Minneapolis

About Minneapolis

Think of Minneapolis, and it doesn't immediately shout great film shoot location. In all honesty, it's not a city that has been greatly favored by many A-list producers and directors so far, but that could be about to change.

Minneapolis has some incredibly photogenic architecture and even more photogenic natural assets. If you're scouting for lakes, parks, wetlands, waterfalls, or creeks, you can guarantee to find them in this Minnesota city without having to go out of your way.

While Minneapolis may not yet have featured in any major blockbuster movies, it has starred in at least one cult classic. Drop Dead Fred was a movie starring the radical, and now sadly deceased, English comedian, Rick Mayall. The late superstar of music, Prince, was born in Minneapolis and created the Minneapolis Sound genre of music, so the city was the natural choice for the multi-award-winning 1984 film Purple Rain.

Along with Purple Rain, another acclaimed movie shot in Minneapolis and then filed away in the archives of the National Film Registry for being culturally significant was Fargo, directed by the Coen brothers. The first two decades of the 21st century haven't seen many new movies being made in Minneapolis, but that's not to say it's not a fantastic filming location; it is.

Films made in Minneapolis tend to be uniquely special. With the right script, yours could well be the next joining those other Minneapolis-based movies in the National Film Registry. You will need to follow the filming guidelines for Minneapolis set out by the authorities, but they're not too heavy-handed, so they won’t cause you any hindrances. If you want to have a preliminary scouting session, you can check out shoot locations on Giggster.

Do I Need a Filming Permit in Minneapolis?

Whether or not you'll need to apply for a film permit to film in Minneapolis depends on your chosen shoot location.

You will need to apply for a film permit from the recognized authority if you're going to film:-

On a street, alleyway, or one of the city's sidewalks.

In any city park, lake, or on the riverfront.

Inside Minneapolis City Hall.

If you will be using a drone to film or during filming.

Each of the above locations is managed by different city departments, and each type of location requires a separate permit. For example - if you'll be filming on a sidewalk and in a park, then you will need to apply for two filming permits.

These are the types of permits you may require:-

To film on Minneapolis streets or sidewalks

An Obstruction Permit.

To film in parks, by the lakes, or riverfront

A Commercial Filming Permit.

If during filming on Minneapolis Park property, you require pathway closure

Apply for a Use and Event Permit or a Parkway Use Permit.

To film in Minneapolis City Hall

A Municipal Building Commission Agreement

To use a drone

A Drone Use Permit.

Permit Management in Minneapolis

Various Authorities

Three different authorities deal with film permitting in the city of Minneapolis.

The individual authorities are:-

ROWay

Minneapolis Parks and Recreation Board

Minneapolis Municipal Buildings Commission

ROWay – ROWay is the city of Minneapolis' right-of-way portal. Any production company wanting to film on a street, sidewalk, or in an alley is required to apply for an Obstruction Permit using the online application system.

MPRB – The MPRB, Minneapolis Parks and Recreation Board manages film permits for parks, lakes, and the city riverfront. The MPRB also controls the hiring of athletic fields and recreational centers, the use of the city beaches, and the issuing of scuba diving permits.

A filming permit application form for filming on park property can be downloaded in PDF format from the MPRB website. Completed applications can be submitted by email by mail, or in person to the park authority office at the following address:-

Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board

2117 West River Road North

Minneapolis, MN 55411

MMBC – The Minneapolis Municipal Buildings Commission manages the issuing of Municipal Building Commission Agreements. To apply for this type of permit, you will need to contact the administration department at city hall.

What Insurance Do I Need in Minneapolis?

If your film shoot requires a permit, then you will need to have the correct insurance in place when you make your permit application. You will be required to submit a valid insurance certificate before your permit is granted.

General Liability

$750,000

Bodily Injury

$250,000

Property Damage

$300,00

General liability for drone use

$1,500,000

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 Minneapolis?

The variety of film shoot locations in Minneapolis sweeps right across the board and then some. To make it easier to define what's available, here they're split between internal and external, so if you're scouting for something in particular, it'll be easier to find.

It has to be said that Minneapolis is not short of incredible outside shooting locations. With almost two hundred regional parks and lakes falling under the jurisdiction of the MPRB, not including the Mississippi River, there are far too many to list individually, but here's a brief taster.

There are unique places in Minneapolis like the Gothic-looking Witch's Hat water tower in the Prospect Park neighborhood. It sits high on a hill surrounded by woodland and has an accessible observation deck. In the right light, it's seriously creepy and could also stand in as the spire on a European castle.

One of the most scenic spots in Minneapolis is the Minnehaha Falls and the Minnehaha Creek where it flows through Minnehaha Park. If you're searching for a paradisiacal outdoor location, this could well be fit for purpose. The park also contains two very photogenic mid-19th-century historic wooden houses.

Need an outdoor location with lakes and city views or a beach? Check out the Minneapolis Chain of Lakes Regional Park, and you'll discover all three. There's also a fishing pier, boat dock, and in winter, cross-country ski trails and an ice rink.

The above outdoor filming locations in Minneapolis are just the tip of the iceberg. In Downtown Minneapolis, there are riverside walkways, the Nicollet Skyway, and hip neighborhoods like the Warehouse District.

When it comes to indoor shoot locations, there's enough variation in Minneapolis to suit any type of script or occasion that may be happening in a scene. You can make your life easy by taking a preliminary scout online through Giggster, but the following are more or less what you'll find.

Minneapolis City Hall is a preferred film shoot location for big events like weddings and galas, but it's not the only one in the city. There are several more that come fully dressed ready for any event and even one with a large outdoor patio attached.

You might not be making a remake of Cheers, but if you need a beer hall or pub-style venue, they're ready and waiting for you. You'll also come across a bar and restaurant completely decked out in stainless steel that's so contemporary it probably shouldn't exist yet.

Smart apartments with skyline views of the city, plush penthouses, and homes with manicured rose gardens. A little more diverse than those is the collection of vintage party buses available for hire, some of which could easily double as prison transport vehicles. Whatever the particular script you're working from requires for shoot locations, you'll come across it in Minneapolis, no matter how unusual it may seem.

Special Requirements in Minneapolis

Major Film Production Film Shoots

When your project is a film shoot for a major production, before you can apply for any permit from the MPRB, you will need to contact them either by calling or visiting the office on West River Road North in person.

Parkway Use Permit

If your film shoot involves closure of a pathway running through MPRB property, you will need to apply for a Parkway Use Permit. This permit is completely separate from any other permit you may have acquired. You will also need to apply for this permit if you want to drive your production vehicles on a MPRB parkway or use a dumpster for trash removal.

Application forms for a Parkway Use Permit can be downloaded in pdf format from the MPRB website and be submitted either by email or by mail or in person at the address previously mentioned in the permit section of this article. You may incur the following costs:-

MPRB Parkway Use Permit Costs

Dumpster - $52 per week

Storage Pod - $52 per week

Single Axle Vehicle - $52 per day

Double Axle Vehicle - $52 per day

Triple Axle Vehicle - $52 per day

Filming At The University Of Minnesota

If you've taken a shine to the campus of the University of Minnesota and want to use it as a film shoot location, you will need to apply for a filming permit. To obtain a filming permit for the University of Minnesota, you will initially need to contact them by email providing them with the details stated on the filming and photography page of the university website. Requests should be made at least two weeks before your estimated filming date.

If your request for filming at the university is granted, you will need to provide a valid liability insurance certificate and sign a contract produced by the university authorities. Fees will apply, and they are required to be paid before filming begins.

Fees For Filming At The University of Minnesota

Agreement Fee - $500

Half-Day Access Fee - $1,000 for up to six hours

Full-Day Access Fee - $2,500 for six to twelve hours

Excess Access Fee - $500 per hour for any time over twelve hours

Insurance Requirements For Filming At The University Of Minnesota

General Liability - $1,000,000 minimum per occurrence

Aggregate - $1,000,000

Single Limit - $1,000,000

The insurance certificate must include the Regents of the University of Minnesota as additionally insured.

Filming On Metro Transit Services

If you want to film on any transport service, bus or train, under the management of Metro Transit, you will need to apply for permission. This should be done at least two weeks in advance by completing the online questionnaire provided on the filming project proposal page of the Metro Transit website.

Filming At Minneapolis-St Paul International Airport

To be able to film at MSP, you will need to make a request to the Airport Director's Office either by email or by calling. The person assigned to your request will work with you on your application and make sure you adhere to all of the airport's rules and regulations for filming. There are location fees involved with filming at MSP. These are a few examples:-

Fees For Filming At MSP International Airport

Filming with cast and crew of no more than 6 - $250 for 2 hours

Additional hour - $150

Filming with cast and crew of 7 to 15 - $1000 for 2 hours

Additional hour - $225

Filming with cast and crew of over 15 - $2000 for 2 hours

Additional hour - $450

What Does it Cost to Film in Minneapolis?

The fees for filming in Minneapolis stated below only apply to filming on property under the management of the Minneapolis Parks and Recreation Board. It will depend on your chosen location whether or not you will incur other fees from the city authorities.

Documentary Filming

$262 per location per day

Low Impact Commercial Filming

$525 per location per day

High Impact Filming

$1050 per location per day

Major Motion Picture Filming

Priced individually per project

Permit Changes

$50 per alteration

Additional Fees

The outlined fees will be applied to your permit application at the direction of the issuing body.

Geographical Jurisdiction of Minneapolis?

Minneapolis is a city that spreads its urban reach across Hennepin County in the state of Minnesota for more than fifty square miles. Three and a half square miles of that area consists of water in the form of thirteen lakes and a section of the Mississippi River. Within the city limits, there are a total of eleven districts consisting of over eighty neighborhoods. To the north, Minneapolis is bordered by the cities of Columbia Heights, St Anthony, and New Hope. To the west by Golden Valley, St Louis Park, and Edina. To the south by Richfield and to the northeast by Falcon Heights. St Paul, Minneapolis' twin city, and the Mississippi River form the city's southeastern border.
If your chosen filming location falls within the jurisdiction of the City of St Paul, you will need to apply for a film permit from the St Paul Parks and Recreation Department.

If your film shoot location is outside of Minneapolis and comes under the jurisdiction of the City of Edina then you will need to apply for a film permit from the City Clerk's Office.

Outreach in Minneapolis

The Minneapolis city authorities or the Minneapolis Parks and Recreation Board do not publish any stipulations concerning conducting outreach in the community. If you're a wise production company though, you'll take the time to advise the residents and businesses in the area local to your film shoot a couple of days in advance of starting your filming activities. Making a distribution of standard notifications to households and businesses within a three-hundred-foot radius of your filming locations will help prevent problems arising while you're shooting.

Community Management in Minneapolis

Minneapolis isn't a city that's been inundated with the constant kerfuffle of filmmakers. Rather than being tired of seeing cast, crew, and production trucks on the city streets, the locals are more likely to be curious about what you're doing. That's great so long as it doesn't interrupt the filming.

To make sure it doesn't, it's advisable to have a community manager on-site during filming hours. Not only will they be able to keep nosey folks at a distance, but they'll also be able to do some public relations and promote your film at the same time. A community manager will also be able to deal with any problems from the community should they arise unexpectedly.

Conclusion

There is something magical about Minneapolis that seems to work wonders for the scenes in any script. It's a great city to consider as a filming location whether you're shooting a drama, action, or horror movie. With the combination of impressive outdoor locations and the wide variety of indoor ones to choose from, there's no way you won't find the perfect spots to shoot your film. And you never know, yours just might be the next one to find its way into the archives of the National Film Registry.

City Guide Filming in Minneapolis, MN

Production Permit Fees

Minimum Insurance

Additional Permits

Discounts