The Best Filming Locations in Minneapolis
Minneapolis is one of the great creative hubs of the United States. The Twin Cities area is on fire with art and culture at the moment, and that alone makes it a wonderful place to shoot a film or video. You'll find tons of experienced crew and artists so you can build a team for your project and create incredible video shoots and photo shoots at a variety of Minneapolis locations. After all, there's a reason Minneapolis has a theme park, Nickelodeon Universe, dedicated to film and TV.
To make things even easier, Giggster makes it a breeze to find the perfect space to rent, whether you're making a feature film, music video, social media content, or anything else. Our app, with its curated selection of incredible film locations, makes it super simple to find the perfect site for movies, videos, interviews, or any other type of production. And with the variety of locations available across Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN, you'll find this Minnesota city offers a great experience long before you first say, 'Action!'
Why Choose Giggster for Your Shoot In Minneapolis?
Minneapolis offers a huge variety of locations, making this friendly city extremely accommodating for plenty of different types of video shoots. Load up on the props you need and browse our selection of incredible filming locations to make the whole process of finding the perfect space for video shoots far easier.
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Trying to film interviews or fashion shoots? The high ceilings and natural light of a custom film studio might be the perfect option. Minneapolis has lots of soundstages and bright studios just waiting to host your next project.
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Capture those mysterious vibes at a speakeasy bar. Minneapolis has some unbelievably atmospheric watering holes that look amazing in films, music videos, and photo shoots.
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Bring your creative vision to life in a warehouse. These huge spaces offer room for your imagination to spread its wings, and some even come with built-in soundproofing and cyclorama walls so you can turn the space into anything you need it to be.
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Private homes and apartments offer you privacy and adaptability. Depending on your script and storyboard, these very human spaces can be perfect locations for pivotal scenes, and allow you total control over your work.
Awesome Filming Locations in Minneapolis Starting at Just $38/hour
Exceptional Variety & Quality: Giggster has 95 Minneapolis locations that are just waiting for your creative ideas. From downtown apartments to party buses to film studios, you can book the perfect set to shoot your video and start production as quickly as you want.
Hassle-Free Booking: The Giggster app makes finding short-term space for events and shoots easier than ever. With locations starting at just $38/hour, you can stay on budget and find the perfect listing easily.
24-Hour Free Cancellation Policy: Stay flexible no matter what happens. You can cancel any booking within the first 24 hours of making it, as long as there are more than 48 hours before your event is due to start.
Platform Protections: With amazing venues like Maximalist Gem perfect for music videos & shoots! to choose from, you can focus on your creative vision and not worry about accidents. The Giggster app allows you to add optional protections against damage so that you can focus on building your team and bringing your project to life in the perfect space.
Pros and Cons of Filming in Minneapolis
Minneapolis has a lot to recommend it as a location for filming. It's easy to get caught up in the excitement of creating your project, but as with any city, there are pros and cons to shooting here.
Advantages
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Minneapolis is known throughout America and beyond as a real hub for the arts. It's easy to find actors, performers, writers, musicians, and crew members here, so no matter what you're planning to shoot, you'll have access to all the production expertise you need.
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The city has a lot of diversity when it comes to locations. Whether you want to shoot a scene in an abandoned warehouse, a smoky historic bar, or a luxury mansion, you'll easily find it here.
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Minneapolis is very friendly to film, and you'll find production costs are lower here than you would expect in other cities like Los Angeles or New York. The Minnesota Film & TV Board offers incentives to shoot your project here.
Disadvantages
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Don't underestimate the weather. Not only is Minnesota cold in the winter, but the limited daylight hours mean you have to keep to a strict shooting schedule to make the most of natural light.
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This city doesn't have the extensive public transport network of somewhere like New York. That means if you need to move cast and crew around to multiple locations, you'll need a plan in place to do that.
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Despite its cultural excellence, Minneapolis is still not recognized as a major center for film production in the way that California and New York are. If you need to bring investors on board, you may have to convince them that this is the right place to bring your vision to life.
The Best Type of Filming Location in Minneapolis
The 95 potential film locations in Minneapolis mean you won't struggle to find the perfect place to shoot your film. Think about the kind of scenes you want to capture, then choose the perfect space to bring them to life.
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Bars and Restaurants – Unrivaled Atmosphere. Maybe you're shooting a scene that takes place in a bar, or maybe you're recording social media content that can benefit from an upbeat vibe. Either way, Minneapolis has an incredible selection of bars and restaurants, from speakeasies and dives to elegant and stylish establishments.
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Party Buses – Ideal For Music Videos and Social Media Content. Rent a party bus to create something really fun. Ideal for photo shoots and social media content, these vehicles turn any event into a party.
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Houses and Apartments – Privacy and Versatility. From sleek downtown apartments to luxurious Victorian mansions, Minneapolis has some incredible houses to capture just about anything you want. Filming in private locations like this also makes it easier to maintain security and privacy for your shoot.
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Warehouses and Studios – Fully-equipped Film Locations. Minneapolis is full of custom-made film locations, ranging from small studios to huge warehouses. These venues offer a blank slate for you to build your vision, and often come fully equipped with lighting and sound equipment that you can use.
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Rooftops – Capture The City. Give something back to the city by capturing the skyline from a rooftop patio or deck. If your project is set in Minneapolis, you can capture amazing views of the city from up high.
Planning Your Filming in Minneapolis
A successful shoot is all about planning. There's a lot that goes into making a movie or video, so make sure you don't neglect these aspects of your planning before you point a camera at anyone.
Get Your Permits In Order – Filming in a private location can help reduce the number of permits you need, but if you intend to film in public or you want to take advantage of tax credits, make sure you apply for the necessary permits well before you start filming, as local government offices can take some time to respond.
Schedule Your Filming – Maximize your time at each location by filming all the necessary scenes in one go. Forget about filming chronologically and instead film according to your location to avoid backtracking.
Don't Forget Catering and Craft Services – Napoleon once said that an army marches on its stomach, but he could just as easily have been talking about a film crew. A well-fed crew is a happy and productive one, so make sure you provide catering so that everyone can focus on their work.
Think About Transport – The public transport network of Minneapolis isn't all it could be, so you'll need to think about how your crew members are going to get around and how you'll bring in props, lighting, and other essential equipment. Depending on the size of your shoot, you may need to hire vans and trucks, and that means finding somewhere to park them, too.
Saving Money on Filming in Minneapolis
One of the things that makes Minneapolis so appealing as a place to shoot films and videos is that it is cheaper than many other cities. The Giggster app can help you find affordable locations, and there are a few other ways you can also bring your project in under budget.
Research tax incentives.
Make sure you are capitalizing on all the incentives offered by local and state governments. For example, the Snowbate program can help you recoup up to 20% of your filming costs, depending on your budget.
Hire local.
With the wealth of talent available in Minneapolis, there's really no need to bring people in from out of town. You can find skilled, talented, and experienced people here and avoid the expense of finding accommodation and transport for outsiders.
Bundle services.
Minneapolis has several production companies that can help you create your vision. Sometimes, purchasing multiple services from the same company as a bundle can help you save money on things like lighting, equipment, and postproduction editing.
The Best Locations when Filming in Minneapolis with Giggster
Minneapolis is a great place to film your next project for a variety of reasons, including the diversity of locations it offers. Use the Giggster app to find your next filming location and bring your creativity to life.
