City Guide Filming in Orlando, FL
Production Permit Fees
- Film Permit Minimum Cost: Free
- Film Permit Application Fee: Free
Minimum Insurance
- Commercial General Liability
- Special Effects Liability
- Workers’ Compensation
Additional Permits
Discounts
About Orlando
The city of Orlando in Florida is located about 77 miles northeast of Tampa and is popular as a top tourist destination all over the world. Nicknamed the City Beautiful, Orlando features lots of amazing spots that are not only great for use as backdrops for pictures alone but for motion picture productions too. The city is a leading destination for television, commercial, and film projects, and has been since before the mid-1900s. For a long time, the modern soundstages and picture-perfect locations have made Orlando a busy production location in the US. That’s one of the reasons the city is called Hollywood East.
Another reason why Orlando favors filmmakers is the fact that there are lots of incentives for filming in the city. For instance, production companies are eligible for and can apply for an upfront sales tax exemption when they do business here simply because the State of Florida offers such exemption to producers. Moreover, TV producers in the city can benefit from the television network cash incentive on offer. Add to the sophisticated and talented crew base that is available to production teams here, and you will see just why choosing to film in Orlando is a no-brainer.
If you’re still not convinced, consider the city’s moderate climate that favors year-round filming, and you will see why Orlando lives up to the hype among the big players in the filmmaking industry. Whether you’re here for a feature film, independent film, commercial web series, music video, student project, documentary, or TV series/Pilot, you will love every moment of it. In case you’re wondering, some of the projects filmed in Orlando include Transformers: Dark of the Moon, Ocean’s Eleven, The Golden Girls, Jurassic Park III, Minority Report, Van Helsing, and Lethal Weapon 3, to name a few.
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Do I Need a Filming Permit in Orlando?
You will need a filming permit for most types of productions in the city of Orlando, particularly those of a commercial nature. These include films, web productions, music videos, feature, and independent films, documentaries, and TV series. Students who wish to film in the city also require a permit before they can do so.
On the other hand, if you are in town and are filming for personal use – like taking a video with loved ones while on vacation – you may not require a permit. News media crew may also not require a permit in the city of Orlando to film. It is always a good choice to contact the city’s Film Commission if you doubt whether your filming activity will align with Orlando’s filming laws or not so that you don’t run foul of the city’s film regulations.
Permit Management in Orlando
Orlando Film Commission
The Orlando Film Commission facilitates and manages the issuance of film permits in the city of Orlando. In addition to issuing permits to filmmakers, the Orlando Film Commission also provides some other services which make film production seamless in the city:
Location Assistance and Services: Filmmakers can take advantage of the robust location library of the Orlando Film Commission or request a customized location package that is tailored to their specific needs.
Production Directory: The Orlando Film Commission provides a detailed guide to filmmakers that covers a robust spectrum of companies and teams that could offer goods and services to aid their production.
Liaison with City departments: Filmmakers whose projects will require that additional agencies like Law Enforcement, Fire Department, Risk Management, etc., can count on Orlando Film Commission’s assistance. The Commission makes arrangements with these departments on behalf of the filmmaker, ensuring that all the required inputs are gotten before issuing the permit so that the process is streamlined and straightforward.
The Orlando Film Commission requires all film production companies who wish to film in Orlando to submit their completed film permit application via email at least five days before the date of filming. The supporting documents that the filmmaker would need to send in along with the application are as follows:
Neighborhood or Business Notification Letters to those within a 500 ft radius of the filming location. This should be accompanied by signed consent documents from owners of properties that share borders with the filming location(s);
Map of parking location for all production/crew vehicles;
Certificate of Insurance that conforms with Orlando’s filming guidelines;
Project Summary Document;
Hold Harmless Agreement.
If a project will require the use of Special FX, the filmmaker will need to meet some additional requirements in the area of insurance, coordinators and technicians, and a detailed explanation of planned activities.
What Insurance Do I Need in Orlando?
In the city of Orlando, every filmmaker must comply with the city’s production insurance requirements by providing a certificate of insurance that includes a general liability policy of at least $1,000,000 per occurrence. The policy must be valid for the entire duration of the filming and name the city of Orlando as additional insured.
Where a project will include special effects, the certificate of insurance must have a minimum of $5,000,000 policy cover. If a filmmaker is unclear about what their insurance requirement will be because of the nature of the production, the Orlando Film Commission is happy to help and provide the required clarification(s).
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 Orlando?
The city of Orlando is famous for its wide array of filming locations that offer plenty of opportunities to film different kinds of projects. Whether it is a rural or urban setting that you desire, you will find it here in Orlando. Moreover, the natural settings within the city present producers with good options, from rolling hills to lush jungles, wild swamps, pastures, springs, and lakes. The scenic backdrops that these areas offer are simply breathtaking.
Orlando is also home to several production studios like Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Universal Studios. As a result, filmmakers can easily find their desired location for filming in any of the studios here and not have to worry about whether they will find the required gear for their products because these studios are well-equipped. Moreover, entertainment companies abound in the city too, so there’s even more to choose from.
Filmmakers that are big on architectural styles will find Orlando to be a very suitable place to bring their cast and crew because the city has plenty. Filming locations with architectural styles that range from Art Deco to Brownstone, Colonial, Contemporary, Craftsman Bungalow, Spanish/Mediterranean, and Victorian are available here. It’s essentially up to the production company to pick what works best for their unique requirements.
Other filming locations in Orlando include colleges/universities, highways and streets, rail stations, neighborhoods, and airports. There are lots of skyscrapers in Orlando too, so you wouldn’t want to miss the view of that skyline.
Special Requirements in Orlando
Orlando Museum of Art
Filming is allowed in the Orlando Museum of Art (OMA), and the Museum typically gives preference to educational projects, news, and documentary. Despite that, commercial filmmakers are welcome to submit their filming requests to OMA’s Marketing Department.
If you wish to film in the OMA, submit your film request at least two weeks before the proposed date of filming, and the OMA will review your request.
University of Central Florida
Filming is encouraged on the University of Central Florida’s campus for both commercial filmmakers and student filmmakers. As a first requirement, every filmmaker that wishes to make use of UCF’s ground should send in their request several weeks ahead so that the University will have ample time to review the filming request for approval. Available areas within the University for filming include the classrooms, residence halls, and campus buildings.
Amtrak
Commercial filmmakers can carry out filming projects on the Amtrak intercity passenger rail service that operates in Orlando. Any production company that wishes to make use of Amtrak’s property in the city is required to contact Amtrak’s Real Estate Department via phone to discuss their request and other details of the film project.
Lynx
Every filmmaker that intends to film on Lynx’s property in Orlando is welcome to make use of their buildings and buses for commercial production. The first step is to complete Lynx’s Facility Agreement and send it to Lynx via email for review and approval. In addition, Lynx requires filmmakers to provide as much advanced notice as possible for the application to be properly assessed.
Lynx has production insurance requirements that filmmakers must comply with to film on Lynx property in Orlando:
Workers’ Compensation Insurance per statutory requirements of the State of Florida and other applicable Federal laws
Commercial General Liability that covers the following:
Bodily injury and property damage of at least $1,000,000 per accident
Bodily injury and property damage of at least $2,000,000 per occurrence
Aggregate of $2,000,000
Coverage for the entire period of the filming
Filming is only allowed in public areas that are easily accessible, and a location permit may be required, depending on the nature of the project.
Greyhound Lines
Any production company that wishes to make use of Greyhound buses or facilities in Orlando must first get approval from Greyhound Lines. To obtain approval, the filmmaker must send a request via email to Greyhound Lines at least one month before the scheduled date of filming. Greyhound will review the request and notify the filmmaker about the requirements for the production based on the scope of the project.
What Does it Cost to Film in Orlando?
The Orlando Film Commission does not charge filmmakers that wish to film in the city of Orlando for the permit application. In addition, there is generally no film permit fee in Orlando; however, when other services are required as part of the production, these may require a fee. If a project will require off-duty officers, then the associated cost of hiring those officers for the duration of the production will be charged to the filmmaker. The same applies if fire employees and equipment are required. Other services that may come with associated fees in Orlando include metered parking, public works services, and filming in some public parks. As an example, the average rate for an Orlando officer is $50 per officer per hour with a four-hour minimum. The filmmaker may be required to pay part of these associated filming fees before the permit is issued and then after the project, whatever excesses or deficits would be reconciled for refund or payment accordingly. All in all, the Orlando Film Commission will notify the filmmaker about what the fees for the production in the city will be during the permit application process.
Additional Fees
Additional rates that may be charged to filmmakers vary, depending on the filming location, duration, or what other services and facilities they may need. Compliance with the requirements and fees the city and private entities established ensures a smooth process.
Geographical Jurisdiction of Orlando?
Orlando is a city with a generally flat terrain that features wetlands, swamps, and lakes. It is bordered to the northeast and northwest by Apopka and Sanford respectively. Lake Buena Vista, Kissimmee, and St. Cloud all lie south of Orlando. Lake Louisa State Park and Hal Scott Regional Preserve and Park are located west and east of Orlando respectively.
Sanford
In Sanford, the Orlando Film Commission and Sanford City Clerk in Salford are authorized to work with filmmakers on film permit processing. The filmmaker is required to submit an application at least five business days before the filming date and provide the following:
Film location; Type of production and duration; General liability insurance at least $1,000,000, which names the city of Sanford as additional insured; Special effects that will be used and an appropriately qualified and licensed pyrotechnician; Special effects liability insurance of at least $5,000,000, if special effects will be used; The proposed city equipment to be used for the production; The public areas to be closed for filming and for how long; The list of production vehicles and equipment; An agreement to cover the costs of extra services the city provides.
Space Coast
The Space Coast Film Commission manages film permits for Brevard County and other surrounding areas. Even though there are no permit fees for filming here, additional services often come at a cost to the filmmaker. Such services include fire rescue, road or bridge closure, crowd control, police escorts, etc.
Generally, a filmmaker must submit their application for filming in Space Coast at least five business days before the intended date of filming and provide insurance coverage of at least $1,000,000 for general liability, $1,000,000 for auto liability, as well as workers’ compensation coverage that conforms to Florida’s provisions. In addition, the filmmaker must name Brevard County and the particular municipality within the Space Coast region where filming is to take place as additional insured in the certificate of insurance.
Besides the general requirements, some areas within the jurisdiction of the Space Coast have specific film permit requirements that filmmakers must also abide by. Examples of such areas include NASA, Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, Canaveral National Seashore, Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, and Archie Carr National Wildlife Refuge.
Outreach in Orlando
All filmmakers in Orlando are required to abide by the outreach requirements of the city before they can be issued a permit for film production. According to Orlando’s filming regulations, the production company must distribute letters of notification to the residents and businesses that lie within a 500 ft radius of the proposed film location(s). In addition, all the owners of properties that directly border the film location must sign a consent form indicating that they approve of the proposed filming activity.
Community Management in Orlando
The folks in Orlando are accustomed to having film production cast and crew in town and already know how to make their guests feel welcome for the duration of the film shoot. In spite of that, every filmmaker has a responsibility to ensure that the moviemaking exercise in the city brings minimal disruption to the hosts. This means keeping to the allowed noise levels, filming only during normal hours, and ensuring all film locations are kept tidy. In addition, it helps filmmakers to create communication channels between the production company and the host community via means such as public meetings or dedicated contact lines.
Conclusion
Filmmaking is a popular activity in the city of Orlando, which is why the city is known by the alias Hollywood East in the filmmaking space. Here, production companies enjoy different benefits like tax breaks and cash incentives. In addition to that, Orlando is well-known for its favorable weather all year round – that’s also why it is a top tourist attraction and filmmaking destination. Besides these, there are several state-of-the-art production studios, beautiful filming locations, and abundant production support crew available in the city, all of which make the production experience in Orlando second to none.
Film permitting in Orlando is handled by the Orlando Film Commission. The Commission ensures the process is streamlined and easy for production companies willing to do business in the city by offering additional services and acting as the one-stop shop for everything relating to the issuance of permits. As a result, producers do not have to worry about liaising with various City departments because the Film Commission handles that. As long as the production team provides all the required documentation for the permit, submits them within the stipulated period, pays the associated fees, and abides by Orlando’s filming laws, the Film Commission takes care of the rest.
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