{"id":87158,"date":"2017-04-27T06:00:11","date_gmt":"2017-04-27T11:00:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.premiumbeat.com\/blog\/?p=87158"},"modified":"2017-05-01T16:43:03","modified_gmt":"2017-05-01T21:43:03","slug":"recreate-distant-film-set-locations","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.premiumbeat.com\/blog\/recreate-distant-film-set-locations\/","title":{"rendered":"Recreate Foreign Locations on Set with These Tips"},"content":{"rendered":"

Need to recreate distant locations on the cheap? Use these quick and easy production tips.<\/h2>\n

Top image via Shutterstock<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

It\u2019s not always possible\u00a0to go gallivanting around the world to film in different locations, nor may you have the budget to dress your set in authentic British furniture if\u00a0you\u2019re shooting 3,000 miles away in Maine. However, thanks to global trade and furniture stores with\u00a0an international presence, many modern homes everywhere in\u00a0the world now look\u00a0similar. That makes it easier to film contemporary scenes just about anywhere<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

There are, additionally, small visual and auditory tricks<\/strong> you can use to suggest to your audiences that they are watching a scene inside a New York apartment, when, in fact, you’re filming in London. While these aren’t as elaborate as driving regional cars past\u00a0the window, they will still help you sell the\u00a0scene in smaller-budget projects.<\/p>\n

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Food<\/h3>\n

\"Recreate
\n<\/a>Image via Paramount.<\/em><\/p>\n

Nothing sells a scene\u2019s location more than food. I\u2019m from Wales, and seeing a box of Lucky Charms is a rare occurrence. Unless I specifically go to a food store that specializes in American foods, I’m not going to see them at all, other than in American TV & film. I would imagine it’s the same for British cereal. So, if we see a location onscreen<\/strong>, say a small back room with a grungy atmosphere, worn floorboards, and peeling paint, we have no idea where the action is unfolding. The character who has not yet spoken gets up from his chair and goes to his fridge, which is all but empty save for an American milk carton. We do not know the specific location, but the audience now knows<\/strong> this scene is taking place in the U.S. and not in a rundown hotel room in Spain.<\/p>\n

There are plenty of websites that offer food native to a foreign country<\/strong>, which is ideal for populating your set with visual cues. However, be vigilant with licensing issues. If you can’t obtain the rights to show a particular brand, you could always look at creating something that looks similar<\/strong>. For example, many productions that include\u00a0MacBooks onscreen cover the Apple symbol and replace it with a pear. It’s tongue-in-cheek, but it works.<\/p>\n

\"Recreate
\n<\/a>Image via Columbia.<\/em><\/p>\n

I’ve also found that food packaging\u00a0varies from country to country<\/strong>. For example, a glass milk bottle is more common in Britain than the U.S. On the other hand, plastic gallons of milk are common in the U.S. but rare in Britain.\u00a0Do a little research, and you can save yourself some effort in post.<\/p>\n

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Digitally Manipulate Your Location<\/h3>\n

VFX isn’t just a tool for inserting large robots into a scene and making older actors look young. There are dozens, if not hundreds, of small VFX shots in most TV shows and films that go completely unnoticed, mainly because you just wouldn’t expect them to be visual effects. Street signs, building names, iconic backgrounds<\/strong> \u2014 the list goes on.<\/p>\n

Take a look at this visual effects reel<\/strong> for David Fincher’s 2014 film Gone Girl<\/a><\/em>. If you haven’t seen this before, it’ll surprise you\u00a0to see what didn’t actually exist.<\/p>\n