City Guide Filming in Bushwick, NY
Production Permit Fees
- Film Permit Minimum Cost: To be determined by the Office of Film, Theatre, and Broadcasting.
- Film Permit Application Fee: $300
Minimum Insurance
- Comprehensive general liability of at least $1,000,000
- Name the City of New York as an additional insured
Additional Permits
Discounts
About Bushwick
Bushwick is a neighborhood that is well known for its buzzing atmosphere, fashion trends, arts and sounds, and enthralling nightlife. Located in the northern part of the borough of Brooklyn, New York, this community is made up of working-class people that also know how to have fun. They are also well-known for welcoming tourists and film producers to explore and view the intriguing industrial area, Manhattan skyline, and galleries that make the neighborhood an amazing destination for business and pleasure.
Even though Bushwick has been a film production spot since the mid-1920s, it was not until the second half of the century that filmmakers began to regularly use spots in the neighborhood for various kinds of projects. Popular projects shot here in Bushwick include Ghost (1990), Malcolm X (1992), Carlito's Way (1993), Limitless (2015–2016), The French Connection (1971), Fresh (1994), Romeo Is Bleeding (1993), and The Believers (1987).
Find the location that meets your film production requirements in this classy neighborhood of Bushwick now on Giggster, and see why filmmakers love this area.
Do I Need a Filming Permit in Bushwick?
Not all film projects that go on in Bushwick require a filming permit and Bushwick’s filming laws are clear about which productions can take place without a film permit and which ones require a permit. Even more, there is a midpoint as well for projects that do not require a permit but for which the filmmaker can request an optional permit.
If your film production in Bushwick has these features, then you do not require a filming permit:
The production equipment will be a hand-held camera, a piece of hand-held equipment, hand-held props, or a camera on a tripod. The production will not require exclusive use of any property that belongs to the municipality or the city. The project will not require the use of prop vehicles. No stunt activities will be conducted while filming is in progress. No actor will wear a police uniform for the production. No parking privileges will be required during production. No special effects or pyrotechnics will be used during production.
Permit Management in Bushwick
Office of Film, Theatre, and Broadcasting
In Bushwick, the Office of Film, Theatre, and Broadcasting (otherwise called the Film Office or the OFTB) reviews and approves all applications for a filming permit. Besides treating film permit applications, the Film Office offers additional assistance to filmmakers that intend to do business in Bushwick. Here are services you can count on from the OFTB before and during your production in Bushwick:
Access to exterior locations in the neighborhood is free of charge.
Police assistance is free of charge.
The opportunity to park around the filming location without paying a fee.
Assistance with liaising with city units and agencies whose input is required for your production.
Assistance with other external agencies that have control over areas that you intend to film.
As soon as you decide that you will be shooting in Bushwick, make plans to schedule a pre-production meeting with the Film Office. The purpose of the pre-production meeting is so that you will meet with the relevant stakeholders from the Film Office and other city agencies that will be involved in your project to discuss your production plans and filming schedule. Ideally, the Film Office requires filmmakers to schedule this meeting three weeks before filming starts, but it should not be later than five days before filming.
As soon as the pre-production meeting is done, you are set to apply for the film permit online. Depending on the nature of your production, the timing may differ. If you have a simple production in the neighborhood, your application can be processed within two business days. However, more complex shoots may take as long as four business days to process because the NYPD Mobile & TV Unit may need to be included in the review process. The best thing you can do is apply as early as possible to avoid any delays that may disrupt your production schedule. An example of a complex production requires the use of pyrotechnics and special effects or stunts.
The Film Office has additional requirements for filmmakers that wish to obtain a film permit for their project in Bushwick. These are highlighted below:
Pay a non-refundable application fee.
Provide a certificate of insurance that complies with the production insurance requirements of the Film Office.
Notify the neighborhood(s) where you plan to film before you arrive there with your team.
Secure any other approvals you may need for the area where you intend to film, for instance, if you are filming on private property.
What Insurance Do I Need in Bushwick?
If you intend to comply with the insurance requirements documented in the Bushwick’s filming regulations, you must present a certificate of insurance that covers a comprehensive general liability of at least $1,000,000 to the OFTB.
The certificate of insurance must be received by the Film Office via email 48 hours before you apply online for your filming permit. Moreover, it is your insurance broker that must send in the certificate of insurance to the Film Office. Certificates sent directly from production companies or filmmakers are not considered valid and will be discarded. You must also list the City of New York, its employees, and staff as additional insured on the certificate.
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 Bushwick?
There are plenty of filming locations in Bushwick that cater to a wide range of production requirements. These include apartment buildings, townhouses, parks, libraries, streets and avenues, subway stations, a production studio, and many more.
The majority of the parks in the neighborhood are run by the NYC Department of Parks and Recreation, and they are available for commercial film productions. Check out spots like Beaver Noll Park, Bushwick Park and Pool, Green Central Knoll Park, Irving Square Park, and Bushwick Playground to make your pick of the setting that suits your project.
Another top production location in Bushwick is the Netflix studio which features six soundstages, support spaces, meeting rooms, and offices in a total of 170,000 square feet. Although you probably need to be filming a Netflix show to use this facility, the fact that it’s in Bushwick should at least tell you how film-friendly the area is. And if you’re working on something for Netflix, you’re all set.
As for the homes in the neighborhood, filmmakers will find various architectural styles to spice up their projects. The community features homes designed by renowned architects that fancied styles such as Neo Greco, Italianate, Queen Anne, Renaissance Revival, and Romanesque Rival, some structures dating back to the 1880s.
Other popular filming locations in Bushwick include the Subway Station at Church Avenue & Nostrand Avenue, Starr Street, Wyckoff Avenue, Willoughby Avenue, Raw Historic Surreal Locker Room, Hall of Lamps, and Bohemian Factory Loft.
Special Requirements in Bushwick
Bushwick
If you are coming to town with oversized production vehicles, you require an oversized vehicle permit to confirm how you are going to park them during production. As for your other production vehicles, you get to enjoy free parking privileges in designated areas around your filming location. This is only if you have provided all the necessary information about the production vehicles during the online application process. Otherwise, you would have to arrange parking for them as well. You also need to arrange how you will park personal and crew vehicles, as the free parking privileges do not cover these vehicles.
New York City Parks
Lots of parks in Bushwick are operated by the NYC Department of Parks and Recreation. To shoot production in any of these parks, you must submit a request to the NYC Parks Film Office using a Parks Film Shoot Request Form. It will take up to five business days for the manager of the park where you intend to film to process your request.
When you get a response from the Park Manager, apply to the OFTB for a film permit and reference the Park Manager that approved your request. Here are a few other things to consider as you roll into the park for production:
Vehicle parking is prohibited in the park unless you have received approval to park those vehicles beforehand.
Filming is not allowed in any part of the park that infringes on the privacy of patrons.
Do not set up production equipment on the park's trees, benches, shrubs, or architectural features.
Safely install all cables that will cross pedestrian paths and cover them appropriately.
Do not install directional signs for film locations on the ground.
Take out all items and trash that are brought into the park after production is complete.
Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA)
Filmmakers can use Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) property in and around Bushwick after securing the permit to do so. For that, production companies must contact the Special Events Unit of the MTA no later than three weeks before the intended date of the shoot. The requirements for the permit to shoot on MTA property are as follows:
A certificate of insurance covering the following liabilities:
General liability.
Auto liability.
Worker’s compensation.
Railroad protective liability.
A letter of intent.
The script and storyboard for the project.
Pay all fees required for the production.
As you prepare to commence production, you will need to comply with the safety directives on MTA property while filming. During your correspondence with the MTA, you will be told the exact amounts you need to pay for location fees, personnel use fees, or any other fees deemed necessary. Furthermore, the limits of liabilities for each project may differ, so expect the exact amount for your production to be communicated to you during your request process.
The Port Authority
When you decide you will be using property belonging to the Port Authority, contact the Port Authority to discuss your project details and what you need for your filming activities. You can then arrange for a scouting visit to the location or facility if it is necessary. After the scouting visit, you can go on to apply for a permit to shoot in your desired facility by registering on the designated online portal. Note that you are to send in your request for approval to film at least 30 days before the date filming commences.
Other things you need to do to get the permit to film on Port Authority property are highlighted below:
Pay the $250 application fee (non-refundable) and other filming fees required.
Provide a signed cover letter that contains a summary of your production details.
Provide an Operations Plan and a Security Plan.
Provide Signed and Sealed Drawings and Code Analyses.
Provide a certificate of insurance. The Risk Finance team will notify you about the exact liability minimums for your project.
Brooklyn Botanical Garden
Commercial filmmakers are welcome to shoot production in Brooklyn Botanical Garden (BBG). Before proceeding with production, the filmmaker must contact the BBG’s Earned Income Office to obtain a shooting permit and property release. Apply at least 14 business days ahead of the date of production and pay the fees. Other production requirements to bear in mind at BBG are as follows:
Access to the facility on Mondays, weekends, and evenings is subject to approval on request.
Every filming location in the facility must be preapproved with written consent.
Arrange a scouting visit ahead of your production to receive approval for your production schedule.
Vehicles are only provided access on a case-by-case basis and must be escorted by BBG staff. Vehicles that are over nine feet tall are prohibited in the Garden.
Filmmakers are responsible for any liabilities or damages that occur as a result of the production.
Insurance is required for production in the facility
$1,000,000 per occurrence of personal injury; $2,000,000 aggregate.
$100,000 fire damage.
Pay the permit fees, which include the following:
A location fee.
Admission fees.
Security guard fees.
Administrative support fees.
Production-specific fees that are determined by the scope and nature of the production.
A security deposit.
Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS)
The Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS) manages properties and buildings in the Bushwick area, and these facilities are open to filmmakers for production. In addition to securing an OFTB film permit, you also require a DCAS permit to use such property in the neighborhood. You will need the DCAS permit when processing your online application on the OFTB website. These are the steps to follow to film on DCAS property:
Apply for a DCAS permit.
Provide the supporting documentation to the DCAS Special Events Office no later than seven business days ahead of the date you intend to start filming.
Pay the non-refundable $3,200 application fee. This fee is separate from the $300 OFTB film permit fee.
Provide a certificate of insurance with the following coverage:
General liability insurance of $1,000,000 per occurrence and $2,000,000 aggregate.
Name DCAS as an additional insured.
Provide workers’ compensation insurance that complies with the statutory laws of the state of New York.
Pay any other fees required by DCAS.
What Does it Cost to Film in Bushwick?
Most of the public locations in Bushwick are made available to filmmakers free of charge. However, to gain access to these locations for commercial production, you must have a film permit from the OFTB. The application fee for each film permit is $300 and is non-refundable. Filmmakers that can demonstrate an inability to pay the application fee due to unreasonable hardship may have it waived by the OFTB. If any other fees are charged during the shoot, the filmmaker will pay them accordingly.
Additional Fees
Depending on the production scale, you might incur additional fees for services such as police officers for traffic control, security, street closures, or other services necessary to facilitate the shoot. It's essential to contact the relevant authorities or city departments, such as the Mayor's Office of Film, Theatre & Broadcasting or the New York City Film Office, to get accurate and up-to-date information about the specific requirements, fees, and permits needed for filming in Bushwick or any part of New York City.
Geographical Jurisdiction of Bushwick?
Bushwick sits in the northern part of Brooklyn and is bordered to the northeast by Ridgewood in Queens. Williamsburg lies northwest of the neighborhood. The cemeteries of Highland Park lie southeast, while Bedford-Stuyvesant is southwest. Brownsville is south of Bushwick.
Outreach in Bushwick
Bushwick’s filming laws require every filmmaker to conduct outreach in the neighborhood before the commencement of production. In this outreach requirement, the filmmaker must notify the residents and business owners that will be impacted by the production, either directly or indirectly, so that they can prepare for the proposed exercise. The locals must receive the notification no later than 48 hours before filming commences, and the letter must contain pertinent information about the planned production. A sample of the resident notification letter is provided by the Film Office as a guide for filmmakers.
Community Management in Bushwick
Nothing beats connecting with the community members directly through avenues like talk shows, open meetings, and public forums, and filmmakers should take advantage of such opportunities when available. Furthermore, the neighborhood has a local community board that offers a means to get involved in community activities. Always bear in mind that your actions or inaction during your stay in the community will not only have an impact on how your experience will be but also on what other prospective producers looking to come to the community will experience after you and your crew have left town.
Conclusion
The community of Bushwick may not stand out at first among the top locations in New York for large-scale productions but rest assured that every filmmaker that has visited this neighborhood has left feeling thoroughly satisfied with their production experience. Why? Because the locations in the neighborhood never disappoint. From beautiful indoor areas in architectural masterpieces and production sound stages to breathtaking outdoor settings in parks and roadways, Bushwick has something to offer every cast and crew.
Film permitting and other associated services required for successful production in Bushwick are managed by the Office of Film, Theatre, and Broadcasting. Film permits are processed in as little as two business days here as long as the production team complies with all the filming guidelines in effect in the neighborhood. The local community is made up of amazing people, too, so you can rest assured that it’s going to be a worthwhile adventure all the way.