City Guide Filming in Huntsville, AL
Production Permit Fees
- Film Permit Minimum Cost: To be determined by the Huntsville Film Office
- Film Permit Application Fee: Free
Minimum Insurance
- A combined single limit of liability insurance
Additional Permits
Discounts
About Huntsville
Huntsville in Madison County is a city that lies just east of the city of Madison, Alabama. It is a popular city in Alabama because of its rich history in the aerospace and military technology domain, which is why it is nicknamed The Rocket City. Since the 1950s, Huntsville has been a top location for space research and US space missions, thanks to facilities such as the Redstone Arsenal, NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center, and Cummings Research Park (CRP). For filmmakers, these facilities have provided the resources and locations that have made the city a top destination for space-themed productions and research.
On several occasions, the various space-based landscapes in Huntsville have been featured in movies and welcomed cast and crew from different parts of the world. For instance, the Space Camp and Marshall Space Flight Center hosted the cast and crew of Apollo 13, the 1995 movie, during the pre-production stage. Projects such as Ravagers (1979), SpaceCamp (1986), and Beyond the Stars (1989) were also filmed in parts of the US Space and Rocket Center in the city.
Despite its popularity for space-themed productions, Huntsville offers much more to producers, thanks to the fact that the city also features other beautiful locations that support other kinds of productions too. To that end, some of the other popular projects shot here include Constellation (2005), 20 Years After (2008), American Gospel: Christ Alone (2018), The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: Attack of the Hawkmen (1995), and Crisis: Behind a Presidential Commitment (1963).
Filming in Huntsville dates back to the late 19th century, and if you choose to come here with your team, you open yourself up to benefits that make the city attractive to filmmakers. You can check out the Alabama tax incentives available to production companies that come here and take advantage of other filming resources provided by the Alabama Film Office as well. To get started here in Huntsville, find a location that suits your needs on Giggster.
Do I Need a Filming Permit in Huntsville?
Certain filming activities in Huntsville require a permit, while others do not. According to the filming regulations in Huntsville, personal filming activities that will not interfere with public activities and or public right-of-way do not require a permit. So, if you are here with your friends and/or family and are filming for your entertainment, feel free to go ahead with your fun exercise. Only make sure you do not impact anyone with your filming.
On the other hand, before you can engage in any form of commercial filming activity in Huntsville (documentaries, TV shows, feature films, music videos, etc.), you must first obtain a film permit. Furthermore, to film on the public right-of-way or in public buildings, parks, streets, and roads, you will require a permit as well. You may not require a film permit to make use of any private property for filming in the city. However, you must get the consent of the property owner before carrying out such production.
Some kinds of production may require the involvement of the Police or Fire Departments for public safety or traffic control. If such a condition applies to your production, you may require special approvals from those units to carry out your production in the city. This would mean reaching out to them to find out what their permit requirements are (including fees and insurance) and how you can comply with them.
If you are in doubt about whether you need a film permit for what you intend to do in Huntsville, reach out to the Huntsville Film Office.
Permit Management in Huntsville
Huntsville Film Office
The Huntsville Film Office is the unit that oversees the process of reviewing and issuing permits to production teams that plan to use Huntsville for any kind of commercial production. If you are a filmmaker that is interested in engaging in filming activities here, ensure you submit your request for a film permit to the Huntsville Film Office via email at least 30 days before the date you intend to commence filming. If you fail to do so, you may incur extra charges, or even worse, your permit may not be processed.
As part of your request for a film permit in Huntsville, you will need to comply with the following additional requirements:
You must provide your contact information and include the details of your production.
You must include a site plan.
Indicate your preferred filming location(s) in the city.
Indicate whether pedestrian or vehicular traffic will be affected by your production.
Present evidence of production insurance that complies with the city’s insurance requirements.
Provide documentation indicating that you have obtained permission from the owner of the private property you intend to film if such is the case for your project.
Indicate whether your production will involve the use of pyrotechnics or other special effects.
Be prepared to pay for the services of city personnel that will be involved in your production process.
When you send in your application for a film permit to the Huntsville Film Office, it will be assessed by the Film Office to determine if there is a need to involve other city departments. If this is deemed necessary because of the nature of your project, you will be required to reach out to applicable city units to secure the approvals you need or make arrangements for their personnel to be on hand during production.
In addition to the film permitting services offered by the Huntsville Film Office, you can reach out to the Alabama Film Office for additional production assistance. The Alabama Film Office supports filmmakers in the city and receives requests from production companies that complete this form and send it in via email.
What Insurance Do I Need in Huntsville?
You need to meet the production insurance requirements of Huntsville if you intend to film within the boundaries of the city, mainly if your project requires a film permit. As a filmmaker, you will need to provide a certificate of insurance that names the city as an additional insured and remains valid for the entire period that filming is scheduled to take place in the city.
As for the minimums of liability, the requirement is liability insurance of $100,000 per occurrence of property damage and bodily injury and $300,000 aggregate. In addition, a filmmaker must complete an indemnification form that indemnifies and holds harmless the city and its staff against any claims, losses, or damages that result from the production.
Depending on the nature of your production, you may need to provide insurance liability with higher amounts. If you require additional insurance coverage, the Huntsville Film Office will notify you and offer guidance accordingly. For student filmmakers and non-profit organizations, the insurance process may be treated case-by-case, so ensure you contact the Film Office to know what applies to you.
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 Huntsville?
The city of Huntsville is famous for its locations that are perfect for shooting documentaries, movies, and other kinds of productions that are centered around rocket science, space adventures, and technological exploits. Thanks to the NASA and Army facilities in the city, the city is among the top destinations worldwide for such projects. Some of the classic filming spots are found in NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center, Cummings Research Park, Redstone Arsenal, and the US Army Aviation and Mission Command. These locations may require special approvals due to the nature of their facilities.
Huntsville is home to several historic districts as well, and they feature buildings and structures with a wide variety of architectural styles. Twickenham Historic District, for instance, consists of Greek Revival and Federal architectural style buildings and Antebellum homes. One of the famous structures in the district is the 1819 Weeden House Museum.
If you are looking to film in the part of the city with California cottages and Queen Anne architectural style structures in addition to Federal and Greek Revival, check out the Old Town Historic District. Here, you will find homes that are as old as the 1820s. The part of the city with bungalows built in the early 1900s is the Five Points Historic District. Another section of the town with residential apartments and unique filming locations is the Merrimack Mill Historic District.
If your project requires you to shoot scenes in museums, you will find plenty of desirable options to choose from in Huntsville. For instance, more than five living-museum displays are within the Alabama Constitution Village alone. Other museums in the city include Burritt on the Mountain, Clay House Museum, Early Works Museum, Harrison Brothers Hardware Store, Huntsville Museum of Art, North Alabama Railroad Museum, and US Veterans Memorial Museum. With these various museums come many filming opportunities and backdrops that filmmakers can adapt to their unique requirements.
All the branches of the Huntsville-Madison County Public Library in Huntsville also provide a wealth of historical resources and feature good spots for production. So, feel free to explore the Bailey Cove Branch Library, Downtown Huntsville Library, Oscar Mason Branch Library, Bessie K. Russie Branch Library, and the other libraries in the city for your filming needs.
There is yet another feature of Huntsville that makes it an attractive city for filming, and that’s the abundance of parks and natural areas within the city. There are over 60 parks within the city’s limits, making it almost impossible not to find the perfect place to use as a backdrop for the production. Some of these parks include the Big Spring International Park, Creekwood Park, Huntsville Botanical Garden, John Hunt Park, Lydia Gold Skatepark, and Monte Sano State Park.
Special Requirements in Huntsville
Ordinances
In addition to complying with the filming regulations in Huntsville, every filmmaker must also abide by the parking ordinances of the city. The Department of Parking and Public Transit in Huntsville provides adequate parking services, enforces parking laws, and ensures that there are efficient parking facilities in the city. Reach out to the office to sort out your parking requirements as you prepare to commence production in the city.
Huntsville City Parks
The city parks in Huntsville have a special process that filmmakers must follow before commencing filming. You need to first complete a Park Reservation Application before you apply to the Huntsville Film Office for a film permit. The Park Reservation Application is where you will provide an overview of your project information and requirements and the locations/parks you want to make reservations for. As soon as the park location you request is reserved, you will be notified and can then proceed to submit your application for a film permit.
Huntsville Museum of Art
Filmmakers are welcome to carry out commercial production in the Huntsville Museum of Art. However, before you can proceed with filming, you must first obtain permission from the Museum’s Director of Communication. Secure the approval for your film production in the museum by sending an email containing your request and production plans to the Director.
What Does it Cost to Film in Huntsville?
There is no fee charged for applying for a film permit in Huntsville. However, you may be required to pay fees for using some locations in the city for filming. Moreover, you may need to pay a refundable security deposit of $500 before you receive your film permit. This deposit is designed to cover costs that may be incurred by the city during production. If the nature of your production makes it necessary for you to secure the services of police officers during filming, you will have to cover the cost of hiring the off-duty police officers. For this, you will be required to send a notice at least 72 hours ahead to the Police Chief and pay the rate of hiring the officer(s) - $35 per hour per officer; three hours minimum.
Additional Fees
Although applying for a film permit in Huntsville is free of charge, you may have to pay for the filming fees or rates set by private property owners. You should begin the permitting process early and identify your filming locations and their requirements to budget your money and time accordingly.
Geographical Jurisdiction of Huntsville?
The city of Huntsville lies in the Tennessee River Valley and is bordered by unincorporated communities and census-designated places. Athens and Harvest are located northwest of the city, and so is Madison, which is surrounded by the city. Meridianville is located north, while Moores Hills and New Market are situated northeast. Redstone Arsenal and Triana are located south, while Owen Cross Roads borders the city to the southeast. Decatur, on the other hand, lies southwest. The city is also partially surrounded by mountains like Wade Mountain (north) and Monte Sano Mountain (east). Others nearby include Chapman Mountain, Green Mountain, Brindley Mountain, and Huntsville Mountain.
Athens
Film production and special events require a permit in the city of Athens. Filmmakers must submit their application for a permit to the Police Department for approval by the Chief of Police at least three business days before the date filming is set to commence. If your production will impact public right-of-way and affect streets, roads, highways, and pedestrian/vehicular traffic in general, send in your application at least five business days before the date of filming.
When your application is received, it will be sent to city units like Traffic Operations, Recreation and Landscape Management, Fire Unit, and the City Clerk’s Office for review to determine if there are special requirements that will apply to your production.
As part of your application, you will need to provide proof of insurance that names the city as an additional insured and covers property damage, injury, and death to individuals. The liability amounts are $100,000 per occurrence and $300,000 aggregate.
The city establishes the fees for the permit application and location use, and the filmmaker must pay these costs while applying for the film permit.
Madison
If you wish to film on public or city property in the city of Madison, you must obtain a permit from the Police Chief. You are required to submit your application at least 60 days before the date of production. Applications are usually processed within 30 days of receipt and are evaluated based on their nature and scope. There is a non-refundable application fee of $50 that must accompany your submission. As soon as you apply for the permit, it will be forwarded to different city units and representatives such as the City Attorney, City Clerk-treasurer, Fire chief, Planning Department, the Director of Public Works, the Director of Recreation department, and the Director of Revenue for further review.
As you prepare to send in your application, prepare to provide a certificate of insurance that names the city as an additional insured and has the following minimum coverage limits - Products/completed operations aggregate: $1,000,000; Personal and advertising injury: $1,000,000; and Each occurrence: $1,000,000.
Outreach in Huntsville
As part of the ways the Huntsville Film Office shows commitment and support to filmmakers that wish to do business in the city, it makes its representatives available to offer guidance to filmmakers during the outreach process. Even though Huntsville’s filming laws do not mandate filmmakers to send out notifications to the locals that will be affected by the production exercise, such action is encouraged.
As you plan to conduct outreach in Huntsville, it is best to identify the residents and businesses that are within a certain radius of the proposed filming location and send out letters to them telling them about the proposed activity and how long it will take. Include in the letter the contact details of a designated member of your production team that will be available to answer questions and provide clarifications on any subject relating to your project in the city.
Community Management in Huntsville
In addition to complying with the filming guidelines in Huntsville, filmmakers can take that extra step that ensures that the members of the host community do not feel negatively affected by production. This means paying extra care to areas that have special conditions like healthcare facilities, schools, religious centers, etc. Furthermore, keeping noise levels to a minimum and ensuring the filming location is maintained in a tidy manner also contribute to a positive experience for the locals. Interacting with and engaging the public via appropriate forums and meetings also drives community buy-in for the project.
Conclusion
The first thing that comes to mind when Huntsville is mentioned is the city's prowess as a space and rocket-launching hub in Alabama, which is why it goes by the nickname of Rocket City. For producers that wish to carry out research for or shoot space-themed projects, Huntsville remains the place to beat as well.
In addition to being popular for its science and technology exploits, Huntsville is also a beautiful place to shoot other kinds of films. It is home to buildings of diverse architectural styles and periods, picturesque parks and natural areas, museums, and theaters. Little wonder why the city has been welcoming filmmakers since before the start of the 20th century. And don’t forget that you can locate a spot that suits your production easily using Giggster.
To begin the process of securing a permit to film here in Huntsville, contact the Huntsville Film Office and provide the details of your project, the nature of impact it will have on the public, and have your insurance ready. The permit application is free; however, you must pay for city services and personnel if your production requires it.