City Guide Filming in Long Beach, CA
Production Permit Fees
- Application Fee: $368
- Staff Monitoring Fee: $42 per hour
- Rider Fee: $53 per change
- Daily Permit Fee: $525 per day
- Administrative Fee: 15% of the total of all fees
Minimum Insurance
- Workers Compensation
- Commercial General Liability
- Product Liability Insurance
- Liquor Liability Coverage
- Automobile Liability Insurance
- Aircraft Liability Insurance
- Watercraft Liability Insurance
Additional Permits
- Pyrotechnics Permit: $368
- Animal Control Permit: $42
Discounts
- Student Fee: $368
- Nonprofits Fee: $42
About Long Beach
Less than 30 miles away from Hollywood, Long Beach offers the reliably sunny weather producers love for outdoor shoots and a wealth of fantastic film locations to choose from. Sandy beaches, historic architecture, and an impressive array of film lots and soundstages make Long Beach an excellent place to shoot anything from a music video to a commercial to a full-blown feature film.
In fact, in many ways, Long Beach was Hollywood before there was a Hollywood. The California Motion Picture Company established the first film plant west of Chicago in Long Beach back in 1910, before Hollywood was a twinkle in the eye of moviemakers. And although Long Beach is no longer the world center of film it once was, it remains a hugely popular place to shoot a movie. Features like Heat, Titanic, La La Land, and Iron Man have all filmed here, and popular TV shows like Criminal Minds and True Blood used the city as a permanent base.
This proximity to Hollywood and the long history of film production in the area makes Long Beach a very friendly municipality for aspiring filmmakers. But if you want to shoot anything bigger than a video of your family trip, you’re going to need to follow the filming regulations in Long Beach if you want to avoid trouble with the authorities.
Luckily, Giggster makes it easy to find a variety of great places to shoot a film in Long Beach.
Do I Need a Filming Permit in Long Beach?
Filming in many locations in Long Beach requires a permit, and the best way to determine whether the location you want to use needs a permit or not is to contact the Special Events & Film Office of Long Beach. They will assess whether permission to film in your chosen location will be granted, and if so, what kind of permits will be needed and what fees will be charged.
Film permits in Long Beach come in a variety of different forms. Depending on the scope of your production, you may need several different permits to shoot the scenes you want.
Student Filming
Students are eligible for special rates for film permits. You will need valid school ID and a letter from your school stating that you are currently enrolled and that the film is for student purposes only.
Non-profit Filming
Non-profit organizations may be exempt from permit fees. You will need to demonstrate your non-profit status with a 501(c)3 letter submitted to the Special Events & Film before filming begins.
Pyrotechnics Permit
If you’re going to be blowing stuff up, you’ll need an additional permit from the Fire Prevention department.
Animal Control Permit
This applies to any production using animals, and will need to be obtained from Long Beach Animal Control.
Permit Management in Long Beach
Special Events & Film Office
The Special Events & Film Office handles all filming permit applications in Long Beach. Your first step to filming in Long Beach should be to contact this office and obtain permission to film in your chosen location.
Depending on the location you choose, the Office may need to perform a walk-through of your location to make sure that your production will be handled in a safe and responsible way and that you will be following Long Beach filming regulations. You may also be instructed to post public notices of filming and inform local businesses of any disruption your production may cause. Signature surveys may be required if you intend to film in residential or commercial areas.
The Special Events & Film Office liaises between any production company and the appropriate city departments such as Police, Fire, and Public Works. These departments will not talk directly to production companies, but will only work through the Office. The Office also handles posting notices of filming when required.
Once you’ve conducted the necessary surveys, provided proof of insurance, and possibly had a city official do a walk-through of your location, you can apply for your film permit. These take a minimum of three business days to process, and the more complex the shoot, the longer you will have to wait for your permit, so it’s a good idea to give as much advance notice as possible. Once a permit is issued, it will need to be picked up physically from the Office and any fees due will need to be paid to the City at this time.
What Insurance Do I Need in Long Beach?
Production insurance protects you and your production from liability in the event of an accident. Every policy is slightly different, but most production insurance will cover injury and damage to sets during filming. Many will also cover your production for copyright claims and vehicle insurance, but it’s very important that you check with your insurance company to make sure.
Long Beach requires all production companies to provide proof of insurance before a film permit will be issued. You’ll need to make sure your insurance covers:
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 Long Beach?
Thanks to its long history as a location for film production, Long Beach has an impressive variety of different locations for shooting. The city is home to several soundstages where you can create sets to match your vision. You’ll also find plenty of studios ideal for sound recording and photography in this creative city.
Beyond that, Long Beach offers a range of residential properties where you can shoot a movie. Mid-century modern and Spanish-style bungalows still occupy the suburban areas, many of them built in the 1950s or earlier. As you move more toward the downtown area of the city, you’ll see more residential condo developments with high-rise buildings in the city center and close to the water.
Then, of course, there are the beaches. Long Beach spent much of its history as a resort town, and the beach is an icon of the city itself. With its condo towers lining the waterfront, Long Beach can stand in for any modern coastal city such as Miami or Honolulu. The retired ocean liner the Queen Mary can also be a great backdrop for filming, but anyone who knows the city will instantly recognize the ship as a famous landmark of Long Beach.
During the 20th century, Long Beach was a center for aircraft production. Although this is no longer the case, the importance of this industry means the city still has plenty of industrial locations such as factories and warehouses that are often available for shooting. Plus, the Port of Long Beach is one of the busiest container ports in the entire United States, and therefore one of the most important in the world. If you’re looking to shoot something in an industrial location, the Port is a great option for a background of ships, cranes, and containers.
This is California, so Long Beach also offers plenty of more unusual filming locations. Whether you’re looking for a yoga studio, a meditation retreat, a fitness center, or a sailboat to shoot on, you’ll almost certainly find it in Long Beach.
Special Requirements in Long Beach
Port of Long Beach
The Port of Long Beach is administered separately from the City. Therefore, you’ll need to apply to the Terminal Services Office to get a filming permit for the Port. Applications require at least 10 business days to process, and additional permits may be required for pyrotechnics and stunts.
You’ll need to provide proof of General Liability Insurance covering a minimum of $5 million per incident, along with Workers’ Compensation of $1 million, Automobile Liability of $1 million, and Producers Professional Liability of $1 million. If your insurance deductibles are more than $50,000, you’ll need to provide additional documentation demonstrating your cash flow and ability to pay the deductible in the event of a claim.
The application fee to film in the Port of Long Beach is $100. A filming permit costs $400 per day or part of the day. There are also administrative processing fees and security fees to be paid.
Long Beach Unified School District
Permission must be obtained from LBUSD before shooting on any school property, and requests must be submitted a minimum of 30 days before shooting starts.
Shooting in a school requires a General Liability insurance policy with a minimum $1 million coverage limit, and LBUSD must be listed on your insurance documents as Additionally Insured.
Los Angeles Unified School District
Permission must be obtained from LAUSD prior to filming in any facility operated by the School Board. Requests are handled through FilmLA, the centralized agency that handles requests to film in Los Angeles.
Filming a school requires a General Liability insurance policy with a minimum of $1/$2 million dollars coverage limit, $1 million Auto Liability, and Workers Compensation as determined by the state of California.
Beaches
Beaches in Long Beach fall under the jurisdiction of Los Angeles County. Therefore, any application to film on a beach in Long Beach will need to be made through FilmLA. Permits are required for any filming or commercial still photography on LA County beaches, and you must give at least 72 hours notice Before applying for a permit. However, more notice is always better. You’ll need to hire an LA County lifeguard for any shooting that takes place between 10 PM and 6 AM. You will also need a lifeguard if you intend to film any scenes in the water at any time.
You will have to perform a community survey if you intend to film between 10 PM and 7 AM. FilmLA Will determine the radius of the survey you need to carry out.
Driving on the sand is not permitted, nor is the launching of any motorized watercraft from the beach itself.
In addition to these general rules, several beaches have their own rules which also apply.
Royal Palm/White Point Beach
A walk-through with a lifeguard is required before any filming will be permitted. Use of the baseball field requires permission from the owner, Sea High School. A safety person is required to be present while driving in the parking lot. The parking lot closes at dusk, and for filming after hours, you will need to hire a parking lot attendant.
Seal Beach National Wildlife Refuge
Located just to the east of Long Beach, this National Wildlife Refuge is jointly administered by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service and the U.S. Navy. Filming is ordinarily allowed within National Wildlife Refuges without a permit, so long as you don’t cause disruption to other park users. However, large shoots are by their nature disruptive, so you’ll need to contact the Refuge Manager to obtain prior permission. In the case of Seal Beach, you may also require permission from the Navy due to the presence nearby of a naval base.
What Does it Cost to Film in Long Beach?
All fees to film in Long Beach are payable to the City of Long Beach through the Special Events & Film Office. Fees are subject to change at any time and do not include location fees.
Additional Fees
In addition to these fees, there are extra charges for any city staff who will be needed to help with the production. For example:
While these fees can quickly get expensive, the consequences of not following all Long Beach filming regulations are much worse. The city can levy fines for non-compliance or even shut your production down until any compliance issues are addressed. Be careful to budget for everything you will need to film in Long Beach so that you don’t break any of the city’s rules.
Geographical Jurisdiction of Long Beach?
The City of Long Beach runs from the water’s edge north to East Carson Street, where it borders the town of Lakewood. Lakewood Village is part of the City of Long Beach. On its western side, the city reaches further north, including the municipality of North Long Beach and a portion of Highway 91. 70th Street marks the division between the City of Long Beach and neighboring municipalities in this area.
From East to West, the City of Long Beach runs approximately from Highway 605 to the ICTF train yard on the western edge of the city. Although the city encompasses the Port, the Port facilities are operated separately and require additional permits for filming. Also, though surrounded by the City of Long Beach, Signal Hill is considered a separate city and is not administered by the City of Long Beach.
Lakewood
The City of Lakewood requires 10 days' advance notice in writing to process a film permit. There is a $255 processing fee and an $85 fee for a business license. Any private property used in or affected by the filming requires written permission from the property owner. Any use of public sidewalks or roads requires an encroachment permit issued by Lakewood Public Works.
The City of Lakewood must be named as an Additional Insured on your insurance policy with a minimum $1 million coverage limit.
Street closures, pyrotechnics, loud noise, or after-hours filming require you to notify any residents or businesses within a 200 foot radius of your activity.
Outreach in Long Beach
If you’re filming in a residential or merchant area, you’ll also need to conduct surveys to show you have the approval of the local community to keep in compliance with filming laws in Long Beach.
You need to inform the Special Events & Film Office before conducting your survey so that they can approve it. In residential areas, surveys must be conducted before 8 PM. In merchant areas, 80% of people surveyed must approve your filming. In residential areas, 66% in favor is required if you intend to film between 7 AM and 10 PM. To film outside those areas, you’ll need 80% approval.
Long Beach has a form to collect signatures for your survey which you will need to submit to the Office. Once it’s approved, the Office will send notice of filming to residents of the neighborhood and charge you for the cost of these notices.
Community Management in Long Beach
Residents of Long Beach are used to having film crews working in their town. But while they may be familiar with the disruption filming can cause, don’t expect them to be starstruck by the presence of film crews.
It’s important to maintain good relations with the local community, especially when shooting in a residential or commercial area, since you’ll need anywhere from 66 to 80% of local residents to sign off on your project. Good communication with local residents is key to creating a good relationship. If possible, it’s a good idea to see if you can attend a city meeting or other public event to let people know what your plans are for your production and how you intend to minimize disruption to their daily lives. It can also be helpful to host a community outreach day so locals can come and see the kind of work you’re doing. However, you will have to clear this with the all-powerful Special Events & Film Office first.
Conclusion
Thanks to its long history of film production, plus the proximity of Hollywood, Long Beach is a city that’s extremely friendly to film production. The city has undergone many changes in economy and demographics in the little over a century since it was founded, and these changes have left it with a variety of great places to shoot. Whether you’re looking for a well-preserved California craftsman home that could have been frozen in time since 1953 or a waterfront condo with expansive views of the ocean, you can find it here.
Residents of Long Beach are used to having their town appear in movies and TV. Your first port of call when planning to film in Long Beach Will be with the Special Events & Film Office of Long Beach. This office issues hundreds of film permits every year, so its system of oversight is robust and efficient. They can let you know any Long Beach filming laws you need to be aware of and any other agencies you may need to get in touch with.
With so many great locations to shoot in, plus a city and state government that are friendly toward film in the great weather of Southern California, it’s no wonder Long Beach appears so often in movies and TV. Choose Long Beach for your next filming location, and you’ll be carrying on a grand tradition of filmmaking in California that is older than Hollywood.