City Guide Filming in Dumbo, NY
Production Permit Fees
- New project application fee - $300
- Optional Permit - $0
- Letter instead of an Optional Permit - $0
Minimum Insurance
- General Liability - $1,000,000
Additional Permits
Discounts
About Dumbo
Dumbo is a strange name for a neighborhood. It's a peculiar name for a filming location, too, and might not sound very inspiring unless you're a fan of animated big-eared baby elephants. But this Dumbo, a neighborhood in Brooklyn, NY, that abbreviates Down Under Manhattan Bridge Overpass, attracts filmmakers like a magnet.
What draws filmmakers to Dumbo? All manner of things, including its brownstone buildings, its cobbled streets dominated by the massive structures of two of New York's most iconic bridges, and the impressive views of the Manhattan skyline are just a few of Dumbo's merits.
The films and TV shows that have been filmed in Dumbo are almost countless. It's not just budget-conscious producers or first-time directors that have favored the neighborhood either. Dumbo is a filming location that has seen more than its fair share of big-name directors and A-list actors.
One never to be forgotten production that was filmed in Dumbo is Coming To America. That classic 1988 hilarious comedy starring Eddie Murphy was shot, in part, in the Empire Fulton Ferry Park and included scenes shot in several other Dumbo locations too.
In the 2014 movie John Wick, mega-star Keanu Reeves stalked down Dumbo's New Dock Street, Adams Street, and Johns Street, as well as across Manhattan Bridge and Brooklyn Bridge, doing what he does best. He returned three years later to film part of John Wick 2 on Plymouth Street.
Keanu Reeves isn't the only A-lister who has graced Dumbo with their presence. George Clooney and Julia Roberts joined forces in a 2016 movie titled Money Monster, which included scenes filmed on Jay Street. A few years before that, Harrison Ford and Diane Keaton were seen on just about every street in Dumbo during the filming of Morning Glory.
The list could go on and on, but here are a few more particularly noteworthy ones you may want to rewatch to see how Dumbo looks on the big screen:
1984 – Once Upon A Time In America, starring Robert DeNiro
2008 – Righteous Kill with Robert DeNiro and Al Pacino
2011 – Vanilla Sky with a mega cast of Tom Cruise, Penelope Cruz, Kurt Russell, Cameron Diaz, and Tilda Swinton
2012 – Safe, starring Jason Statham
2014 – The Angriest Man In Brooklyn with the legendary Robin Williams
2011 – The Beaver, starring Mel Gibson
2017 – The Dark Tower with Matthew McConaughey and Idris Elba
Believe it, those films are just the tip of the cinematic iceberg. Write a list of all the movies and TV shows filmed in Dumbo, print it out, and you could probably wrap Brooklyn Bridge in the paper needed to fit all of the names on. This New York neighborhood has seen almost as many film crews as Hollywood or Los Angeles.
If you can't wait to start scouting filming locations in Dumbo, take a preliminary look at Giggster, and you'll get a good idea of what's available before you start traipsing through the streets. Brush up before you pack your gear and load your production vehicles are the filming rules and permitting regulations for the City of New York. Read on, and you'll soon realize why so many producers and directors choose Dumbo as a filming location.
Do I Need a Filming Permit in Dumbo?
You may need a film permit to film in Dumbo, and then again, as with much of New York, you may not. Whether or not you need to apply for a film permit depends on the type of production you'll be filming, how you'll be filming it, and where you'll be filming it.
You won't need to apply for a permit if:
You don't want exclusive use of public property
You'll be filming using only hand-held equipment
No special effects are involved
No stunt work is involved
There's no use of fake weapons
There's no use of prop vehicles like police cars
You won't be filming in a neighborhood park
The shoot involves no road or sidewalk closures
Optional Permits
The streets of Dumbo are busy ones, and to prevent problems with the public or police, you can obtain what is called an Optional Permit and Letter in Lieu of an Optional Permit if your production is one that doesn't require permitting. These are a substitute for a regular film permit that you can keep on set and produce if anyone questions what you are doing.
Student Permits
Student productions are treated in the same way as regular productions. In this case, if a student production involves any of the above-listed factors, the filming needs to be permitted. Apart from a film permit, if your student production involves fake weapons, actors dressed as police officers, firefighters or paramedics, the use of prop service vehicles, or is considered a possible risk to public safety by the permitting authority, you will have to have police present during filming.
Permit Management in Dumbo
O.F.T.B. of the M.O.M.E.
Film Permit Management In Dumbo – O.F.T.B. of the M.O.M.E.
Almost all film permitting for the New York neighborhood of Dumbo is managed by the Office of Film, Theatre, and Broadcasting (O.F.T.B.), which is a department of M.O.M.E., the Mayor's Office of Media and Entertainment.
NB: The only time you will need to deal with any other department is if you want to film in a park. You can find out more about park filming permits in the special requirements section of this guide.
What Insurance Do I Need in Dumbo?
The only time the O.F.T.B. makes having liability insurance obligatory is if your production requires permitting.
If you are applying for a film permit, your insurance broker will need to submit a valid insurance certificate to the O.F.T.B. 48 hours before you make your online permit application. Insurance documents sent by the production company won't be accepted.
Should you be filming with either an Optional Permit or a Letter instead of an Optional Permit, you are not obliged to have insurance coverage. In most cases, no matter what size of production you're filming, it's a good idea to have insurance coverage as a backup.
When filming a student production that needs a film permit, you can check with the O.F.T.B. to see if they have your school's insurance on record. If they do, you'll need to submit a letter from your school on letterhead paper, and you'll be covered.
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 Dumbo?
The filming locations in Dumbo that have attracted the majority of producers and directors are the streets. One of the streets in Dumbo that has been used time and time again is Plymouth Street.
What makes Plymouth Street so filmable is its cobbles, antiquated facades of the buildings, and the fact that Manhattan Bridge towers above it like an alien spaceship landing. Jazz Street, Washington Street, Waters Street, and Dock Street have all been used as filming locations in Dumbo, as has Anchorage Place. There is probably not a single street or alleyway in Dumbo that has not been used as a filming location at one time or another.
Spots like John Street Park, which has the most incredible views of Manhattan Bridge, have also proved to be popular filming locations in Dumbo, as have Pebble Beach and Empire Fulton Ferry Park, with their fantastic views of the East River.
Head inside some of the buildings in Dumbo, and you will find bars and restaurants happy to see your crew filming there rather than sitting at one of the tables choosing something from the menu. Some office suites perfect for filming come fully decked out with desks and all the office-style equipment you need to make a set look authentic.
Rundown apartments, plush lofts, and rooftop terraces, Dumbo has them all and more. Another thing the buildings in Dumbo have in excess are those iconic metal fire escapes that cling to the wall like a twisted metal snake. If you need one of your actors, or stand-in stunt man, climbing out of the window and scurrying off to escape the bad guys or an irate spouse, Dumbo is the ideal place to find it.
If looking for something magical or fascinating, consider filming the historic Jane’s Carousel at the north end of Brooklyn Bridge Park or St. Anne’s Warehouse, a now derelict tobacco factory. See, Dumbo does have it all!
Special Requirements in Dumbo
Filming In Parks
You will probably want to get some external shots, even if it's only b-roll, in one of Dumbo's parks as the views are amazing. To film in the parks in Dumbo, though, you will need to get special permission. You need to do this before you submit your film permit application to the O.F.T.B.
This is something that the O.F.T.B. can't grant you as filming in New York's parks falls is managed by the New York Parks Department. To apply for permission to film in a park, you will need to complete a Parks Film Shoot Request Form. You can access this on the NYC Parks website. There is also a link to the Parks Film Shoot Request Form on the O.F.T.B. website.
Requests to film are dealt with individually by the manager of the park you are asking to film in. They usually reply within five working days. As soon as you receive a positive response, you can add your chosen park as a location on your film permit submission, along with any other relevant details.
Filming With Special Effects
If the script you're working with involves the use of pyrotechnics, you will be obliged to have the NYC Fire Department conduct an inspection before the shoot starts. You will also be required to have a fire department specialist present throughout the filming of the scenes involving the pyrotechnics.
What Does it Cost to Film in Dumbo?
New York, the neighborhood of Dumbo included, is probably one of the most economic cities in the US as far as filming permits are concerned.
Additional Fees
You'll only have anything to pay if your production requires a permit, and that's a one-off payment that, if you're working on a mini-budget, you may be able to get waived.
Geographical Jurisdiction of Dumbo?
Dumbo is probably the smallest neighborhood in New York as it covers no more than 48 acres of the city and is home to approximately 1,150 people, give or take a few recent moves.
For the most part, the neighborhood of Dumbo is located between Manhattan Bridge and Brooklyn Bridge, with a further small section extending eastwards to meet the neighborhood of Vinegar Hill.
Dumbo is bordered to the north and northwest by the East River. To the west, it is bordered by Brooklyn Bridge Park and to the south by the neighborhoods of Brooklyn Heights and Bridge Plaza. To the east is the neighborhood of Vinegar Hill.
To define the boundaries of Dumbo by streets, you'll find York Street forms the neighborhood's southern limit and Bridge Street its eastern limit.
Should your chosen filming location fall outside of the boundaries of Dumbo, then the filming regulations for New York City will still apply unless you want to film in Brooklyn Bridge Park, so you will still need to apply to the O.F.T.B. if your production requires permitting.
If you want to film in Brooklyn Bridge Park, you will need to apply to the Brooklyn Bridge Park Organization for a film permit. You can apply for a permit via their official website. The standard processing time is usually two days, but take note that filming is only permitted on weekdays. Fees are charged to production companies on a case-by-case basis.
Outreach in Dumbo
No matter whether you're filming a permitted or un-permitted production in Dumbo, the O.F.T.B. will expect you to carry out outreach to the standards outlined on their website. Dumbo is a much-used filming location so being respectful to the community is paramount to maintaining local relations.
Whether you're going to be filming in a commercial or residential area of the neighborhood, you will have to distribute notifications 48 hours before you start filming. The notifications should follow the format described on the O.F.T.B. website in their sample notification letter. The bonus with having to do outreach in Dumbo is that it's such a small neighborhood. It won't take you very long.
Dumbo is one of New York City's Business Improvement Districts (BIDs), and the O.F.T.B. recommends that all production companies filming in BIDs make contact with the BIDs board managers. Liaising with the BID can be beneficial in many ways and also helps keep the community on your side, so don't skip doing it. If you're too busy for appointments and meetings, employ a community manager to represent your production company.
Community Management in Dumbo
While Dumbo may superficially appear to be one of the older, more decrepit neighborhoods of New York, it's anything but. It is a neighborhood of nerds, which has turned it into the epicenter of tech start-ups in the city.
There are plenty of e-commerce businesses in Dumbo, too, so always keep in mind the level of intelligence you might have to deal with when doing outreach or communicating with the general public on the street. No, they probably won't be Sheldon or Leonard from Big Bang; we're talking tech nerds, not physicists here, but they can prove to be unpredictable, so they need handling with care.
A good community manager can handle all types of people with impressive ease if you're not tactful when faced with opposition, make sure to have one on your team. Most nerds don't get attention, so if your community manager has a silver tongue and is first-class at flattery, you'll be onto a winner.
Conclusion
Dumbo, Down Under Manhattan Bridge Overpass, is a small neighborhood, but it epitomizes New York in so many ways. Film in Dumbo, and have a classic movie in the making. Too many producers and directors have proved that a fact, so don't doubt about being the next to follow in their footsteps.
Filming here is easy when you follow the guidelines set out by the Office of Film, Theatre, and Broadcasting, and the permit fees are low for all the assistance you get. Choose Dumbo for your next film, and you’ll be glad you did!