Where do child actors live while filming

There are times when actors will film away from home. In fact, they shoot out from home most of the time, which begs the answer to an obvious question. Where do actors stay when filming away from their place?

So, where do actors stay when filming away from their residence? Mainstream actors resort to plush hotels, spacious apartments, rented houses or villas, or sometimes trailers, whichever is convenient to the actors and the producers. But, there is no specific answer as it depends on several reasons. 

Factors that influence an Actor’s stay:

They include the distance between your home and the set, their role, the filming duration, and the budget. That said and done, actors have various options for where they can stay when filming. 

They play a massive role in determining a film’s success, which is why they need the best treatment. Ways of ensuring that include seeing to it that they get ample sleep and that they are as comfortable as possible. 

So, the pointers are:

• Nearer to the location
• Production budget
• Duration of the stay
• Comfort and service
• Accessibility to the support staff
• Emergency provisions
• Actor’s approval (very important) 

So, depending on these pointers and the actor’s approval, the production team decides on the various options.

As mentioned earlier, it depends on several things. Here are some of the options where actors can stay when filming away from home.

1. Hotels 

are usually the best option when filming a big-budget film, especially if the shooting is in a city.

The likes of main actors, directors, screenwriters, producers, and directors of photography end up staying in 7-star hotels most of the time. The rest of the crew stay in average hotels that are relatively cheap but don’t compromise the quality of its services. 

Hotels are the best ways of accommodating actors when the shooting is on location. They head there, do the daily acting, and then go back to hotels to relax and sleep. 

Choosing a hotel is a daunting task and something that the film organizer cannot afford to get wrong. After all, that would see artists leave uncomfortably, and in others, cases keep shifting from one hotel to another daily, which could be tiring and a waste of time.

2. Apartments

Plush Apartments are an alternative to hotels when the shooting takes a lot of time. Renting an apartment is cheaper than booking a hotel if you plan to film for a relatively long time. 

Therefore, the actor shifts his residence for as long as the filming is going on. Those apartments are usually short-rest properties and make the actors feel at home.

3. Trailers

Sometimes, actors will have to stay in trailers, especially if there are no hotels or apartments near the shooting location, especially the deserts, forests, or the mountains.

In other cases, the role is about shooting where the character lives. Therefore, the actor gets a trailer or a room in one where he lives throughout the filming. Some actors have their trailers, while others will share.

Depending on the contract, it can be simple or lavish. In most cases, the main characters have the luxurious ones that they stay alone while other actors get simple ones and may have to share.

In case you are wondering how comfortable it is to stay in a trailer, you will be surprised to find some that look better than some people’s homes. If the weather is cold, they have ways of heating them, making them comfortable. On the other hand, if it is hot, they have air conditioners. 

After all, regardless of where the actors stay, ensuring that they are comfortable will go a long way to their overall productivity and performance.

4. House/ Villas

Sometimes, the distance between the shooting location and an actor’s home is not quite significant. Therefore, he can be in a position to commute daily. In that case, most actors will prefer living in their homes and then move to and from as long as they are needed to show up.

In other cases, the production team chooses to rent a house or villas instead of an apartment. For you to get that, you must be notorious and famous. Many times, producers host them if they own some real estate in that region as it saves on their costs. 

5. Tents

In other cases, the crew set up tents at campgrounds. It is usually the last option, especially for locations such as dense forests and deadly terrains. It is also ideal for a film if you are working on a tight budget.

The discussion shows that the accommodation you get depends on the set’s nature, the duration of filming, how important you are, and the budget.

Related Question:

Do actors really live in trailers on set?

Trailers are the best option an actor has to use on set today. It offers multiple uses an actor can avail to keep his focus and productivity at their best. Besides mere accommodation, let’s see why an actor literally lives on the trailer during filming on set.

• Relax Between Breaks

Breaks between each shot or sequence are common. Sometimes they take a long time for the filming setup to change. But the actor can’t go back to their apartment, home, or hotel room every time for the break. Actors don’t like the sun either. So they prefer to relax somewhere they can relax, rehearse, chat, retouch their makeup, or just need some personal time.

Trailer on the set come in handy since they get to spend most of that time moving to and from the set. You have a place to relax between takes to rejuvenate yourself for the next scene. One is at liberty to chill out, take a nap, or do anything to rest them because all individuals are different.

As you wait for the director of photography and his crew to position the cameras or adjust both sound and light, you can also go and relax in the trailer.

• Dressing

Various scenes require different costumes; hence need to change frequently. Under such circumstances, the trailer serves as a great dressing room offering the actor the necessary privacy. It saves time that would use going to change in a hotel room. Equally important, it provides a solution when going back to the changing room isn’t even an option.

• Makeup

Whether it is applying makeup for a different scene or retouching it, an actor needs a place to do that. Some cosmetics are brief hence achievable anywhere, even when standing. 

On the other time, some take hours mainly if the role includes looking like a wolf or a vampire, among different abnormal looks. He can go to his trailer for that.

• Meetings

If a need for a meeting arises, primarily if it is not meant for everyone, the trailer’s onset will provide the necessary privacy.

• Personal Space

Sometimes, an actor wants to make a personal call, have a video call with his family or loved one, and other activities that require privacy. He can head to the trailer and do it away from the rest of the crew.

• Rehearse lines

Rehearsing lines is essential, and it can be demanding if one has to appear in many scenes or have a lot of words. Disruptions from the rest of the crew may make that impossible.

Fortunately, a trailer can offer you a place where you can be alone and a conducive environment for rehearsing your lines.

Final Words

Where do actors stay when filming? Options include houses, apartments, hotels, motels, RVs, trailers, or tents, depending on an array of factors. It is also clear that actors don’t necessarily have to live in trailers onset, but it is an option.

Nevertheless, as an actor, you must give your best regardless of where you stay when filming away from home. At the same time, the organizers should prioritize the comfort of each actor. Therefore, actors should be willing to compromise a little, whereas the management should try their best to make the cast as comfortable as possible.

Feature Image by Janeb13