In the 1998 film The Truman Show, the main character blithely lives out his life in the idyllic town of Seahaven Island. The weather is perfect. The sun shines brightly. The sound is crisp and clear. Everyone is friendly. Every day is a carbon copy of the one before. We eventually discover this perfection is actually because the town is on a soundstage created by a director for an intrusive reality TV show based around the unwitting lead character.
Although the movie is science fiction, the ability to create an ideal environment for the highest quality of film, television, music, and video production is not. Many producers and directors choose to work on a soundstage for exactly these reasons: the optimal sound and lighting capabilities and the practicality of controlling, manipulating, and replicating the environment to create the perfect setting every day of filming.
If you think you have to work with a big-time movie studio to take advantage of a soundstage, there’s good news. You don’t! In many cases, you can find soundstage rental opportunities, like Lightz Out Studios in San Diego for instance, that are easily accessible and have all the amenities you need.
When should you consider soundstage rental? Below, we’ll discuss the essential role that a soundstage can play in film, television, and video production and the benefits of renting one for a production.
What Exactly Is a Soundstage?
Generally speaking, a soundstage is a large, indoor space designed specifically for filming and recording sound. Soundstages optimize acoustics and lighting and usually have some sort of soundproofing built in. A good soundstage will be spacious enough to provide room for all necessary lighting and camera equipment as well as cast and crew members. Some soundstages also have green screens or other special effects capabilities. Taken all together, a soundstage is an ideal environment that offers creative teams flexibility to work and create without external interruptions.
Why Consider Soundstage Rental for Your Production?
Soundstage rental offers several benefits compared to filming on a traditional set or on location, including:
Sound Control and Quality
Filming outdoors or on-location might provide a realistic backdrop for your scene, but it also comes with its own challenges when it comes to sound. Background noise from traffic, wind or other weather, passersby, and even singing birds or barking dogs can compromise the sound quality of your production.
Working on a soundproofed soundstage, on the other hand, can minimize or even eliminate unwanted background noise, resulting in clearer dialogue and precise sound effects. High-quality, clean audio recordings make post-production easier and mean less need for automated dialogue replacement, or ADR, which could save you time and money.
Customizable Set Options
Scouting locations can be time-consuming and complicated. Even if you find a great location, it might not be available when you need it, or you might not be able to get permits or permission to use it. Maybe it will take too much time and money to redesign the space to meet your needs.
Soundstage rental, on the other hand, provides versatility when it comes to constructing and modifying sets. A soundstage can be easily adapted for different scenes, with options to quickly build and strike full-scale or modular sets as needed, ranging from simple interiors to more elaborate, detailed environments. Green screen capability can also significantly expand the possibilities of the worlds your creative team is able to construct.
Consistent Lighting
Anyone who has taken pictures or filmed video outdoors knows about the golden hour (also known as “magic hour”) and blue hour, when the natural light close to sunrise or sunset makes everything more vibrant and magical. What happens when you miss that window, though? Or what if it’s unexpectedly cloudy or raining?
With soundstage rental, you have complete control over the lighting, which means it stays consistent throughout your shoot at all times of day and night and regardless of weather conditions. This consistency means your creative team can create and maintain visual continuity throughout production.
Weather Independence and Climate Control
As an indoor space, a soundstage offers complete independence from the weather. You will be better able to stay on schedule when you don’t have to account for delays from environmental unpredictability.
Part of the controlled environment of a soundstage also includes climate control. If you want to film winter scenes in the middle of summer or vice versa, your cast and crew will remain comfortable and at their best.
Privacy and Security
If you happen to be working on a high-profile or confidential project, have popular cast members who might get mobbed by the public, or just want to shield your work from prying eyes, a soundstage gives you the secure, private space you need. You won’t have to worry about information leaking out or struggle with outside distractions, unwanted disruptions, or paparazzi.
In addition, you’ll be able to leave your equipment set up overnight without having to deal with daily transportation and storage issues or worrying about theft.
Staying on Schedule
Working in a soundstage’s predictable environment that you can largely control is also very time efficient. Crews generally need minimal time to set up lighting, cameras, and sound equipment and can make quick adjustments because they don’t have to think about external factors. Soundstage rental also means you don’t have to waste time transporting everything from one location to the next. Hitting all your deadlines keeps your production on track and helps you stay on budget as well. Speaking of budget …
Maintaining Your Budget
Even though soundstage rental comes with some up-front costs, many productions find that it is more cost-effective in the long run, given other costs that can accrue from renting locations, paying for permits, covering transportation, or adjusting for logistical or weather-related delays.
What to Look for When Renting a Soundstage
Soundstage rental offers a controlled yet versatile space to create high-quality film and sound productions. When you’re choosing a soundstage, here’s a few amenities to look for:
- Accessibility for your cast and crew, especially for loading and unloading; parking is important too
- Equipment rentals
- Soundproofing
- Climate control
- Dedicated power sources
- Backdrops and green screen capacity
- Kitchen, break, and other lounge areas
For your next video production, consider taking advantage of a soundstage to create the ideal conditions you need for precise recording, flexible set construction, and controlled lighting, sound, and climate.