By ,
Published February 02, 2017
Lights, camera, action!
We open on an aerial shot of sparkling Toluca Lake, then come in on a Spanish-style house on a perfect Sunday morning. A dog runs through the front door to wake a glamorous couple in their picture-perfect house. The latest rom-com? Nope.
The star of this movie is actually the house itself, which belongs to Eurythmics singer-songwriter Dave Stewart and is on the market for $4.5 million.
Titled "A Sunday," the two-minute video showcases high-end production values and a toe-tapping instrumental track. With a $20,000 budget, the film uses the musician's photogenic home as a backdrop for a loose, dialogue-free storyline around a group of folks enjoying Sunday brunch, playing by the pool, and then gathering at dusk for a rooftop jam session.
The video also features an adorable dog that looks like Uggie from "The Artist" (but isn't), a Parkour stuntman, and beautiful people in swimwear.
"We wanted to illustrate how a family operates within a house and bring it to life on screen," says listing agent Jonathan Nash of Hilton & Hyland. "We are trying to extend real estate video marketing beyond the usual 'Million Dollar Listing' -- style video."
Maybe it was inevitable that Los Angeles real estate would go blockbuster. Recently, a $40,000 minimovie made to sell a $38 million L.A. home went viral.
While staging and still photography are crucial, this video raises the stakes for marketing. If you're paying attention, you can spot features in the 5,426-square-foot home, including the family and dining rooms, a breakfast room, a library, a rooftop terrace, a heated pool, and a private lake. In the video, the soundproof media room doubles as a poolroom.
With a bigger budget than some indie films, the shoot took eight producers, a director, gaffers, six actors, multiple cameras, and a drone, according to Show My Property TV, a production company that focuses on real estate films.
"We have found more and more Realtors are coming to us for listing videos," Anna Geary of Show My Property TV says. "We find that the sweet spot for a high-end listing video is around $3 million, with everyone very excited about the use of drones to capture aerial footage. Even those with more modest listings are starting to inquire to our less extravagant videos."
Geary notes that the $20,000 bill has the been high end for their shoots thus far.
The target audience is probably familiar with movie making. The celebrity enclave of Toluca Lake has drawn the likes of Alan Thicke, Goldie Hawn, and even Frank Sinatra.
Built in 1929, the home has Hollywood history: Artists such as Bono, Gwen Stefani, Tom Petty, Katy Perry, Stevie Nicks, Joss Stone, and Mick Jagger have all recorded with Stewart in the house, according the home's press materials.
Indeed, Nash notes the home's soundproof media room and location to nearby studios make it an "incredibly attractive property for those working within the music industry."
Let's hope they also enjoy a night at the movies.
https://www.foxnews.com/real-estate/musician-dave-stewarts-house-in-toluca-lake-gets-the-hollywood-treatment