City Guide Filming in Largo, FL
Production Permit Fees
- Film Permit Minimum Cost: Free
- Film Permit Application Fee: Free
Minimum Insurance
- Commercial general liability of $1,000,000 per occurrence and $2,000,000 aggregate for bodily injury and property damage
Additional Permits
Discounts
About Largo
The city of Largo sits on Florida’s Gulf Coast in Pinellas County. On the one hand, the city is believed to have derived its name from one of the largest lakes in the area, whereas another school of thought believes it is named after Largo, Scotland, where the original settlers in the area came from. Much of Largo’s history revolves around agriculture, as the city was renowned for its citrus produce. It was not until the mid-1990s that filmmakers began to visit the town for different kinds of commercial projects.
The growth of film production here was aided by the city’s proximity to Clearwater (four miles north), St. Petersburg (seventeen miles southeast), and Tampa (twenty-three east). Another contributing factor to the growth of filmmaking in Largo is the Cash Rebate Program of the St. Petersburg Clearwater Film Commission, which offers local incentives of up to 30% on production expenditures to filmmakers. Besides, it is hard for any producer to pass up on the abundant picturesque filming locations in Largo like Heritage Village and Largo Central Railroad, and it’s easy to find the location that suits your film project requirements now on Giggster.
Some of the projects filmed here in Largo include True Lies (1994), Bloodline (2015–2017), Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children (2016), Licence to Kill (1989), Heartbreakers (2001), Private Resort (1985), Key Largo (1948), Infamous (2020), Drop Zone (1994), and Blood and Wine (1996).
Do I Need a Filming Permit in Largo?
If you wish to film here, you must be ready to comply with the filming laws in Largo. Obtain a film permit for your production if it will involve any of the following:
You will shoot for commercial production.
Your camera(s) will be used on devices other than a tripod or handheld device.
Your project will impede vehicular or pedestrian traffic.
You will create an artificial lighting setup.
You will perform stunts, use weapons, or have special effects, pyrotechnics, explosives, etc.
You will require parking privileges for your production vehicle(s).
You will shoot production on public property in the city e.g., beaches, roads, parks, sidewalks, bridges, etc.
You will require closure or blockage of streets/sidewalks.
You will shoot on private property and will impact the neighborhood during production.
You may not require a film permit in Largo if your shoot meets the following criteria:
You are filming for personal use.
You are filming news media or scenery in the city.
Your camera is handheld or on a tripod.
There are no large artificial lighting setups.
There are no special effects, weapons, stunts, etc. during production.
Your production is on private property, and it does not impact the neighborhood.
You will be filming before sunrise or after sunset.
Depending on the nature of your production, you may require additional permits or approvals for your film shoot in the city. Moreover, if you are not sure whether you require a permit for your project, reach out to the St. Petersburg Clearwater Film Commission to find out what you need to do so that you can comply with Largo’s filming guidelines.
Permit Management in Largo
St. Petersburg Clearwater Film Commission
The St. Petersburg Clearwater Film Commission (also known as Film SPC) is the agency that coordinates the film permitting process in the city of Largo. On a larger scale, Film SPC is also the go-to agency for any film-related issues in Pinellas County. Besides acting as the one-stop permitting office in Largo, Film SPC also provides additional services to filmmakers, including:
Assistance with finding locations and preparing custom location packages.
Assistance with scouting visits and itineraries.
Providing production support services.
Liaising with other agencies such as law enforcement, parking services, marine units, fire marshalls, etc.
The application portal for a film permit in Largo is FilmApp. The portal requires every filmmaker to create a profile and provides a dashboard for viewing applications, managing applications, submitting questions, and tracking answers. If you have a simple or standard production, complete your application at least five business days before the date you intend to start filming. For more complex productions requiring special assistance or additional services, apply for the permit at least ten business days before the date you intend to start filming.
As part of your application, you will be required to provide the following information:
The date(s) of production.
The filming location(s).
The number of production cast and crew.
The description of the planned production.
Emergency contact details.
The details of the production company.
A certificate of insurance that complies with the city’s production insurance requirements.
As soon as Film SPC receives your application, it is forwarded to the various city contacts for review. If your application is approved, you will receive your film permit via email.
What Insurance Do I Need in Largo?
Insurance is one of the requirements for your planned production in the city of Largo. Per the insurance requirements, submit a certificate of insurance (COI) to Film SPC with your film application via FilmApp. You may upload your COI after you apply for the permit. However, the application will not be processed until the COI is received.
The City and County Risk Managers are responsible for reviewing the liability coverage on the certificate of insurance that every filmmaker submits. The standard limit of the production insurance in Largo is a commercial general liability of $1,000,000 per occurrence and $2,000,000 aggregate for bodily injury and property damage. You must list the City of Largo as the certificate holder and additional insured on the certificate of insurance as well.
Other insurance policies that may be required for your production include:
Commercial Auto Liability.
Aviation Liability.
Marine Liability.
Pollution Legal Liability.
Worker's Compensation and Employer's Liability.
Moreover, you must defend, indemnify, and hold harmless the city of Largo against any claims or damages that may result from your filming activities in the city. If you need to provide additional liability coverage beyond the stated minimums, 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 Largo?
Top among the filming locations in the city of Largo are the Largo Central Railroad (LCRR), Largo Central Park, Pinellas Trail, Largo Cultural Center, Gulf Coast Museum of Art, and the Florida Botanical Gardens. Each of these locations provides unique opportunities for quick shots and more extensive setups and productions in the city.
Pinellas Trail, for instance, is a 34-mile trail used by riders, joggers, and strollers from within and outside the city that offers filmmakers plenty of amazing outdoor shots. Largo Central Park, on the other hand, is well known for its entertainment and cultural facilities, while the Florida Botanical Gardens feature beautiful blends of native plants that are picture-perfect.
Filmmakers enjoy filming in other city locations such as the Largo Public Library, public schools, the airports – Tampa International Airport and St. Petersburg-Clearwater Airport, city and county bus services, parks, restaurants, antique shops, and residential buildings. The Morris Residence, for instance, is a single-family estate home equipped with a production office space, recording studio, horse stable, and other cool amenities that are handy for film production. Other popular residences in the city are the Nova Residence and the Cruz Residence.
If you fancy filming in a park setting, check out Walsingham Park, Taylor Park, Eagle Lake Park, or Ridgecrest Park. Other attractive locations you may fancy in the city are The Gallery at Creative Pinellas, Pitch Video Studio, Southwest Recreation Complex Pool, Bark Place Hotel, Karen's Korner, Highland Recreation Complex, Lakeside Estates, Largo Nature Preserve, and Heritage Village.
Special Requirements in Largo
Heritage Village
Every commercial film production that a filmmaker plans to carry out in Heritage Village requires prior approval and consultation with Heritage Village staff. Reach out to Heritage Village and provide information about your scheduled production about ten business days in advance of the shoot date. When you finalize all the details of your project with Heritage Village and your production is approved, you can then request a permit from Film SPC.
Tampa International Airport
If you are interested in filming on Tampa International Airport property for commercial purposes, submit the following to the Director of Marketing via email at least two weeks in advance of the date you intend to commence production:
A letter of intent.
Proof of insurance that lists the Aviation Authority as an additional insured. The insurance minimum you need will be determined by the Risk Manager and will depend on the nature of your production and the location you intend to use in the airport.
A signed hold harmless agreement.
If you have any questions or require further information about filming in the airport, send an email to the Airport Authority.
If you plan to shoot non-commercial production (e.g., student film production) at Tampa International Airport, you will not need the insurance requirement but must sign the hold harmless agreement.
St. Petersburg-Clearwater International Airport
The St. Petersburg-Clearwater International Airport is a department of the Pinellas County Government. To shoot production here, comply with the following requirements:
Complete and submit the airport film application.
Pay the application processing fee ($100) to Pinellas County BCC.
Provide a certificate of insurance that names Pinellas County BCC as the certificate holder and additional insured.
Provide the production title and description of the project.
Include the site map and details of the production equipment, cast, and crew.
When your application is received and reviewed, any additional costs deemed necessary for your project will be levied accordingly. Moreover, if there are additional requirements for you to meet, you will be notified before your permit is issued.
Filming is not allowed within the Customs area of the airport. Filmmakers are not allowed to film security checkpoints either.
What Does it Cost to Film in Largo?
There is no fee for a film permit issued by Film SPC to shoot production in the city of Largo. However, there may be other fees that you must pay during your production, such as location fees, police officer fees, fire service fees, and so on. These fees are usually hourly charges and may vary from agency to agency. You will receive information about these fees when you are notified about the services that you need for your project in the city.
Additional Fees
Production fees can add up quickly, so early planning and budget are crucial. The production company can also benefit from the FilmSPC’s Business Development Marketing Program, a cash rebate program that aims to attract production to Pinellas County, provide positive economic benefits and ROI by promoting the film destination, and provide residents to work in the entertainment and film industry. The program pays 10% to 30% of qualified local expenditures, including accommodations, location fees, props, food, etc.
Geographical Jurisdiction of Largo?
The city of Largo occupies a central position in Pinellas County and touches Tampa Bay to the northeast and the Intracoastal Waterway to the southwest. The towns located northwest of Largo are Belleair Bluffs and Belleair. Municipalities that are south of the city are Pinellas Park and Seminole. Feather Sound lies east of the city, while Clearwater is a few miles north.
The filming regulations in Largo are similar to those applicable in other municipalities in Pinellas County because Film SPC oversees filming in the whole county. The nearby counties to Pinellas include Hillsborough, Pasco, Polk, and Manatee.
Hillsborough County
The Tampa Hillsborough Film and Digital Media Commission (popularly called Film Tampa Bay) is the agency that manages film permitting in Hillsborough County as well as the city of Tampa, Temple Terrace, and Plant City.
Film Tampa Bay does not charge for its permitting services and coordinates the following in the region: Police and emergency services. Road closure permitting. Right-of-way permitting.
Complete the application for a film permit at least five business days before the filming date. When your application is received, it will be forwarded to the applicable municipality in the county. If special services are required, the processing time may be up to ten business days.
Your application will contain the following: The production date(s). The filming location(s). The details of the production cast and crew. The description of the project. Emergency contact details. The details of the production company. A certificate of insurance that complies with the city’s production insurance requirements: Commercial general liability of $1,000,000 per occurrence and $2,000,000 aggregate. Automobile liability of $1,000,000. Umbrella liability of $5,000,000. Worker’s compensation and employers’ liability of $1,000,000. Name Hillsborough County and the municipality where you intend to film as certificate holder and additional insured.
Pasco County
Florida’s Sports Coast Film Commission is the agency that coordinates film permitting in Pasco County and municipalities such as Zephyrhills, Dade City, Wesley Chapel, New Port Richey, and Anclote Key State Park. If you wish to shoot production here, reach out to the Film Commission’s contact via email. You will require insurance as part of your application.
Here are the insurance requirements: General liability insurance of $1,000,000 per occurrence and $1,000,000 aggregate. Automobile insurance of $1,000,000. Name Pasco County and the municipality where you intend to film as additional insured. Florida’s Sports Coast Film Commission requires all filmmakers to apply for the film permit at least five business days before the date of filming. Submit the insurance documents too. If you wish to film with drones, you must comply with the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) Small UAS CFR Part 107 Rule.
Polk County
The Central Florida Motion Picture and Television Office is the one-stop shop for film permits and the permitting process in Polk County. Filming locations include lakes, jungles, rivers, swamps, flat and hilly roads, Frank Lloyd Wright architecture buildings, Bok Tower Gardens, Safari Wilderness, and LEGOLAND® Florida Resort.
Film permits are free in the county; however, every filmmaker must allow at least three days for the film permit to be processed by the Film Commission. If your production requires full or partial street closure, you must also submit a Road Closure Request Form. For such road closures, you will require off-duty police assistance as well. To start the application process, send an email to the Film Commission for the Film Permit Application Form and the Road Closure Request Form. The film insurance requirements in Polk County are as follows: A certificate of insurance with a general liability of $1,000,000. Name Polk County as additional insured. Provide the certificate of insurance at least three days before the date of filming. Additional coverage is required for hazardous projects such as those that involve pyrotechnics or stunts.
Manatee County
The Bradenton Area Film Commission is the agency that oversees film permitting in Manatee County and assists filmmakers with the production services that they need to shoot within the county’s municipalities.
The film permit requirements for Bradenton Area Film Office are as follows: Complete the film permit application for the filming location. Include the specific filming location(s), times, and dates of the production. Provide a separate certificate of insurance for each municipality where filming is planned. Name Manatee County and each municipality as additional insured on the certificate of insurance.
Ensure you submit the film application and certificate(s) of insurance via email at least three business days before the start of filming. if your production involves stunts, pyrotechnics, traffic control, or street closures, apply up to twenty-one days in advance.
There is no fee for a film permit. However, there may be a daily filming fee. The filmmaker will be notified about the costs associated with production before the permit is issued. The insurance requirements are as follows: A certificate of insurance with general liability of $1,000,000 per occurrence and $2,000,000 aggregate. Name Manatee County and the municipality where filming is scheduled as additional insured.
Outreach in Largo
Based on Largo’s filming regulations, community outreach is a mandatory requirement for any filmmaker coming to the city for a commercial shoot. Be that as it may, it is strongly suggested that each producer communicates with people who live or do business in and around the filming location. This is especially crucial if the production will have an impact on them in one way or another. Send notification letters out with information about the production, the production team, and the contact information for a representative of your production company to carry out outreach.
Community Management in Largo
Because the people in the area where you intend to film play a big role in the success of your production, as a filmmaker, you should make it a point to build a positive relationship with them. The folks in the city of Largo are welcoming and supportive of filmmakers, and it helps that they have experience with having film production teams in town. Therefore, carry them along through effective communication and compensate them when necessary and appropriate. If you pay special care in special areas like schools and religious areas, you will further have the support of the community.
Conclusion
The city of Largo is a well-known location for filming in Pinellas County, Florida. It draws filmmakers because of the available production incentives, beautiful parks, business and residential settings, indoor and outdoor locations, and the support that the Film Commission offers to every production team.
In Largo, commercial filming requires a permit, and the St. Petersburg Clearwater Film Commission is the one-stop shop for all matters relating to permits, production resources, location scouting, and so on. Furthermore, Film SPC collaborates with other agencies on production-related issues to ensure filmmakers have a seamless permitting and filming experience in the city.
To ensure that your permit is ready for you before your planned start date in Largo, apply for the permit at least five business days in advance, or ten business days if you have a complex project. Have your insurance documents and other supporting information ready for submission as early as possible too. The film permit is free.