ABSTRACT
After the screenplay is broken down, and discussions with the producer and director establish a clearer picture of how they envision the movie, it is time to find appropriate location sites. Film commissions are of great assistance in finding locations and planning a production, whether it involves a local, overnight, or distant location shoot. Film commissions are created and run by individual states, counties, and even cities. They can be found in almost every state in the United States, and in many other countries, and they usually maintain very informative websites, even detailing individual location sites available. Increasingly, foreign countries are setting up their own film commissions in an attempt to lure big production companies to their shores. During a pre-production location survey (a must for any foreign shoot), a local production coordinator must be found prior to the company's arrival to organize location site surveys and contact the authorities, if applicable.
