City Guide Filming in Overland Park, KS
Production Permit Fees
- Permit Fee: $50
Minimum Insurance
- General Liability
- Worker’s Compensation
- Automobile Liability
- Aviation Insurance Coverage
- UAS/Drone Insurance
- Product Liability Insurance
- Liquor Liability Insurance
Additional Permits
Discounts
About Overland Park
Overland Park has the second-largest population in Kansas, second only to Wichita. It sits in Johnson County, experiences humid summers and dry, cold winters, and is generally considered a great place to live. The generally warm atmosphere and high prospects have not gone unnoticed. Instead, the city has earned recognition nationwide – it was ranked among the top 10 of the “100 Best Places to Live in the United States” by CNNMoney, claimed the top spot among the "Top 10 Best Cities for Families" list, made it to the BusinessWeek ranking list of the "The Best Places to Raise Your Kids," and aced the "Best city to raise a family" list compiled by WalletHub.
In short, the city has all the defining elements of a big-time city and is loaded with opportunities for anyone coming this way, including filmmakers. High School Confidential (documentary series), The Most Popular Girls in School (web series), United States of Tara (TV series), A Dream of Color in Black and White, Where Pigeons Go to Die, Maro Charitra, and Lenexa are some of the most prominent cinematic projects featuring the city. Granted, this is not enough to earn it a comparison to cities like Los Angeles, but the artistic excellence of these works, the ambiance, and the features of the city itself (as seen in these works) are simply astounding. And speaking of Hollywood, Darren Lynn Bousman, the director of Saw, and Michael Almereyda, the director of Hamlet, are both from this city!
With 1800 acres of green space in the city, including parks, hiking trails, sports arenas, and outdoor recreational spots, the city offers limitless opportunities to anyone wishing to explore its beauty. Then there are a ton of indoor filming venues as well, and you can pick from Giggster’s list of the best filming destinations in Overland Park and beyond without ever having to leave your home or office. But let’s go over the filming guidelines in Overland Park first, so you don’t feel lost when you first start!
Do I Need a Filming Permit in Overland Park?
Yes! All filming activity that either involves the use of city property, occurs in public, involves street closure, or requires the assistance of local departments, will have to be approved by the city first. This approval comes in the form of a film permit, which you obtain from the city authorities, as per the filming guidelines in Overland Park. Film productions operating exclusively in private premises, however, need only to sign an agreement with the property owner to start filming there. Only if they require any assistance from city officials will they be required to apply for a film permit.
Also, besides a general filming permit, you’ll need special permissions, such as:
Pyrotechnics Permit –
you’ll have to reach out to the local fire department if you need special permission to operate fire-based special effects, such as explosions and fireworks; the department officials will make sure that your pyrotechnic effects are used safely without causing any harm to the nearby property or public.
Animal Control Permit –
this permit is needed when animals are part of the film production; you’ll be responsible for keeping the said animals restrained to avoid any bodily or property damage.
Aircraft Usage Permit –
this is needed when a low-flying aircraft or helicopter is part of the film production; you’ll also have to provide additional insurance coverage to feature the aircraft in your film.
Drone Filming Permit –
you can film via camera drones if you secure the necessary permission and ensure the protection and respect of the residents' privacy.
Student/Non-Commercial Filming Permit –
this permit is available for discounted rates (at $93.24 per credit) for students and non-commercial film productions.
Permit Management in Overland Park
Kansas Creative Arts Industries Commission
The Kansas Creative Arts Industries Commission does not directly issue filming permits in Overland Park, but you can count on their assistance in acquiring one, and they're also eager to assist filmmakers in their projects. The commission has a pro-filmmaker policy and will do much more for you than just helping you acquire a permit to film in public. You can expect their help at both pre-production and production levels. For any questions and queries, you can access their online resources or call (785) 296-4927 to help you better understand the film permitting process and how the commission can help. You can also reach out to them in person at 8500 Santa Fe Dr in Overland Park, although this might not be necessary.
The assistance and services offered by the Kansas Creative Arts Industries Commission include:
Liaison with the local departments, especially the fire and police departments.
Collaboration with state-level and federal-level offices and agencies related to your film production activities.
Help with scouting for suitable filming venues for your production efforts, especially ones that go with the theme of your script.
Giving access to all the information and resources you need to get started.
Providing information regarding any local, state-level, or federal laws that concern you.
Helping you navigate the permitting process with ease.
Technical support throughout the film production schedule.
To file your permit application, you just need to get in touch with the commission, prepare all the required documentation, schedule your shoot, and select a venue. The rest, you can leave to the Kansas Creative Arts Industries Commission. They'll help you get through the process as smoothly as possible, and if you understand the documentation requirements in advance (check out their website), things shouldn't be troublesome for you.
What Insurance Do I Need in Overland Park?
The only major requirement you’ll have to worry about for filming in the city is insurance coverage. Production insurance is needed in case there’s a mishap and you need to compensate the victim for their medical bills, property damage, or other losses. Even if your script does not involve stunts or risky elements that can result in such harm, you still need to be prepared just in case. Accidents can happen without warning, even if it is something as trivial as a slip and fall; the damages can pile up for the victim – and you'll have to compensate them.
You won’t have to worry as long as you have the required film production insurance coverage. And since the underlying factor is the level of risk involved, there are no fixed production insurance requirements in Overland Park; we’ve mentioned the general base-line requirements, however, to help you understand what to expect:
You’ll need $1 million in general liability with a $2 million aggregate.
Coupled with this, you’ll also have to acquire worker’s compensation insurance, following the laws of the state of Kansas.
If any automobiles are involved in the shoot, whether owned or rented, you’ll have to acquire $1 million liability coverage per incident.
You’ll also need $5 million in aircraft liability insurance if any helicopters or aircraft are part of the film production.
For using camera drones or UAS in your film production, you’ll need to provide $2 million in liability insurance coverage.
$1 million in product liability is also needed if any food is served to the crew.
The same goes for alcohol if it is served on the set, even if only for a scene. You’ll need $1 million in liability coverage.
The city and all concerned local departments and officials must be endorsed as additionally insured, meaning that you’ll have to face any liability claim resulting from your filming activities, not those entities. Plus, you only need to arrange for general liability coverage and worker’s compensation to be allowed to film in the city. The rest only become necessary when the corresponding elements are included in the film shoot.
These insurance requirements are only rough guidelines; the extent of coverage required in your case will vary depending on the level of perceived risk associated with your production. Once you apply, the Kansas Creative Arts Industries Commission will let you know how much insurance is needed in your specific case.
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 Overland Park?
Now that we’ve discussed some of the filming laws in Overland Park, let’s dive a bit deeper into the topic and instead look at the assortment of filming venues available in the city. You’ve got both indoor and outdoor options, simple and themed ones, and you can also rent purpose-built studios to film your project.
For starters, you have the Accessible Yoga studio in Overland Park, which, as the name suggests, has a calm and serene atmosphere. You can also try out the Ultramodern Recording Studio in Overland Park or the Diverse Production Studio, both of which are purpose-built spaces to get the perfect acoustics. But if you’re looking for something more relatable, take a look at the Cozy Corporate Retreat Space.
The Healing Atmosphere Yoga Studio in Overland Park is a perfect filming venue for filmmakers working on most niches/categories because of how it has been furnished and set up; plus, it is bathed by natural sunlight – making it an exceptionally good-looking space during the daylight hours. You will also love the mid-century-style OPKS Dome House, which is another themed space, brightly lit, and fully furnished. Or maybe you want the sense of privacy and seclusion of a fully-furnished private apartment studio. Need to keep the atmosphere formal and serious? No worries, you can create such an atmosphere for your project with the Board Room Conference Venue.
For a dose of history, head to Alexander Majors Historical House, and the Overland Park 9/11 Memorial might be the ideal backdrop for a film on the subject. The Museum at Prairiefire and the Johnson County Arts and Heritage Center are also worth considering.
Whatever your needs may be, Giggster will help you find something that goes with your script and theme!
Special Requirements in Overland Park
Filming In Local School Districts
Local schools like the Blue Valley School, Overland Park Elementary School, and Timber Creek Elementary School can only give you conditional approval for filming on their premises (and approval is not guaranteed). You can maximize your chances by asking for filming privileges during off days, the holiday season, vacations, or weekends. Be sure to submit your proposal at least a month in advance and share documented evidence of insurance amounting to $1 million in general liability (with a $2 million aggregate). After approval, you can complete the general film permit issuance process and begin filming as per your agreed-upon schedule.
Filming In Kansas River
To film in Kansas River, if yours is a big commercial film crew with boats and water vessels, you’ll need $1 million in watercraft liability insurance coverage. There are no serious restrictions, except for the usual safety precautions and no-pollution rules.
Filming In Local Parks
You can get approval from the local parks and recreation department to film in neighborhood and destination parks in the area, like South Lake Park, Roe Park, and Hickory Hills Park.
Filming In Nearby Hillsdale State Park
To film in Hillsdale State Park, you'll need approval from the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks. You shouldn’t face any trouble here, but you will be required to follow all park rules (it is a natural preserve, after all), plus, you’ll also have to pay all the park entry fees, parking fees, and even hire a park official as a monitor for your filming activities.
UAS/Camera Drone Filming
Using camera drones for filming is allowed, but you need to acquire a special permit, submit insurance requirements ($2 million in UAS liability), ensure the protection of people's privacy, and follow the FAA regulations.
Normal Filming Hours & How To Get An Extension
The regular timings for filmmakers are 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Monday to Friday; you can get an extension only if you conduct a local survey and it turns out that the local residents are okay with it.
What Does it Cost to Film in Overland Park?
Besides site rentals and filming expenses, the filming regulations in Overland Park also require you to pay certain fees for permit issuance and assorted expenses. For the most part, you’ll be paying these dues to the Kansas Creative Arts Industries Commission or its subsidiary, the Kansas Film Commission. The permit-associated fees include: A general film permit application review fee of $50. A discounted film permit application fee for students ($25). And undisclosed amounts payable as rider fee and monitor fee. You’ll also have to pay for any services rendered by the local departments, but these expenses will be decided by the individual departments upon review of your proposal – the services include: Traffic control services – hourly charges payable to the local police department. Hiring an officer to be on the set – hourly charges payable to the local police department. Police equipment rental – quoted in advance and payable to the local police department. On-set fire safety inspection – hourly charges payable to the local fire department. Hiring a firefighter to be on the set – hourly charges payable to the local fire department. To get a temporary water connection, you’ll have to deposit a refundable amount and then pay the bill as per your usage. The rent for parking signs will be decided by the local department of transport. The same goes for the fee for street closure - the local department of transport will give a quote.
Additional Fees
Specific fees and requirements for filming in Overland Park, Kansas, may vary based on multiple factors, including the nature of the filming, locations, duration, equipment used, and potential impact on the area. Filming permits are typically required for commercial or non-commercial filming activities in most cities, and Overland Park might have its own set of regulations.
Geographical Jurisdiction of Overland Park?
Overland Park sits in northeastern Kansas, more specifically, in the northeastern section of the Osage Plains, which puts it down south from the Kansas River. All of the filming laws in Overland Park that we’ve discussed above are only applicable to the geographical bounds of the city – elsewhere, other local laws take effect. Understanding the boundaries of Overland Park is vital, and it's easy, too, since the city is surrounded on all fours by other settlements. The northwestern boundary is formed by Merriam and Shawnee. To the north lies Kansas City, Kansas, while Prairie Village and Mission occupy the northeastern boundary. The eastern part of the city is bordered by Leawood, the southern perimeter is marked by Stilwell, and lastly, Olathe and Lenexa demark the western boundary.
Outreach in Overland Park
You must notify all affected locals about your upcoming filming activities if you’re filming in a residential space, as per the Overland Park filming laws. Ideally, you should notify the residents at least a week before the scheduled filming, but you can do so even two days in advance. However, for complex productions, it will have to be earlier than this. Local surveys are usually not needed, but if you're planning to film beyond the regular hours or otherwise exceed the allowance of the general filming permit, you will have to first see if the residents are okay with it.
Community Management in Overland Park
As the numerous titles, top rankings, and accolades suggest, Overland Park is one of the finest places to live in the USA, and it's all because of the local community here. You'll find the people kind-hearted, warm, and hospitable – the filmmaker-friendly filming regulations in Overland Park are also a reflection of the city’s generally positive attitude towards the filming industry. Though there haven’t been many big-scale ventures here, the city’s openness in this regard is bound to attract big projects in the future – and it could just as well be yours!
Conclusion
We've gone through scores of reasons why Overland Park will be the perfect city to host your film production team. The honors, rankings, and sights are all impressive, to say the least, and the filming guidelines in Overland Park, as noted, are easy-to-follow. The city is yet to host any big-time Hollywood production team, but several impressive cinematic projects have featured Overland Park, and “Where Pigeons Go to Die” is considered one of the best TV films to feature the city. But considering how much the Kansas Creative Arts Industries Commission is trying to give exposure to the city’s allure and unique charm, it is only a matter of time.
Also, the variety of filming venues, as we've discussed, is a plus point – from indoor studios to glass domes and outdoor venues, you've got the whole package. And it's not just the private spaces that are worth your time, some of the most impressive landmarks and buildings in Kansas are located here, such as Overland Park Arboretum and Botanical Gardens, Johnson County Arts and Heritage Center, Deanna Rose Children's Farmstead, Overland Park Golf Division, Historic Downtown Overland Park, and Nerman Museum of Contemporary Art, to name a few. In short, if you want to feature Overland Park in your cinematic project, know that there’s a lot to show.
But this doesn’t mean that you have to spend hours scouting for the perfect filming destinations for your film production. You can instead rent out premium filming venues available in and near the city with just a click or tap on Giggster. Give it a try today!