If you’ve seen films, television shows or commercials that take place on the iconic streets of New York City, you might be wondering how production teams go about finding and securing the rights to film in certain locations. After all, you can’t just roll up to a crowded city street with your camera and start filming a car commercial! For any New York video agency, two of the most important parts of any shoot are location scouting and permitting. Thankfully, our team is well-versed in both!
As a street-smart, battle-tested New York production company, we know the city inside and out. Whether you’re looking for a studio space, an exciting outdoor location, or even a great view of the skyline, we’ve got you covered — we’ll provide a list of pre-vetted locations, as well as resources on how to obtain the necessary legal permits. If you already have a location in mind for your project, even better! We can walk you through the permitting process so there are no last-minute surprises on the day of your shoot.
If you’ve ever wondered how production companies or advertisers cordon off entire streets for filming, the answer is permitting. This may come as a surprise, but New York City is actually notoriously permit-friendly — if you go through the proper channels, they’ll even provide free police assistance and police assistance. In order to obtain a permit, production companies in New York must go through the Office of Film, Theatre and Broadcasting (OFTB), the specific city department in charge of handling film permits. Every permit requires a nonrefundable application fee, and those seeking permits must show proof of liability insurance. Certain locations will require additional permits, including Manhattan and Brooklyn municipal buildings and state and city courts.
Permitting can be an intimidating process, particularly if your production is trying to secure permits for multiple locations. This is one of the main benefits of hiring a local New York production company that understands city permitting processes and can handle the logistics of your project from preproduction all the way through post. Since we work with so many brands in the automotive and motorcycle industries, we’re no strangers to securing permits for busy streets, recognizable public landmarks, and more. Permits aren’t exclusive to urban areas, either — just take a look at our project with Jane Motorcycles, where we needed permits to film on Rockaway Beach.
New York is one of the most iconic cities in the world, so it’s no wonder that companies from around the globe come here to shoot their projects. Whether you’re local to the area or seeking a man-on-the-ground New York video production company from abroad, we’ve got the tools and expertise to scout your next location, secure the permits you need, and bring your vision to life with high-quality video conteInterested in learning more about New York city permitting regulations? Feel free to contact us for a consultation — we’ll take the guesswork out of your preproduction planning so you can rest easy knowing your project is in good hands.
- pictures by Claudio Roach
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