Looking for a great space to shoot your award-winning film? Look no further than Houston, TX, a hidden gem in filming locations. Nicknamed "Space City," it's home to NASA's Johnson Space Center.
Many popular movies and TV shows have been made in Houston and the surrounding area. One is Terms of Endearment (2001), chiefly filmed in Houston. It won the Oscars for Best Picture, Best Actress (Shirley Maclaine), and Best Supporting Actor (Jack Nicholson, who played a retired astronaut). Cuba Gooding Jr. was in the movie Pearl Harbor (2001), which filmed scenes on the battleship Texas (named battleship West Virginia in the movie).
Houston, nicknamed "H Town" and "Bayou City", offers a cinematic backdrop for every film. From the contemporary architecture of downtown Houston to a mini-estate in the historic district, the Giggster app offers a unique assortment of curated natural and urban locations to suit all movie genres and scenes.
Find your perfect filming site in Houston with the Giggster app. Whether you're seeking a picturesque neighborhood or a space in the great outdoors, Giggster has a special location waiting for you!
Houston, TX Filming Locations Curated by Giggster
Did you know that Bruce Willis and Ben Affleck completed an astronaut training course at Houston’s Johnson Space Center for the 1998 film Armageddon? They worked in a six-million-gallon water tank to prepare for the movie!
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Giggster offers the finest film studios for rent by the hour. Among the amenities, you'll find sound stages, cyclorama walls, lighting equipment, soundproofing, hair/makeup areas, and more.
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What genre of film are you creating? A gorgeous Houston home with natural light and beautiful interior design is perfect for a drama, romance, or comedy movie.
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Looking for a huge open space for your next project? A converted warehouse with white walls and plenty of light may be an option. Prefer outdoors? How about a lush green space with an exotic garden for exterior shots and an indoor area with an elegant ballroom?
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Giggster has exclusive filming locations for all productions. Whether your project is comedic, serious, suspenseful, romantic, a documentary, a short, or a feature film, you will find the perfect creative space.
Transform Your Filming in Houston, TX Starting at Just $28/hour
Exceptional Variety & Quality: Each Giggster location is carefully curated to ensure a creative and inspirational environment. From professional film studios to natural light lofts and rooftops with spectacular backdrops, select your favorite location from Giggster's 364 excellent listings.
Hassle-Free Booking: The Giggster app makes finding and booking your preferred site as easy as pie! Filter your search results by venue type, rental price, features, and amenities, and more. When you've found the perfect space, our Instant Book feature is only one click away!
24-Hour Free Cancellation Policy: We realize that plans can change unexpectedly. If you need to delay, you can cancel with no fee for bookings canceled within 24 hours of confirmation, provided the booking is made at least 48 hours before the event.
Platform Protections: Our add-on protection packages help to protect against liability, damage, and unexpected delays. Rent venues like Natural Light Styled Home In The Heart Of Houston and enjoy focusing on filming rather than worrying.
Pros and Cons of Filming Locations in Houston, TX
The 1980 hit movie Urban Cowboy, starring John Travolta, was filmed in Houston, TX. RoboCop 2 (1990) was set in Detroit but was chiefly filmed in Houston. The 1976 sci-fi movie Logan's Run was shot at the Houston Hyatt Regency. The city has many advantages for filmmakers and a few drawbacks to be aware of.
Advantages
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Houston, TX, has a variety of diverse settings, ranging from urban skyscrapers to lush parks, country properties, historic neighborhoods, and industrial backdrops.
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Houston offers more affordable permits, accommodations, and services than Los Angeles or New York.
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The Houston area is ethnically and culturally diverse, giving the city a cosmopolitan yet down-home vibe. It's become a cultural hub, welcoming about 50 million visitors annually. With many restaurants, sporting events, museums, festivals, and technology summits, the backdrops are endless.
Disadvantages
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Houston summers can make outdoor shoots uncomfortable due to high temperatures and humidity. Also, Houston is prone to hurricanes and tropical storms, which can disrupt filming schedules.
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Houston's traffic is a challenge. You'll want to advise your cast and crew to allow extra travel time to prevent shooting delays.
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You might need a permit to film in Houston locations. Check with the city at least several months in advance to learn about regulations and necessary permit requirements.
Choosing the Right Type of Location for Filming in Houston, TX
Your goal and theme will drive your search for the best filming locations in Houston, TX. Giggster is here to help you find filming locations to set the mood and support your creative vision.
Homes – Modern, Vintage, or Themed. Homes offer the ideal interior sets, from cozy and intimate to sprawling, elegant estates and historic spaces to themed homes, like a spooky 1930s shotgun house, perfect for a thriller film!
Rooftops – Spacious, Spectacular Backdrops. A Houston, TX, rooftop space is beyond exciting and takes your production to the next level! Imagine filming a music video with the city as a thrilling backdrop.
Production Studios – Flexible Creativity. There's no shortage of film production studios in Houston, TX! Take this flexible shooting space with 14ft ceilings, a three-sided cyclorama wall, color-mixing soft boxes, and a Bluetooth audio system. Need a themed space? You'll find themed sets like a hospital room, spicy bedroom, casino, jail cell, private jet, courtroom, retro playhouse, and more!
Restaurants – Cost Efficiency & Ambiance. Renting a private-use space in a restaurant has many benefits, one of them being affordability. Select a restaurant that sets the film's vibe. A restaurant can reduce design costs and add authenticity.
Outdoor Setting – Wide Open Space, Natural Light. Need an outdoor space for your shoot? The Giggster app offers many options to choose from. Some examples include pool sides, woodland spaces, homes with large yards, beautiful gardens, and patios and balconies. You can even rent an outdoor adventure park for your production!
Planning Your Filming in Houston, TX
Scenes for the 1994 coming-of-age movie Reality Bites with Winona Ryder and Ethan Hawke were filmed in Houston. The heart of bringing your project to life is careful planning. Here are several tips from the Giggster planning guide to help you get started on your successful film project.
Set a Realistic Budget – Knowing how much you can spend to prevent draining your finances and being disappointed when your project is completed is essential. Take time to think about all aspects of film production, including pre-production activities like script analysis, creating storyboards, and shot lists.
Scout Locations – Start searching for a great location in Houston months in advance and book early to reserve your preferred creative space. We have 364 curated filming locations in Houston, TX that book quickly. With the Giggster app, you can contact the location's amazing host to make arrangements for a visit to visualize your desired shots.
Apply for Permits – Contact the City of Houston months in advance to learn about regulations and permit requirements. Apply for permits early on because the process can be slow.
Rent Locally – If you need filming-related equipment, rent locally rather than buying or transporting expensive equipment from your area. When looking at Giggster filming locations in Houston, be aware of the location amenities. Items like cameras, lenses, microphones, and accessories may already be included.
Saving Money on a Filming Location in Houston, TX
A bit of trivia! The 2014 Oscar-winning film about life, Boyhood, with Ellar Coltrane, Patricia Arquette, and Ethan Hawke, was filmed partially in Houston. You may think Houston is too expensive for your film endeavor; however, there are ways to keep your budget on track.
Consider hiring a local cast and crew.
Houston, TX, has a thriving film community and talented professionals. Hiring a local cast and film crew can save you on travel and hotel costs.
Can you borrow equipment?
Rather than rent filming equipment from a rental company, can you borrow the necessary equipment from anyone? Another option is to ask local schools or filmmakers if they can lend or rent you equipment for a lower cost.
Can you avoid peak seasons?
If you can avoid shooting during peak seasons or when there are significant events in Houston, services and accommodations may be less expensive.
Have you approached local businesses?
Network with local businesses. They might provide equipment or services in exchange for credit or advertising in your movie.
Houston, TX Filming Locations with Giggster
The customer-friendly Giggster app makes it easy to find and quickly book affordable, unique filming locations in Houston. Whether you want a studio loft conveniently located downtown, a vintage home in the museum district, or a great outdoor space, let Giggster help you find the perfect space for your film!
