The other day, a production told me they made their own travel and living arrangements and were happy with the result. Normally I would say great and move on, but the conversation got me thinking and the more I thought, the more I realized many productions simply don’t understand the amount of money they leave on the table, the amount of risk they take on or the headaches they create for themselves simply by not being aware of the pitfalls.
So I sat down and came up with 10 reasons why productions (of any size), production service companies, production companies and studios should not negotiate and manage their own travel and living logistics when shooting on location.
This isn’t just about “it’s easier to outsource” — it’s about risk, cost, efficiency, and the fact that housing/travel for a production is a completely different animal than normal business or individual travel. It is a highly technical discipline that takes years to master – just like production.
So here are 10 really good reasons that should make you reconsider doing it yourself:
1. Hidden & Escalating Costs
- False sense of saving money – internal teams often underestimate the hours (and salaries) they’re spending on travel/housing work that pulls them from their actual production duties.
- Missed negotiated rates – dedicated providers leverage industry-specific supplier relationships to secure discounts unavailable to a one-off internal team.
- Budget leakage – booking wrong dates, underestimating per diem needs, or not aligning travel with call sheets can cause cascading extra costs.
2. Time & Bandwidth Drain
- Production staff already wear too many hats — line producers, coordinators, and PMs need to focus on the show (scheduling, creative execution, compliance), not hunting for hotels or dealing with 2am flight changes.
- Booking, rebooking, and troubleshooting can consume dozens of staff hours per week that could otherwise be spent on production-critical work.
3. Lack of Specialized Expertise
- Film/TV-specific housing needs (pet-friendly, blackout curtains, proximity to unit base, flexible lease terms, space for equipment, privacy for talent) are not the same as booking corporate travel or personal trips.
- Union rules & per diem structures – making mistakes here can cause grievances or legal issues.
- Local market quirks – knowing where not to put cast/crew for security, noise, or traffic reasons is as important as finding the “perfect” spot.
4. Increased Risk
- Cancellations & overbookings – without contractual protections, productions can be left scrambling when a property pulls availability last minute.
- Talent dissatisfaction – one bad housing or travel experience for key cast can derail morale and even schedules.
- Compliance failures – immigration, work visas, and health requirements are easy to overlook without dedicated oversight.
5. Scalability Problems
- Internal teams can manage one location or a small unit move. But multi-location shoots, staggered crew arrivals/departures, and simultaneous reshoots overwhelm most in-house resources.
- Shows ramp up and down — a third-party service can scale instantly, whereas an internal team may have to hire temporary staff (more cost, slower onboarding).
6. Supplier Relationship Gaps
- Preferred hotel chains, extended-stay properties, and furnished apartment providers often won’t prioritize one-off productions the way they will a trusted partner who brings them consistent business.
- In many markets (especially outside North America), you can’t even get the right units without local intermediaries and established trust.
7. A La Carte Flexibility
- Dedicated providers can pick the best housing solution for each crew member or department. Internal teams tend to default to “same for everyone” solutions, which often cost more and fit fewer needs.
- Productions risk locking themselves into inflexible corporate agreements that don’t work well for creative timelines.
8. Stress & Distraction
- The moment travel/housing issues crop up — a missed connection, a flooded apartment, a surprise eviction notice — production staff get pulled away from set.
- The stress load can ripple: coordinators burn out, PMs miss deadlines, and even producers end up making last-minute runs to deal with problems.
9. Reputation & Relationship Management
- Poor housing/travel arrangements can tarnish a production company’s reputation with talent, crew, and unions.
- Dedicated providers act as a buffer, keeping issues from becoming direct producer–talent confrontations.
10. Opportunity Cost
- Every hour spent managing logistics is an hour not spent on creative, budget oversight, or post-production planning. Over a shoot, that can equal weeks of lost productivity.
Bonus Reason
- Nothing about travel and living adds production value to what ends up on the screen but it can mess the production process up big time if something goes wrong. So, if it doesn’t make the final product better, and there is significant risk to the production process if something does go wrong, you may want to reconsider what you are doing it in the first place.
I might get the occassional great shot with my camera but I would never think I could make a video as good as you can. Same goes for productions looking after their own travel and living.
Contact us when you have a moment and we’ll tell you all the good reasons to have a professional look after your production.
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