How to Prepare a Location Brief: What You Really Need for Effective Location Scouting

When a venue search gets off to a bad start, it’s usually not because there’s a lack of venues. It’s because there’s a lack of information that allows you to distinguish between them. “I’m looking for a beautiful venue in Milan for about a hundred people” might yield dozens of suggestions, but few that are actually useful. A well-crafted brief does the opposite: it narrows down the options even before the first site visit.

For Ask4Location, the brief is the point where an idea becomes concrete research. There’s no need to write a twenty-page document. What’s needed are the right questions, realistic answers, and a willingness to clarify which aspects are essential and which can be adjusted. The better the location manager understands how the space will be used, the more precise the shortlist will be.

The brief doesn't describe the location you have in mind—it describes the project that needs to work

It’s a subtle but crucial difference. If you start with “I’d like an industrial loft,” you run the risk of looking for a style before you’ve defined the purpose. If you start with “I need to present a product to 120 clients, with a demo, a standing reception, and a press area,” you can evaluate the venue’s layout in a much more informed way.

The same goes for a photo shoot. Asking for “a modern villa with a pool” says something about the image, but not yet about the set: How many people are on the crew? Is natural light needed? How many shots need to be taken? Is there parking available? Is a room needed for styling and makeup? Does the product to be photographed enter through a regular door or require vehicle access?

The information that really makes a difference

An effective brief should be concise, but it must include certain essential elements:

• Objective: To clarify what the event or production is intended to achieve, not just where it is to take place.
• Date and Flexibility: Please indicate your preferred date and whether you would be open to considering nearby dates.
• City and area: Define the geographic radius in relation to hotels, trade shows, events, and travel.
• Number of guests and layout: theater-style seating, seated dinner, standing reception, photo shoot, or technical setup each require different capacities.
• Budget: It helps you immediately distinguish between the cost of the venue, included services, and any production costs.
• Technical requirements—such as audio-visual equipment, Wi-Fi, electrical power, window coverings, natural light, and access—can determine feasibility.
• Logistics: loading and unloading, parking, elevators, backstage areas, transportation, and vendor schedules all influence the decision.
• Style and image: The venue must be consistent with the brand and the tone of the event, after verifying its functionality.
• Privacy and rights: exclusivity, filming, permissions, and access control must be clarified from the outset.

The more specific the brief is on these points, the more the search can focus on locations that are truly suitable.

Date, location, and flexibility: three lines that can change your search

A fixed date during Fashion Week, the Salone del Mobile, or a major national event greatly narrows the options. If there’s a one- or two-day window, it should be specified right away. The same applies to location. “Milan” can mean the historic center, the Rho area, the inner suburbs, or the province, but the logistical differences are enormous. In a production, however, a location outside the city may be acceptable if it offers parking, quiet, and freedom to film.

The location manager needs to know which requirements are non-negotiable and which are flexible. This is often where the best alternatives emerge.

Capacity: The number of guests isn't enough

One hundred people seated at dinner take up space differently than one hundred people standing. An auditorium with a stage, control room, and aisles requires yet another layout. During a photo shoot, twenty people may need more square meters than an event with fifty guests if multiple sets, equipment, and support areas are required.

The brief should therefore specify the expected number, the maximum number, and the planned configuration. If the format has not yet been defined, it is helpful to state this: the design team can suggest solutions, but should not be forced to compensate for a decision that has been left unresolved.

Budget: A realistic range is better than no number at all

The budget isn't meant to push you toward the most expensive option. It's meant to help you determine which proposals make sense. A venue with a higher rental rate may include amenities or services that would otherwise need to be added elsewhere. Conversely, a venue that seems inexpensive may require significant costs for setup, service, heating, security, or transportation.

For this reason, it is helpful to distinguish, whenever possible, the budget for the space from the overall production budget. Even if the exact figure is not yet final, a range still allows you to work within realistic parameters.

The technical aspects must be addressed before the site inspection

Electrical power, blackout capabilities, Wi-Fi, freight elevators, clear height, loading and unloading, vehicle access, noise limits, kitchen, catering facilities, dressing rooms, backstage areas, restrooms, and parking are not details to be checked at the very end. They are deal-breakers. If the project requires any of these conditions and the venue cannot provide them, the space should be removed from the shortlist before wasting the client’s time.

An event brief and a photo shoot brief are not the same thing

In events, the focus is on the guest’s experience: arrival, welcome, crowd flow, service, content, comfort, safety, and departure. In productions, the focus is on the crew’s work: lighting, camera angles, sound, technical access, service areas, permits, set continuity, and shooting schedules. Some elements overlap, but their relative importance varies.

For a corporate event, it’s helpful to know who the guests are and what level of representation is required. For a photo shoot, it’s more important to receive mood boards, visual references, a shot list, or at least a description of the creative direction. A good brief speaks the language of the project.

An example of a brief that is short but sufficient

“Milan, October 8, 90–120 guests. Evening event for international clients, featuring cocktails and a brief product presentation. We’re looking for a contemporary venue that isn’t too cold and is within a 20-minute drive from downtown. We need a backstage area, a screen or wall suitable for projection, outside catering, vendor access starting at 2:00 p.m., and the option to close at 11:30 p.m. Venue budget: 8,000–12,000 euros. Exclusive use preferred.”

In just a few lines, we already have the objective, date, audience, format, location, style, technique, logistics, schedule, and budget. From here, a location manager can really get to work.

The best shortlist is the one with the fewest surprises

Ask4Location works with an online database and additional offline solutions, but quantity isn’t its main advantage. Its main advantage is the ability to narrow down options. A detailed brief allows you to arrive at the site visit with more specific questions, compare venues on an equal footing, and reduce the risk of discovering a critical constraint too late.

If you have an event, a photo shoot, or a production to organize, you can get started even with incomplete information. The purpose of scouting is to bring order to the project: to identify what’s missing, distinguish between priorities and preferences, and turn the project into a concrete plan.

FAQ

How long should a location brief be?

There is no ideal length. It must contain enough information to make the objective, date, geographic area, number of people, budget, and technical and logistical requirements verifiable.

Can I request a scouting session if I haven't decided on the format yet?

Yes, but it’s helpful to at least clarify the objective and the main constraints. The location manager can help evaluate different configurations, as long as the project isn’t completely undefined.

Do I need to specify a budget?

It is highly recommended. Even a price range helps you avoid offers that are out of line and allows you to properly compare rent and necessary amenities.

What's the difference between online research and scouting?

Online research allows you to explore a database. Scouting, on the other hand, starts with a brief, filters the options, and may include spaces not listed in the public catalog, site visits, and targeted inspections.