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Studio Search: Blog #3

This one was huuuuuuuge! So much room for ACTIVITIES. Or fishin’!

As you can see here, it’s an awesome space but needs a lot of work – so we’re having to walk that careful line of price vs. how much renovating needs to be done.

It’s so exciting to visualise where we might be πŸ˜€

What are your thoughts on this one?

This Post Has 100 Comments

  1. NavyCop68

    ‘Potential’…. Sadly usually ends up with big $$$ to get it there. The first site seems like the best so far but the space of the warehouse in #3 is a draw as well.

  2. benn30

    This one is definitely the one. You guys actually have enough space. The issue you guys face with renovating can be done room by room or floor by floor. It doesn’t need to be done all at once.

    I would seriously consider this place, get it up and running, then worry about making it pretty.

    Getting land and waiting for it to be built is not what I would call a solution, you will be waiting too long and you have no idea about any unforeseen cost overruns. Too much risk.

    1. Psoma_Brufd

      Yeah, there’s definitely a lot of potential in terms of size for this one, renovating is an issue but as you say, can be mitigated with ongoing earnings as it is spread out (would take planning though, probably including a surveyor). Of the four options so far, this one or the first (due to being sizeable enough and ready to be moved into already with not too much work) are definitely the better options.

    2. dehlenfeld

      Agreed shoot at night so it’s not so hot in the warehouse

    3. JeromyK

      I absolutly agree. Make it room by room and so that you can begin to produce stuff in the new location as soon as possible.

      Also it has a lot of open space that you can subdivide down as you need it.

      For me the best location so far

  3. JarraxQ

    This seems like it has a LOT more potential than the others. Although the cost to buy + renovate might be getting close to the cost of building something brand new right?

  4. Slaphappy

    Awesome! My favourite so far, lots of potential for sure.

  5. wrm1701

    This one is nice as you don’t have to renovate it all at once.

  6. Tydwoodman

    I’m all about space. A little remodeling is not terrible.

  7. Arcluna

    This space really seems promising. You can easily see Bored flourishing here. Hopefully renovation costs, time estimates, and any other inevitable additional factors don’t make it cost prohibitive. Thanks for taking us on this journey!

  8. BZM

    So much room. That would be awesome for a location as you would be able to fit everything, including having room for the future. But like you said, it is pretty run down in some places and would require a lot of work. But I think it would be worth it for the space.

  9. NovaCanis

    The echo really sells the space. I like it. Price vs reno is definitely an important consideration, but if you’re already doing renos you can REALLY make it exactly what you want, rather than settling for what is already provided.

    Looks decent boys!

  10. blimpieboy

    The warehouse part is huge! Other areas were a bit quirky for sure…

  11. waxwing

    I find myself really interested in this one in Blog #3. I guess I’m just a sucker for rehabbing shabby spaces. I love that it’s so HUGE! The weird little area with the low door frame and ceilings reminded me of that bizarre office in the movie Being John Malkovich – maybe you could work that into a skit! Are the ceilings in the warehouse high enough for a movie studio? The studios I’ve seen in “how movies are made” shows always have these vast high ceilings, like cathedrals. I guess because sometimes big, elaborate sets (and you guys definitely have the potential to end up working at that scale!) need small cranes and gantries and such to move them around? Thank you for these behind-the-scenes videos! I am enjoying every single one! I guess the key is if you can get it for a low enough price. If you can, this has real potential.

  12. mgc8

    This one looks awesome, with all that space and cool little options for rooms (and perhaps hidden passageways?)… The “vault” room looked similar to one we had at my previous company, it was used for storing old files but it freaked me out just the same! Definitely a good one for some sort of torture room set :-S

    I’d say you’ll have a lot of work to do to customise any space you get, so it might not be that big of a difference; but of course you know better what the exact details would be. In order to minimise costs, maybe you can start with just the important spaces and leave some of the others as they are, then you’ll have room to expand later on?

    1. Akiak

      This one has a wall big enough for all the names….

  13. Avantre

    You could leave some of the office space unrenovated – fill it with old PC’s and CRT monitors and leave it for possible flashbacks to the 90s, or have it for filming as the bad run down part of the game developer office that the people on the normal side of the office are reluctant to visit but have to because the game coders or some other unpopular profession are stuck working there

  14. Serendella

    This one seems great, if the cost of basically gutting it isn’t prohibitive! Would it be big enough to also be future proof, or would it be only a middle solution? The bare bones look awesome though!

  15. NathanAlexanderLeduc

    This one is definitely my favorite out of the four so far. Like you said, needs some renovation but it has so much potential!

  16. Faultty

    I love it. Renovations can happen slowly over time. So long as it is comfortable and has the proper electrical and internet support, cosmetics can wait until the mortgage hits lower six digits, yeah?

    I mean, signage is one thing, but decent temporary signage isn’t expensive. No?

    Also, being so big in the office space that you can film in one end, while people edit at the other end? Niiiiiice.

  17. evildeadnow

    So far this one is nice. Big and roomie but it does need some work. Whichever one us chosen Im sure its in good hands. plus when showing off the office area it kinda had a “back rooms” feel to it. good luck vldl.

    choose but choose wisely

  18. Kurrter

    Hey guys, looks like things are going well! If you go with this one, you ought to incorporate the renovation into the Bored story – for some reason, the company moves you to this ramshackle place and then the first thing that gets rebuilt is Rowan’s office. Obviously, he’s the manager, and better office = better managing = better work, right? Everyone else has to deal with this barely functional space to try to sell stuff to people in.

    Good luck and thanks for all the fun!

  19. Hayde

    Real estate plus remodeling on the front side. Room to build more sets and let them all stay standing reducing set labor on the back end?

  20. FritoGray

    I do like this building the most. But if buying land (as in blog #4) is doable may be a better optoon.

  21. TheDinklebot

    Honestly this looks like it has the most potential. It’s huge and you can’t always make space like that.

  22. youbepositive

    Looks promising but is there a tiny door with a tunnel that leads into John Malkovich?

  23. Daemonumcamo

    I have to say, its not bad, however, when you use the word “potential” when buying something it tends to lead to red flags

  24. CreativeGardyn

    I want to see higgledy-piggledy used on more real estate brochures to sell their properties.

  25. HaydenRead

    All that space looks Awesome. As others have said, it could be renovated over time.

  26. RMP2015

    The thing with potential is that since you have to renovate, you also have the ability to truely make it your own, which is great. However, if its gonna cost too much to renovate than that leads to the problem of “so what do we give up?”

  27. Kristy008

    Too much work to do, for it to be economical you really need to do it all at once and the older the building is the more surprises you find.

  28. DragonsAreHungry

    0:09 that could be the Spoon dropping cabinet? πŸ˜‚ Poor Ben would NEVER get out of there again, unless someone remembers at the end of the shooting day that heΒ΄s in there. I love this one, but as you guys said it would need some serious renovations, so that needs to be taking into calculations as well. But it is a HUGE space with massive options for all the various sets and storage and offices and passageways… But another thing is, that older buildings often have secrets that you uncover only while renovating and those can get pretty nasty and financially challenging. Errrrrrg, I am really torn at this one.

  29. sminter1st

    This space feels really exciting and I can kind of see in your eyes you’re holding your excitement back a bit because of the finances. When you’re building a project that’s pretty much your dream project, sometimes it’s good to start with all that potential and really feel like you’ve put your mark on the place from the walls and onwards… It’s also got enough there to get it partially running sooner rather than later… Time to crunch some numbers?

  30. Breakingad92

    Don’t forget you don’t need to renovate all at once. Just do the bits you need. A costume room doesn’t need any love it’s just a storage space! Great space to grow into!

  31. OblivionLV

    Seeing you guys grow, I’m thinking that this is your best bet here. Never underestimate how much room stuff takes to build, move around and live in.
    Just check if roofing is ok, cuz you wouldn’t want to change that.

    Also – do some propper bargening in many rounds. Trust me – it will be worth it.

  32. LytseDraak

    So much space, but it’ll both take a lot of time and extra money on top of the purchase to get this ready. Upside is that renovation costs can be spread out and you could focus on adding space for each new show when it’s possible to do so. Downside is that more problems are usually found during renovation, adding both cost and time to the project.
    If it doesn’t matter it might take a long time before you can film all your new shows, this is one to consider.

  33. Scrydan

    I have mentioned #1 being my favorite, but if you were able to afford it and fix up parts at a time, as needed and not all at once, it could be reasonable to get it.

    More potential does mean more costly, but if you are all able to figure things out, it could really work out for you all. I’d definitely do it bit by bit, and take your time to do it right. With great space comes loads of work and money costs. But you do want a place you can foresee yourselves working at for many many years to come. So let that guide you rather than only one thing, like cost. You can create even more great content one way or another. You are all very capable and wonderful people. You got this!

  34. shaman

    I’d say if you can get it for a good enough price, to reflect the huge amount of work it needs doing to it – then this one certainly has a lot going for it.

  35. metalshark

    Grab it. You’ll hopefully outgrow it within a year of moving in too. Renovation isn’t that much in the grand scheme of things (apart from earthquake protection) but the capital expenses on production (storage, lighting, filming equipment, climate control, etc) as you’re able to crank things up having a space like this will likely be unnervingly expensive. Here’s hoping this will be a rapid growth spurt in a building like this and you emerge out the other side with a larger team, only minor battle scarring and a second building on the horizon.

  36. p-himik

    Love it, seems to be a perfect choice for a long-term commitment.

  37. kenbrickley

    Agree with others that this offers a nice compromise between the smaller/newer facilities and building one from the ground up. If the purchase price is reasonable then you could renovate in stages. Also, although many of your fans are outside New Zealand, you might be able to arrange a local fan day to have fans come help prep rooms, tear down walls that aren’t needed, paint, or do other setup work.

  38. SweetMolasses

    This would be the space I would get! There is SOOOO much room here! That warehouse is crazy huge! You don’t have to renovate everything at once either, you could do it in stages. Out of the 4 places (including the land potential) #3 is the one I would go after, assuming the roof is in good condition. Water damage is the LAST thing you want to deal with, next to foundation.

  39. Vermouth

    I love this one but I think the repair costs can be super expensive

  40. blood1986

    Has some great potential if you can get it cheaper than the others and fix it up for Reasonable amount I think it would be a great location

  41. Brew78

    I mean… it has a teaspoon dropping cupboard. I guess the real question really is the renovations. And I don’t just mean remodeling, I’m thinking more like electrical and structural. The stuff that would require specialized and potentially expensive work to be done. As others have said, not all remodeling needs to be done right away. As long as you can get the core functionality up and running and stay within budget, this is indeed a promising looking one. Side note, the long hallways running either direction gave me some serious PUBG vibes πŸ˜€

  42. AvarianCA

    I love this space, but you are right the cost to renovate it could be the tipping point. But considering it would bring everyone and everything together into the same space, it could be worth it in the long run. Not to mention you have an office space for Ben right on the Bored set. πŸ™‚ Also, if you do go with this space, please shoot some PUBG videos at this location before renovations start. πŸ˜€

  43. Krypton

    I think you should definetly take into account, that renovating costs tend to be higher than anticipatet.

  44. StaticNomad

    I loved the “store front” feel with that big counter and the office where Rowan could just watch over the workers and the huge area with the potential for all of the sets, but that office/storage space is awful and looks like a huge money sink. I think I’m more in love with the first site, for sure.

  45. Chlo

    I like this one the best if affordable in the budget. This allows the most of the space where VLDL can customize it to exactly what they dream of without compromise.

  46. Mr_Smoe

    I do like the amount of space this offers, as it does give quite a bit of room for setting up the studios. I’m also in accord with the idea of the age of the building; the age could pose issues quite a bit for the team. If some bargaining powers come into play and could get it for less, then I think this could be the place.

  47. Bob

    This one is much future proof than the first one.

    Rome wasnt built in a day, it may take you years to fully flesh out such a large area, but just get one set at a time done and done well.

    This seems like a blank canvas and with a lick of paint and some creativity you could make something special.

  48. e38383

    I really would consider if the needed renovation is a big difference between the different studios. My guess would be that renovating is in the same order of magnitude no matter which one. I think size and overall “quality” of the building should be the main points.

    On the other hand I’ve never done a studio renovation and base this on pure “non-knowledge”.

  49. Amber Stephens

    Great space, but you can’t be sure til you have builders/architect assess the costs of fixing it up. Still, it really could be great.

  50. TheDruce

    I really like this one. Even with all the fixing up the place needs, you can get the building sound then just renovate the space you need as you go. It looks big enough to grow with you, too, and you could leave the sets up and not have to keep spending time switching things out, especially for D&D.

  51. MoThanYouKnow

    Depending on the work needed vs price, I feel like this is still the best option, unless something better appears

  52. I Zu

    It seems, that this place is all about the future, the potential to make it a really big and promising filming studio, and truly your own place (you can turn it to whatever you want). Of course, if the costs of rebuilding it are more or less affordable (and even if not quite, it’s so tempting to invest in this kind of studio).

  53. Rahul Pal

    I don’t know if the tavern will fit it’s height is pretty huge otherwise you’re gonna have to downscale the tavern

  54. Cynical Ace

    i like this one because you gents will not haft to expand the building and will still have space to spare. that being said the cost of renovations might just be insaine… i loved the first plase you looked at.

  55. Tuatha

    So far i like this one the best. More than it just having potential, you guys can really put in the time to make it your own and have the space evolve into something that you can be proud of!

  56. The Cephus

    TEASPOON DROPPING CLOSET FOR THE WIN!!!! LOL. So good.

  57. Blutwo150

    This. this is tha best one so far. you’re right, it’s potential is HUGE.

  58. John Donutman

    I must say, I do like this one, but the cost only for renovation will probably be massive… But still, the space in the warehouse… WOW!!! I suppose the plan is (like you said in the campaign) to be the full production company, so the space is very important for all kinds of sets, not just yours. So, I like this one very much…

  59. firerri999

    Yea, same with a few comments out there but I think more space means more freedom in the future. The renovation can be made in you guys’ own pace with one by one. Anyway, HUGE PLACE and POTENTIAL!

  60. VivaTolis13

    Well, this has indeed a HUGE potential! You can unleash every creative thought and make good use of your endless imagination! And of course, you don’t have to renovate the whole place at once! Take it easy! Step by step, until you achieve everything you planned for!

  61. Rahul Pal

    It really depends how much money they will get with the Kickstarter money plus loan likely they will use the Kickstarter money to get more money from loans from the Banks 🏦 maybe 10to15 million In New Zeeland dollars πŸ’΅ I hope they will tell later how mouth they will be getting from the bank loans

  62. Rahul Pal

    I am concerned about the height in this warehouse will it even fit the tavern or even the castle set yes it is Wide But not high enough like the 1st warehouse it was higher then this warehouse.

  63. PaulD

    Big is better. You can gradually fix it up and grow into it.

  64. WaddleArt

    If this place has the space and the ability for growth that the team is desiring, then it absolutely is a mighty contender. At the very least, if the sellers are aware that it needs to be fully inspected to ensure that it is safe from any earthquakes or foundational issues, then that can be a form of haggling on the price of the space, as well as that it needs to be renovated and portions of the lot need to be stripped away and rebuilt. All things that can be used as leverage if this is the space that you all desire and are really falling in love with! I’d like to think that the space you’re picking would end up having some sort of characteristic changes to meet what it is that VLDL stands for, so going for something that’s already completely redone doesn’t seem like the way you’d be wanting to go. Add your touches, make it your own!!

  65. ChadSexington

    This space is the one, It has all the space you will ever need if the building can be bought for a reasonable price.

  66. simdrew

    From USA, not living in Californiaβ€”what’s the situation with earthquake concerns? … has there been a big change in building code?

  67. XylyXylyX

    Why don’t you just keep filming Bored at the PlayTech store? One reason I like it so much is the story behind your access to the set! It seems crazy to build a set to fake a place you have access to. Or don’t you guys have access anymore?

    1. Mk22

      They mentioned why in one of their kickstarter videos, I think they said they can only film on certain days, they want to be able to film anytime and they want the ability to mess it up in some cases like Karen pt 3.

  68. Lamai

    Based on your updates, you all seem the most excited about this one so far. At least on the surface of the proposed options I’d say this one or #1, of course there are so many things to consider. While I am not familiar with NZ EPA regulations, in the US when you purchase a property you also inherit all of the legacy environmental concerns/issues with it. Often times these aren’t even discovered until you’re undergoing an unrelated routine inspection for your business in the future, you get a complaint, or something else that dives deeper than just the sale inspections. For this or any other property, I would suggest to look at the history, all of the activities that took place, or any non-compliance issues that were noted in the past. This particular property had quite a few storage tanks in the warehouse, which is what triggered this thought process for me. What was stored in the tanks? Were the contents disposed of/used appropriately to EPA regulations? This is important to be aware of, especially for older buildings that may have seen many businesses. The cost of environmental remediation and/or fines can be astronomical, and certainly something most don’t budget for!

  69. SirWynterRayne

    I reckon if you guys end up with this one and fall a bit short on the renovations, start up a go fund me and let us help y’all get there again. We want y’all to have the best available.

  70. Cazyro

    Oh wow love this one. The warehouse is perfect. A lot of reno, but the space is great.

  71. Slexer

    I think this is the one- plenty of space to grow and like i have seen other commenters it doesnt all have to happen at once, get the basics up and running and as you earn more you can upgrade more but if it was me id grab the land and go from there

  72. clawedinvader

    I’d say this one, due to the sheer amount of space you have. If you can get it for the right price and it is structurally sound, it looks perfect!

  73. Chingie

    This one looks promising with the space available. Hope you get a good costing for reno that fits the budget.

  74. LeickR

    The safe would make a nice upgrade to the “dropped teaspoon” cupboard.

  75. JohnH

    You could have a series about builders and decorators, comic and a sort of documentary.

  76. Sindraug

    I like this one a lot. Renovations can be done a little bit at a time, so it’s not a huge cost all at once. Maybe you can also negotiate a better price since there’s so much work needed. It also beats a brand new office in the amount of time it takes before you can actually get in and start using it.

  77. wij2012

    I love the size of this one. I’m not a fan of how much renovating you’d need to do to get to where it should be. It definitely has potential. I think it all comes down to cost to purchase and then cost to renovate. Hope you guys Find the right one soon if this one isn’t it!

  78. Artur

    I like all the space in this one. Plenty of room to grow too I guess.

  79. empathy_awaits

    This place has a lot of potential and would allow you guys to grow. If the costs for some TLC doesn’t put you in the red, or you can come up with a plan to incrementally improve it and make it work for you while doing so, I think it may be the way to go.

  80. TheNakash

    WOW!!
    Looks like a major contender!!

  81. TheNakash

    I am far from expert in this field, but the place is really big. Perhaps you can make the renovations in parts? Renovation season- filming season- reno-film-etc.
    If that is possible, than you can prioritize and plan your expansion as well as make income while renovating.
    Again, I do NOT really know what I am talking about. Just a newb idea hoping it is somehow feasible and helpful ^^

  82. JvercaMC

    In terms of space for sets which is a big part, here you have that, and room to grow in the future. I don’t know if you’re planning to, but if you have plans to rent any of the set spaces to other producers to help generate income for the studio alongside VLDL I’d say that’s maybe a big consideration. That warehouse door will allow other companies to bring in big cranes should they want to. More space = more appeal.
    Though I would say I’d want to open up all those windows in the office space to brighten it up, the offices themselves really would want a bit of work. But maybe this is a pre-built build-it-yourself option? I don’t know the cost compared to other options you’ve looked at though.

  83. ThisIsPequod

    I like this one, probably my favorite space so far. You can’t change the location or size on the others, but you could renovate this one in small steps and reap the rewards over time.

    As others mentioned, work some of its quirks into skits, especially Bored. Punish employees by sticking them in the too-small office. Playtech moves into the new warehouse but only gives employees a few days notice to have it completely cleaned and ready in a few days, panic ensues, etc.

    So much potential! I’d bet some of the backers there locally would love to show up for a few weekends worth of work helping to clean up or do some basic renovations. I know I would if I lived nearby.

  84. Telrak

    Man, that warehouse would kill it! Awesome. The rest seems pretty rundown to me. Probably a lot of money needed…

  85. Sarianna6420

    I wonder how much money you guys could save by just enlisting the help of your fans to help with the gutting and cleaning and building. I volunteer as tribute! All I ask is for more laughs along the way.

  86. popekarul

    You know, for the price of a plane ticket from the US, a sleeping bag and couch, and a constant supply of pies and/or sausage rolls, I’d definitely come destroy a tonne of walls.

    Now.. as for putting them up.. I’m not much of a carpenter.

  87. Shaidrim

    Not bad, but still I like more the first one. Here the space management looks really off. So many corners, so many useless walls and confined spaces. Potentially can became a good place but that means to change a lot of things. For me is not the right one.

  88. Radajin

    Little sad rowen didn’t say peace out!

  89. Unlikely_Circumstances

    If the core structure is sound, this one looks really exciting. If not it would be a recipe for misery.

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