Filming permits are
permits issued by
governments
A government is the system or group of people governing an organized community, generally a state.
In the case of its broad associative definition, government normally consists of legislature, executive, and judiciary. Government is a ...
to allow the
filming
Cinematography (from ancient Greek κίνημα, ''kìnema'' "movement" and γράφειν, ''gràphein'' "to write") is the art of Film, motion picture (and more recently, electronic video camera) photography.
Cinematographers use a lens (o ...
of
motion picture
A film also called a movie, motion picture, moving picture, picture, photoplay or (slang) flick is a work of visual art that simulates experiences and otherwise communicates ideas, stories, perceptions, feelings, beauty, or atmosphere ...
s. Every city and state has some sort of council or office that handles filming permits.
[Jolliffe, Genevieve; Zinnes, Andrew (2006). ''The Documentary Film Makers Handbook: A Guerilla Guide.'' Continuum International Publishing Group, ] Obtaining film permits is part of the process of
location scouting
Location scouting is a vital process in the pre-production stage of filmmaking and commercial photography. Once scriptwriters, producers or directors have decided what general kind of scenery they require for the various parts of their work t ...
, and they are usually the responsibility of the
location manager
The location manager is a member of the film crew responsible for finding and securing locations to be used, obtaining all fire, police and other governmental permits, and coordinating the logistics for the production to complete its work. They a ...
. Permits are issued prior to the shooting with details about location, date, time, equipment, personnel, special effects, actions and stunts.
The process of applying for filming permits may include fees and often requires
production insurance
"Below-the-line" is a term derived from the top sheet of a film budget for motion pictures, television programs, industrial films, independent films, student films and documentaries as well as commercials. The "line" in "below-the-line" refers t ...
. Sometimes this process is handled directly by the city, and sometimes it is handled by a non-profit organization such as FilmL.A. in
Los Angeles
Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...
. In addition, each state may have its own permitting commission for state land.
Film.ca.gov
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The process of film permitting can often make it difficult for independent
Independent or Independents may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Artist groups
* Independents (artist group), a group of modernist painters based in the New Hope, Pennsylvania, area of the United States during the early 1930s
* Independ ...
and amateur filmmakers.
Filming in large cities is generally more tightly controlled. Less populated areas may waive fees or have looser requirements and regulations, either because filming is less frequent, or because they hope to attract more production.[Clevé, Bastian (2006). ''Film Production Management.'' Taylor & Francis US, ]
References
Filmmaking
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