If you weren’t thinking of selling I’d say… maybe. Personally I would never let a film crew use my home (unless it was for my own films which I have done and even that is horrible) I’ve worked in art dept and in production office dealing with the fall out of location damages with the locations teams. People’s houses get damaged all the time. It’s like throwing a giant party where the guests redecorate your entire home on very little sleep. Also with some films they might try to avoid any accountability at all cost. If you do end up doing it check their insurance, take a photo of everything in your home, every wall, every corner ect.
I did locations on Sopranos for bit. One of the scouts was up in Connecticut looking for a specific type of house. When he found a nice one and rang the bell, it was Chevy Chase who answered.
He said, "I've seen what happens to those houses... that's a no."
And he laughed.
$2,500 for a 5 day shoot, which prolly means at least 3 days of Prep prior and at least 2 days of Wrap on the back end?
A little hard to believe, although no unheard of, as Mansions like that are generally in the neighborhood of $5K - $25K a day for shooting & $2K - $5K a day for Prep/Wrap.
Yeah because it's an abandoned, falling apart piece of crap that isn't someone's actual home they live in.
It'll be really awesome when Sugar Hill finishes the renovation and it returns to it former glory days.
I was talking about actual mansions that people live in full time.
Kinda big difference.
Not really. They're looking for a look and shape and they can always have art assistants deal with the clutter. I'd just make sure guns, drugs and sex toys are all out of sight but that's general life advice really.
Haha agree. I was just feeling really self conscious since we let things go the past couple weeks and what a cool opportunity to miss out on for having like, building material in a pile that we're taking to the dump and tools outside. For the interior, there were todays dishes not washed and clean dishes not put away, bed not made type deal. Thanks, that makes me feel better!!
I hope this story helps, but the director Edgar Wright found a perfect alleyway that was to be used in Shaun of the Dead. It had the right atmosphere, right amount of weeds etc, but the council( local government of that area) wanted to rent to him but cleaned up- to give a better and neater impression- he & his team then had to persuade them to leave it alone as it was perfect as it was.
Just sanitise the toilet, kitchen etc, but don’t change anything majorly. If the location team asks about something or wants to pay for a temporary rebuild then that’s a different matter. Also just ask the Location Scout/Manager, they have the answers or can find out the answers if needed.
Hey, that does really help! Also a cool bit of cinema history, which I love. I guess I'll follow up in a few weeks if I haven't heard back, because we are actively renovating to sell, so it would be good to know if they prefer us to hold off on that until after filming. Thanks!
If you’re lucky. Shit happens, the equipment is heavy, hot, pointy, etc. Burns, holes, dents, etc.
Of course they’re insured and will fix it if you have before and after photos, but it’ll take time to fix and dealing with scheduling repairs and finding all the issues will be fun. You might find shit weeks later.
I’ve seen holes in drywall, grills in pools, gouges in hardwood floors, broken chandeliers, broken glass, it’s endless. Someone turns a cart too close to a corner and now you’ve got damage.
I doubt the money will be worth the headache of finding and fixing any possible damage, unless it’s a lot of money.
Yes, it's true that sometimes damages do occur during the course of shooting on location. In these cases, you and the Location Manager, or ALM, will document the damages, they go on the Production Report and then, more times than not, members of the Construction or Art Depts are dispatched to repair the damage, usually during the Wrap of your property. If the damages are something they cannot repair, ie landscaping, then the Location Dept will schedule a licensed contractor, repairman, etc to come repair whatever the damage is. Generally you will not have to deal with much other than confirming the schedule for the repairs with your Location Dept contact.
Well, he came and I happened to be home and we let him in. He had a letter with credentials and contact info in the event we weren't home, so I guess not technically unannounced. I just wanted to take advantage of my husband being home with me since he happened to be off work.
I have more questions than answers. Why on earth would you let a location scout just like randomly show up look through your house? Why would a location scout even DO something like this? Their rejection rate must be astronomical. Seems like a truly awful use of their time, but i guess if they're not on a job scouting for a particular thing... still.
I'm baffled, and have no answers. It's been decades since I've done locations, so maybe it's a tiktok thing or something.
I’m a LM in NYC and it’s pretty frequent. Especially if the location you need has to be in a very specific area or you need a really specific look.
For the OP don’t worry about the house being messy, they are really just looking at the bones. But don’t get your hopes up. They are probably working down a list of quite a few houses.
Yeah, definitely! I know they asked our neighbor, and so on. But either way thank you, that makes me feel better and even if not chosen I am learning something new haha.
Good luck. And the only advice I can suggest if you do get picked is make sure you get insurance from them and whatever times they tell you, add two or 3 hours. We rarely finish on time so it helps to have an overtime price negotiated in advance.
Thank you! Something about insurance was listed in the notice the scout gave me, so that is a really good reminder. Also great point about not finishing on time, especially since we have pets to consider.
Lol another home in my neighborhood has been used before as well. Where I live a lot of filming takes place so everyone is very used to it? It's also a very scenic location so it makes sense to me in that aspect. Sorry to trip you out lol.
Seems like your question has been answered, but, if they want to film there, DO NOT LET THEM if they aren't protecting your walls and floors with layout board (or something similar). If it's a low budget production, they probably aren't thinking about it because it's extra money. On top of that, make sure they provide you with a certificate of insurance (COI) that includes third-party property damage (ideally with a deductible that isn't $5,000).
I would honestly ask for a security deposit too (even a few hundred $ would at least cover minor damage). If they balk at a deposit, I would run because it probably means they can't afford to cover any damage. The producer and/or location manager might be genuine about wanting to leave the place undamaged, but the 3rd grip could not care less if his C-stand bangs every wall in your house, trust me.
This is golden advice, thank you. The letter did say it would come with a cert of insurance but now I will know to add the things you mentioned I've never heard of a layout board or other protection so that is an amazing question I can ask if chosen. Thank you!
Yes, request floor protection and wall protections, and for people to wear shoe covers in the house, to cover their stands with tennis balls. Move expensive items away (rugs, artwork). You can make certain rooms off-limit. You can request no food or drinks in the house. You can add a list of house rules to your contract, including outlining exactly what spaces they will be using for filming, staging, and holding, and which spaces they won’t be using. Make sure every space they are in is protected.
If you set up the expectations like this, they will be extra careful and production will remind everyone during shoot to minimize damage due to the huge costs of any damage. But they also may not choose you if the director likes another location that comes out cheaper and less of a headache.
If there ends up being some damage, get them an invoice for repairs asap, in a day or two. If you wait too long, the freelancers who you are in contact with have already wrapped the job and they can only follow up with the production company on your behalf and that takes longer to get resolved. Definitely get a security deposit.
The previous poster is correct that you want to ensure they protect walls, floors etc anywhere in the house crew and equipment are going to be moving through to get the filming location in your home. I will say though that almost no production is going to provide you a security deposit. If you insist they will more than likely move on to choice two. What they will do though is provide a contract, to be signed by you & the Loc Mgr, an insurance cert listing your property as an additionally insured production location (generally in excess of 1M of coverage) & provide the location fee check ahead of time. You will be compensated for every day of Prep/Shooting/Wrap. The compensation will be less for each Prep/Wrap day than the Shooting days.
Once everything is done & Production is ready to hand everything back, you and a member of the Location Department will do a walk through & ensure everything is returned to your satisfaction. Once this occurs you’ll be asked to sign a Location Release releasing the studio/production co from any further liability regarding your property.
I’m not a location manager, but as a producer of low budget movies I’ve worn that hat many times and had some luck casting a wide net in nice neighborhoods by leaving a professional note in a bunch of mailboxes. Mostly they get ignored but about one in ten responds and have been convinced to do it…and that’s with low budget rates. On a normal budget thing I’d imagine it would be even more likely.
Professionals will treat your house well, but even on pro shoots, something will get messed up. But they’ll usually write a check to make up for the damage.
That's really cool, it sounds like you have/had SUCH a cool job. I have also read to take photos of everything before filming so we can document damages. Thank yoi for your input!
You can take photos if you want. Note though that the Location Scout will document your property through photos as part of the scouting/selection process. The Art Dept will take a whole series of photo before they begin their work in order to be able to restore your spaces to their original state. Generally Location Departments aren't trying to burn locations by damaging them and rolling away. In short, your property will be well documented before any work begins.
Thanks! I really appreciate that. In hindsight I'm like, well I could have just said we're open to it, come back later (after I tidy up), but who wants to waste time like that, is what I thought lol.
Oh don't listen to these other people.
Yes having a film crew in your home is intrusive, however any production with a location manager, and art dept will likely be respectful and put your home back together.
If anything happens to your home, production insurance will take care of it.
I work art dept for a living, and always make it a point to communicate with the homeowners and let them know that if things are moved, they will be put back in a respectful manner.
Just voice your concerns with the location manager, and be prepared to not have full use of your house during the shoot days.
I think if I've learned anything from this thread is it's 100% to document everything if I'm chosen and accept. At first I thought it would just be like a fun little thing but it sounds like there's more to it that I just have to ve diligent on. Thank you for your perspective!
no, location scouts don’t care about how messy your property is. if your property is chosen the production will cover the costs of cleaning that mess to achieve the look that directed them to your property or may just leave it to use as dressing and pay you for it.
communication between YOU and the location manager or their team is vital.
my experience working on reputable film productions that maintain a level of professionalism that allows film productions to return to the property over and over again… not all “films” are the same and follow the same etiquette.
never assume the “film production” will follow your expectations without YOU reminding them of YOUR concerns.
always expect some kind of damage, it’s up to You to point it out after filming and a walk around before releasing the property from the film production.
locations department is who handles with property protection. large rolls of card board and sometimes large rolls of bubble wrap is used to protect the walls, railings etc. rubber backed carpet or a saran wrap like floor protector is used for indoors along with crew wearing booties (shoe protectors) for indoor use. 3/4 inch plywood for laying a path on grass so crew can move equipment without ruining your grass.
a locations production assistant will supervise the crew when they move in whilie being the liaison between the property owner and the film production while on site.
they will also walk around with you and take before photos of “pre-existing” damage to the property.
Two schools of thought here.
My cousin teaches film, says NEVER let a film crew in your house.
Some friends of the family, however, had their home featured in The Walking Dead and they fixed some stuff that was structurally bonkers and left it nicer than what they got it.
Crapshoot.
Naw, we dont care, for the most part. We are happy to have access to see your place n take pictures for our Location Manager, Production Designer, Producers and Director to see and consider as a location option. The eyes on our photos are educated enough to see past i.e. an unmade bed, dishes in the sink, etc. If the place happens to be tidied up = fantastic but not typically a deciding factor. - Rich Hobbs / nyc.locationscout.us
They might, if they take it as a sign of what the location will look like when their crew comes in to use the space.
As a general rule - treat a location scout like a house buyer. You're selling your home as a location. Make it look good.
I worked on a movie where we chose this dingy convenient store on the corner because it had an equally dingy billboard on top of it. The owner wanted to surprise the studio by having it cleaned up and repainted. The crew then had to scramble to weather it. Just goes to show you never know what someone’s looking for.
I can understand where the store owner was coming from but in the end, something like that is on the Location Manager, or ALM, that was wrangling that location. It's incumbent on Location Dept's to inform property owners exactly why they want to use their property and what/where they'll be filming in order to avoid this exact scenario.
I bet that Production Designer, or Art Director, was pissed when he got that call from the Lead Scenic. FYI: I'm a Location Manager.
A professional film unit will trash your place, but will restore it (aside from naturally heavy wear and tear). Don't go it alone, talk to a locations agent who will contract it appropriately (with a deposit for damages and check their insurance) and probably get you a better rate. If you have a big pile of crap outside and they don't want a pile of crap in the shot, they will move it, and put it back (unless you do a deal for them to tip it). If they break a window they will have a scenic carpenter who can repair it.
If it's not a professional shoot, then just don't let them in - they will trample your flowerbeds and wreck your carpets and not restore damage.
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Lmao oh no 😅 that's not great, considering we want to sell by spring lol.
If you’re planning on selling in spring I would not let them use it. It’s way too risky.
Yeah when I was thinking about how it would be nice to have some extra $, maybe it isnt worth messing up the current construction 😬 that stinks lol
If you weren’t thinking of selling I’d say… maybe. Personally I would never let a film crew use my home (unless it was for my own films which I have done and even that is horrible) I’ve worked in art dept and in production office dealing with the fall out of location damages with the locations teams. People’s houses get damaged all the time. It’s like throwing a giant party where the guests redecorate your entire home on very little sleep. Also with some films they might try to avoid any accountability at all cost. If you do end up doing it check their insurance, take a photo of everything in your home, every wall, every corner ect.
Thank you for that advice. I think im also going to dig into the production company and see if there are any public complaints for this situation.
As a film crew member myself i can attest and come forth as yet another witness. Film crews will wreck your shit dawg
I’ve worked in a couple houses on the single set I’ve been on and we were super careful. Still fucked shit up
I was gonna say the same thing, its exactly like letting someone throw a giant party in your house.
I’ve worked in set dec. I can 100% confirm this.
as someone in art dept, i’d also highly NOT recommend
Never rent your house for a shoot lol. The money is tempting i know.
As a former location scout, I concur. Never let a film crew in your house. Ever.
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I did locations on Sopranos for bit. One of the scouts was up in Connecticut looking for a specific type of house. When he found a nice one and rang the bell, it was Chevy Chase who answered. He said, "I've seen what happens to those houses... that's a no." And he laughed.
$2,500 for a 5 day shoot, which prolly means at least 3 days of Prep prior and at least 2 days of Wrap on the back end? A little hard to believe, although no unheard of, as Mansions like that are generally in the neighborhood of $5K - $25K a day for shooting & $2K - $5K a day for Prep/Wrap.
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Yeah because it's an abandoned, falling apart piece of crap that isn't someone's actual home they live in. It'll be really awesome when Sugar Hill finishes the renovation and it returns to it former glory days. I was talking about actual mansions that people live in full time. Kinda big difference.
Not really. They're looking for a look and shape and they can always have art assistants deal with the clutter. I'd just make sure guns, drugs and sex toys are all out of sight but that's general life advice really.
Haha agree. I was just feeling really self conscious since we let things go the past couple weeks and what a cool opportunity to miss out on for having like, building material in a pile that we're taking to the dump and tools outside. For the interior, there were todays dishes not washed and clean dishes not put away, bed not made type deal. Thanks, that makes me feel better!!
I hope this story helps, but the director Edgar Wright found a perfect alleyway that was to be used in Shaun of the Dead. It had the right atmosphere, right amount of weeds etc, but the council( local government of that area) wanted to rent to him but cleaned up- to give a better and neater impression- he & his team then had to persuade them to leave it alone as it was perfect as it was. Just sanitise the toilet, kitchen etc, but don’t change anything majorly. If the location team asks about something or wants to pay for a temporary rebuild then that’s a different matter. Also just ask the Location Scout/Manager, they have the answers or can find out the answers if needed.
Hey, that does really help! Also a cool bit of cinema history, which I love. I guess I'll follow up in a few weeks if I haven't heard back, because we are actively renovating to sell, so it would be good to know if they prefer us to hold off on that until after filming. Thanks!
Don’t do it. You don’t want them in your home. As a crew member I would never let a film crew film in my house.
That is really wild, just like banging the shit out of everything?
If you’re lucky. Shit happens, the equipment is heavy, hot, pointy, etc. Burns, holes, dents, etc. Of course they’re insured and will fix it if you have before and after photos, but it’ll take time to fix and dealing with scheduling repairs and finding all the issues will be fun. You might find shit weeks later. I’ve seen holes in drywall, grills in pools, gouges in hardwood floors, broken chandeliers, broken glass, it’s endless. Someone turns a cart too close to a corner and now you’ve got damage. I doubt the money will be worth the headache of finding and fixing any possible damage, unless it’s a lot of money.
Yeah, the timing thing is what would be not great worrying about fixes since we want to move soon ish.
Yes, it's true that sometimes damages do occur during the course of shooting on location. In these cases, you and the Location Manager, or ALM, will document the damages, they go on the Production Report and then, more times than not, members of the Construction or Art Depts are dispatched to repair the damage, usually during the Wrap of your property. If the damages are something they cannot repair, ie landscaping, then the Location Dept will schedule a licensed contractor, repairman, etc to come repair whatever the damage is. Generally you will not have to deal with much other than confirming the schedule for the repairs with your Location Dept contact.
unannounced?
Not that uncommon when trying to find a location close to another. You knock on doors. Op - nope don’t worry about being tidy.
Thank you! I was like ugh what a trash panda lol.
Well, he came and I happened to be home and we let him in. He had a letter with credentials and contact info in the event we weren't home, so I guess not technically unannounced. I just wanted to take advantage of my husband being home with me since he happened to be off work.
I have more questions than answers. Why on earth would you let a location scout just like randomly show up look through your house? Why would a location scout even DO something like this? Their rejection rate must be astronomical. Seems like a truly awful use of their time, but i guess if they're not on a job scouting for a particular thing... still. I'm baffled, and have no answers. It's been decades since I've done locations, so maybe it's a tiktok thing or something.
I’m a LM in NYC and it’s pretty frequent. Especially if the location you need has to be in a very specific area or you need a really specific look. For the OP don’t worry about the house being messy, they are really just looking at the bones. But don’t get your hopes up. They are probably working down a list of quite a few houses.
Yeah, definitely! I know they asked our neighbor, and so on. But either way thank you, that makes me feel better and even if not chosen I am learning something new haha.
Good luck. And the only advice I can suggest if you do get picked is make sure you get insurance from them and whatever times they tell you, add two or 3 hours. We rarely finish on time so it helps to have an overtime price negotiated in advance.
Thank you! Something about insurance was listed in the notice the scout gave me, so that is a really good reminder. Also great point about not finishing on time, especially since we have pets to consider.
And the homeowner always gets a free paint job out of the deal. Somehow, no matter how careful the crew is, CBS us always painting houses.
Lol another home in my neighborhood has been used before as well. Where I live a lot of filming takes place so everyone is very used to it? It's also a very scenic location so it makes sense to me in that aspect. Sorry to trip you out lol.
This is exactly what Location Scouts do every day
Seems like your question has been answered, but, if they want to film there, DO NOT LET THEM if they aren't protecting your walls and floors with layout board (or something similar). If it's a low budget production, they probably aren't thinking about it because it's extra money. On top of that, make sure they provide you with a certificate of insurance (COI) that includes third-party property damage (ideally with a deductible that isn't $5,000). I would honestly ask for a security deposit too (even a few hundred $ would at least cover minor damage). If they balk at a deposit, I would run because it probably means they can't afford to cover any damage. The producer and/or location manager might be genuine about wanting to leave the place undamaged, but the 3rd grip could not care less if his C-stand bangs every wall in your house, trust me.
This is golden advice, thank you. The letter did say it would come with a cert of insurance but now I will know to add the things you mentioned I've never heard of a layout board or other protection so that is an amazing question I can ask if chosen. Thank you!
Yes, request floor protection and wall protections, and for people to wear shoe covers in the house, to cover their stands with tennis balls. Move expensive items away (rugs, artwork). You can make certain rooms off-limit. You can request no food or drinks in the house. You can add a list of house rules to your contract, including outlining exactly what spaces they will be using for filming, staging, and holding, and which spaces they won’t be using. Make sure every space they are in is protected. If you set up the expectations like this, they will be extra careful and production will remind everyone during shoot to minimize damage due to the huge costs of any damage. But they also may not choose you if the director likes another location that comes out cheaper and less of a headache. If there ends up being some damage, get them an invoice for repairs asap, in a day or two. If you wait too long, the freelancers who you are in contact with have already wrapped the job and they can only follow up with the production company on your behalf and that takes longer to get resolved. Definitely get a security deposit.
The previous poster is correct that you want to ensure they protect walls, floors etc anywhere in the house crew and equipment are going to be moving through to get the filming location in your home. I will say though that almost no production is going to provide you a security deposit. If you insist they will more than likely move on to choice two. What they will do though is provide a contract, to be signed by you & the Loc Mgr, an insurance cert listing your property as an additionally insured production location (generally in excess of 1M of coverage) & provide the location fee check ahead of time. You will be compensated for every day of Prep/Shooting/Wrap. The compensation will be less for each Prep/Wrap day than the Shooting days. Once everything is done & Production is ready to hand everything back, you and a member of the Location Department will do a walk through & ensure everything is returned to your satisfaction. Once this occurs you’ll be asked to sign a Location Release releasing the studio/production co from any further liability regarding your property.
I’m not a location manager, but as a producer of low budget movies I’ve worn that hat many times and had some luck casting a wide net in nice neighborhoods by leaving a professional note in a bunch of mailboxes. Mostly they get ignored but about one in ten responds and have been convinced to do it…and that’s with low budget rates. On a normal budget thing I’d imagine it would be even more likely. Professionals will treat your house well, but even on pro shoots, something will get messed up. But they’ll usually write a check to make up for the damage.
That's really cool, it sounds like you have/had SUCH a cool job. I have also read to take photos of everything before filming so we can document damages. Thank yoi for your input!
You can take photos if you want. Note though that the Location Scout will document your property through photos as part of the scouting/selection process. The Art Dept will take a whole series of photo before they begin their work in order to be able to restore your spaces to their original state. Generally Location Departments aren't trying to burn locations by damaging them and rolling away. In short, your property will be well documented before any work begins.
Location scouts for Gummo would like to have a word. Make sure you negotiate the $$$ and terms so you will benefit considering your situation.
Lol fair. Thank you definitely a great idea I'm so glad I asked you guys!
Presentation does matter but if it’s not a scheduled scout I wouldn’t worry about it.
Thanks! I really appreciate that. In hindsight I'm like, well I could have just said we're open to it, come back later (after I tidy up), but who wants to waste time like that, is what I thought lol.
They’re gone make you home messy anyway…
So I'm hearing 😬😬
Oh don't listen to these other people. Yes having a film crew in your home is intrusive, however any production with a location manager, and art dept will likely be respectful and put your home back together. If anything happens to your home, production insurance will take care of it. I work art dept for a living, and always make it a point to communicate with the homeowners and let them know that if things are moved, they will be put back in a respectful manner. Just voice your concerns with the location manager, and be prepared to not have full use of your house during the shoot days.
I think if I've learned anything from this thread is it's 100% to document everything if I'm chosen and accept. At first I thought it would just be like a fun little thing but it sounds like there's more to it that I just have to ve diligent on. Thank you for your perspective!
Oh no, nothing about it will be fun or little, if its more than a student project. Thats why we pay you cash money for the troubles.
Yeah, that was a dumb thought lol. Sweet summer child status.
In my experience, respect it’s not a known Word in movie industry vocabulary… even worst in advertising. Just sain…
Exactly this. I'm a Location Manager on medium to bigger budget features and television.
I’ve been working in this industry for almoust 20 years, and i’d never EVER open my house for shootings.
no, location scouts don’t care about how messy your property is. if your property is chosen the production will cover the costs of cleaning that mess to achieve the look that directed them to your property or may just leave it to use as dressing and pay you for it. communication between YOU and the location manager or their team is vital. my experience working on reputable film productions that maintain a level of professionalism that allows film productions to return to the property over and over again… not all “films” are the same and follow the same etiquette. never assume the “film production” will follow your expectations without YOU reminding them of YOUR concerns. always expect some kind of damage, it’s up to You to point it out after filming and a walk around before releasing the property from the film production. locations department is who handles with property protection. large rolls of card board and sometimes large rolls of bubble wrap is used to protect the walls, railings etc. rubber backed carpet or a saran wrap like floor protector is used for indoors along with crew wearing booties (shoe protectors) for indoor use. 3/4 inch plywood for laying a path on grass so crew can move equipment without ruining your grass. a locations production assistant will supervise the crew when they move in whilie being the liaison between the property owner and the film production while on site. they will also walk around with you and take before photos of “pre-existing” damage to the property.
Two schools of thought here. My cousin teaches film, says NEVER let a film crew in your house. Some friends of the family, however, had their home featured in The Walking Dead and they fixed some stuff that was structurally bonkers and left it nicer than what they got it. Crapshoot.
No, we don't. We are looking for specific features, mess or no mess isn't really a factor, within reason of course.
Exactly
Naw, we dont care, for the most part. We are happy to have access to see your place n take pictures for our Location Manager, Production Designer, Producers and Director to see and consider as a location option. The eyes on our photos are educated enough to see past i.e. an unmade bed, dishes in the sink, etc. If the place happens to be tidied up = fantastic but not typically a deciding factor. - Rich Hobbs / nyc.locationscout.us
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You clearly have never worked in a Locations Dept. That’s exactly how it’s done.
They might, if they take it as a sign of what the location will look like when their crew comes in to use the space. As a general rule - treat a location scout like a house buyer. You're selling your home as a location. Make it look good.
I worked on a movie where we chose this dingy convenient store on the corner because it had an equally dingy billboard on top of it. The owner wanted to surprise the studio by having it cleaned up and repainted. The crew then had to scramble to weather it. Just goes to show you never know what someone’s looking for.
I can understand where the store owner was coming from but in the end, something like that is on the Location Manager, or ALM, that was wrangling that location. It's incumbent on Location Dept's to inform property owners exactly why they want to use their property and what/where they'll be filming in order to avoid this exact scenario. I bet that Production Designer, or Art Director, was pissed when he got that call from the Lead Scenic. FYI: I'm a Location Manager.
A professional film unit will trash your place, but will restore it (aside from naturally heavy wear and tear). Don't go it alone, talk to a locations agent who will contract it appropriately (with a deposit for damages and check their insurance) and probably get you a better rate. If you have a big pile of crap outside and they don't want a pile of crap in the shot, they will move it, and put it back (unless you do a deal for them to tip it). If they break a window they will have a scenic carpenter who can repair it. If it's not a professional shoot, then just don't let them in - they will trample your flowerbeds and wreck your carpets and not restore damage.