations, utilities, parking, restoration, cancellation, and insurance requirements.

## What a location agreement adds

A [location release](https://storiara.com/glossary/location-release) gives permission. A location agreement adds the money and the rules for a working rental. Clauses you'll see, summarized in plain terms (this isn't legal advice):

| Clause | What it covers |
|---|---|
| Schedule of days | Prep, shoot, strike, and holding days, each with its own rate |
| Hours and overtime | A base day (for example 12 hours, including load in and out) and an hourly rate after that |
| Deposit | Refundable damage or security deposit and when it's returned |
| Areas included | Which rooms, lots, and entrances the production can use, and which are off limits |
| Alterations | What the art department may change (paint, wallpaper, removing fixtures) and who restores it |
| Utilities | Whether the production can tie into house power or must use generators, and who pays for electricity |
| Parking and base camp | Where trucks, the [honeywagon](https://storiara.com/glossary/honeywagon), and crew cars go |
| Business losses | For stores and restaurants, compensation for closing during filming |
| Cancellation and weather | Notice required to move or cancel dates, and what fees are still owed |
| Insurance | Required liability limits and naming the owner as additional insured |

## A worked fee schedule

A three-day shoot at a restaurant that closes for filming:

| Day type | Days | Rate | Subtotal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prep | 1 | $1,000 | $1,000 |
| Shoot | 2 | $2,500 | $5,000 |
| Strike | 1 | $1,000 | $1,000 |
| Overtime (day 2 ran 14 hours on a 12-hour base) | 2 hrs | $200 | $400 |
| Total fees | | | $7,400 |

A $2,000 deposit sits on top of that and comes back after a clean walkthrough. The budget should also carry the [film permit](https://storiara.com/glossary/film-permit), a fire safety officer if required, and any site representative the owner insists on.

## Where agreements go wrong

Most disputes come from things nobody wrote down. The owner assumed the crew would stay out of the upstairs apartment. The production assumed house power was free. The strike ran into the restaurant's Saturday lunch. Walk the property with the owner before signing, list the spaces by name, and take date-stamped photos of every room before prep and after strike.

The [tech scout](https://storiara.com/glossary/tech-scout) often turns up needs the agreement didn't cover, such as a second holding area or a generator position on the neighbor's lot. Amend the agreement in writing when that happens.

## Related paperwork

The owner usually wants a [certificate of insurance](https://storiara.com/glossary/certificate-of-insurance) before prep day. The [location manager](https://storiara.com/roles/location-manager) files the signed agreement with the production office and adds on-site contacts to the call sheet. See [filming location rental cost](https://storiara.com/blog/filming-location-rental-cost) for typical fee structures, and Storiara's [locations feature](https://storiara.com/feature/locations) for keeping the address, photos, and availability dates with each location.

## Frequently asked questions

### What's the difference between a location release and a location agreement?

People use the terms loosely. A release is usually a short permission form. An agreement is a full rental contract that also covers overtime, holding days, deposits, alterations, and cancellation. Bigger or longer shoots almost always use an agreement.

### Who negotiates the location agreement?

The location manager negotiates terms with the owner within the budget the UPM or line producer set. Studio or production counsel usually reviews the form, and the owner may have their own lawyer read it.

### Can a location cancel on a production?

It depends on the cancellation clause. Good agreements say what happens if either side cancels, and by what date, and whether deposits are refunded. Without that clause, a location backing out two days before the shoot leaves you with little recourse.