5 Best Locations To Shoot A Business Video In Pittsburgh
One of the most important decisions you will make during the production of your business marketing video is choosing your shoot location(s).
A great shoot location has to comply with certain factors.
First of all, it needs to be accessible. That means that it is easy enough to get to for cast and crew, and possible to move equipment in and out of without too much hassle.
It also means that permits and clearances are obtainable.
Furthermore, the location needs to be available for long shoot days. Video shoots can take a great deal of time to set-up and take-down, so shoot days are typically long. Otherwise, you are not really getting your money’s worth if you can only shoot for a short time per day.
Adding days to a shoot can be very costly and quickly make your business video not cost effective.
A great shoot location also offers a lot of space – space for the cast and crew to move around, and space to accommodate equipment, craft services, and make-up and wardrobe.
Lighting needs to be a consideration as well.
You might initially think that a place with lots of natural lighting would be a good thing, as it would seem like you would need to bring in and set up fewer lights and artificial lighting.
However, natural lighting is unpredictable and can change throughout a shoot day, making your footage look inconsistent once it’s all edited together for the final video.
Therefore, you want to shoot in a place where you have control over the lighting, as much as possible.
Also, you want to pick a space that doesn’t have a lot of reflective surfaces, so that equipment or crew meant to be outside of frame don’t accidentally get caught on video.
You also need to pick a location where you have minimal environmental noise. Be aware that noise at a particular location might vary throughout the day or the week, much like lighting.
For these reasons, it is highly advisable that you location scout in advance, during the time of day when you wish to shoot, to make sure noise, lighting, and access are conducive to your planned shoot.
But, most importantly, you want to shoot in a location that supports the story you want to tell with your business marketing video.
The location should add to the story in a meaningful way, not distract from it.
In other words, don’t pick a shoot location simply because it is visually exciting or memorable, but because it helps you get your message across and lends authenticity to the story and characters.
For these reasons, it is commonplace to shoot business videos on location, at the place of business.
You might want to show your key players in their environment, such as a boardroom, an office, a factory, a sports arena, or a medical laboratory.
Sometimes, however, it is necessary to think outside of the box and take your shoot beyond the walls of the business.
Here in Pittsburgh, we are fortunate to have some great shoot locations that are very diverse and support telling different kinds of stories.
Here are just a few interesting locations in Pittsburgh that are ideal places to shoot your business marketing video…
1. LifeCare Hospitals of Pittsburgh
In the case of shooting a business video for a medical technology company, you might find that staging a re-enactment or dramatization to be a very powerful.
Showing your featured medical product or service in action is a convincing way to tell your story.
Your target audience will immediately see what problems your medical app or device can solve, what benefits it brings to the table in real-life situations, and the immediacy of the results.
A challenge of shooting a re-enactment or dramatization of this nature is that it opens itself up to looking inauthentic if not shot in a convincing location.
Recreating a hospital setting is no small feat. But, shooting in an unconvincing setting will make the video lose believability and do damage to your brand’s credibility.
Fortunately, in Pittsburgh, it is possible to shoot in a real hospital.
LifeCare Hospitals of Pittsburgh is located at 225 Penn Avenue.
It is a fully operational hospital with some vacated areas where you can shoot a company video.
You can’t get more authentic than that.
2. Carrie Blast Furnace
You might require an industrial setting for your business marketing video.
Carrie Blast Furnace offers tons of shooting space in unique settings, both interior and exterior.
This space is a historical remnant of Pittsburgh’s steel producing hey-days, and it hasn’t changed much since the 1930s.
Located just outside the Pittsburgh city limits, Carrie Blast Furnace offers plenty of space, with very funky, old warehouses that serve as an interesting backdrop for shooting interviews.
3. Studio 11
Sometimes, your shoot is going to require a traditional studio, where you can shoot in a quiet, controlled environment.
Studio 11 is a big studio space that is part of the local news station, so it comes with all the bells and whistles of a professional studio space.
Not only can you rent out the space, but you can also conveniently rent their green screen and other equipment.
You also have the option of bringing in your own cameras and gear – whatever works out best for you.
4. North Park and North Park Lake
North Park is located just 15 miles northeast of downtown Pittsburgh in Hampton, McCandless, and Pine Townships.
This spot is ideal if you need an exterior location with lots of wooded areas and beautiful natural scenery.
In particular, there is a 5-mile walk trail that is great if you are looking to get running shots or aerial drone footage.
This stunning park also features North Park Lake, the largest man-made body of water in the county (over 75 acres), in case you want to get video footage by a lake.
Onsite amenities include a swimming pool, ice-skating rink, movie theater, picnic groves, tennis courts, basketball courts, kayak rentals, a treetop obstacle course with zipline.
(Photo: rblood on Flickr licensed under CC2)
5. Hartwood Mansion in Hartwood Acres Park
Hartwood mansion is a stately Tudor mansion located just 10 miles northeast of downtown Pittsburgh, amidst a forested park area.
The design of this 31-room slate-roofed stone house was inspired by a manor house in Oxfordshire, England.
So if you need a setting that depicts old-world nobility, wealth, elegance, and charm, this is an ideal shoot location.
Just the Facts
Most business marketing videos can be shot on location, at the company’s offices or production facilities.
Sometimes, however, it is necessary to think out-of-the-box and shoot your company video somewhere else.
In Pittsburgh, we are fortunate to have a variety of diverse spaces that are suitable for video shoots:
- LifeCare Hospitals of Pittsburgh offers great vacant space for shooting medical technology company videos.
- Carrie Blast Furnace provides a unique industrial setting, both indoor and outdoor.
- Studio 11 is ideal if you need to shoot in a controlled environment.
- North Park is a perfect spot to get aerial or running footage through nature and greenery.
- Hartwood Mansion is a good choice if you are looking for something stately and elegant.