City Guide Filming in Downtown Vancouver, BC
Production Permit Fees
Minimum Insurance
- Commercial General Liability - $5,000,000
- Bodily Injury - $2,000,000
- Property Damage - $2,000,000
Additional Permits
Discounts
About Downtown Vancouver
When you're shooting a movie in Vancouver, need some impressive b-roll, or a location that's buzzing day and night, you should head for Downtown. Downtown Vancouver is where it's all happening and then some.
Home to the city's central business district, at first glance, Downtown Vancouver appears to be just street after street of skyscrapers, but it also incorporates several of the city's oldest neighborhoods. That combination of old and new is something that makes Downtown Vancouver unique as a filming location. Add to that the district's waterside location and the incredible views of the North Shore Mountains in the distance, and it's a winner all around.
Downtown Vancouver has been gracing the background of movies and TV shows for decades. They weren't just any old films either but ones directed by some of the best directors in the industry. Tim Burton took to the streets of Gastown for the memorable 2014 Big Eyes. He was preceded by the cast and crew of 2012’s It Means War starring Reese Witherspoon, which was partly filmed in Downtown.
Downtown Vancouver, although one of eight cities used, also featured in the 2015 fantasy Tomorrowland with George Clooney, and while for a number of reasons it might not have been so noticeable, various downtown locations were used during the filming of Fifty Shades Of Gray. There have been so many other movies filmed in Downtown Vancouver that it's impossible to mention them all. It's a filming location that gets chosen over many others time and time again, and with good reason.
If you're not fully convinced, take a look at the filming locations in Downtown Vancouver on Giggster. In less than five minutes, you'll discover almost all the locations to match the script you're working from. Don't get too excited, though, as before you go rushing off, you'll need to know all about the regulations for filming in Downtown Vancouver and believe it, there are plenty.
Do I Need a Filming Permit in Downtown Vancouver?
All filming for commercial purposes that takes place in Downtown Vancouver has to be permitted. If you're not a permanent resident in Vancouver, then before you can get what is called a Master Film Permit, you will need to apply for a temporary business license and an electrical license. This applies to whether you will be filming on public or private property, internally or externally. Permanent residents of Vancouver are also required to be in possession of a business license before they can apply for a film permit.
The application processes for the licenses you'll need in order to obtain a Master Film Permit are complicated and can take up to eight weeks to be processed by the relevant authorities. Getting a film permit for Downtown Vancouver is not something you should leave to the last minute.
To begin the application process for a Master Film Permit, you will need to sign up for a Master Film Permit production account with the City of Vancouver's Film and Special Events Department. The online account is the central point of your application and will be where you will need to upload all of the associated documentation as well as pay any fees you may incur.
Before you are issued a film permit, you will be required to submit a Daily Activity Request. The daily activity request should give the complete details of all locations to be used and what filming activity will be taking place there and when.
Student Film Permits – If you are filming a student production and can provide the correct documentation as proof you are studying, then you will be eligible for reduced permit rates.
Permit Management in Downtown Vancouver
CFSE and PBFSE
The management of film permits for Downtown Vancouver is divided between two individual city authorities. The City Film and Special Events Branch and the Park Board Film and Special Events Office.
The City Film and Special Events Branch manages film permits for all public locations in Downtown Vancouver with the exception of parks.
The Park Board Film and Special Events Office manages the permits you'll need for filming in the parks in Downtown Vancouver. This department also manages film permits for the city's beach areas.
Once you have begun the application process, you will be assigned a Film and Special Events Officer who will deal with your project. If you are applying to both departments for a film permit, then you will be assigned an officer from each department.
What Insurance Do I Need in Downtown Vancouver?
You will be required to have adequate liability insurance before you will be issued a film permit to film in Downtown Vancouver. Any insurance coverage you purchase must meet the standards set out by the City Film and Special Events Branch and the Park Board Film and Special Events Office, or it won't be accepted
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 Downtown Vancouver?
More or less, whatever kind you're looking for is the answer to the question about what kind of filming locations there are in Downtown Vancouver. This place is like a pirate's stash of treasure, only for filming locations rather than gold coins, just waiting to be found.
When you're scouting for somewhere with a Victorian-era feel to it, then you should have a wander around Gastown. This neighborhood of Downtown Vancouver is 12 blocks full of old brownstone buildings and tree-lined streets. Gastown also has a waterfront that faces out onto the Burrard Inlet.
Keep in mind, though, that Gastown is one of the city's business improvement areas, so it has special requirements if you want to film there. You can find out more about those in the special requirements section of this article.
Chinatown is a different world, and once you pass through its emblematic gateway, you'll discover a vibrant neighborhood with quirky stores, beautiful thematic park areas, and an atmosphere all of its own. If you need to shoot a street food scene and your budget doesn't allow for international travel, you won't feel let down if you go to film here instead.
Downtown Vancouver has plenty of public park areas too, but probably the best for scenic filmography are the George Wainborn Park, David Lam Park, and Coopers Park, which are all edged by the wide expanse of False Creek. Choose Coopers Park, and you'll be able to get shots of the impressive Cambie Bridge.
Plan to film on one of the ferries that depart from the quays at the Plaza of Nations, and you'll be able to capture the even more impressive structure of Science World. Canada Place, on the opposite side of the Downtown peninsula, has a state-of-the-art cruise terminal that would take any scene or b-roll to an entirely new level. There are beyond-amazing views of the entire Downtown Vancouver district from there too.
Start scouting for internal filming locations in Downtown Vancouver, and you'll quickly be overwhelmed by the choices this fantastic film-friendly district presents. There are penthouse apartments with stunning views of the Burrard Inlet, two-level loft apartments decked out with polished wood and bar brick, and studio apartments that just scream they're someone's homey comfort zone.
There are business premises available in Downtown Vancouver that range from photography studios to recording studios to gyms and pilates studios. Keep looking, and you'll come across venues of all sizes perfect for celebratory scenes or hosting special events. There are pubs, clubs, bars, restaurants and cafes, and even craft breweries. In reality, Downtown Vancouver is one place in Canada that's not suffering from a deficit of top-class filming locations, so make the most of them.
Special Requirements in Downtown Vancouver
Filming In Business Improvement Areas (BIS)
Most of Downtown Vancouver is classed as Business Improvement Area, and although the city still has the authority to issue film permits, you will also need to liaise with BIA staff. You will need to approach BIA about your planned filming project before you begin the application process for a Master Film Permit.
The City Film and Special Events Branch does not undertake any of the actions you may be required to undertake to contact the BIA. It's the responsibility of the production company, and it doesn't stop there. As well as contacting the BIA, you will also be required to liaise with each individual business in the location you've chosen. You can read more about that in the Outreach section of this article.
As the BIA is a non-profit organization, the city authorities suggest filmmakers make a voluntary donation to the cause. You may also be required to pay loss of business compensation to the business owners if they are affected by your filming activities.
Use of Pyrotechnics
Should your production involve the use of fireworks, explosives, or any type of fire, you will need to apply for a special permit from the Vancouver Fire Prevention Department. This type of permit can take up to ten days to be approved and won't be granted until a full inspection is made of the filming location, either indoors or out, by a qualified safety inspector from the fire department.
Parking Production Vehicles
Should you need to park production vehicles at or near your chosen filming location, you will need to apply for special permission. This permission is called a Temporary Special Zone (TSZ) and isn't granted until after you have obtained a permit to film in that specific location.
Once you have been granted a Master Film permit, to obtain a TSZ, you will need to download the application form from the City Film and Special Events Branch, complete it and submit it along with a detailed diagram of the area you require for parking. The documents should be submitted to the City Film and Special Events Branch via your online film permit application account.
Filming With Drones
When you film with a drone weighing over 250 grams in Downtown Vancouver or anywhere else in the city, you will be required to follow strict guidelines issued by Transport Canada. Make sure you are fully aware of them before you begin filming, or you will find yourself on the wrong side of the law.
What Does it Cost to Film in Downtown Vancouver?
If you're considering filming in Downtown Vancouver, you're going to need a reasonably healthy budget to be able to cope with the cost of licenses and permits. The good news is that the City Film and Special Events Office operates a clean energy incentive which, should you be able to prove your filming is environmentally friendly, will save you a lot of money. Use green energy or be a production that has a low environmental impact, and you could get a 50 to 85 percent reduction applied to your daily filming fees. If you're not a green or low-impact production company, then you can expect permitting fees in the region of the following:
Additional Fees
You will be expected to pay all fees due through your online master film permit account before you begin filming.
Geographical Jurisdiction of Downtown Vancouver?
Downtown Vancouver occupies a tightly packed one-and-a-half square miles of a peninsula that juts out into the Burrard Inlet. While it is Vancouver's central business district, it's also a residential area that's home to almost 100,000 people. Downtown Vancouver's most notable neighborhoods are Gastown, Chinatown, and Yaletown, with Gastown being the founding location of the city.
Downtown Vancouver is bordered to the north by Vancouver Harbor and the Burrard Inlet. The entire western border of the district is met by West End, while to the northwest is Coal Harbor. False Creek forms Downtown's southeast and southerly boundary. To the east is Strathcona, Japantown, and Downtown Eastside.
Film permitting for all of the districts adjacent to Downtown Vancouver is managed by the City Film and Special Events Branch and the Park Board Film and Special Events Office.
Outreach in Downtown Vancouver
As most of Downtown Vancouver is classed as a Business Improvement Area, conducting outreach is a compulsory requirement. In this case, just distributing notifications won't be enough. You will need to contact each business and residential abode close to your filming location as well as liaise with the BIA organization.
If your filming location doesn't fall within an area classed as a business improvement area, the City Film and Special Events Branch still requires you to carry out a notification service to the surrounding community.
Normal Notifications
When filming in a non-BIA area, you can distribute notifications to the community around your filming location any time up to two days before you plan to start filming. A standard format notification letter is downloadable from the City Film and Special Events Branch website.
Outreach In BIAs
If your chosen filming location falls within a business improvement area of the city, then you will not only need to distribute notifications but speak to business owners in person. Should the business owners consider their business will be affected by your activities, then they are within their rights to request compensation. Neither the City Film and Special Events Branch nor the BIA organization arbitrate this. It is solely between the production company and the business owner.
Filming Out Of Hours
Standard filming hours in Downtown Vancouver are:
Monday to Thursday - 07:00 to 23:00
Friday - 07:00 to 24:00
Saturday - 08:00 to 24:00
Sunday and Holidays - 08:00 to 23:00
Should you wish to film outside of the standard filming hours, then you will need to conduct a poll of the area where you're going to be filming and have the agreement of the local community to be able to do it.
To conduct a poll, you will need to first distribute a letter to any businesses or residents that may be affected by your production at least two weeks before the estimated shoot date. The letter should include details of the required extension of hours, any stunt work, special effects that might be used during that time, and any alterations to the appearance of the location you might make. While a standard format letter is downloadable from the City Film and Special Events Branch website, they will still want to approve it before you distribute it.
Two or three days after sending the letter out, you will be required to go door-to-door polling whether or not people are in agreement with what you will be doing. Signatures are required as proof of conducting the poll. You will need to submit the final poll results to the City Film and Special Events Branch at least five days before your shoot start date. If you don't get the right amount of support, you won't be able to film.
Community Management in Downtown Vancouver
It's vital to have a good community manager on your team when you're filming in Downtown Vancouver especially when you're filming in a business improvement area or if you want to film out of hours. A community manager can take on the responsibility of dealing face-to-face with residents and business owners and hopefully get them to approve of your filming activities
Conclusion
Downtown Vancouver has many attributes as a filming location, and while getting a filming permit might not be the easiest of transactions in this Canadian city, the effort will be worth it.