City Guide Filming in Edmond, OK
Production Permit Fees
- $150
Minimum Insurance
- Commercial general liability insurance of $1,000,000 per occurrence.
- Auto liability insurance of $1,000,000 combined single limit per occurrence.
- Pyrotechnics insurance of $2,000,000 combined single limit per occurrence.
Additional Permits
Discounts
About Edmond
The city of Edmond is the home of unexpected pleasurable experiences and is accurately dubbed A Great Place to Grow. It is located just north of Oklahoma City in Oklahoma County, Oklahoma, and features parks and golf courses, food halls and shopping spots, historic sites, public art spaces, vacation homes, and many other beautiful indoor and outdoor locales that are perfect for film production. This is a city that has more than 3,000 acres of parks, easy access to Arcadia Lake, and miles of paved and multi-use trails, all of which create memorable and fulfilling experiences for tourists and filmmakers that visit for work or pleasure.
Even though Edmond earned its Film Friendly certification from the Oklahoma Film + Music Office in 2021, filmmakers have been shooting projects in different parts of the city for a few decades. Some of the projects filmed here include American Underdog (2021), The Vast of Night (2019), Family Camp (2022), The Christmas Trap (2018), Rudderless (2014), Camp Cold Brook (2018), Agent Jade Black (2020), Deadly Misconduct (2021 TV Movie), Maxed Out (2006), and The Unintended Sequel (2022). As a filmmaker, it will be easy for you to settle on your desired location to shoot your project among the numerous spots that make ideal filming locations here in the city. Use Giggster now to find the space that fits your filming plans in Edmond.
Do I Need a Filming Permit in Edmond?
There are some production activities in the city of Edmond that require film permits and others that do not require film permits. If you intend to shoot production on private property in the city, you may not require a film permit from the city’s Special Events Office.
However, if you plan to film on public property in the city, Edmond’s filming regulations require you to first obtain a filming permit before you commence production. The various kinds of film productions on public property in Edmond that require a film permit include student films, professional films, commercials, documentaries, television shows, and personal or organizational shoots.
If you require a full closure of any public right-of-way in the city while the filming activities are ongoing, you are required to obtain a Street Closure Permit, too, in addition to the filming permit. Other activities that may require additional permits in Edmond include the use of firearms, explosions, intermittent traffic control, flyovers using drones or helicopters, or night shoots.
If you are not sure about whether you will need a film permit for your project in Edmond, feel free to reach out to the city’s Special Events Coordinator for clarifications and guidance so that you do not end up breaking any Edmond filming laws.
Permit Management in Edmond
Special Events Office
The Special Events Office, a division of the city of Edmond’s Marketing and Public Relations Department, is the unit that oversees the issuance of film permits in Edmond. In addition, the Special Events Office provides filmmakers with the contacts of other city agencies or departments that the filmmaker may need to get in touch with for approvals or additional permits that may be required for the film shoot.
To start the permit process, consult with the Special Events Coordinator regarding the nature of your production, the proposed date, location, and time for filming. Thereafter, complete the film permit application and submit it via email or physical mail to the Special Events Office in the city at least sixty days before the intended date of production. These are some of the additional requirements for filming Edmond:
Pay the application fee and any other fees required for the production.
Provide a copy of the script when requested.
Provide the site plan/map as well as location description and addresses.
Provide a certificate of insurance that aligns with the city’s production insurance requirements.
Provide a lease agreement.
Sign an indemnification and hold harmless agreement.
When the Special Events Office receives your application, it will be reviewed by the Special Events Committee and any other applicable city agency to ensure the proposed production is in line with Edmond’s filming regulations. You may be required to notify the members of the neighborhood where you plan to shoot production before you and your crew arrive on D-day. Note that permits can be revoked by the Special Events Office if filmmakers fail to comply with the filming laws in Edmond at any point in time before or during production.
What Insurance Do I Need in Edmond?
For you to receive authorization from the Special Events Office in Edmond to conduct any kind of filming activity in any neighborhood in the city, you must fulfill the production insurance requirements as laid down in Edmond’s filming regulations. You are to provide a certificate of insurance with commercial general liability insurance of at least $1,000,000 and list the city of Edmond as the certificate holder. Other requirements may include
Auto liability insurance of at least $1,000,000 combined single limit per occurrence.
If your production will involve the use of fireworks and/or pyrotechnics, you must provide pyrotechnics liability limits of at least $2,000,000 combined single limit per occurrence.
Worker’s compensation insurance as required by the state of Oklahoma.
Submit the insurance certificate via email to the Special Events Office no more than three business days before the date that filming is scheduled to commence. If the city requires you to provide additional insurance minimums or cover for your production, you will be duly notified.
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 Edmond?
Edmond may not be as big or popular a city as Oklahoma City, its southern neighbor, but it does not disappoint producers that visit with their cast and crew. Why? Because it is home to diverse locations uniquely suited for any kind of production, be it simple student productions with basic shots or blockbuster films with extensive setups and teams. Here, there are indoor and outdoor spaces, natural areas, art scenes, business settings, residential areas, municipal buildings, and historic sites, catering to various script requirements.
Filmmakers seeking the great outdoors and natural areas for picturesque film shots will love the large acres of park space and over forty miles of paved and multi-use trails that are available here. These trails include Arcadia Lake Trail, Bickham-Rudkin Trail, Eagle Trail at Oklahoma Christian University, Fink-Hafer Trail, Fox Lake & Spring Creek Trail, Hafer Trail, Mitch Park Trail, and Route 66 Trail.
Edmond is home to public art elements such as murals, steel, and stained-glass sculptures. With more than three hundred pieces of public art on display in the city, there certainly is something for everyone in Edmond. Check out Main Street for beautiful statuaries in different shapes and sizes. Some of the popular sculptures in town include the bronze statue of Nannita R.H. Daisey, the 18 ft tall Dave McGary sculpture on Second Street, and the 163 ft tall cross on the corner of I-35 Service Road and Edmond Road. Popular arts centers in the city include Armstrong Auditorium, Edmond Fine Arts Institute, Hafer Park Stage, Mitch Park Amphitheater, and Upstage Theatre.
Those interested in featuring historic sites in their commercial production have plenty of options to choose from in Edmond. The 1889 Territorial Schoolhouse, the first schoolhouse in Oklahoma, is one of such places that filmmakers find hard to resist in the city. Another long-standing structure in the city is the American Legion Post 111 (constructed in 1936). The Edmond History Museum was also constructed in 1936 and tells tales of the city’s history. Other historical places in the city include the Citizens Bank of Edmond, Edmond Ice Company, Gracelawn Cemetery, Kivlehen House, and the University of Central Oklahoma - Old North.
Special Requirements in Edmond
Oklahoma City
The Special Events Office in Oklahoma City oversees the film permitting process and requires filmmakers to submit their film permit applications via email. The items required for an application to be successfully processed are as follows:
A non-refundable permit application fee of $25.
An event site plan for all the areas that will be used for filming.
A traffic control plan and/or an intermittent traffic control plan.
A waste plan.
A certificate of insurance with limits of liability not less than $1,000,000, listing the City of Oklahoma City as a Certificate Holder.
A written notice to the residents and property owners that are within the vicinity of the filming location.
For intermittent traffic control, you need to hire off-duty Oklahoma City Police Department officers. Hard street closures require an additional permit and a complete street petition.
For productions with pyrotechnics, contact the Oklahoma City Fire Department for a permit.
Scenes with simulated violence or weapons require the presence of the Police Department on-site during production.
As soon as you submit your permit application to the Special Events Office, the Office reviews your application and provides you with an invoice if your request is feasible. Once payment is received, you will be issued your film permit.
Guthrie
Filmmakers are welcome to shoot production in the city of Guthrie, Oklahoma. Complete the permit application and submit it to the city’s Tourism Director by mail or email at least five to seven business days before the date of production. Take note of the following additional information for your application to film in the city:
Contact the Guthrie Police Department for scheduling and payment arrangements if you wish to request intermittent traffic control.
Notify all the persons and businesses that will be affected by production, closures, or property used while filming.
Provide proof of general liability of $500,000 per occurrence and a $1,000,000 combined limit.
Attach a map of the areas that will be used for filming.
Clean up the production area after the project is complete.
Complete and sign a harmless agreement.
Piedmont
The Police Department in Piedmont oversees special event permit applications. If you wish to visit the city with your film cast and crew, you must complete and submit the permit application at least fourteen days before the start date of production.
As soon as the application is received, it will be forwarded to all the city departments that will be affected by the production for review. These departments may contact you directly to seek clarifications or address concerns about your production in the city. If you need to obtain additional permits, certificates, or licenses, you will be notified.
In addition to the application form, there are other considerations for filming in Piedmont:
Application and production fees may apply
Quiet hours in the city commence at 10 pm
Productions with fireworks or other explosives require additional approvals
When security is required for production, hire off-duty Piedmont Police, and pay the required fees
Prepare acceptable insurance certificates for production
Notify all affected residents and businesses if there will be street closures during production
Arcadia
Arcadia is home to several attractions and beautiful historic sites and locations for film production (e.g., Victorian House on 2nd Street, Arcadia Round Barn, etc.) If you wish to shoot commercial projects here, reach out to the Town Representative to discuss your plans and find out the town’s requirements for filmmakers including fees, insurance, turnaround times, required personnel, etc.
Crescent
Filmmakers that wish to shoot production in Crescent must contact the City Council to make inquiries and arrangements for their scheduled production. If you require City Services for your production, complete this Service Application Form. Some of these services include Police services for traffic control, patrol, and supervision; street closures, barricades, cones; fire services, etc. You must provide the following information for your application to be processed:
Proof of liability insurance:
At least $500,000 per occurrence.
At least $1,000,000 aggregate.
Name the City of Crescent as an additional insured.
Area maps.
A signed hold harmless agreement.
A Generator use policy.
El Reno
The El Reno TV and Film Commission is the agency that oversees film permit processes in El Reno, a certified film-friendly city by the Oklahoma Film + TV Office. Filmmakers are welcome to indicate their interest in shooting production in the city by completing the online application at least two weeks in advance of the scheduled date of production. The following information is required:
The nature, type, and details of production.
Type of assistance required from the city e.g., street closures, parking lots, city buildings, intermittent traffic control, etc.
Liability insurance.
A copy of the script for review.
Drone information, if applicable.
Special activities like vehicle chases, fire, and explosions, night shoots, heavy equipment, firearms, weapons, etc.
Parking plan for personal and production vehicles.
What Does it Cost to Film in Edmond?
There are fees for various services that a filmmaker may require for a production to go smoothly in Edmond. These may include permit fees, location fees, city personnel fees, and any other costs deemed appropriate by the Special Events Committee. The Special Event Permit fee in Edmond is $150. The city may not charge filmmakers for parking on city property or city parks during production.
Additional Fees
Potential extra expenses during filming in Edmond can vary widely based on your production's scope, scale, and nature. If you're not bringing your equipment, renting cameras, lights, sound equipment, and other production gear might be an added cost.
Geographical Jurisdiction of Edmond?
Edmond is located north of Oklahoma City. A few small municipalities like The Village and Witcher are located in between both cities. Luther, Seward, and Piedmont border Edmond to the east, north, and west respectively. The town of Arcadia is surrounded by Edmond too.
Outreach in Edmond
Outreach is one of the important activities that a filmmaker should conduct before commencing production in Edmond. This means sending out notices to the residents and businesses in the neighborhood where filming is scheduled. These include those around the production location, parking areas, crew bases, and meal areas too. Ensure that important information is included in the notification letter to the neighborhood – production dates and times, contact details of the production team, etc. It is best practice to conduct outreach 48 hours before the start of filming.
Community Management in Edmond
Folks in Edmond are very supportive of commercial production in the city’s neighborhoods, creating a welcoming environment for filmmakers to conduct business in the city’s areas for as long as is permitted or required. However, there is also a role for filmmakers to play to ensure that the filming activities do not disrupt the livelihood of the locals or cause any harm. When filmmakers abide by Edmond’s filming laws, they create minimal negative impact on the residents and businesses. One of the ways to create a positive experience for the community is to actively engage the locals through conversations in avenues like forums and public gatherings.
Conclusion
The city and its different neighborhoods feature spots that are perfect for outdoor shots in parks and on streets, indoor setups for household filming, and office productions, among others. The people in the city are equally supportive of filmmaking, making production teams feel at home for the duration of their project in Edmond.
Your first step to obtaining a film permit in Edmond is to contact the Special Events Coordinator to discuss the details of your production. Thereafter, complete the film permit application and submit it to the Special Events Office for processing, at least sixty days before the planned date of production. Other city agencies are involved in the permit review process as well. You will be directly responsible for meeting any additional requirements that these city agencies put in place for your project.