Shooting in New York
New York is one of the most film friendly places to shoot in. The city and its dedicated Office of Film, Theater and Broadcasing go out of their way to make it easy and pleasurable for out of town producers and production companies to produce here.
Still, for most projects it makes sense to team up with a local production company or service provider, because the city is, and remains, a complex place to move around with a full crew, a place with many surprises and pitfalls that can potentially cost a lot of money.
Our services are designed to help you navigate the maze of rules and regulations, take advantage of the opportunities and ensure that you get the most for your production dollars.
Do I need a permit to shoot in New York?
Professional shoots of a certain size, or requiring assistance with parking and other city services needs to apply for a shooting permit with the Mayor's Office. Proof of special liability insurance needs to be presented when applying for a permit.
Do shooting permits cost anything?
Permits are provided for free by the city, and we don't charge for them either. It is however up to the applicant to comply with all rules and regulations in their permit application, which can be a time consuming and complex process, especially if you're not familiar with it. You need to scout each location and find out what the specific conditions are, before you can apply for a permit. Like everywhere, local conditions for shooting are subject to change for many possible reasons (building and roadworks, security precautions, neighborhood concerns, etc.), so your local scout needs to do a bit of research before they can file for a permit.
How long does it take to get a permit?
Provided your application complies with all rules and regulations, and insurance is in place, it usually takes less than a day to obtain a simple permit. Complex cases can take longer.
Shooting on public property
Shooting on many city properties is made possible, and is often allowed free of charge once permit requirements are fulfilled. Shooting in parks and other public areas is also possible, but requires different permits, and usually payment of a fee. Shooting on buses and subways is conditional on obtaining MTA (Metropolitan Transit Authoriy) permission, which can be a costly and time-consuming process.
Shooting on private property
Shooting on private properties is usually down to negotiation of a fee, which varies from building to building. As in any big city, it helps to have the right budget for an ambitious location schedule. Insurance requirements are usually in line with the city's, and the same liability insurance will normally cover both, but it pays to do the proper research in the planning stage, to make sure your insurance covers all eventualities.
Traffic assistance and parking
The city provides traffic assistance, usually free of charge, as long as its in line with a shoot's size and budget. Vehicle parking for production vehicles is provied free on city streets, crew parking is usually restricted and private crew vehicles have to find and pay for their own parking. Luckily, New York has excellent public transport, so most local crew members will be happy to leave their cars at home when shooting in the city. Overnight parking, except when shooting at night, is usually not allowed, and production vechicles need to be moved between shooting days.
