About San Francisco
Established long before many other major cities on the West Coast, San Francisco has long dominated California’s central coastline. Known for its fresh seafood, beautiful homes, hilly streets and cable cars, the city is just a short distance from Silicon Valley, Wine Country, and Monterey.
San Francisco is a food-lover’s paradise, with authentic cuisines from around the world, fresh Dungeness crab and unique Asian and Mexican fusion dishes. There are numerous historic landmarks for those interested in history and culture, including the Golden Gate Bridge, Coit Tower and the Embarcadero. Sports fans can enjoy professional football, baseball and basketball games each season.
San Francisco has a variety of venues that can be used for production spaces, whether you’re looking for a large warehouse space, an intimate stage or even a beautiful outdoor space. There are also many local businesses offering support services, rental equipment, professional staff and more.
Production Space Options in San Francisco
Depending on the size and scope of your project, you have many production space options in San Francisco, as well as a host of local businesses offering products and services to help out.
- Equipment Companies
To fully outfit your San Francisco production space, you may want to rent equipment. From technology like computers to practical items like shelving, a San Francisco equipment rental company can come on board to supply you with the essentials.
- Photographer
Photos of the production, no matter what type it is, can be useful for future purposes. You may want examples of how things were done for the next event. As well, marketing your company can be nicely done when great photos are available.
- Transportation
If you have VIPs heading into town, offering a service for pickup at the airport to the venue is a nice bonus. Include later transport to the hotel if required, too.
Production Space Companies in San Francisco
No matter what kind of project you’re working on, your production can benefit from a professional film production company to offer ideas, polish your processes and help you put the finishing touches on your masterpiece.
- Luma Creative
Luma Creative operates all over the San Francisco Bay Area and specializes in branded storytelling. The firm operates with an in-house crew, ensuring they can produce professional quality work, whether it’s a slick commercial or a small indie film. The team has worked with many national brands, including The North Face, Salesforce, Footlocker and more. Services include video production for corporate events, crowdfunding, testimonials, product launches, explainers and many others.
- Maximum Flavor Media
For more than a decade, Maximum Flavor Media has been telling video stories in the Bay Area. The company began in a garage with a few simple cameras and has since expanded throughout California and opened a location in New York in 2020. The firm has a full-scale production facility that can handle projects of all scopes and sizes, from product commercials to original short films and music videos.
- Open Light Films
Founded in 2015, Open Light Films specializes in commercial video production, including commercials, brand films and sizzle reels. Open Light has worked with companies including Netflix, YouTube, Under Armor and the Golden State Warriors. The in-house creative and production teams will work with you on concept and design to get the results you’re looking for.
Pros and Cons of Production Spaces in San Francisco
San Francisco has many great video production venues and companies to help you develop a polished product, but there are some advantages and disadvantages to consider.
Advantages
- Beaches
Looking for an outlet after a long day at your San Franciso production space? The city’s beaches are great for walking, gathering and viewing the sunset.
- Public transportation
Although large, San Francisco is easily traversed using affordable public transportation.
- Weather
San Francisco has chilly winters by coastal California standards but is generally mild the rest of the year. This makes the city attractive, although there is often fog to contend with.
Disadvantages
- Expensive
Plan on sticking to a financial plan as you organize your production space in San Francisco. The cost of living and amenities are higher here than in most of the country.
- Crowds
There are many public parks and beaches perfect for a production, but they can be crowded in the summer months.
- Traffic and parking
Streets are steep and often congested, and parking can be nearly impossible to find.
Famous Locations in San Francisco
- Ghirardelli Square
Ghirardelli Square is a mixed-use dining and retail area in a former chocolate manufacturing plant. A refreshing destination located in the downtown financial district, the area is now a family-friendly tourist attraction. The plant manufactured the company’s signature chocolate for more than 100 years before being transformed in 1964 to preserve the historic building. The area now features eight dining establishments and dozens of shops and attractions.
- Japanese Tea Garden
Located in beautiful Golden Gate Park, the Japanese Tea Garden is the oldest Japanese garden in the United States. The site was originally created as a Japanese showcase for the 1894 California International Exposition. Japanese landscaper Makoto Hagiwara expanded the site to just over five acres and also lived on the property with his family until 1942. The garden features classic Japanese design elements including an arched drum bridge, pagodas and stone lanterns.
- The Painted Ladies
The Painted Ladies are a row of heavily embellished Victorian and Edwardian homes in the heart of the city. Well-known for their many appearances in television, movies and photos, the row of houses were recently repainted in their signature bright colors and are easily viewed from a picturesque bluff in Alamo Square Park.