Over the past 35 years, Paris Rental has been working with numerous worldwide film production companies, such as world-famous films from the Boulogne studios and recent series you may have seen on Netflix.
Long-term furnished rental in Paris is a popular option for production companies. Because time is money in the film industry, getting crews up and running is vital.
1. Can you rent out your apartment to a film production company?
Paris Rental's clients range from French and American film productions to actors, directors, and production engineers. Rental periods are generally between three and six months, depending on the occupant's role.
The stage manager takes care of all the details and is the key contact for the rental. They transmit the client's requirements (number of apartments required, single person or family, location relevant to the shoot, etc.) to the PARIS RENTAL agency. For its part, Paris Rental is responsible for finding suitable rental apartments and sending information, photos, and videos of luxury furnished rentals to the stage manager. Then, the stage manager will visit the selected flats. If the director is coming to Paris with their family, they like to ensure the apartment suits them.
Once the choices have been made, Paris Rental takes care of the details relating to electricity, gas, and Internet. Generally speaking, the production company prefers owners to keep utility contracts in their name. Why do they do this? Because for film production companies, time is money. So, when the film is completed, the production company closes its accounts and vacates its apartments to return home or start a new project elsewhere.
The simpler the end of the lease, the faster the stage manager can do their job, and the more ready the apartments are to be rented out again.
2. Advantages of renting your apartment to a production company
Discover the unique advantages of renting your furnished apartment to a production company for the long term:
- Guaranteed payment of rent
- Having a peace of mind
- An easier relationship with the tenant/company: direct communication with a single contact person, usually the stage manager.
- Flexibility in drafting the lease
- Sometimes, invitations to VIP sessions.
3. How to prepare your apartment to rent to a production company?
Prepare your apartment to cater to professionals from the film or TV industry. These creative professionals work a lot on scripts and like to look at the scenes' board. So, a work table and good lighting are needed. A coffee machine for work meetings is an absolute must.
Quiet is essential; often, filming takes place at night, and actors need to sleep part of the day to recover. Be sure to install blackout blinds or curtains, which will also block out street noise.
The studio often extends the days of filming, so comfort and functional equipment in every apartment are essential when coming home.
4. Contracts and legal aspects
Which lease should you use to rent to a company?
Since this is a secondary residence, the Civil Code lease is best for the production company, which will sign the lease as the "tenant." However, the "exclusive use of the apartment" mentioned in the lease is in the occupant's name.
Electricity and Internet contracts also figure in the lease. Please note that Production companies prefer owners keep utility contracts (such as electricity, Internet, etc) in their name to simplify the lease termination process. After all, it's better for everyone because "time is money." Usually, a fixed fee to cover utilities costs is agreed upon at the beginning of the lease.
Security deposit
The security deposit is usually equivalent to two months for short or medium-term leases.
The stage manager and the owner or their representative draw up an inventory of fixtures.
As production companies are often based abroad and like to close all their accounts when they leave France, they request the security deposit reimbursement as quickly as possible. Naturally, if something needs replacing or repairing, the stage manager will take care of it promptly.
Necessary insurance
Home insurance and any extra insurance are taken out by production.
5. Rent to a production company for filming with Paris Rental Real Estate Agency
Paris Rental does not specialize in film location rentals and does not advertise on the subject. However, if an owner informs us of the availability of their apartment for this purpose, Paris Rental's team will contact them. So, if you own a large apartment, such as a loft, and would like to rent it for a film shoot, don't hesitate to contact Paris Rental.
Our "Production Company" clients rent apartments for the director and their families, cinematographers, sound engineers, and actors. However, a production company occasionally lets Paris Rental know they are looking for a particular apartment to shoot one or several scenes. We usually refer them to a specialized company:
https://www.20000lieux.com/
What types of property the production companies are looking for?
Production companies look for apartments with originality, a view, an ample space like a loft, a terrace, etc.
The size of the rooms is a crucial factor; there needs to be a living room of at least 50 m2, other spaces available to accommodate the crew, which can number up to 40 people, and a lot of equipment.
High ceilings are also essential to facilitate the sound recordist's work.
Shooting vehicles must be able to park nearby without difficulty.
What must I know before renting my apartment to a production company?
You must be the owner to rent your property for a film shoot. If the property is an apartment, you must ensure that the co-ownership regulations do not prohibit this. The crew must be able to access the common areas; therefore, the agreement of the other co-owners is required.
Drawing up a detailed inventory of fixtures with a bailiff is essential.
Editor: Claire de Circourt
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