City Guide Filming in Agoura Hills, CA
Production Permit Fees
- Film Permit Minimum Cost: $412 per day.
- Film Permit Application Fee: $434
Minimum Insurance
- General Liability
- Aircraft liability
Additional Permits
Discounts
About Agoura Hills
Agoura Hills lies in Los Angeles County, a few miles to the southeast of Thousand Oaks via Ventura Fairway. The city is popular because of its entertainment and live music scene, particularly the alternative genre of metal music that has led to the growth and fame of top stars like Linkin Park, Skye Aspen, and Fort Minor, to name a few. Besides, the city is home to a concert venue – The Canyon Club – that hosts lots of touring performers. However, music is not all that Agoura Hills is known for – a fact that top players in the film industry can attest to!
As early as the 1920s, Paramount Pictures bought land in Agoura Hills, kickstarting a historic era of film production in the region. This purchase birthed the Paramount Ranch, a large space that consisted of original movie sets where the “who’s who” of Hollywood brought their genius to life for almost a century. The varied landscape in the area offered filmmakers the opportunity to create diverse scenes and locales that mimicked colonial Massachusetts, ancient China, and lots of western locations. Here’s a directory of the films and TV shows made on the ranch in the city.
If you have seen movies and videos like Starship Troopers, Face Off, The Karate Kid, Gone with the Wind, Poltergeist, The Great Dictator, and Katy Perry: Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.), then you’ll know that Agoura Hills offers so much as a filming location for various types of commercial filming productions. Find your own location in the city now using Giggster and get your camera(s) rolling!
Do I Need a Filming Permit in Agoura Hills?
There is room to film different kinds of projects in Agoura Hills and while some of these projects may not require permits, there are some others that require permits before they can take place. Filming activities generally include prepping, staging, videotaping, striking, commercials, commercial motion pictures, digital media, TV shows, and still photography.
If your filming is associated with covering breaking news events in the city, you won’t be needing a permit. Moreover, while you may be setting out to film for personal reasons, it’s best to contact the City Film Office before you film, so that you can be in compliance with Agoura Hills filming laws.
Production teams that are in town for commercial filming definitely require a permit from the city film office before they can use any of the private or public properties therein for their purposes.
Student filming permit:
This permit is issued to student filmmakers who are to show that they are duly enrolled in their educational institution and their film project is for school work.
Encroachment permit:
This permit is required when filming within the public right-of-way and is issued by the Public Works Department. The Public Works Department often requires the applicant to submit a Traffic Control Plan too when applying for the Encroachment Permit.
Fire Permit:
When filming conditions will require the involvement of fire services for safety reasons, permittees need to get in touch with the Los Angeles County Fire Department to obtain a Fire Permit.
Building Permit:
Before filmmakers can erect a tent structure as part of their filming activity, they need to obtain a building permit from the City Building and Safety Department.
Permit Management in Agoura Hills
Agoura Hills Film Permit Office
Agoura Hills Film Permit Office is the designated agency in charge of issuing permits to filmmakers that seek to use the public and private properties in the city for television, motion picture, digital media, still photography, or commercial productions.
When filmmakers have projects that require the approval of other city or county agencies like the Fire Department, Sheriff’s Department, or the Department of Public Works, it is entirely the responsibility of the filmmaker to reach out to these units for approval or permits before submitting their film permit application to the Film Permit Office. The Film Permit Office, however, takes care of notifying the residents and businesses within 500 feet of the filming location when there are no special requirements for the film project.
Here are some of the considerations for filmmakers seeking to obtain a film permit for production in Agoura Hills:
Normal filming hours are between 7 am and 9 pm on Mondays to Saturdays;
The filmmaker is to obtain the approval, via signature, of 85% of the residents and businesses in the neighborhood when filming with special effects, music playback, excessive noise, and lighting;
Make arrangements to clean up the filming location by providing a permitted hauler to the Film Office;
When planning to use private property, provide the duly completed Permission to Use Property for Filming & Parking form that shows that the owner approves of the property use;
The maximum number of filming days is 14 days every twelve months. An extension to 20 days or more may be provided under certain conditions that involve the host community and the City Manager;
Secure necessary approvals from the applicable County or City units like the Fire and Sheriff’s Departments;
A Film Monitor may be assigned to your project at the discretion of the County’s Sheriff’s Department;
Have the required insurance, endorsement forms, supporting documentation, as well as application and required fees ready;
Submit your film application via email to the Film Office at least three days before the proposed date of filming.
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What Insurance Do I Need in Agoura Hills?
In order to fulfill the production insurance requirements that are stipulated in the Agoura Hills filming regulations, every filmmaker must, when submitting their film permit application, also provide insurance on an Acord certificate or a similar instrument that names the city of Agoura Hills as additionally insured and covers $1,000,000 general liability insurance per occurrence.
When the project includes aerial filming (which will involve the use of aircraft and/or helicopters), the combined limit of the general insurance will be a minimum of $5,000,000 per occurrence.
In addition to the general liability insurance, the permittee is required to provide evidence of workers’ compensation coverage that aligns with statutory requirements.
The Film Office provides a sample document of the acceptable insurance document upon request. Note that the additional insured endorsement must accompany the insurance certificate to be acceptable. Contact the designated city’s Risk Manager when in doubt about what the production insurance requirements for your project are.
If you can’t meet any of these requirements, you’ll need to explain in writing why you can’t meet the requirement to the Office. They will determine if the shoot can go ahead without the necessary insurance.
Note that these requirements are minimum requirements. Larger and more complex shoots may require additional insurance which will be determined by the Office.
What Kind of Filming Locations Are Available in Agoura Hills?
Agoura Hills is such a fantastic place for filming activities as it offers perfect opportunities for creative genius and exploration, thanks to its beautiful scenes and spaces that favor different sorts of productions. The city has a rich cinematic history too, meaning that the residents are very well accustomed to the routine and activities of filmmakers.
The first thing that greets producers as they arrive in Agoura Hills is the landscape within and around the city. This allows filmmakers to explore the various natural areas, recreation areas, parks, lakefront settings, vegetation, surrounding mountains, and canyons which present the most amazing backdrops for movies.
Another thing that makes Agoura Hills unique is the architectural beauty of the buildings in the city. The city features luxury homes and single-residence properties that lie in estates and ranch-style spaces. Some of the neighborhoods are made up of townhouses, condos, and cottages as well, making for a good variety of different homes for whatever kind of scene you’re looking to shoot.
Special Requirements in Agoura Hills
Agoura Hills
There are parking requirements within Agoura Hills that production teams have to adhere to during their time in the city. Some of these include:
Parking at least 35 feet away from driveways in non-residential areas;
Parking support vehicles at least 300 feet away from curves to maintain adequate line-of-sight at all times;
Never parking within a travel lane;
Parking only in legal parking spaces, and where parking spaces are not available in the immediate vicinity, using shuttle buses for cast/crew transportation;
Using appropriate warning signs and placing them at acceptable distances;
Removing all directional signs at the end of every filming day.
Agoura Hills City Park
Thanks to the natural landscapes and features in Agoura Hills, there are several parks in the city, some of which provide beautiful spots for filming. In order to film in any of these city parks, you will need approval from the Community Service Department in the city even before you submit your film permit application to the Film Permit Office. As part of the process when seeking this approval from the City’s Community Service Department, you will be required to fill out additional forms and pay additional fees. Reach out to the Community Service Department for more information.
Some of the parks in the city where filmmakers can shoot films include Chumash Park, Forest Cove Park, Morrison Park, Old Agoura Park, Reyes Adobe Park, and Sumac Park. All of these are under the jurisdiction of the City of Agoura Hills Community Service Department and require the Department’s approval before they can be open to film production.
Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area
To know if you need a permit to film in Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area (NRA), you first have to know if your project falls under the Low-Impact Filming category or Non-Low-Impact Filming category. This is because there’s no distinction between commercial or non-commercial filming in the NRA.
You will be shooting a low-impact film in the Santa Monica Mountains NRA and won’t need a permit if:
You are filming in public areas, except in wilderness areas;
Your filming involves a maximum of five people; and
You will always carry your equipment with you.
Your project is considered non-low-impact filming in the Santa Monica Mountains NRA if it does not meet the conditions above. Therefore, you will need to notify the National Park Service in writing at least ten business days ahead of your filming date so that you will be advised to either get a permit or not. For instance, you will need a permit to:
Film in areas that require tickets for entry;
Film in campgrounds, visitor centers, or areas; or
Enter a sensitive resource area.
No fee is charged for applying for a permit or using any location in the park, however, a performance bond or cash deposit may be required just so that filmmakers ensure that the NRA is left in as good a condition as it was before filming started. This will be returned to the filmmaker if there is no damage to any historic feature or property of the NRA after the project is completed.
Applicants must complete the application form to use the park. Where required, you may need to submit an additional application to the Los Angeles County Fire Department for use of pyrotechnics, hot lights, generators etc. in the NRA.
As for filming periods, the NRA is closed to filming on government holidays and on weekends. Moreover, filming at night is considered on a case-by-case basis.
What Does it Cost to Film in Agoura Hills?
Before a film permit can be issued to a filmmaker that wishes to do business in Agoura Hills, all fees must be paid in advance with evidence of payment provided to the Film Office. The fees are payable to the City of Agoura Hills. For projects in City parks, payments are to go to the City’s Community Service Department. The LA County Fire and Sheriff’s Departments receive their own fees directly as well when their services are required for film productions.
Additional Fees
The penalty for filming without a permit is a payment of double all the fees the filmmaker should have secured before filming.
Geographical Jurisdiction of Agoura Hills?
The city of Agoura Hills lies just north of the Santa Monica Mountains, which is why it is dubbed the Gateway to the Santa Monica Mountains. Oak Park sits just north of Agoura Hills while the city of Calabasas lies to the east separated by the Cheeseboro and Palo Comado Canyon. The Ventura Fairway is the major road that passes through the city, connecting cities west of Agoura Hills (such as Westlake Village and Thousand Oaks) to those that lie east (like Calabasas). Westlake Village To film in Westlake Village, whether it’s on private or public property, you require a permit. Furthermore, you must send in your application at least fifteen working days before the proposed date of filming for your request to be treated. If you are covering news or shooting for charitable purposes, you won’t be required to pay the filming fees. In Westlake Village, every filmmaker who is sending in a film permit application will include the following: Application fees (non-refundable $250) Daily filming fees $300 per day on private property $500 per day on public property Application deposit fee (refundable $500) Certificate of Liability Insurance Aggregate $2,000,000 Minimum $1,000,000 per occurrence Endorsement of the City of Westlake Village as additional insured La County Fire Permit A signed Hold Harmless Form A signed Film Permit Authorization Form Additional documents that may be required as part of the film permit application include: LA County Sheriff's Permit; Film Permit Notification to residents and businesses within a 300ft radius of the filming location; Traffic Control Plan. Calabasas As a filmmaker, you will need to secure a film permit before you can carry out any production filming within the city of Calabasas. Simple permits require a minimum of 48 hours for processing. However, for complex permits, it is recommended that you send in your application for the permit at least two to three weeks before your proposed filming date to allow enough time for city agencies to review the film permit. As a guide: Complete the filming application and send it via email for processing; Ensure the signature pages on the supporting documents are signed; Complete the Request to Use UAS for Filming Questionnaire if you will be using drones for production; Pay the $569 refundable security deposit prior to when the permit will be issued; Meet the production insurance requirements by: Providing General Liability Insurance of $1,000,000 per occurrence; Naming the City of Calabasas as additionally insured; Providing General Liability Insurance of $5,000,000 when aerial filming is required; Providing evidence of statutory workers’ compensation Filming hours are between 7 am and 7 pm. Where filmmakers wish to film outside these hours, the approval and signature of the residents and business must be gotten; Where it is considered necessary, a Film Monitor will be assigned to your film project. As for the fees associated with filming in Calabasas, here are some of the requirements: Application fee - $114 Permit fee - $455 per day Engineering review deposit - $500 Rider fee - $114 Monitor fee – From $57 Late processing fee - $114 City attendant fee - $40 per hour
Outreach in Agoura Hills
As part of the commitment of the Agoura Hills Film Office to enhance the experience of filmmakers in the city, the Film Office takes up the responsibility of notifying the residents and businesses within 300 feet of the proposed filming location about the project at least 24 hours before the start of production. When special conditions are attached to the production (such as the use of special effects), it is the responsibility of the film company to secure the signatures of the community members certifying that they approve of the film project before the permit is issued.
Community Management in Agoura Hills
There’s no better way to remain in the good books of the host community than abiding by the published filming guidelines in Agoura Hills, so that none of the filming activities interfere with the livelihood and normal activities that go on within the neighborhood. Additionally, keeping the filming location clean and tidy not only makes the residents content with the production team but also creates the avenue for a warm welcome for subsequent filmmakers. Filmmakers can also keep a line of communication open for the hosts to be able to reach them with ease during the entire period of the project.
Conclusion
With a bustling live music scene and rich film production history, Agoura Hills is much more than the Gateway to the Santa Monica Mountains, as it is also a haven for fun, entertainment, and filmmaking. With its standout natural areas that feature woodlands and other resplendent vegetation, varieties of wildlife, beautiful architectural masterpieces as well as old buildings, it’s quite easy to see why this city has been a top filming location since the early 1900s.
The Agoura Hills Film Office, the agency in charge of the film permitting process, is always available to offer assistance to filmmakers who wish to practice their craft in the city. They ensure that all Agoura Hills filming regulations are clear to producers, provide contacts in other city agencies where additional permits may be required, and overall make the experience of the cast and crew memorable. No wonder this city is one place production teams never get tired of visiting and revisiting. It’s a total experience here in Agoura Hills, so find your own desired location here with ease on Giggster