City Guide Filming in Clarksville, TN
Production Permit Fees
- NPS film permit application fee - $90 non-refundable.
- NPS Basic Location Fees
- Cast & Crew of 1 to10 people - $150 per day
- Cast & Crew of 11 to 30 people - $250 per day
- Cast & Crew of 31 to 49 people - $500 per day
- Cast & Crew over 49 people - $750 per day
Minimum Insurance
Additional Permits
Discounts
About Clarksville
The music industry took a shine to Clarksville as a filming location long before filmmakers did. It may well have been the city's appearance in multiple music videos that finally brought it to the attention of producers and directors.
Many top country music stars have traveled north from Nashville to Clarksville to film there. Among them have been legendary names such as Kenny Rogers, Sheryl Crow, and Trace Adkins. Well before those, though, the pop group The Monkees not only filmed in Clarksville but produced a song called Last Train To Clarksville which topped the Billboard 100 in 1966.
Clarksville may have been a winning filming location for musicians over the decades, but the movies made there so far have yet to garner any major accolades or even box office recognition. That said, though, Spectres, a 2012 horror-supernatural movie - not the Spectre of the Bond franchise - directed by Dan Barrios was filmed in part in Clarksville and has developed a pop-culture following.
Much the same happened to the 2016-released science fiction movie, Kaleidoscope, which had a storyline about colonizing a new world after Earth suffered apocalyptic destruction. In truth, Clarksville has become something of a testing ground where first-time directors head to cut their directing teeth and have featured in numerous short films of ten to fifteen minutes in length. That's not a bad thing either. Everyone has to start somewhere, and Clarksville is a good place to begin.
Whether you're about to film your first short or are considering this Tennessee city for a major movie, check out the filming locations in Clarksville available on Giggster. Whatever kind of filming location you're searching for, you're bound to find something there that's fit for purpose.
Before you can start legally filming in Clarksville, there are a few things you need to do to stay on the right side of the law. Read on to ensure you stay in line with the filming regulations in Clarksville and the state of Tennessee. Get your film shoot off on the right foot and you never know, your production may be the one that finally brings home the accolades Clarksville has been waiting for for so long.
Do I Need a Filming Permit in Clarksville?
Whether or not you need a permit to film in Clarksville depends on several factors.
Unfortunately, there is no blanket film permit that production companies can apply for that covers all of the above. Depending on your chosen filming locations, you may need to apply for more than one film permit. As the relevant permits you'll require are issued by a variety of authorities, obtaining them can turn out to be a time-consuming process as each authority has different permit processing times.
Tip: To avoid having stress attacks as your proposed filming start date looms and you're still without the permits you need, make sure you apply early enough. With some authorities, that can mean anywhere up to two months in advance of filming.
You will need a permit if:-
There are child actors in the cast
You will be using pyrotechnics
Your filming locations are on National Park Services property
Your filming locations are in a Tennessee State Park
Your production will involve the closure of roads or sidewalks
You will be filming with a drone
You will be filming with animals
Permit Management in Clarksville
Permit Management In Clarksville - Tennessee Entertainment Commission (TEC) & Various
The Tennessee Entertainment Commission does not issue film permits, but to be able to film legally in Clarksville, they are the initial authority you have to contact.
The Tennessee Entertainment Commission is based in Nashville, but you won't need to go to their office in person as all initial contact can be made online. The first thing you will need to do to get your filming in Clarksville on the right track is to complete an Economic Data Submission Form and submit it to the TEC. It's a simple but lengthy form that registers your production with the TEC and enables them to assess how much and in what way the state of Tennessee will benefit from your production being made there.
You will be required to provide details of:
The title of the production
Whether the production is a feature, TV episode, or documentary
The name of the production company
If the project is for a major network
The name, address, and number of a company contact
The location of the proposed shoot
The proposed start and end dates of filming
An estimate of how many local people you will hire
An estimate of how much of the production budget will be spent in the state
NB: You can find the Economic Data Submission Form on the TEC's official website on the page for resources.
Once the TEC has had time to assess your submission, they will contact you about your project. The TEC will also advise you on what local government departments you will need to contact to obtain the required permits. While your application to the TEC will receive a relatively rapid reply, not all of the other authorities you may need to deal with will be the same.
Permit processing times are varied, but the National Parks Service can take between ten to forty-five days to issue a permit, while the National Forest Service takes from thirty to sixty days. Permits for filming in Tennessee State Parks are managed by the Tennessee Entertainment Commission. They don't publish the time length required to obtain a permit to film in state parks.
What Insurance Do I Need in Clarksville?
It's a legal requirement that production companies filming in Tennessee are in possession of adequate liability insurance coverage. While TEC doesn't publish any minimum amounts of coverage you should have, they do insist that workers' compensation is included on the insurance certificate.
You can expect the TEC to request that your insurance cover the following:-
If you're unsure about exactly what insurance coverage to contract, it's a good idea to consult with the TEC before approaching an insurance broker. Depending on your chosen filming location, you may need additional coverage, especially if you want to obtain a film permit from other authorities, such as the National Park Service.
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 Clarksville?
If you're hoping to film in a city full of skyscrapers, then you're definitely scouting in the wrong place. The tree-lined streets of Clarksville have more of a 1960s small-town appearance rather than one of a modern high-rise metropolis.
While Clarksville does have an antiquated appearance, many of the buildings there are ones that were rebuilt after a tornado caused major devastation in the area. Ones that are notable as filming locations are the Roxy Theater in Downtown, the Governor's Square Mall, and, if you want a building with a totally unique aspect, the Customs House Museum.
Those three Clarksville structures are amazing but fade into insignificance when compared to the natural wonder within the city's borders. That wonder is Dunbar Cave. The cave is located, as the name might suggest, in the Dunbar Cave State Park and is one of the largest karst cave complexes in the world.
Whether or not you'll be able to get a permit to film inside the caves depends on the TEC, the park's management, and the time of the year. There's also a beautiful lake in the park and superb hiking trails so if you can't go underground, you'll have to make do with scenic landscapes instead.
The Cumberland River is also a huge natural feature of Clarksville and ideal for any scene that requires boating activities. It's especially good for filming canoeing and kayaking footage, as its moderate flow won't whizz your actors downstream too fast.
For a craft a little more impressive than a kayak, you should take a look at the American Queen. The American Queen is a steamboat, the biggest one ever built, that frequently anchors up in Clarksville when making its river tours from Nashville to Louisville in Kentucky. The American Queen has seen a few film crews aboard, although to date, most have been for reality shows or documentaries, but there's no reason she couldn't be used as a film set. This is a ship with the full works.
If you're looking for a historic railway station, then you'll find one in Clarksville. The Louisville and Nashville Railroad Train Station on 10th Street was restored to its 1900s glory, so perfect for any Victorian-era script.
There's more vintage ambiance to be found on the campus of Austin Peay University, although that said, the Fortera Stadium, the university's football pitch is anything but antiquated, and neither is the F&M Arena where they play basketball. Another film-friendly facility in Clarksville is the Fort Campbell military installation. The installation appeared in an episode of the TV series Nashville, and some of the soldiers even appeared as extras.
At least the production company wasn't given their marching orders and managed to get a great episode on reel. Hopefully you'll be able to do the same if you decide that Clarksville has the right filming locations for your particular project.
Special Requirements in Clarksville
Filming With Minors
As a production company, you need to be aware of the laws and the restrictions that apply to employing children in Tennessee. The Tennessee Entertainment Commission strongly suggests consulting legal counsel before employing child actors in Tennessee to ensure you stay on the right side of the state's complex Child Labor Laws.
Filming With Animals
If you are planning on filming with any type of domesticated animal then you will need to contact the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency before doing so. The TWRA may require you to have a special permit if you are bringing the animals in from out of state. They may also want to organize an inspection of the set, working conditions, and off-set areas where the animal will be kept before filming commences, as well as during the shoot.
Filming With Pyrotechnics
Before you can use pyrotechnics during your production, you will need to contact the Fire Marshall for Montgomery County. They will visit the set to ensure all safety requirements are met regarding the use of the pyrotechnics or any other spark or open flame special effect, and may even insist on being present when the pyrotechnics are being used. The Fire Marshall may also insist that you employ an authorized shooter to manage the pyrotechnics rather than one of your own crew.
Shooter Permit Fee
$50 per day
Filming On National Parks Property
Before you can film on any property managed by the National Parks Service, you must apply for a permit. The first step in obtaining a permit is to submit an application to the management of the specific park you want to film in. The park manager may request a pre-production meeting to discuss your project in detail to help decide what fees you will be charged for the use of the location.
To film at any NPS location, you can expect to pay fees in the region of:
NPS Basic Location Fees
Cast & Crew of 1 to10 people - $150 per day
Cast & Crew of 11 to 30 people - $250 per day
Cast & Crew of 31 to 49 people - $500 per day
Cast & Crew over 49 people - $750 per day
NPS film permit application fee
$90 non-refundable
Filming In Tennessee State Parks
If you want to film in any state park in Tennessee, you will need a permit. You will need to liaise with both the TEC and the management of the specific park you want to film in to get the permit.
What Does it Cost to Film in Clarksville?
The TEC doesn't publish any information on fees they might charge for their assistance in obtaining film permits for production companies. You will incur permitting fees from city authorities for filming though, but in most cases, the fees are charged on a one-to-one basis, so it greatly depends on the complexity of your project as to how much it will cost. There is some good news on the Tennessee horizon, though, namely:
Additional Fees
Getting some of your money back is never a bad thing, so make the most of filming in Tennessee and grab your rebates with both hands.
Geographical Jurisdiction of Clarksville?
Clarksville is a city that covers around one hundred and one square miles of Montgomery County in the northern region of the State of Tennessee. Less than one square mile of the terrains that fall under its jurisdiction is occupied by water.
As the fifth largest city in Tennessee, Clarksville is home to well over one and a half million people, which ranks it among the top two hundred most populous cities in North America. Clarksville's most northern boundary meets the state border with Kentucky. There are only a few urbanized areas surrounding Clarksville, and they are Woodlawn to the west, Cumberland Heights to the southwest and Fredango to the south. To the southeast is Sango, and to the east, Port Royal.
If your chosen filming location falls outside of the jurisdiction of Clarksville and is still in the state of Tennessee then the TEC will still be your first contact as far as film permits are concerned.
If your chosen film location falls in the state of Kentucky, then you should contact the Kentucky Film Commission for advice on permitting.
Outreach in Clarksville
The Tennessee Entertainment Commission does not publish any stipulations regarding outreach either in Clarksville or in the state of Tennessee. Conducting outreach, whether stipulated or not, is the sign of a professional production company, so don't skip doing it, especially if you're filming in a heavily built-up area.
Advising the local community close to your filming locations a few days before you are going to film is not just good manners, but a way of preventing a lot of problems from arising. A simple notification letter stating the details of the production company, a name and contact number, the dates, times and specific locations you'll be filming at usually suffices.
The notification should be distributed to all households and businesses within a three to five-hundred-foot radius of each of your filming locations. It's a good idea to distribute the notifications at least two to three days before you plan to start filming. That gives people enough time to ask any question or air their complaints before you take over the neighborhood.
Community Management in Clarksville
Clarksville is presently a city that hasn't seen that many film crews on its streets. That means what happens during a film shoot can be unpredictable. Who knows how the public will react to your activities? The answer to that is – only the public.
The best way of avoiding confrontations with that odd member of the public who might decide they don't like what you're doing and kick up a storm is to have a community manager on your team. A community manager can also take on the responsibility of outreach and deal with any comeback you might get after your notifications have been distributed.
What's a good community manager? A good community manager is someone who is personable, outgoing without being over the top, patient, a good listener, and most importantly, a first-class problem solver. They should be able to diffuse any tricky situation that's thrown at them by the locals without once losing their smile and still manage to promote your production at the same time. Good luck in finding one that matches all of the aforementioned criteria. They're a rare breed.