City Guide Filming in Mission Bay, CA
Production Permit Fees
- Free
Minimum Insurance
- $1
Additional Permits
Discounts
About Mission Bay
Mission Bay sits in San Diego, California, and is a saltwater bay and wetland made for recreational purposes. It is spread over 2,000 acres of what used to be wild wetlands and marshes and is today a segment of Mission Bay Park. The extensive area covered by the park and the bay makes it one of the biggest (ninth to be exact) parks owned by municipalities in the USA. The bay witnesses people pouring in from all over to enjoy tons of recreational activities such as jet skiing, cycling, boating, jogging, and more day after day. The Mission Bay Yacht Club is a prominent name in the area due to its involvement in annual sailing race competitions. Another prominent location in the area is Fiesta Island, an oasis for threatened and rare species of animals and plants amid this marshland – it also contains an off-leash dog park and also hosts charity races and walks. The Bayfair Cup, a yearly hydroplane boat race event, is also held in the area.
Taking the I-5 N, it should take you around 3 hours and 24 minutes to reach the heart of the USA cinema – Hollywood. San Diego (which houses Mission Bay) overall has not gone unnoticed by the big screen and has been featured in several cinematic masterpieces, such as Top Gun, Scarface, Top Gun: Maverick, The X-Files, Spaceballs, Purple Hearts, Apollo 13, Green Lantern, The Terminal List, True Lies, The Hunt for Red October, Step Brothers, Transformers, Thor, and Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen. Mission Bay has all the ingredients to make it a premium filming destination, including favorable local laws, an assortment of indoor and outdoor filming destinations, and more. But before you pack your stuff and start for the city, let's take a brief look at the filming guidelines in Mission Bay for some perspective. And when you do come to town, no need to scout for the best filming locations in Mission Bay and beyond, because Giggster is here to help!
Do I Need a Filming Permit in Mission Bay?
Yes, if you're filming in public, if your filming activities affect the public, or if you require the assistance of any local, state-level, or federal agencies for your film production activities, then you need to get a general filming permit. However, when filming on private property, this requirement does not apply, although you may want to sign an agreement with the property owner or get formal permission from them before you start, just in case. Also, as per the filming guidelines in Mission Bay, some additional permits may be needed, depending on the exact nature of your film project:
Pyrotechnics Permit
this permit is needed when a film production team plans on using fire-based special effects, which may include gunfire, explosions, fireworks, and so on; to ensure the safe usage of such elements, the local fire safety department may send over their officials to operate the said special effects or at least monitor their usage by your crew.
Animal Control Permit
this permit is needed when film productions are looking to incorporate animals in some of their scenes; the production must ensure that the animals involved are properly restrained and secured to avoid any bodily injury or property damage to anyone.
Aircraft Usage Permit
this permit is needed when film productions are planning to use aircraft in their filming activities; to do so, additional insurance requirements must also be met.
Drone Filming Permit
the UAS operator must get a drone filming permit before they can use their camera drone for your film production; additional insurance requirements must also be met.
Student/Non-Commercial Filming Permit
student filmmakers and non-commercial film productions can enjoy discounted rates for filming permits.
Permit Management in Mission Bay
California Film Commission
To acquire filming permits in Mission Bay, film productions must reach out to the California Film Commission, an umbrella organization managing all filming activities throughout the state (but they offer permits only for selected locations/communities/areas in the state). You can reach out to the CFC at 7080 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood, CA 90028, or visit their website for all the help and resources you might need. To file your permit application, you don’t have to visit the CFC office in person, but can instead do so without leaving your comfort zone – simply log in to the California Film Commission Permit Portal, fill in all the required details and hit submit. But what about the fees? Well, there are none! The CFC does not charge anything for issuing film permits, although other fees (those charged by the local departments) may be applicable – we’ll discuss those later.
Other than issuing permits, the California Film Commission also offers incentives to filmmakers operating in the state, and this not only applies to film productions working on permits issued by the CFC but to anyone operating in the state! There are two main incentive programs, the first one is the Film California First incentive which includes refunds for film-related expenses and on rentals of certain sites, and the second one is the Star Program which allows filmmakers to use state-owned premises (such as state parks, highways, and state-owned buildings) without having to pay any rent. The California Film Commission will also help you liaise with any concerned departments whose cooperation will be vital to the smooth flow of things. Plus, you can count on them to ensure on-set safety (including fire safety in cooperation with the fire safety department). In short, you won't have to reach out to the local police and fire departments on your own.
What Insurance Do I Need in Mission Bay?
Production insurance requirements are set in place to ensure that the production crew can reimburse any potential victims of accidents, mishaps, product liability, and so on. Despite the best mechanisms set in place, things can go south without a warning and when they do, the damages can be catastrophic. This does not apply only to stunt actors getting injured on their job but also to anyone who suffered from a minor slip-and-fall – the economic and non-economic losses can pile up, and the total damages can be fairly high. The local government expects you to be prepared for this because it is you, not them, that has to be held responsible for compensating the victim.
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 Mission Bay?
Moving past our discussion on the filming laws in Mission Bay for just a couple of moments, let’s take a look at some of the most premium and top-rated filming venues available for rent in the city. First off, we have the perfect rentable filming destination – a Malibu-Inspired Bayside Retreat. This venue is not merely a residential space with a couple of perks and amenities but is rather a masterfully designed and spacious retreat with the finest sense of style, multiple kitchens, a patio, grill, fire pit, fully furnished indoor, and more. And as the name suggests, the theme has been taken from similar retreats in Malibu and it's all about luxury and fineness – the venue also has a parking space of its own for two cars at a time, it is fully air-conditioned, and you'll get free WiFi as well.
Another premium filming location in the area is the Mission Bay Yacht Club which is all about sailing and also hosts race competitions throughout the year. The Fiesta Island is also a perfect place to explore for its natural treasures – there are endangered and rare species of animals and plants, plus the island also has an off-leash dog park and tracks for walks, runs, races, etc. You’ll also find an assortment of other filming venues nearby – San Diego is a big city after all, and we’ve mentioned some of our top picks here: Minimalist Event Space in Mission Hills With Views, Broadcasting and Production Studio with a Cyclorama Wall, High-Energy Performance Dance Studio, Beautiful Urban Event Loft, Unique Event Venue with an Outdoor Urban Oasis, and a Brewery Event Center in San Diego.
Your options for filming in the Mission Bay area and nearby are thus not limited in any way – you can count on Giggster to help you find the most perfect matches for your script. No need to scout for the best filming destinations when you can rely on us for transparency, payment protection, and more!
Special Requirements in Mission Bay
Filming In Local School Districts
You’ve got a couple of school districts in the area, such as the Mission Bay High School, Mission Bay Montessori Academy, and Barnard Elementary School. To get approval for your filming activities, you’ll have to discuss your proposal to film with the school board and also share details of the anticipated activities and the script in general. Once you’ve onboarded the school board and decided the schedule with them, you’ll have to arrange for $1 million in general liability, and then you’ll have to get a general permit as well – once all of this is done, you can start filming in the school premises.
Filming At The Mission Bay Yacht Club
If you wish to film at the Mission Bay Yacht Club, you’ll have to discuss the requirements directly with the club’s management. Be sure to set your schedule so that it doesn't coincide with any upcoming events or races (the club organizes them regularly). Get permission to film in writing and agree upon the insurance requirements (especially the watercraft liability coverage of $1,000,000) with the club's management beforehand.
Filming At The Fiesta Island Dog Park
The Fiesta Island Dog Park allows dog owners to let their dogs run about without leashes – there is also a diverse collection of flora and fauna in the area. However, the dog park itself is fenced to protect the conservation areas. To film here, you’ll need to get approval from the San Diego Parks and Recreation Department, plus you may also have to hire a production monitor official from their staff.
Filming In Mission Bay Park
Once again, you’ll have to request the San Diego Parks and Recreation Department for exclusive access to Mission Bay Park. It is the biggest aqua park in the region, and you can film in the water bodies as well but if you wish to do so, then additional watercraft liability insurance will also apply (if you wish to use a kayak, boat, and so on).
Regular Filming Hours & How To Get An Extension
Normally, you’re allowed to film between 07:00 AM and 08:00 PM, but you can film late at night as well if you conduct a local survey and get an overall positive response in this regard. Reach out to the California Film Commission to get clear and specific instructions for conducting local surveys.
What Does it Cost to Film in Mission Bay?
Among the many perks and privileges of filming at Mission Bay, not having to pay any permit fees to the California Film Commission is a noteworthy one. Yes, you heard that right – the filming regulations in Mission Bay don’t require you to pay for a general filming permit issued by the California Film Commission and the same applies to all of their other services. However, when it comes to the services offered by the local and state-level departments, you'll have to pay for any services rendered by them at your behest.
Additional Fees
In addition to these fees, you may also have to pay 15% of all the fees paid as an administrative fee if you need city representatives on the filming set. You can cover up most of these expenses with the incentives you can secure for filming in California, especially via the Film California First incentive program, which offers refunds and tax credits for qualifying filming expenses.
Geographical Jurisdiction of Mission Bay?
Located southwards of Pacific Beach in San Diego, California, Mission Bay spreads over 2,000 acres of saltwater wetlands. The filming laws in Mission Bay apply only to this 2,000 acres area, no further than this. Mission Bay borders the Pacific Ocean to the west and is itself a part of San Diego – constituent divisions/islands include Crown Point, Mission Beach, Vacation Isle, Sea World, Fiesta Island, Tecolote Creek, and Rose Creek. Nearby cities include Coronado, Solana Beach, Lemon Grove, Chula Vista, National City, La Mesa, and Spring Valley.
Outreach in Mission Bay
The Mission Bay filming laws require you to post notifications to all affected business owners and residents (there are some residential apartment buildings nearby) at least seven days in advance. Your posted notification must include contact details of your production company, the filming venues, the schedule for filming, details regarding any route closure (and alternative routes), and so on – you'll also have to share a copy of this notification with the California Film Commission and seek their approval before you post them.
Community Management in Mission Bay
The filming regulations in Mission Bay, as we’ve seen, are quite filmmaker-friendly, but there’s more to the equation: the people. San Diego generally, and the Mission Bay area specifically, are ranked among the best places to live in the state. Overall, the people here are quite friendly – the local businesses are used to having people over and as long as you don’t cause excessive disturbance (or noise), things should go swimmingly.
Conclusion
Wrapping up our deep dive into the filming guidelines in Mission Bay, let’s do a short recap of why Mission Bay will be ideal for your next filming project. Big or small – every film production deserves the kind of environment that best resonates with the script, and if a wetland is the sort of thing you need for your film project, then Mission Bay will be a premium choice for you. Not only will you find all sorts of adventure and thrills, including jet skiing, boating, jogging, cycling, and so on, but also premium filming venues both within the bay’s premises and nearby (San Diego is a big city, after all). Mission Bay is mostly known for its outdoor recreational fun – a myriad of public beaches, waterfront parks, pathways lined by palms, a huge aquatic park, and wild wetlands are all features you’re sure to love.
Mission Bay Golf Course, SeaWorld San Diego, Mission Bay Cross Country Course, Aqua Adventures, and Belmont Park (featuring the iconic Giant Dipper Roller Coaster) are some of the most prominent and frequently visited attractions. We’ve also seen how successful the film production scene has been in San Diego generally with super-hit titles like Top Gun and Scarface produced in the city. California in general has a very strong pro-film policy, and the incentive programs offered – Film California First and Star Program – encourage productions to operate in the state. Be sure to stay in touch with the California Film Commission the whole time as they’ll do much more for you than just issuing permits for filming in public. With them by your side, you won’t have to worry about liaising with local departments, ensuring on-set safety, and more.
And as far as location scouting goes, you don’t have to worry at all – Giggster showcases all the top picks in the area and nearby locations, all the while ensuring complete payment protection!