City Guide Filming in Queens, NY
Production Permit Fees
- Film Permit Minimum Cost: Free
- Film Permit Application Fee: $300
Minimum Insurance
- Commercial General Liability
Additional Permits
Discounts
About Queens
The borough of Queens lies in Queens County, New York, on Long Island, just east of Manhattan. Queens is famous as one of the most ethnically and linguistically diverse places in the US and is also popular among filmmakers worldwide. Film production here dates back to the late 1880s when motion picture and movie-making were still in the very early stages and silent films were the order of the day.
The borough of Queens was established as a premier filmmaking location in the early 20th century when the Kaufman Astoria Studio was opened in 1920 – it was known back then as Astoria Studio. Within a decade of this studio’s establishment, over one hundred silent films, short films, and feature-length movies were recorded in Queens. Film production grew bigger here as it was later renamed Paramount Studios. Today, popular projects are recorded here by Amazon, Apple+ TV, Netflix, HBO Max, and many other production giants.
Some of the popular movies and TV series that were made in Queens include The Godfather, Spider-Man: No Way Home, The Sopranos, Manifest, Sex and the City, Orange Is the New Black, Daredevil, Homeland, Fringe, and John Wick. So, you can see why this borough stands out as a top destination for filming in New York City. Find your own filming location in Queens now using Giggster.
Do I Need a Filming Permit in Queens?
As per Queens filming laws, filmmakers may or may not require a permit for their activities in the borough of Queens. The nature of the production is what largely determines whether the film production team must first apply for and secure a permit, or whether they can proceed with their work without first touching base with the Film Office.
Projects that fall within the conditions described below do not require a permit. However, the filmmaker may decide to apply for an Optional Permit for such activities, or even obtain a Letter in Lieu of an Optional Permit. If they choose to do so, they will be exempted from the film permit application fee and production insurance requirements that those who require a permit must provide or meet
Equipment
Your equipment (such as camera and props) will be hand-held or a camera on a tripod
Use prop vehicles
You will not use prop vehicles or prop weapons
Use of City
You will not make exclusive use of City or Borough property
Perform
You will not perform stunts or have actors in police uniforms
Parking privileges
You will need parking privileges
Permit Management in Queens
Office of Film, Theatre & Broadcasting (OFTB)
The Office of Film, Theatre & Broadcasting (OFTB) is in charge of issuing permits for all film productions in Queens, whether it be for TV series, feature films, music videos, commercials, student films, or commercials. The OFTB also assists filmmakers with parking essential production vehicles associated with their film project(s). OFTB also facilitates collaboration between the film production company and agencies in the City and Borough.
Filming in some locations in the borough may require the filmmaker to obtain additional permissions to make use of the facilities involved (e.g., State or City parks). If a project requires traffic control or involves the use of weapons, prop firearms, or actors wearing police uniforms, the filmmaker must make a request to the NYPD for an NYPD Movie and TV Unit to be assigned to their production location.
After you determine that you will need a permit to film in Queens, the next thing to do, even before applying for the film permit, is to schedule a Pre-Production meeting with the OFTB. At the meeting, your production schedule and shooting plans are some of the things that will be reviewed. It’s after the meeting is concluded that you can then go ahead with your permit application. This meeting should take place at least five days before the filming date.
All permittees must send in their applications at least two business days before the date of filming. This is because the OFTB endeavors to process film permits within 48 business hours. However, complex film projects may take longer periods to process (up to four days), so the earlier you submit your application, the better.
What Insurance Do I Need in Queens?
Before you can get a permit to film in Queens from the OFTB, you must have complied with the insurance requirements that align with Queens’ filming regulations. The liability insurance must come in the form of a Certificate of Insurance (COI) which must get to the OFTB at least 48 hours before you submit your permit application. Moreover, you cannot send in this COI yourself. Instead, it is your insurance broker that must send the insurance certificate via email to the OFTB.
In the insurance certificate, both the City of New York and the Borough of Queens must be named as additional insured. Furthermore, the comprehensive general liability policy must be at least $1,000,000 and cover the entire duration of filming in the borough.
For student filmmakers, the insurance cover of their school will meet the liability insurance obligations of the OFTB for the filming project.
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 Queens?
So many locations are perfect for filming in Queens, much like other parts of New York City. Here in the borough, filmmakers get to take their pick from residential and office buildings, parks and event centers, business settings and restaurants, open spaces, and production studios, among others.
Queens is home to diverse housing and buildings, such as high-rise apartments in parts of central Queens to western areas, as well as low-rise buildings in the eastern areas of the borough. Furthermore, the borough is well known for its skyscrapers, with well over thirty skyscrapers exceeding 300 ft in height.
As for the highways and streets in Queens, there’s no shortage of options to choose from as several highways traverse the borough. Besides, the borough is well-known for its network of bridges and tunnels.
No conversation about the film locations in Queens is complete without mention of the two most popular production studios here – Kaufman Astoria Studios and Silvercup Studios. Each of these is equipped with sound stages and state-of-the-art facilities that make it a top-class destination for filmmakers. From pre-production to post-production, every aspect of a project is supported in these studios in Queens.
Special Requirements in Queens
Department of Citywide Administrative Services
To be able to film on any Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS) property in Queens, a filming company must apply for a DCAS permit and pay a fee of $3,200 to the NYC Department of Finance. This DCAS permit must be in hand before the filmmaker applies to the OFTB for a film permit in Queens. To obtain this DCAS permit, the application must go in at least four business days before shooting commences. Supporting documents such as Activity Approval Form, Sample Letter of Intent, and Prohibited Conduct Memorandum may be required as well.
New York City Parks
Film production teams that wish to make use of any of the NYC parks in Queens must first complete an online Parks Film Shoot Request Form at least five business days before the intended date of filming. Thereafter, the respective Park Manager will review the request and notify the filmmaker. If the request is approved, then the filmmaker can proceed with their film permit application to the OFTB.
Some of the rules in effect within the city parks in Queens are as follows:
Prior approval is required for any vehicles to be parked within the city park;
No filming activity will be allowed to compromise the privacy of park patrons;
Directional signs for filming are not allowed;
All park areas must be left in the condition they were found in;
Cables and live wires used for production setup must be covered.
Metropolitan Transit Authority
Filmmakers can shoot scenes on Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) property in Queens, be it trains, subway stations, or buses, so long as the necessary approval is gotten beforehand. The MTA requires filmmakers to send their film request to the Transit Authority’s Special Events Unit at least three weeks before the proposed date of filming and have the following ready:
Insurance that covers general liability, auto liability, workers’ compensation, and railroad protective liability, where applicable;
Fees that differ based on the scope of the production;
Letter of intent, script, and storyboard.
The estimated costs and amounts for the project typically vary from one project to the other, and so the Special Events Unit usually provides these figures to the filmmaker after receiving the details of the production.
John F. Kennedy Int’l and LaGuardia Airports
Any filmmaker that wishes to carry out commercial filming in John F. Kennedy and LaGuardia Airports must submit their inquiries and/or applications to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey at least 30 business days before the filming date. There is a non-refundable $250 application fee, excluding any additional costs that may be required by the facility to be used for filming. Applications submitted later than the stipulated processing period attract an extra $100 for every business day closer to the requested date.
Before a filmmaker submits their application to film in any of these airports, they are advised to contact the facility representatives first to discuss the details of their production to be sure that everything is set before sending in the application.
Besides the mandatory Online application and Facility Use request, other supporting documents that may be required to film in JFK and LaGuardia Airports include:
Operations and Security Plans
Insurance Certificates
Load capacity certificates
Fire/Life safety certificates or approvals
Certificates of adherence to safety, health, and building codes.
JFK International Air Terminal 4
The JFK Int’l Air Terminal 4 is managed by the JFK International Air Terminal, LLC (JFKIAT), and therefore any filmmaker who intends to use this facility for commercial filming purposes must obtain approval from the JFKIAT before filming. The permittee must send in their request to JFKIAT about one to two months before the filming date to allow for enough processing time, even though requests can be processed in two to three weeks. When the JFKIAT provides written consent to the filmmaker, then the filming can commence.
New York City Department of Education
The public schools in the borough of Queens are managed by the New York City Department of Education. Therefore, all commercial film permit requests must be directed to the Office of Communications and Media Relations of the NYC Department of Education. An overview of the process is as follows:
The filmmaker submits a request to the Office of Communications and Media Relations
The Office consults with necessary parties and agencies regarding the film request
The producer obtains consent for filming in the school concerned
The producer meets the $1,000,000 insurance coverage minimum
The producer signs the Location Agreement before filming and pays all required fees.
USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center
To obtain permission to film in USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Queens, a filmmaker must complete and submit the Location Film Shoot Request Form. After the application is processed and approved, the film shoot can take place.
Queens Public Library
Anyone that plans to film at any of the over 60 branches of the Queens Public Library must contact the Deputy Communications Director for details of the film permit application process.
What Does it Cost to Film in Queens?
Every application for a film permit to the OFTB to film in Queens is accompanied by a non-refundable application fee of $300. However, the OFTB provides access to many filming locations in the borough free of charge, meaning that no filming fee is charged for these locations. In a case where the filmmaker intends to film in a location where fees will be required, the production team will be duly notified. The same applies to services that are required during the project, meaning that the filmmaker will be informed if such additional services come with extra costs. If a filmmaker can show that they cannot pay the $300 application fee due to unreasonable hardship, the OFTB may waive such fee.
Additional Fees
After paying the $300 non-refundable application fee, filmmakers can shoot in many exterior locations in New York City, including Queens, for free. When your project needs the assistance of police officers, the NYPC Movie and TV Unit will assign officers at no charge. However, if additional services or resources are needed, you would have to cover their costs.
All production-related decisions are made by the Film Office, working closely with the NYPC Movie & TV Unit, and other key agencies in the city. They have the resources and experience to facilitate any production requests.
Geographical Jurisdiction of Queens?
The borough of Queens is bordered to the west by the borough of Brooklyn, while Nassau County lies to the east. As part of the geographic Long Island, Queens lies south of Flushing Bay and Flushing River. Some of the small islands in the Queens area are located in Jamaica Bay and constitute part of the Gateway National Recreation Area.
Gateway National Recreation Area
Filming is allowed in Gateway National Recreation Area (NRA), and filmmakers will either require a permit or not depending on whether their film production falls under the low-impact filming category or non-low-impact filming category. The major difference between the two is a function of the potential impact of the film activity on the park resources and visitor activities.
No fees are charged for film permit applications or location filming in Gateway National Recreation Area, however, the Park Management reserves the right to accept or decline a request to film in the NRA. To film here, contact Park Management via email to begin the inquiry/application.
Garden City
The permit to film in the Incorporated Village of Garden City is approved by the Mayor and/or Board of Trustees. As part of the application process, a permittee must complete an application form, and provide general insurance liability of at least $5,000,000 per occurrence, as well as workers’ compensation insurance, while naming the Incorporated Village of Garden City as additional insured.
The cost of filming per day in Garden City is $1,000, excluding additional fees that may cover the services of agencies or personnel deemed necessary for the safe completion of the film production.
Long Beach
The Special Events & Film Office is the agency in charge of issuing and managing film permits in the city of Long Beach. Where necessary, the Film Office will determine if there must be a walk-through of the intended filming location prior to the film shoot. Moreover, the filmmaker may be required to carry out a signature survey or provide notices to the residents and businesses in the area.
All film permit applications in Long Beach must be submitted at least three business days before the date of filming. Some applications may require a longer time to process because of the scope of the production. The filmmaker will get the costs associated with the production after the permit is issued and make all payments to the City of Long Beach.
The film production insurance requirements in Long Beach are as follows: Comprehensive general liability of at least $1,000,000 Products liability coverage of at least $1,000,000 Liquor liability coverage of at least $1,000,000 Automobile liability of at least $1,000,000 Aircraft liability of at least $1,000,000 Watercraft liability of at least $1,000,000 Drone insurance of at least $5,000,000
The Special Events & Film Office is responsible for sending out notifications to the residents and businesses in the filming location. However, the filmmaker must first conduct a survey in the area and obtain the required signatures and approvals before the notifications can be sent out.
Outreach in Queens
The filming regulations in Queens require filmmakers to conduct outreach by notifying members of the neighborhood where the filming is scheduled to take place about the proposed production activities. This includes both the residents in the area and the businesses as well. In addition, the notification must get to the neighborhood at least 48 hours before filming commences. The outreach not only covers the filming location but crew meal areas, base camps, and parking locations as well. The OFTB provides a sample notification letter that production companies can adapt to their own unique filming requirements.
Community Management in Queens
Filmmakers are urged to engage the local community where they are filming in Queens by getting involved with the local community board. That way, the production company can connect with the folks in the neighborhood and get first-hand feedback on how their activities positively or negatively affect the hosts. Other ways of keeping in touch with the locals during filming are via forums such as community and town hall meetings, etc.
Conclusion
The borough of Queens has been on the moviemaking map for well over a decade and continues to prove its worth as a top destination for all kinds of film productions on any scale. The beautiful locations in the borough are inviting, the hosts are welcoming, and the film office is also supportive – what more could a filmmaker ask for?
Securing a film permit here is rather straightforward as it simply requires that the film production company schedule a pre-production meeting with the OFTB to iron out the details of the project. Thereafter, the filmmaker will tidy up with whichever agency or facility will be involved in the film shoot, provide evidence of insurance, pay the application fee, and go about their business, all the while complying with Queens’ filming regulations. A filming location in Queens is at your fingertips with Giggster.