Location Scout
A location is a bundle of constraints behind a good-looking facade.
What this is about
A scout's photos start the conversation; the shoot day is decided by what the photos cannot show — sun path, noise, access, neighbours, and whether the building tolerates a crew at all.
Every department needs the same plan in a different view. That is exactly where document collections fail: they only ever serve one perspective well.
What runs differently here
Where this differs from the general case:
- A scouting brief lists scenes and camera needs, not adjectives about atmosphere
- Photos flatten the one thing that matters most: where the light comes from at the planned hour
- Every presented option needs a cover alternative, or it is a single point of failure
What the plan has to deliver
A production plan is useful to this role when it provides the following:
- Scene requirements before the search starts
- Sun direction and times noted per candidate
- Access, parking and noise recorded at the visit
- A cover option for every weather-dependent motif
Common pitfalls
What most often goes wrong in practice:
- Shooting scout photos at noon for a scene planned at dusk
- Presenting the perfect room that has no path for a dolly
With TillyGen
TillyGen attaches scout findings to scenes, so a location is chosen against its shots instead of against its photos.
Change one constraint and the consequences travel through the whole plan: affected shots are flagged, the call sheet is regenerated, and nobody keeps working from yesterday's version.
Frequently asked
What belongs in a location brief?
The scenes with their camera needs: how much depth the lens wants, which direction faces a window, what has to drive up to the door. Mood words find pretty rooms; scene lists find shootable ones.
What should scouting photos always include?
A wide from the probable camera position, the view out of every window, the ceiling, and the way in from the street. Those four answer most department questions before they are asked.
When does a location need a backup option?
Always when weather, permits or a private owner can withdraw it. The cover does not have to match — it has to exist, scouted and approved, before the first one falls through.
How long does it take to get started with TillyGen?
A first project takes under an hour to set up. There is no configuration phase in which templates and fields have to be defined before the tool produces anything.
Can the results be exported?
Yes — as PDF for the crew, CSV for downstream systems and through the API for anything automated. The plan stays the source; the exports are views of it.