Location Scouting in Central Indiana

[Raditude]

I am in the pre-production phase of my film "New Lease on Life." Quite a few of the scenes can be shot in my home and public locations. The biggest part of the film, however takes place in a mental health institution, which would require a hospital-like setting.

I'm pretty new to film making, and live in Indiana, which is far from major film making capitals of the world. I have no idea where I could find a hospital setting. I'm not sure if any active, running, hospitals would be willing to rent space for an independent film. And I have very little financial resources to contribute to renting a location such as that.

Does anyone have any ideas?

 

[GuerrillaAngel]

Screenplay writing for indie directors 101. Don't write in locations that are unavailable to you.

It is far easier (and cheaper) to rewrite your script to make use of a free or low cost setting you have access to right now.

A script should always match the budget you have, not the budget you'd like to have.

Good luck.

 

[Raditude]

Good point, though I didn't originally write this as a film, but later decided to adapt it into one. I have a big emotional tie to it. I don't really know how I can re-write the location, as the whole story is based around it.

 

[IndieBudget]

Sometimes a Retirement Home is available easier than a Hospital. A college mental health facility where the school has a psych program....just sayin, might be able to get some footage shot in one. Think, shoot an exterior shot establishing a setting, then shoot indoors and make it look like what you want to portray. Be creative. More than one way to skin a cat. Compositing and layers are your friend .

I lived in Anderson for years...LOTS of empty buildings, fake it, make it be creative ! Use a bedroom for the interior, use an office for the lobby, not everything has to be shot in the same building. All you need is the shots w/ the talent and you paste an overlay using compositing and voila ! you have a nuthouse

 

[rayw]

I'm not sure if any active, running, hospitals would be willing to rent space for an independent film. And I have very little financial resources to contribute to renting a location such as that.

Does anyone have any ideas?

Fuhgetdaboudit.
Ain't even gonna happen.
Goto plan B, whatever it is.

About how many screen minutes will take place in the "public spaces" of a mental health institution setting?
Do you need just a few establishing shots, but honestly the rest takes place in a resident's room?

Is this like a low security MH crisis unit environment - or - the cliché high security mint green & white halls with steel doors sort of environment?

If the former, you MIGHT be able to get a few discrete minutes inside an assisted living facility.
You'll want to speak with their executive director and be able to communicate a very clear idea of what you'll be asking.

If it's just a lot of blabbing and dialog then maybe consider have that take place outside on the (ficticious) facility grounds.

A hotel bedroom MIGHT work for sit & gab sequences.

But if the story has a lot of group therapy nutty nutbag stuff, a la ONE WHO FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO'S NEST with man-handling orderlies muscling the patients, then I think you're screwed.

GL

 

[GuerrillaAngel]

I have a big emotional tie to it.

That part I understand. It's also why we're broker than we need to be.

 

[Raditude]

Fuhgetdaboudit.
Ain't even gonna happen.
Goto plan B, whatever it is.

About how many screen minutes will take place in the "public spaces" of a mental health institution setting?
Do you need just a few establishing shots, but honestly the rest takes place in a resident's room?

Is this like a low security MH crisis unit environment - or - the cliché high security mint green & white halls with steel doors sort of environment?

If the former, you MIGHT be able to get a few discrete minutes inside an assisted living facility.
You'll want to speak with their executive director and be able to communicate a very clear idea of what you'll be asking.

If it's just a lot of blabbing and dialog then maybe consider have that take place outside on the (ficticious) facility grounds.

A hotel bedroom MIGHT work for sit & gab sequences.

But if the story has a lot of group therapy nutty nutbag stuff, a la ONE WHO FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO'S NEST with man-handling orderlies muscling the patients, then I think you're screwed.

GL

There will be many group therapy sessions, as well as one on one sessions. There needs to be a big free space where all of the patients are doing their thing, while the main two characters interact. There needs to be a nurse's station, near an elevator and a front desk near the entrance/exit of the building. I will also need a parking lot with a view of the building. It will need a glass front to view the lobby and front desk from the outside, for an escape scene.

I haven't seen One Who Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest, but I checked out a trailer. It looked like an older stereotypical mental hospital setting, which I'm trying to avoid. I want a modern medical facility, so it doesn't seem as dreary. I'm thinking of the "House MD" episode where Dr. House was sent to Rehab. Something like "It's Kind of a Funny Story" would do nicely.

I've also been inside a modern mental health facility. When I wrote this, I actually based the setting on Community North Behavioral Health Pavilion in Indianapolis. It would have all the locations needed for my film. I could use it for establishing shots, and probably front lobby shots... but getting inside for group therapy, free time, and private counseling might be a challenge.

The retirement home idea might be a way to go. There are a few around my area that would probably fit some scenes.

The scenes in the mental health facility will probably take up 80% of the film. I'm planning for a feature length film around 90 minutes, so about 72 minutes inside the facility.

 

[bodenseebob]

Just to get you thinking in a different direction.
What do you really need? Bed, Chairs, Lights, Cardboard props, Green Screen? Cinima4D? After Effects? Find a location(s) and get permission to video for a couple of hours. Make sure you get medical people (Blur later as needed) in some shots to be used for free extras. Pay attention (Write it down) to your lighting/angles. Go back to a room anywhere, add lighting (Read notes and adjust) add minimal props/placeholders, shoot with desired light and angles with green screen in appropriate places. Replace green screen with recorded video from location(s) and add 3d props. A ton of hard/fun work but not impossible. There are tons of examples links within indietalk.com of green screen both large and small scale. Adjust to your capabilities and have a fun, frustrating but rewarding time!!!
Parking lot with hospital in background too easy. Scene extensions, if done right you don't even need green screen for it (VIDEO COPILOT is your friend).
Note: the whole room/scene does not have to be green screen. Example: Use a solid wall add windows via green screen, replace an existing window's view with green screen, yep keep on thinking!!! Have fun!!!

 

[Strid3r]

Sometimes a Retirement Home is available easier than a Hospital. A college mental health facility where the school has a psych program....just sayin, might be able to get some footage shot in one. Think, shoot an exterior shot establishing a setting, then shoot indoors and make it look like what you want to portray. Be creative. More than one way to skin a cat. Compositing and layers are your friend .

I lived in Anderson for years...LOTS of empty buildings, fake it, make it be creative ! Use a bedroom for the interior, use an office for the lobby, not everything has to be shot in the same building. All you need is the shots w/ the talent and you paste an overlay using compositing and voila ! you have a nuthouse

I can also 2nd Anderson, IN as a good place to find empty buildings. There is an old Delphi building that could pass as a hospital after adding in props. And they even filmed an episode of "future weapons" there a couple years back. I'm not sure how easy it would be to rent or get permission to shoot in it tho. But it's worth a try.