Dr. Ipek A. Celik Rappas, a film and media studies scholar, dives into the intricate world of location scouting for screen production. She reveals the behind-the-scenes labor that transforms ordinary urban spaces into cinematic backdrops, often involving marginalized communities. The conversation touches on the ethical dilemmas of filming in post-conflict cities, while emphasizing the crucial yet overlooked role of location scouts. As streaming platforms demand unique settings, Dr. Celik Rappas exposes the industry's exploitation of locations and local residents.
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insights INSIGHT
Labor of Location Explained
Locations in films are not just passive backgrounds but carefully constructed spaces requiring extensive labor.
This labor includes logistical, creative, and negotiation work to make locations suitable for filming.
question_answer ANECDOTE
Location Scouts’ Extensive Roles
Location scouts do much more than find places; they manage locations including permits, equipment, and even repairs.
Scouts often face unpaid, exhaustive work and navigate complex, sometimes dangerous environments.
insights INSIGHT
Scouts Shape Film Locations
Location scouts have significant creative influence by negotiating script needs with real-world possibilities.
They often translate vague script descriptions into vivid, concrete filming locations through continuous collaboration.
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Ipek A. Celik Rappas's "Filming in European Cities: The Labor of Location" offers a behind-the-scenes look at the labor involved in creating film and television locations. The book explores the various roles and efforts required to transform urban spaces into functional screen settings, highlighting the often-invisible work of location scouts, art directors, and other crew members. It examines the economic and social impacts of screen production on cities and communities, including both the potential benefits and the potential for exploitation. The author uses case studies from five European cities to illustrate the complexities of location-based filmmaking, challenging viewers to consider the labor and impact behind the scenes. The book concludes with a call for a more sustainable and ethical screen industry.
Filming in European Cities: The Labor of Location (Cornell University Press, 2025) explores the effort behind creating screen production locations. Dr. Ipek A. Celik Rappas accounts the rising demand for original and affordable locations for screen projects due to the growth of streaming platforms. As a result, screen professionals are repeatedly tasked with chores such as transforming a former factory in Istanbul to resemble a war zone in Aleppo, or finding a London street that evokes Barcelona.
Dr. Celik Rappas highlights the pivotal role crew members play in transforming cities and locations into functional screen settings. Examining five European media capitals—Athens, Belfast, Berlin, Istanbul, and Paris—the book delves into the overlooked aspects of location-related screen labor and its ability to generate production value. Filming in European Cities demonstrates that in its perpetual quest for authentic filming locations, the screen industry extracts value from cities and neighborhoods, their marginalized residents, and screen labor, enriching itself through this triple exploitation.
This interview was conducted by Dr. Miranda Melcher whose book focuses on post-conflict military integration, understanding treaty negotiation and implementation in civil war contexts, with qualitative analysis of the Angolan and Mozambican civil wars. You can find Miranda’s interviews on New Books with Miranda Melcher, wherever you get your podcasts.
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