City Guide Filming in Charlotte, NC
Production Permit Fees
- Permit Fees - Unknown
Minimum Insurance
Additional Permits
Discounts
About Charlotte
Charlotte may be known for being the home of the NASCAR Hall of Fame, but what most folks don't realize is that it's also the central hub for the film industry in the southwestern region of North Carolina. Plus, it’s only about two and a half hours from the state capital, Raleigh.
Charlotte was a popular place to film in the 70s and early 80s, but trends changed, and movie-making in the city went into decline. The last decade though, has seen Charlotte, like an aging star of the silver screen, make a major comeback as a filming location after attractive new tax incentives were introduced.
Charlotte is, as far as Mecklenburg County goes, the leading light of filming locations. There have been countless producers and directors who have taken a shine to Queen City and chosen it as the base for their productions. Probably one of the most memorable movies made in Charlotte was the 1986 feature, The Color Purple, directed by none other than Steven Spielberg himself.
Because of its connections with NASCAR, Charlotte was also used as the filming location and training ground for the 1990 movie Days of Thunder starring Tom Cruise. Horror came to Charlotte in the late 90s when the cast and crew of The Rage-Carrie 2 rolled into town, and the filming didn't stop there. Charlotte has had a role in all of the following productions:
The Hunger Games
It's me, Margaret starring Kathy Bates
Secrets and Lies with Ben Crawford
Homeland
Logan Lucky
Sully, starring Tom Hanks
Shallow Hal, starring Jack Black and Gwenyth Paltrow
American Animals
and too many Hallmark films to mention
Apart from great tax incentives, the main thing that has attracted so many filmmakers to Charlotte is the sheer diversity of filming locations. If you want a sneak preview without having to go there, take a look at the filming locations available in Charlotte that are on Giggster. The range is truly incredible.
The filming locations in Charlotte are interesting enough to make any filmmaker want to move there permanently. Before you start packing your belongings into crates and boxes ready to load onto a removal wagon, make sure you're aware of the filming regulations in Charlotte and North Carolina. There are a few, but not enough to put you off choosing Charlotte as a filming location for your next production.
Do I Need a Filming Permit in Charlotte?
Yes, all commercial filming in Charlotte and the state of North Carolina must be permitted by the relevant authority. You will need a film permit if:
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Film on public property
Film in Mecklenburg County parks
Film on a public right of way
Film on Department of Culture and Natural Resources property
Film on state roads
Film in any North Carolina state park
Film on federal property
Film with a drone
Permit Management in Charlotte
CRFC, NCFO & Various
Depending on your chosen filming location in Charlotte, you may need to apply to several agencies to obtain the required permits. The best two places to make initial contact with are:
The Charlotte Regional Film Commission
The North Carolina Film Office
While neither of the above two organizations issue film permits, they will assist you in liaising with the various city and county departments that do. Some of the departments you may need to deal with for film permitting are:
North Carolina Parks and Recreation Department
Mecklenburg County Parks and Recreation Department
Department of Culture and Natural Resources
Mecklenburg County Fire Department
Mecklenburg County Police Department
North Carolina State Parks
City Of Charlotte
City Of Charlotte Parks Department
City of Charlotte Department of Transportation
As you can imagine, dealing with many different authorities to obtain permits can be time-consuming but frustrating. Make the most of the help from the CRFC and the NCFO, as you'll need all the help you can get.
Both the CRFC and the NCFO have similar contact procedures. The CRFC asks that you complete an Apply To Film form, which you'll find on their website, and once submitted, they will contact you. You only need to provide basic information about the production and production company. The complicated stuff follows later.
The NCFO requests that you complete an Intent To Film form on their website. You will need to complete more in-depth details for this submission, as the information given is used to register you for the 25% state rebate if your production qualifies.
What Insurance Do I Need in Charlotte?
You will need to have adequate general liability insurance coverage if you're planning on filming in Charlotte. Neither the CRFC nor the NCFO publishes any figures that need to be met as far as minimum coverage is concerned.
Each of the different permitting authorities can request different levels of coverage based on the location of the shoot and its complexity. Until it's known which authorities you will be permitted by and what the requirements of each one concerning insurance are, you won't be able to contract coverage.
Once the CRFC and the NCFO have made you aware of the permitting requirements needed for your production, you'll be informed of what is the best coverage to get that will cover all the permitting authorities under one umbrella 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 Charlotte?
Taking your pick is the easiest answer to what kind of filming locations there are in Charlotte. This is a city that doesn't stop giving. Whatever you're scouting for, it's here.
When you want a skyline full of skyscrapers or a neighborhood that has that superficial look of a financial district, you need to be in Uptown. There are three stadiums here, the Spectrum Stadium, the Bank of America, and Trust Field, that are not averse to seeing film crews on their pitches.
Need somewhere with a Bohemian look? Then you need to take a wander around the NoDa neighborhood. NoDa is one of the older parts of the city, and while it was once pretty derelict, the arts community has taken it under its wing and redeveloped it into a vibrant and colorful arts community.
If you're hoping to find tree-lined boulevards with large, independent family homes that border on mansion size, then take a stroll around the Eastover, Myers Park, or Dilworth neighborhoods, and you won't be disappointed. South Park is where to head when you want a bustling residential area with lots of shops and eateries.
There's no shortage of filmable public green spaces in Charlotte, either. The best parks in the city are Freedom Park, a 100-acre park with a large lake. Park Road Park, which is larger, has all manner of sports fields, including 30-plus tennis courts and an even bigger lake.
The Little Sugar Greenway is also worth taking a peek at, as there are more than 20 miles of trails in the linear park, some of which run alongside a stream. Another place that is more than suitable for filming exciting scenes is the US National Whitewater Center. It’s perfect for kayaking and canoeing scenes, whitewater rafting scenes, ziplining, rock climbing, and just about every other adventure sport you can imagine.
When it comes to internal filming locations in Charlotte, you could say that just about everyone is ready and willing to open their doors to production companies. Charlotte has availability of internal filming locations that are only beaten by major movie cities like Los Angeles or New York.
For home-style filming locations in Charlotte, you'll find everything from a mid-century farmhouse that's been thoughtfully renovated to a high-end mansion set in its private estate. There are modern loft apartments with amazing views, deluxe penthouses with even better views, and luxurious houses that would be the perfect setting for any corporate executive and their family. There's also a surplus of typical suburban homes as well as plenty of bungalows set in manicured gardens, and if none of those suit your script, maybe you should consider a swift rewrite.
As far as business-style premises available as filming locations in Charlotte go, it doesn't get any better. You'll find everything from conference rooms, office suites, training rooms, intimate meeting spaces with superb décor, fully equipped co-working spaces that are ideal if you'll be working from a script about digital nomads, and offices with posh desks fit enough for any top company executive to sit behind while they're acting out their corporate decisions.
Need somewhere hospitality-focused? In Charlotte, you'll discover much more than you expect. There are craft breweries with beautiful patios, event spaces, ballrooms, and an art deco dining room with a bar that would look great in any '20s, '30s, or '40s-era movie. There are modern state-of-the-art restaurants, coffee shops, and bars, too, as well as museums, art galleries, and pottery workshops that are all ready and willing to let you hire their premises for your production. As previously mentioned, Charlotte is a city that just keeps giving.
Special Requirements in Charlotte
Filming With Child Actors
North Carolina has strict laws about employing children. While most of those don't apply to children under the age of 18 contracted to appear in films, there are still strict regulations you must follow if you're going to have children as part of your cast.
Before you can employ a child to appear in your production, you must complete a Youth Employment Certificate. You can do this online through the North Carolina Department of Labor website. You will also find more detailed information there about the child labor laws in the state, which you will need to be aware of.
As the employer of a minor, you will be obliged to retain 15 percent of the child's earnings from the production and pay it into a trust account set up especially for that purpose. A normal savings account won't suffice. There is more detailed information about this financial retention on the North Carolina Department of Labor’s website as well.
Code of Conduct
Both the NCFO and the CRFC are happy to encourage production companies to both the City of Charlotte and the state of North Carolina in general. However, they do expect a decent level of behavior from all members of the production company, especially when the filming is taking place in public places.
Some of the code of conduct regulations production companies are expected to adhere to are:
Production vehicles should not arrive at a filming location earlier than the time stated on the permit.
All members of the cast and crew must wear identity badges or production passes at all times unless in front of a camera.
All trash must be deposited in adequate receptacles.
Noise levels must be kept to a minimum.
No use of bad language is permitted when there are members of the public close by.
Adequate clothing and footwear must be worn at all times.
There are quite a few more regulations in the code of conduct. You can download a full copy from the NCFO website. It's a good idea to distribute a copy to all members of the cast and crew, including A-list actors if you have some, to make sure they're all aware of what they can and can't do.
Filming On Rights Of Way
If your production involves filming on any kind of right of way in the City of Charlotte for more than five minutes, you will require a permit to be able to do it. Rights of way include:
Sidewalks
Traffic lanes
Cycle lanes
Planting strips
Streets and alleyways
You can apply for a Right Of Way permit online via the City of Charlotte's official website. You will need to use the Cityworks Application Portal, the link to which is in the Transportation permit section. Right of Way permits take 72 business hours to process and, when granted, are sent to the production company by email.
If your Right of Way permit blocks the use of on-street parking spaces or metered parking spaces, then you will incur fees. The Department of Transport will forward the details of your Right of Way permit to the city's parking authority, Park It, who will calculate the fees you will need to pay.
NB: Rights of Way permits are not issued for times that coincide with rush hours which are from 7 am to 9 am and 4 pm to 6 pm on Mondays to Fridays.
Right of Way Use Permit Fee - $0
Filming At The US National Whitewater Center
Before you can even consider filming at the US National Whitewater Center in Charlotte, you will need to send them details of your production. You can do this by completing the media-photography inquiry form on their website. Once that has been received and assessed, you will be contacted by a center representative.
Filming At Charlotte Douglas International Airport
Should your script call for airport scenes, then you have the Charlotte Douglas International Airport at your disposal. To be able to film at the airport, you will need to send a request by email outlining the details of your production. This must be done at least two weeks in advance of your required shoot date.
Not all requests for filming at the airport are given the go-ahead. If they are, the relevant paperwork can take up to ten days to process. If you are given the thumbs up, the airport authorities require you to be in possession of a valid insurance certificate naming the Charlotte Douglas International Airport and its employees as additionally insured. The amount of coverage required is decided on a project-by-project basis.
What Does it Cost to Film in Charlotte?
All fees charged by the various departments that issue filming-related permits for Charlotte are calculated on a case-by-case basis.
Additional Fees
As a general rule of thumb, the fees in North Carolina are relatively low, so don't expect budget breakers, but until you begin the application process with the CRFC or the NCFO, you won't find out how much you will need to pay.
Geographical Jurisdiction of Charlotte?
Charlotte is a massive urban sprawl that covers over 300 square miles of southwest North Carolina. With a population of 875,000 residing in its 199 neighborhoods, it is the most populous city in the state and the 16th most populous in the country. In its entirety and including its metropolitan area, Charlotte takes up almost all of Mecklenburg County.
Charlotte is bordered to the north by Huntersville, the Latta Nature Preserve, and Cowan's Ford Wildlife Refuge. The Catawba River forms part of the city's northwestern border along with Arlington. To the west, Charlotte is bordered by Belmont.
To the southwest, across the state border with South Carolina, are the towns of Riverview, Fort Mill, and Indian Land. To the southeast, and back in North Carolina, Charlotte is bordered by Weddington, Indian Trail, and Stallings, as well as Matthews, Lake Park, and Hemby Bridge.
To the east of Charlotte are Mint Hill, Allen, and Bradfield Farms. To the northeast are Rocky River and Harrisburg. If any of your chosen filming locations fall outside of the jurisdiction of the City of Charlotte, the best place to start is to send an Intent to Film application to the North Carolina Film Office, which has its headquarters in Cary.
Should your chosen filing location fall outside of the jurisdiction of the City of Charlotte and be in South Carolina, then your first port of call should be the South Carolina Film Commission.
Outreach in Charlotte
While the CRFC doesn't publish any specific guidelines for doing community outreach, the NCFO does, and as you will be filming in North Carolina, it's not a bad idea to follow their guidelines.
The NCFO takes it as a mark of respect to the local community that you distribute notifications to all residents and businesses near your filming location before you start filming. It's, in fact, also one of the regulations that is stipulated in the state's code of conduct for production companies, so there's no skipping doing it.
The NCFO expects you to distribute a notification containing:
The name of the production company
The name of the production
What type of production it is
The times, dates, and locations of filming
A contact name and number
The NCFO expects the notification to be distributed to any address, business or residential, that may be affected by the filming, the production vehicles, meal areas, base camp area, and road or sidewalk closures. If you don’t have time to do it, then you need to get a community manager to do it for you.
Community Management in Charlotte
Having a community manager on your crew isn't obligatory when you're filming in Charlotte or North Carolina, but it's a good idea. A community manager can take on the outreach, leaving you with more time on your hands to do other things. Filmmaking is, after all, about collaboration, so the more tasks you can delegate, the better.
Charlotte is also highly populated, so any production company that sets up ready-to-film on the city's streets will get attention. Crowds of curious onlookers can get in the way of filming and cause delays. Having someone at hand to deal with them can only be a bonus.
A community manager, rather than shooing everyone off, can also make the most of the opportunity to do some promotion for the production. Onlookers always want to be in the know and are good about boasting about what or who they've seen. Free publicity is great, so don't lose the opportunity to get some by not having a community manager on your team.
Conclusion
With its vast array of filming locations, helpful resources of the CRFC and NCFO, and tax incentives, there’s no reason not to choose Charlotte as your next film set.