What exactly does it mean to be a local hire?
A local hire means that you are able to work in the shooting location without the need for travel expenses. If you consider yourself to be a local hire, it means you are willing to: fly yourself to the shooting location, put yourself up at a hotel or other residence, and get yourself to/from set without any reimbursement. Is it worth it?
That’s a question you’ll want to ask yourself and your agent. If you have an offer for a weekly scale but you have to be a local hire in another state, the cost of airfare, accommodations & rental car/Uber will have you barely come out even (taxes & agency fees are other contributing factors).
At the end of the day, it’s important to prioritize what it is that you consider valuable to your career. Will this job be your first credit? Will it give you career-changing footage for your reel? If so, it might be worth it. It’s important to know the facts & rules when it comes to being a local hire.
Just saying you can be a local hire and having some friends/family in that region may not be enough to fully qualify as a “local hire.” Productions are going out of state due to the many tax incentives offered there and lower cost of shooting.
However, in order to qualify for these incentives, they must hire a certain percentage of local cast & crew. Many times, for cast, the percentage that can be out-of-state is reserved for the larger, leading roles.
This means that some states will require either a state ID, or a document proving you are resident within a certain number of miles from the shooting location. (these requirements differ by state)
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The picture reminded me of Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego? :D Helpful questions to ask. Thanks for sharing, Tammy Hunt.
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Thank you, Tammy Hunt! This is such an important conversation, especially for actors navigating the realities of being a local hire. It’s a game-changer in terms of opportunities, but it definitely comes with its own challenges—travel costs, securing accommodations, and making sure you're truly "local" enough for production to take you seriously.
One thing that’s helped some actors I know is building relationships with regional casting directors and keeping a solid network of fellow actors who can offer housing tips or short-term stay recommendations. Also, some productions are more flexible than others, so it never hurts to ask what “local hire” really means in their eyes.