Producers Seek Perfect Home To Shoot Feature Film in NY

Have you ever dreamed of seeing your house used in a major motion picture? No? Well, you might after you hear what they pay to use your house as a shooting location.

According to WRRV, producers and location scouts have been scouring Dutchess County looking for a house as the primary location for a big film being shot there in 2021. Now, they might not find exactly what they are looking for in Dutchess County, and if they expand their search area your house might be perfect for the film.

They are looking for a house that has a lived-in, maybe even a little rundown, that's at least 30 years old. They would like a house that's secluded and in the woods or at least have woods near the house. Finally, one of the characters in the movie is a woodworker, so a garage or shop would be a big plus. I don't know about you, but this sounds like they are going to be shooting a horror movie in your house.

Now, here's the reason this might interest you. Movie studios pay $2,000 - $3,000 a day and sometimes up to $25,000 a day to use a house for the principal shooting of a movie. Plus, they usually sweeten the deal with remodeling, renovations, landscaping...etc.

I know this because my sister-in-law's brother's house was used in the opening scenes of "Scream 4". Jared's home was used for the entire opening sequence of murders by Ghostface. It was shot in his house outside Ann Arbor, Michigan. They were paid huge money for them to use their house for about a month. In addition, they did some remodeling, put down new flooring, and put them up in a really nice rental while they were using the house for filming. There was a downside though....for months they found broken glass and little fake blood splatters where you'd least expect it. I asked them if they were ever creeped out knowing their house was used in a horror movie. They told me no...I bet that big fat check helped a lot.

Google Maps

Here's the opening scene of "Scream 4" that was filmed in Jared's house.

So if you think you have a house that might be exactly what the film producers are looking for. Send an email with a photo and contact information to the Hudson Valley Film Commission at filmcommission@me.com.