Location vs. Studio: Choosing the Right Environment for a Shoot
Every commercial begins with a critical question: should we shoot on location or in a studio? This decision influences every aspect of production, from visuals and sound to budget and logistics. Both options have distinct advantages and limitations, and understanding them helps brands and production teams make strategic choices that enhance storytelling.
Shooting on Location: Authenticity and Atmosphere
Location shoots are often chosen for their genuine look and feel. They allow filmmakers to capture real environments that naturally enhance the story:
Built-in texture: Streets, landscapes, hotels, and iconic landmarks provide natural depth, lighting variations, and visual interest.
Authenticity: Real locations create a sense of place that is difficult to replicate in a studio. Viewers connect with tangible, recognizable environments.
Las Vegas as a backdrop: From the neon lights of the Strip to Red Rock Canyon’s desert vistas, the city offers a diverse palette for commercial storytelling.
Spontaneity and energy: Natural movement of people, weather, and light can add dynamic elements that enrich the narrative.
Marketing appeal: Using recognizable locations can create immediate connection with audiences and reinforce brand relevance.
However, location shoots also introduce challenges: weather unpredictability, traffic, noise, crowds, and permit requirements can complicate production. These factors can increase costs and scheduling complexity, requiring careful planning and contingency measures.
Shooting in a Studio: Control and Precision
Studios provide an environment where every element can be managed. This level of control is invaluable for high-production-value commercials:
Lighting control: Artificial lighting ensures consistent exposure, mood, and tone throughout the shoot.
Sound management: Studios provide quiet, acoustically treated spaces that minimize external noise, ideal for dialogue-heavy content.
Set design flexibility: Designers can build custom sets tailored to the story, from living rooms to futuristic spaces.
Weather-proof: Unaffected by rain, wind, or sunlight, ensuring shoots stay on schedule.
Virtual production technology: LED volumes and green-screen setups allow directors to project photorealistic environments indoors, combining the benefits of location authenticity with studio control.
The main consideration for studio shoots is that replicating natural textures or large-scale environments can be costly and time-consuming. Achieving realism indoors requires skilled set design, lighting, and post-production work.
Factors to Consider When Choosing Between Location and Studio
Making the right choice depends on story, budget, and creative goals. Production teams weigh several factors:
Story requirements: Does the narrative rely on real-world settings, or can it be stylized in a controlled environment?
Budget constraints: Location permits, travel, and logistical costs may exceed studio rental fees, or vice versa.
Time sensitivity: Studio shoots offer predictable scheduling, while location shoots may face delays due to weather or availability.
Visual impact: Are iconic locations central to the brand’s message, or can digital environments suffice?
Hybrid solutions: Many productions adopt a combination — exterior shots on location for authenticity, and interior scenes in the studio for control.
Understanding these factors ensures the production aligns with both creative goals and financial realities.
Hybrid Approaches: Best of Both Worlds
Increasingly, commercials combine location and studio advantages:
Exterior authenticity: Filming outdoors in natural light or on recognizable city streets establishes a sense of place.
Interior precision: Studio sets allow for detailed lighting, sound, and set manipulation that would be difficult on location.
Virtual production integration: Indoor LED walls can replicate outdoor environments when location shooting is impractical, offering flexibility without sacrificing realism.
Hybrid approaches maximize creativity while controlling costs, making them an attractive choice for many brands.
Final Thoughts
Choosing between a location shoot and a studio shoot is not a matter of “better or worse.” Each is a tool in the filmmaker’s toolkit, designed to serve the story and meet production goals.
Location shoots deliver authenticity, energy, and visual richness.
Studio shoots offer precision, control, and consistency.
Hybrid methods combine the best of both worlds, balancing realism and production efficiency.
The magic of a commercial lies not in the space itself, but in how the space is used to tell the story.
For Las Vegas brands, the city provides a rich canvas for storytelling, whether capturing neon-lit streets or building immersive studio sets. By carefully assessing the story, budget, and production needs, filmmakers can choose the right environment to create commercials that captivate, inspire, and leave a lasting impression.
