When my daughters started leaving home, I did what most parents do – stood in their bedrooms feeling a bit lost. The house felt quieter, bigger… and, honestly, a bit empty.

Fast forward 18 months, and those same bedrooms have hosted Amazon product shoots, Lumie lighting campaigns, Disney toys, furniture brands, and beauty content creators. They've even been used as hair and makeup stations for commercial crews.

And yes – I now earn between £800 and £2,000 a day doing it.

As Seen in The Telegraph

Last weekend, The Telegraph featured our story – and while The Shoot Academy has been running for a while, it was surreal (and lovely) to see the response.

Our inboxes filled up with questions:

"Could I do this?"
"Would my house work?"
"Where do I even start?"

We’ve been absolutely delighted by the number of people who’ve signed up since the article was published and we’re so excited to welcome you all into our rapidly growing community of homeowners who are turning curiosity into confidence, and confidence into income.

My Own Starting Point

Suzie and I have been friends since university. She’s an interior designer and stylist who’d been working as a shoot location host for years when she first suggested the idea to me. I was a hedge fund recruiter in London before the pandemic made me rethink everything.

After spending two years renovating our family home in Cambridgeshire, Suzie looked around and said,

“Why don’t you turn this into a shoot location?”

I replied, “Why would anyone want a house in the middle of nowhere?”

But she was insistent – and she convinced me to take the leap. I’ve had a fantastic time hosting shoots, and location hasn’t been a barrier at all.

Why We Created The Shoot Academy

As bookings increased and friends kept asking how to get started, we realised we had something worth sharing. Suzie brought years of styling and shoot experience. I brought a fresh perspective – someone newer to the industry but with a background in client-facing work and a strong sense of how to turn a good idea into a viable, professional offering.

We quickly saw how valuable it was to share not just the creative side, but the practical, business-focused knowledge too – things like pricing structures, booking systems, insurance, and client communication.

Together, we built a system that actually works. That’s what became The Shoot Academy.

What the Headlines Don’t Tell You

The headlines talk about £2k day rates. But what actually makes this work is much simpler – and sometimes more complex – than you’d expect.

The simple bit: brands need real homes. Studios can feel flat. They want authenticity – lived-in kitchens, family gardens, real-life backdrops.

The complex bit: pricing your space properly, knowing how shoots differ, getting the right insurance, managing production teams, and understanding how to present your home.

Why It Works So Well for Empty Nesters

When the kids leave, you often have:

• Spare rooms
• A home you’ve poured love into
• A bit more flexibility
• The headspace to try something new

As I said in The Telegraph: “If you’re used to having a house filled with noise, getting some more bodies in is really good.”

For me, shoot hosting has been a lifeline – it's given me renewed purpose, independent income and a creative outlet.

A Quick Reality Check

No, it’s not passive income. Expect to be available for a recce, spend 2–3 hours preparing for each shoot, plus being available during filming. You do need to:

• Photograph your home properly
• Communicate with clients
• Be around on shoot days when you can (though you don’t need to hover)
• Keep things clean and uncluttered

That said, most crews are lovely and respectful. As I said in the article, “It’s like the fairies have come” – everything goes back as it was, and often better than it was when they arrived.

You Don’t Need a Perfect Home

The biggest myth is that you need a magazine-ready house. You don’t.

Great style and design is fantastic and in demand, but we've also had requests for:

• Retro bathrooms
• Dated kitchens
• Garden mess for before-and-after campaigns
• Cosy family homes with “real life” energy
• Sheds
• Pets
• Walls (yes, walls ...)

There’s a brand out there looking for what you’ve got – even if it doesn’t seem obvious.

Nearly 10 million homes in England have two or more spare rooms. If yours is one of them, it could be earning for you.

Ready to Start?

We’ve packaged everything we’ve learned into The Shoot Academy – from how to photograph your space to what to charge, what to expect, and how to connect with agencies and clients.

We’re so confident it works that you don’t pay the full course fee until you land your first booking.

Join the course today for just £49.

And follow us on Instagram @theshootacademy - we share real stories, tips, and behind-the-scenes from our hosting journeys.

Who knows? Maybe next year you’ll be the one featured in press or on the big screen.

Louise

P.S. If you’re still wondering whether your house would work, remember what I thought: “Why would anyone want a house in the middle of nowhere?” Turns out, they really did. Yours might be next.