Filming permit question

S

sonicfan287

Hi, Im new here and I might not be as professional as some of you (actually probably not most of you). My films are on youtube.com/sonicfan287 if anyone's interested but now that Im done plugging myself, I have a question about filming permits.

My biggest problem making movies so far hasnt been so much that my camera is average at best or even finding a cast. I have those things, but my problem is location, plain and simple. Im tired of filming movies at my house or at public parks because if I try to film somewhere else Im asked to leave. Basically my latest project is a secret agent parody movie, but I want it to be taken seriously, which means ideally, Id like to film some scenes at my public beach and i need a big building that could serve as a business for my fictional villain, stuff like that. I researched film permits for my area (I live in Connecticut) and in addition to requiring liability insurance, it also only appears that people with high reputations in film making or fully staffed camera crews are eligible for permits. Is there anyone else in my situation, who just wants to make a decent youtube video without breaking the bank who's trying to get a permit, and how did you get around it (if you did). If it helps at all, I dont plan to film in public cities or anywhere where anyone will be filmed besides the people who've agreed to be in the movie.

Any answers would be greatly appreciated.
 
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indietalk said:
Nope. Not here in NYC, or anywhere I can think of. Private is private, and the city can't be sued if someone trips on private property (hence, the need for insurance with permits). You can make a movie in your home, or, in a restaurant, with the owner's permission, all without permits. The city has no involvement, it's private. The business owner may ask you to carry insurance.

Now, if you are going to have cables or dolly tracks out on the sidewalk, or even equipment staging, then, yes, you need a permit. That is public property. Also, you get parking permits which is real handy, no tickets or towing.
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That was what I said originally, and I was informed I was wrong. Apparently in California you need a permit in some cases even on private property.
 
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sonicfan287 said:
well this discussion has certainly cleared up a lot for me. Since I dont know anyone else in my area who makes films, I wasnt really sure of how difficult (or not) it would be to pull this off, but it might just be doable.
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No prob, I guess the moral of this thread is check locally and don't be afraid to ask for favors or freebies ;)
 
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While it is true that you do not always need a permit to film in a public place you should always contact the local authorities to find out whether you do or not. It's question of liability. If you do shoot without a permit in a place that requires one you could be subject to arrest and fines.

As mentioned the "Connecticut Commission on Culture & Tourism: Film Division" is a terrific resource and they really want the entertainment industries to come to Connecticut. A new NBC facility is slated for Stamford, there are negotiations ongoing for a big film facility here in SW CT, the tax incentives are impressive and the various state entertainment coalitions a pushing for more incentives plus raising the caps.

People are enamored with the "glamour" of the entertainment biz. Many people, local businesses and organizations would be amenable to a professional shoot on their property. I worked with a director last year who got some amazing locations with a little bartering. He was able to shoot in a gorgeous country club in exchange for shooting some video for their website. He got an amazing house on the water in exchange for shooting an anniversary party, and the guy even allowed the the use of his Mercedes and his Jaguar. Dan did a fantastic job on his end of the barters; because of that he is now a recommended videographer for events at the country club and picked up a few events for friends of the homeowner, so is now making money for his efforts which in turn finances his projects.

For myself I contribute on a regular basis to the local police organizations like the PBA and the Silver Shield Association; here's why... I do a lot of field recording at night in odd places (because it's much quieter). I get a lot of "what are you doing here, sir?". I very slowly approach with my hands in view, give him a big smile and say "I'm working".

Cop: Working on what?

Me: I'm recording sounds for a film. By the way, I'm still recording. Can I reach into my pocket to get you my ID?

Cop: Okay

I hand him/her my license and my business card. Things usually get congenial from there, especially if we're near my car is which is festooned with years of stickers from various police organizations. The worst I ever get is "I'll be back in half an hour and you shouldn't be here". In my home town it's gotten to the point of "Oh, hi Bob. Just remember, I never saw you".

I once needed motorcycle sounds for a project and got in touch with a local club. Man, bikers just love to show off their hardware. I got hours of good stuff and some really scary but fun rides. I gave the guy a copy of all the sounds and his wife is really mad at me; in the winter he blasts the CD at home and even in the car when he can't ride.

Think creatively; besides getting some great stuff you meet some cool people, get some good stories to tell, make a friend or two and maybe even get the opportunity to make a few bucks.
 
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Alcove Audio said:
Man, bikers just love to show off their hardware. I got hours of good stuff and some really scary but fun rides. I gave the guy a copy of all the sounds and his wife is really mad at me; in the winter he blasts the CD at home and even in the car when he can't ride.
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That's simply an awesome story. :lol:

But yah... you'll be very surprised what you can get, just by asking.

We filmed a short project a while back, just outside a small podunk no-name town, and all the food for cast & crew was free. For the days we we BBQing, the meat was all courtesy of the local butcher. Other days, the few local restaurants/diners around were all tripping over themselves to provide anything - and we had about 15 people!

All they wanted was a mention in the film credits; honestly, it was unbelievable.

That's probaly more a case of "starry eyes" and all that, but every bit helps.

Probably won't get that kind of response in bigger places, though... especially ones with an established catering supply... but you never know. :cool:
 
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"People are enamored with the "glamour" of the entertainment biz. Many people, local businesses and organizations would be amenable to a professional shoot on their property"

this is true and i could understand that, but I unfortunately am not professional. Im just a 20 yr old with a JVC camcorder and 8 "cast members", so I dont know if thatll hurt my chances of getting a good filming location. Seeing as how the most exposure my movie would get is 1000 views on youtube, I dont see whats in it for the business owner to let me film there
 
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sonicfan287 said:
"People are enamored with the "glamour" of the entertainment biz. Many people, local businesses and organizations would be amenable to a professional shoot on their property"

this is true and i could understand that, but I unfortunately am not professional. Im just a 20 yr old with a JVC camcorder and 8 "cast members", so I dont know if thatll hurt my chances of getting a good filming location. Seeing as how the most exposure my movie would get is 1000 views on youtube, I dont see whats in it for the business owner to let me film there
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Don't know if you have any budget, but money talks. Even if it was just a $100 or so.
 
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sonicfan287 said:
Im just a 20 yr old with a JVC camcorder and 8 "cast members", so I dont know if thatll hurt my chances of getting a good filming location. Seeing as how the most exposure my movie would get is 1000 views on youtube, I dont see whats in it for the business owner to let me film there
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I remember one time when I was about 20 I needed a
restaurant for a rather long scene. It took me about two weeks
and about 15 restaurants until I found the one willing to let
us in. When I told the owner that this was a no budget movie
being made by a bunch of "Hollywood" hopefuls and we could
barely afford to feed our cast and crew, he not only let us shoot
all night (from 11PM until 7AM) but fed all of us and provided
coffee all night.

While others here focused on the glamour, I found when I was
just starting out that asking for a favor and acting as professional
as I could worked even better. Like you, I couldn't offer anything
- back then I couldn't even offer 1000 views on YouTube - but I
was allowed to shoot in many, great locations.

When I was in my late teens I shot in the Santa Barbara Police
station, when I was in my early 20's and living in Anaheim I shot
in the Anaheim Police station. I was allowed to shoot in courthouses,
office buildings, colleges campuses (without being a student), stores,
malls and restaurants. All without pulling permits or offering any
glamour at all and all before I turned 25.

It was just me, a super 8 camera, a tripod, a few lights, a mic on a
broom stick and a very small crew (usually 3 or 4) and the cast.

In my experience if you approach a business owner with professionalism,
many are willing to help you. Not for the "credit", not for the glamour
and not for the money - just because they appreciate the effort and
are willing to help.

The good news is, once you get two or three locations this way, it gets
easier. If you act respectfully to the owner and the employees and the
place of business, clean up after yourself and stick to your schedule, you
can use them as a reference for the next time.
 
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Thanks for the advice, Im glad to see Im not the only one who's gone through this. Im thinking of filming at my old high school since Id be filming this in the summer and the school is still open to the public. I just need a place that resembles an office with a lot of rooms and hallways. Ideally, a big place like Pfizer would be the best for this (bc my character is an executive at a big company) but they have a lot of security issues and probably wouldnt let a video camera on their property, not that I blame them.
 
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They might have issues.

So you put together a professional presentation and ask. If they say
no, you take that presentation to another business. And you keep
doing that until one of them says yes.
 
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directorik said:
They might have issues.

So you put together a professional presentation and ask. If they say
no, you take that presentation to another business. And you keep
doing that until one of them says yes.
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Agreed.

Some will want insurance (minimum $500 cost), some may not care about that, but will want to get paid (I paid $300 a day for an old auto plant on my last film), or he may hit the jackpot and find a place for free.
 
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sonicfan287 said:
this is true and i could understand that, but I unfortunately am not professional. Im just a 20 yr old with a JVC camcorder and 8 "cast members", so I dont know if thatll hurt my chances of getting a good filming location. Seeing as how the most exposure my movie would get is 1000 views on youtube, I dont see whats in it for the business owner to let me film there
Click to expand...

A "professional" shoot does not imply a huge budget and everything that entails. Professionalism is a mindset, not a dollar sign. Besides, Joe Public wouldn't know an Ariflex from a Bowflex.

When you approach people you have to impress them with your demeanor. Don't overly hype everything. Speak calmly, clearly and honestly. Dress nicely; and no, you don't have to wear a suit and tie, but definitely DO NOT wear torn jeans, a dirty T-shirt and ratty sneakers. Have your pitch down, don't be fumbling for words. If you prepare like a professional and act like a professional then you ARE a professional no matter how much money you have.
 
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hey again, everyone

just following up on my thread after a while. The good news is I found a couple locations via a friend of mine who's friends with a restaurant owner and a friend of mine is letting me use their basement/garage for a fight scene (it actually works out quite well). The only thing Im missing now is "Z-Tek Headquarters", the office building. I asked my old college campus about filming there and basically got a no (which comes as no surprise to me given my history). I'm wondering where to go from here, especially when it comes to college campuses, which seem to be my best bet. Who do I get in touch with exactly? At my old school, I just happened to know the campus police and dean of students personally so it wasn't too hard to get my questions to the appropriate people, but even then, it wasn't either of those people who had any say in whether I filmed, it was the "building moderator" who had the final decision but Im wondering if it works this way on all college campuses, meaning I have to track down a building manager for the building I wish to film in. The other problem lies in the fact that Id actually have to borrow an office, I couldn't just film around the office, like in the hallways because a lot of scenes in my movie feature conversation in an office and I'd also have to use a computer (although if nessecary, I could bring a laptop for that).

I remember some people saying that they had experience filming on college campuses and I'm wondering what approach you took to do it, in other words, who you talked to and how you explained your request. I feel weird telling a college I want to film a movie for youtube. If it was something educational, it'd be a bit easier, but one read through of my script would quickly blow the fact that this is not an educational movie.
 
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thanks for the thread guys. Ive got a question of my own.

Would I need a permit to fire blanks on private property? Im sure i should inform owners, police and neighbors, but do i have to get a permit?

I live in Georgia.
 
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PleaseDraftMe said:
thanks for the thread guys. Ive got a question of my own.

Would I need a permit to fire blanks on private property? Im sure i should inform owners, police and neighbors, but do i have to get a permit?

I live in Georgia.
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The laws in each state are different and the laws in each county
and city can be diffrerent. Contact the local police and ask.
 
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If you are firing the blanks as part of the shoot make absolutely sure no one is stading in front of the gun, at ANY distance! If all you need is the sound of the gun being shot a gun
range would be a better place to record the sound.

Terry
 
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Don't mess with real guns without qualified and licensed pyrotechnicians on set!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
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