Managing locations
The Locations category in the breakdown lists every location extracted from your script. From here you can add address and contact details, scout and compare candidate locations before committing, promote a scouted location to the confirmed one, and download location release and waiver PDFs.Where to find locations
In the project nav, click Breakdown, then Elements, then Locations. Each row shows the location name, a link to its board, a link to the first scene it appears in, and how many scenes use it. You can also reach a location board from the scene breakdown page by clicking the location name in a scene row.Location boards
Each location has a board where you store production details for that location. When you open a location board for the first time, Spell Slate pre-fills it with seven template cards to get you started:- Set Address & Contact — The confirmed address and contact for this location. This card syncs to the call sheet: when this location is scheduled, its address appears in the Locations section of the call sheet automatically.
- Parking Information — Parking address or instructions. This syncs to the Parking column on the call sheet.
- Nearest Hospital Information — Hospital address and phone. This syncs to the Nearest Hospital column on the call sheet.
- Description — A general description of the location.
- Reference Images — Photos or scouting images.
- Shooting Notes — Notes for the crew on the day.
- Budget — Free-text notes for tracking rental fees or estimated costs.
Scout locations
Before you lock a location, you may be considering several options for the same script location. The Scout Locations tab on a location board is where you track those candidates. Why use scout locations: Keeping candidate locations on the board means you can compare options side by side, share scouting notes with the team, and then promote the winner to the confirmed location in one step. The script location record stays clean, while the candidates hold all your research. To open the Scout Locations tab: Open the location’s board and click the Scout Locations tab in the header. You will see all candidates for that location and a count badge.Adding a scout location candidate
- Open the location board and go to the Scout Locations tab.
- Click Add Card and choose Location Candidate.
- Fill in the candidate details:
- Location name — A label to tell candidates apart (e.g. “Warehouse on 5th” or “Studio B”).
- Contact name, email, phone — The property owner or location manager.
- Address — Full address including city, state/province, ZIP, and country.
- Parking — Parking options at this candidate.
- Scouting notes — Anything relevant: access, permit requirements, power, noise, restrictions.
- Save the card.
Promoting a scout location to the confirmed location
When you have chosen a candidate, use Promote to Location to move that candidate’s details into the confirmed location record.- Open the Scout Locations tab and find the candidate you want.
- Click Promote to Location on the candidate card. Confirm when prompted.
- The candidate’s name, email, phone, and address go into the Set Address & Contact card.
- The candidate’s parking notes go into the Parking Information card.
- The candidate’s scouting notes go into the Description card.
Location release and waiver PDFs
Each location board can hold a Location Release card with links to three pre-built PDF templates:- Release — A standard location release agreement.
- Waiver — A liability waiver for the location.
- Info Sheet — A general information sheet for the location.
Tracking location costs
There is no structured cost entry for locations. Use the Budget note card on the location board to jot down rental rates, deposit amounts, or fee estimates. For detailed line-item cost tracking, see Budget and Line items and board sync.Removing a location
A location can only be removed from the breakdown if it is not referenced in the current version of your script. Spell Slate shows how many scenes use each location in the Scenes column. If the location still appears in your script, you have two options:- Edit the script. Change or remove the scene heading that references the location. In the Spell Slate editor, update the location text in the heading (for example, change “INT. COFFEE SHOP - DAY” to a different location). Once the location no longer appears in any scene heading, it is eligible for removal.
- Upload a new version. If you are working from an imported script, upload a revised version that does not include that location. Spell Slate will automatically remove locations that no longer appear in the new version and have no production data attached.