On-Site Permits

[ClickTrackAudio]

Hey, Guys...

Are there any permits that you guys have been required to get in order to do your job? I personally haven't run into any issues, but I'm trying to be proactive in the midst of an expansion I'm doing. Steve...what kind of bureaucratic paperwork do you need to look after before you get onsite?

Cheers & Thanks.

Click.

[Remoteness]

Hey Wayne,

Here in the USA permits are required to do work on public grounds. If you’re parking on private property you really don’t have any issues... Well, at least not with the Government. The type of permit you might need will depend on the city, state and/or location site you’re set up at…

Here in NYC, you mostly need to have a Motion Picture – Television Permit for anything done on the streets of the city. This permit is issued to the applicant to film or televise on the streets or property subject to the jurisdiction of the City of New York. Obviously not every location recording is a film or TV shoot. Nevertheless, this is the permit you’ll need in the NYC. Besides applying for the permit, you must have insurance. Permits are not issued until all insurance requirements are fulfilled. You basically need to agree to indemnify The City of New York and to be solely and absolutely liable upon any and all claims, suits and judgements filed against the City and/or permit holder for personal injuries and property damage arising out of or occurring during the production venture.

If you’re working in a state or city park, a different type of permit shall be necessary. Those permits require similar bureaucratic paperwork filed before you get onsite.

In Boston, MA you deal with a totally different agency. In the City of Boston you have to contact the permit branch of the Public Works Department and ask for a special permit, plus two additional forms – A Boston Traffic Maintenance Approval form and if applicable, an Approval for Meter Occupancy form. It basically permits you to temporarily occupy and use the portion of the public streets for the purpose of your production. Similar to NYC, this permit is issued on the condition that you accept and conform to the statues, ordinances and the specifications contained in the documents. In NYC film/TV permits are free. In Boston, each form costs a small amount of bread.

Here in NYC, we handle our own permits, unless the production company’s already on the case.
Our insurance information is on file at the Mayor’s Office for Film and Television. Their office happens to be in the Ed Sullivan Theatre building. All we need to do is fill out the form at our office, then bring it down to their office for approval. You can also fill out the form there. In the past you only had one option – you had to fill out the form on their old IBM typewriters, then submit it for approval. That was a real bummer. It’s a much better situation nowadays.

When dealing with permits outside our local area the client or production company we’re working for (with) are usually responsible for those matters.

I hope this helped.

[ClickTrackAudio]

Thanks a bunch, Steve for the detailed response.

I'm operating in Canada, but as the truck completion gets nearer, you've given me some stuff to investigate.

Cheers

Click

[gregrw]

(Hey, Steve Remote, long time no see!!)

Knock on wood, the only times I've ever heard about permits were for 2 shows in a park in Worcester, MA. As with Steve's experiences, the organizers of the show took care of all that. All I heard from them was along the lines of "Yay! We got the insurance and the cops so it's smooth sailing for the permit!!"

Anything else for me has been in practice spaces or clubs, and those are private property.

-GRW