Woman who rents out house to film crews and makes up to £1,800 a DAY reveals how you can do it too

An entrepreneur who rents out her retro Seventies-inspired house as a shoot location has revealed she can make up to £1,800 a day – and has now launched a business to help other people do the same.

Gillian Millner, 51, of Streatham, south London, has entertained the likes of Jenna Coleman, Jamie Dornan, Rupert Everett, Rosamund Pike, Olly Murs, Clean Bandit and Claudia Schiffer at her family home while they filmed TV shows, movies and music videos or posed for photoshoots.

Having previously worked in advertising and promotions for a magazine company, where she’d attend shoots at people’s houses, mother-of-two Gillian spotted an opportunity.

She began renting out her home – Deerhurst Road (deerhurstroad.co.uk) – and has been doing so for almost 20 years, playing host to more than 500 stylish shoots.

Gillian Millner, 51, of Streatham, south London, has entertained the likes of Jenna Coleman, Jamie Dornan, Rupert Everett, Rosamund Pike, Olly Murs, Clean Bandit and Claudia Schiffer at her family home (pictured) while they filmed TV shows, movies and music videos or attended photoshoots

By renting out her retro Seventies-inspired house (pictured, the open plan kitchen and living room) as a shoot location, Gillian has revealed she can make up to £1,800 a day

By renting out her retro Seventies-inspired house (pictured, the open plan kitchen and living room) as a shoot location, Gillian has revealed she can make up to £1,800 a day

Olly Murs shot his music video for the track Busy at Gillian's home; she told how one of her favourite memories is him singing Lola to her daughter, Lola

Olly Murs shot his music video for the track Busy at Gillian’s home; she told how one of her favourite memories is him singing Lola to her daughter, Lola

Gillian's stunning home in south London boasts a large swimming pool and stylish garden, an attractive prospect for fashion shoots and film crews

Gillian’s stunning home in south London boasts a large swimming pool and stylish garden, an attractive prospect for fashion shoots and film crews

British singer-songwriter Jorja Smith filmed a mini-documentary, Becoming Jorja Smith, at Gillian's stylish pad (pictured)

British singer-songwriter Jorja Smith filmed a mini-documentary, Becoming Jorja Smith, at Gillian’s stylish pad (pictured)

When lockdown hit last year and everything ground to a halt, Gillian – who was in between jobs and struggling to find work – decided to use the knowledge she had accumulated to start her own business, Location Creation, to guide people through the process of renting out their own home as a location. 

‘During Covid, a couple of people were going how do you do it, and I realised talking about it that if you don’t know anything about that world, it is quite complex and a bit bamboozling,’ Gillian told FEMAIL.

‘I started Location Creation as saw a real gap in the market, after many years of renting out my own house. Many of my clients simply don’t have the time or the know-how to get their houses ready and signed up. 

‘I come along and guide them through the process from beginning to end and take the pain out of it. All the houses I’m setting up are getting inquiries and shoots. 

When lockdown hit last year and everything ground to a halt, Gillian (pictured) - who was in between jobs and struggling to find work - decided to use the knowledge she had accumulated to start her own business, Location Creation, to guide people through the process of renting out their own home as a location

When lockdown hit last year and everything ground to a halt, Gillian (pictured) – who was in between jobs and struggling to find work – decided to use the knowledge she had accumulated to start her own business, Location Creation, to guide people through the process of renting out their own home as a location

Gillian started Location Creation as she saw a real gap in the market, after many years of renting out her own house (pictured: a room used by singer Florrie for the music video for her track Real Love

Gillian started Location Creation as she saw a real gap in the market, after many years of renting out her own house (pictured: a room used by singer Florrie for the music video for her track Real Love

Gillian said she lets production crews use her personal belongings in shoots and isn't precious - an attribute you need if you're thinking of renting out your own home as a location. Pictured: singer Florrie during the music video for her track Real Love, shot at Deerhurst Road

Gillian said she lets production crews use her personal belongings in shoots and isn’t precious – an attribute you need if you’re thinking of renting out your own home as a location. Pictured: singer Florrie during the music video for her track Real Love, shot at Deerhurst Road

Gillian's home has a distinctive Seventies feel; the kitchen was used by Olly Murs and Florrie for their respective music videos. Jamie Dornan once borrowed one of her teaspoons to eat his yoghurt when he ventured into the kitchen

Gillian’s home has a distinctive Seventies feel; the kitchen was used by Olly Murs and Florrie for their respective music videos. Jamie Dornan once borrowed one of her teaspoons to eat his yoghurt when he ventured into the kitchen 

The most Gillian has ever been paid for a day of filming is £1,800, which was for a feature film, but usually the rate is between £800 and £1,000. Pictured: Florrie in her kitchen

The most Gillian has ever been paid for a day of filming is £1,800, which was for a feature film, but usually the rate is between £800 and £1,000. Pictured: Florrie in her kitchen

‘The world is now opening up and more shoots are happening so it’s been great.’

Gillian’s home has a distinctive Seventies feel, and a stunning outdoor area with a chic swimming pool, as well as a rooftop terrace, meaning the type of shoots Deerhurst Road attracts are varied.

The most she’s ever been paid for a day of filming is £1,800, which was for a feature film, but usually the rate is between £800 and £1,000.

‘If you get yourself set up it can be a big income,’ Gillian explained, adding that she lives in the house full-time with her husband, who works as a book publisher, and their two children, Jack, 16, and Lola, 14. 

She admitted she still gets ‘ridiculously excited’ when she sees their home on TV or in a magazine, and is occasionally star-struck by the people who turn up to film.  

Gillian admitted she still gets 'ridiculously excited' when she sees their home on TV or in a magazine, and is occasionally star-struck by the people who turn up to film

Gillian admitted she still gets ‘ridiculously excited’ when she sees their home on TV or in a magazine, and is occasionally star-struck by the people who turn up to film

As well as film and TV crews, Gillian's home has also hosted fashion modelling shoots for the likes of Gucci, Christopher Kane and magazines

As well as film and TV crews, Gillian’s home has also hosted fashion modelling shoots for the likes of Gucci, Christopher Kane and magazines

‘Once Jamie Dornan was in the kitchen,’ she recalled. ‘He asked to borrow a teaspoon to eat his yoghurt. I always treat people as if they’re my guests for the day.

‘We’ve also recently had Jenna Coleman in, which was really nice; I’d just watched The Serpent, so I was a bit like, is she going to poison my drink? 

‘We also get a lot of musical people. Olly Murs shot the video for Busy here – he was really new at the time, so my children were very excited. One of my favourite memories is Olly singing Lola to my daughter Lola.

‘We’ve also had some incredible fashion shoots – I love all the clothes, shoes and jewellery that gets lined up for the models. One of my favourite jobs was Christopher Kane – he was absolutely lovely. I love the shots.

Gillian said she believes it has become more common for production crews across the country to use real people's homes as shoot locations because it adds a sense of authenticity. Pictured: her 70s bathroom

Gillian said she believes it has become more common for production crews across the country to use real people’s homes as shoot locations because it adds a sense of authenticity. Pictured: her 70s bathroom

Gillian added that homes with something a bit different and unique about them, be it period features, funky decor or a sleek, upmarket interior, will often appeal. Pictured: a bedroom at Deerhurst Road

Gillian added that homes with something a bit different and unique about them, be it period features, funky decor or a sleek, upmarket interior, will often appeal. Pictured: a bedroom at Deerhurst Road

Gillian said it's important to establish ground rules and be firm with implementing them to avoid any issues arising, particularly when it comes to neighbours. Pictured: another bedroom with authentic timber panelling - used to film a Cadbury Creme Egg advert in 2014

Gillian said it’s important to establish ground rules and be firm with implementing them to avoid any issues arising, particularly when it comes to neighbours. Pictured: another bedroom with authentic timber panelling – used to film a Cadbury Creme Egg advert in 2014

This advert for Cadbury Creme Egg, entitled 'Gonna Be My Night', was shot in a bedroom at Deerhurst Road in 2014

This advert for Cadbury Creme Egg, entitled ‘Gonna Be My Night’, was shot in a bedroom at Deerhurst Road in 2014

‘We had another shoot for Italian Vogue with Claudia Schiffer. They had an on-set chef who would sort out all the food and drink for the day. A favourite memory was coming downstairs and seeing three incredible Italian ladies in dark glasses being handed their espresso coffees to have with their cigarettes on the roof deck. The house was full of Italian glamour all day!’

Gillian’s tops tips for renting out your home as a shoot location

  • Be prepared to be flexible and laid back! Be accommodating, treat a crew like your guests – and be prepared to move to another room if necessary if you’re working from home.
  • Ideally your house should be spacious with large rooms to accommodate the crew, cast and equipment. But they don’t have to be huge as smaller places can have smaller shoots.
  • Something special or different – so period features, funky decor, bright colours or a specially designed interior.
  • Lots of parking or nearby parking is helpful.
  • Ideally a quiet area for filming, so not near a school, busy road or under the flight path. 
  • If you don’t own the property, make sure you have permission from your landlord.
  • Establish strict rules for anyone coming into your home.

Gillian said she believes it has become more common for production crews across the country to use real people’s homes as shoot locations because it adds a sense of authenticity.

‘If people looking for a certain thing, you can’t beat a person’s home,’ she said. ‘Everything’s there, if you’re shooting in a kitchen you don’t have to bring in a fridge, a washing machine… production crews know what they’re getting. 

So what makes a great location house? Gillian said having an owner who’s up for it is the key thing.

‘If you’re precious about your house, it won’t be for you,’ she explained. ‘The key thing is to make sure there’s enough room for a minimum of 10 people coming in.

‘Ideally it needs to be a house with spacious rooms so that there is room for the crew, cast and equipment. But they don’t have to be huge, as smaller places can have smaller shoots.

‘Clients will want everything from a stately home to a council flat and everything in between. There will be different requirements depending on what they need the house for, whether it’s for a magazine shoot, advertising, a music video or a movie.

‘Some clients will want to be able to redecorate or paint your rooms, so a flexible attitude towards this will help.’

Gillian added that homes with something a bit different and unique about them, be it period features, funky decor or a sleek, upmarket interior, will often appeal.

Having lots of parking nearby is also helpful, as is being in a quiet area, not near a school, busy road or under a flight path. 

Gillian said it’s important to establish ground rules and be firm with implementing them to avoid any issues arising, particularly when it comes to neighbours.

‘We’ve had issues in the past with people smoking on the street or talking loudly on their phones which is so annoying, so we now have strict rules for people coming,’ she explained. ‘You’ve got to respect your neighbours and try to limit the impact on them of hosting a shoot.’

For more information, visit locationcreation.co.uk, or follow Deerhurst Road on Instagram.