A feature film and sometimes even a short film demand multiple locations for shooting the scenes. Now, these places could be enclosed habitats such as apartments, office or even a sports arena and outdoor landscapes such as airport, railway station or marketplace / shopping zones. There is yet another site called the green room. This is generally exploited to create special effects. Both, outdoor and indoor locations demand reconnaissance or recce as it is popularly called in the world of cinema.
The Term Recce and its Origination –
While the term Recce is mostly used in India, U.K, Australia and few other countries, in the U.S it is called “Tech Scout”. Interestingly, the term Recce is derived from the word “reconnaissance”, and a common military expression.
What is the meaning of Recce?
Recce is a pre-production term. It refers to scouting locations and even natural and man-made properties such as monuments, historical structures and bazaars. The idea is to find places that do full justice to the demands of the script and DOP’s / Director visual perception. Recce not only includes analysis of physical turf / geography it also examines other features such as ease of approach, potential lighting or sound issues, the scope for angle and shot manipulation, and the ease of setting up complementing accessories such as Dolly and Jimmy Jib.
Recce is usually undertaken by a team of experts which include DOP, Director, Assistant Directors and folks from the art direction department.
So, what are the features which recce team looks out for?
Geography – This is #1 prerequisite of the film. Recce team spends most of the time on this task. For example, if the script demands a ranch with an outhouse, windmill, livestock stable, a large classic house with a pond or a river around its periphery, then these are the elements a recce team will lookout for. If the team fails to find such a place then the art direction team takes over, building a set that fulfills the requirements.
Accessibility – This is the second most important requisite. Let us consider the above example. If the team discovers a perfect geography / location, but this place is devoid of proper roads or accessibility then it makes little sense to pursue with such a discovery. Airlifting equipment and accessories can be pricey and the chances of damage increases manifold. Note – Accessibility issues has been overcome by airlifting several times in the past.
Power Arrangement – Alright, this may seem trivial. Why? Because everyone knows about power generation vans, right? Wrong! An alternate power source is yet another element, a demand which no professional recce team would overlook. Imagine a situation where the geography and the habitat / location have been finalized, but a couple of scenes demand shooting in a hilly terrain, away from the main set. A power generation van would simply not be able to make it and therefore alternate power source will play an important role.
Transport & Digital Connectivity – Emergency errands are a part of any film shoot. Even if the team has covered all the needs, chances are a dash to the nearby store, last minute prop purchase are common. Some landscapes fail to provide steady digital connectivity which can cause immense loss in terms of delays and unsent rushes to the base unit.
Resting Rooms & Washrooms – At times, shoot can take place in remote areas … places with little public infrastructure. In these situations a mobile washroom ( Indoor & Outdoor ) can make a big difference. Imagine the leading lady or the aged villain calling it off because they are caught in a whirlpool of digestive issues or having trouble controlling their bladder. Catching a few winks during the break can make a big difference to the quality of performance.
Conclusion –
Location scouting or recce is an essential part of every film project, unless it is a static, one location conversational project. It is also one of the important phases of pre-production. A successful and intelligent recce can save time, money, prevent delays and reduce artist / actor woes considerably leading to a healthy bond between the cast and the crew. Recce also makes sure that the budget is not overrun by unexpected cost escalation or oversight.