City Guide Filming in Southampton, NY
Production Permit Fees
- Film Permit Minimum Cost: To be determined by the Village Board of Trustees
- Film Permit Application Fee: $750
Minimum Insurance
- Commercial General Liability with limits of $500,000/$1,000,000 per occurrence
Additional Permits
Discounts
About Southampton
The village of Southampton in Suffolk County, New York, derives its name from the Earl of Southampton and is one of the oldest communities in the region that is popularly known as The Hamptons. Moreover, the village is a top summer resort location, known amongst tourists within and outside the United States. The village lies within the Town of Southampton, a few miles northeast of Long Island, and has been a commercial hub for decades. Moreover, it is famous for its glamorous real estate landscape.
In addition to the popularity of the village of Southampton among fun lovers and recreation enthusiasts, it is also a great place for filming. This is evidenced by the several scenic spots within the community that have hosted film producers since the mid-1900s. Here, various types of film production are supported. Some of the projects filmed here include The Other Woman, Funny Games, Rough Night, One Life to Live, The Real Housewives of New York City, Masquerade, Dark Was the Night, Interiors, Madman, Enter Nowhere, and One Life to Live. Find your filming location in the village of Southampton now with Giggster and take advantage of the beautiful spots here that welcome production companies all year round.
Do I Need a Filming Permit in Southampton?
As a filmmaker, you may or may not need a film permit to go about your business in the village of Southampton. For instance, if you are here on summer vacation and are filming personal videos with your family or friends, you will not need a permit for your filming activities. On the other hand, if you are in town and intend to film for educational or commercial purposes, such that your audience will view the motion picture on TV or any other media, or in a theater or institutional setting, you will need a permit.
In addition, besides the nature of the production necessitating a film permit, the filming location could also make a filmmaker require a permit to film in the village. For instance, any filmmaker that intends to film on public or private property in the village has to secure a permit before the activity can take place. For clarity, public properties in the village of Southampton include village streets, parking areas, sidewalks, beaches, parks, public facilities, and buildings.
If you are in town and are not sure whether you will need a permit for your intended filming activity, reach out to the Office of the Village Clerk and find out what will apply to your project so that you will comply with Southampton’s filming laws.
Permit Management in Southampton
The Village Clerk’s Office
Every filmmaker that plans to film in the village of Southampton is required to submit their film application via email to the Village Clerk’s office where it will be subject to a review process to determine whether it will be approved or denied. The application for the permit will contain the following information:
The kind of filming activity;
The total number of the filming crew, as well as the vehicles and equipment to be used for filming;
The proposed dates of filming;
The proposed filming location(s) in the village;
The contact of the filmmaker.
When submitting the film permit application, the filmmaker must submit a certificate of insurance as well, which must conform to the Village’s production insurance requirements. If filming on private property, the production company may need to provide evidence of consent from the owner of the private property before the application will be approved. In certain cases, film permit requests may be subject to the review of the Village Board of Trustees as well before approval.
After submitting your film permit request for consideration at the Village Clerk’s office, your application may be further reviewed by other units or departments in the village, where required. For instance, requirements such as street closures, parking in public areas, use of fire equipment, and special effects could necessitate the involvement of the Police or Fire Departments. Student filmmakers are also welcome to send in their applications for filming in the village.
What Insurance Do I Need in Southampton?
While in the village of Southampton, if you have intentions to film on any public or private property, you need to secure liability insurance before you can get the film permit from the office of the Village Clerk. Here, every filmmaker must provide proof of public liability insurance that has a coverage or policy limit of $500,000/$1,000,000. In addition to providing this insurance cover, you must also name the Incorporated Village of Southampton as an additional insured in the policy.
Students who intend to shoot films for educational purposes in the village have to reach out to the Village Clerk’s office for clarifications on how to comply with the production insurance requirements of the village. As for filmmakers that do not require a permit from the Village Clerk’s office, liability insurance is also not necessary before filming.
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 Southampton?
There are different filming locations within the village of Southampton that filmmakers familiar with the area often use as backdrops for their shoots. From any of the historic districts in town to the beaches, parks, museums, art centers, and village streets and buildings, there are several options to choose from here.
Production companies that wish to pitch their tents in the historic districts in the village could choose from any of Southampton Village’s four districts. Beach Road Historic District, for instance, is well-known for its buildings that feature architectural styles from the 20th century. The mansions within this district certainly provide directors with perfect opportunities to bring their scripts to life. The historic farmsteads in Wickapogue Road Historic District are also unique in their way and further showcase the kind of amazing options available in the village.
How about the beaches in the village? Southampton is after all a top summer vacation spot, and these beaches are responsible, in large part, for that. The seven miles of shoreline and eleven beaches present here are more than enough to woo every filmmaker that’s looking for a place to shoot scenes that include beach sands, ocean backdrops, and similar setups.
The village of Southampton is also home to parks and natural areas that are great for use as movie sets. Examples include Agawam Park, Richard L. Fowler Nature Walk, and David Whites Park. As for other places of interest in the village that always come in handy for producers, these include Elias Pelletreau Silversmith Shop which was built in 1686, Thomas Halsey Homestead - the oldest English frame house in New York, and Monument Square. Other areas of interest are Southampton African American Museum, Southampton Arts Center, Southampton Cultural Center, and Southampton History Museum. One of the oldest golf courses in the US - Shinnecock Hills Golf Club - also gets a shout here.
Special Requirements in Southampton
Filming rules in Southampton
Generally, filmmakers can only film on weekdays in Southampton Village because filming on weekends and holidays is not allowed
Filming time Village beaches
Between Memorial Day and September 30 every year, filming is not allowed on any of the Village beaches
Use of generators
The use of generators during film production in the village is not allowed
Filming restrictions
When filming near wetlands or on beaches in the village, the Village Clerk’s office or any other applicable Village unit may impose some additional restrictions on the production
Area permits
Special permits are required to park in the beach area in town
What Does it Cost to Film in Southampton?
In the village of Southampton, the Village Board of Trustees sets the permit fee for filming. This application permit fee amount may differ from project to project, but it must be paid before the permit is issued. Some of the factors that influence the permit application cost are: the type of film production e.g. music video vs. feature film; the duration of the production (how many days it will take); the number of additional services or Village facilities that will be required for the production.
Additional Fees
Besides the $750 day rate for filming on public property, additional fees may be imposed, especially if the activity creates unusual costs for the town and its facilities. Additional charges are also required from other city departments and staff if you need their assistance and expertise.
Keep in mind that some fees will be set based on the circumstances and the cost incurred by the Village. The town may also establish fees in different amounts, based on the type of filming activity, the number of filming days, the location, and the cost of necessary traffic control or other services.
Geographical Jurisdiction of Southampton?
Southampton Village is located on the south shore of eastern Long Island, within the Town of Southampton. To the north of the village lies the village of Tuckahoe, while Shinnecock Hills and Water Mill are situated northwest and northeast of the village respectively. The Southampton Bypass, which runs from Montauk to Long Island, forms the northern boundary of the village in some areas.
Tuckahoe
Applicants for a film permit in the village of Tuckahoe must submit a permit that contains details of the project such as the filming location(s), duration of filming, production equipment and vehicles, the type of filming, any planned special effects that will be used during production, and written permission from a private property owner in the village if such property is intended for use during filming.
Normal filming hours in the village are from 7 am to 7 pm. The filmmaker must also provide a certificate of insurance that complies with the requirements of the Village. The filmmaker must also agree to indemnify the Village from any occurrence during the film production.
As for filming fees, the following apply in the village of Tuckahoe: A non-refundable film permit application fee of $200; A filming fee of $1,250 per day from 7 am to 7 pm; A filming fee of $2,000 per day from 7 am to 7 pm in a train station or a commercial district; A filming fee of $75 per hour between 5 am and 7 am and from 7 pm to 11 pm if the filmmaker has the approval of the Village Administrator and Police Chief; A filming fee of $125 per hour from 11 pm to 5 am if the Village Administrator and Police Chief approve of the filming; Parking fee of $25 per parking space.
Suffolk County
In Suffolk County, all filmmakers must obtain a film permit before engaging in motion picture or television production on any County property or facility. Only members of new media teams and those filming for private use are excluded from the permit application process in the county. The Suffolk County Film Commission is the agency that manages film permitting in the county.
A permittee must submit their film permit application at least five business days before the planned date of filming in Suffolk County. The application shall contain information about the filming location(s), duration of filming, contact of the film production company, number of the production crew and production equipment and vehicles, as well as information about the use of pyrotechnics or animals. Student filmmakers must submit documentation from their school that shows that the film production is solely for educational purposes and not for any other purpose(s).
In addition, a film production company must also comply with the production insurance requirements of Suffolk County and endorse the County as an additional insured. Where a security deposit is required for filming, the filmmaker must also comply with its provisions and pay such deposits before filming commences. All required fees for filming are to be paid before the permit is issued by the Suffolk County Film Commission.
Sagaponack
In the village of Sagaponack, every filmmaker that intends to engage in commercial film production must apply for, and obtain a film permit from the Village Clerk before proceeding with production. To secure the permit, the applicant must submit an application form, pay the non-refundable application fee of $500 and provide evidence of adequate insurance cover for the entire duration of the filming activities.
After the filmmaker applies to the Village Clerk’s office, it is passed on to the Chief of Police and the Mayor of the Town of Southampton to determine whether the production will comply with various requirements of the Village. Moreover, the Village Attorney is responsible for reviewing the certificate of insurance and indemnification agreement submitted by the permittee. As regards insurance, the filmmaker must provide public liability insurance cover of at least $2,000,000 per occurrence and endorse the Village of Sagaponack and the Town of Southampton as additional insured.
Besides the permit application fee, other filming fees in the village of Sagaponack include: A filming rate of $5,000 per day; A security deposit of $500 per day of filming ; A traffic control fee of $1,000 per day; An extension of the permit fee of $500 per day for every additional day of filming. These fees are to be paid either in cash or by certified check to the Village of Sagaponack through the Village Clerk.
East Hampton
All permit applications for filming in East Hampton are subject to the review of the Assembly and Film Committee in the town. Filmmakers who intend to engage in commercial filming on private or public property in the town must complete the application form and submit it to the Town Clerk at least 14 days before the proposed date of filming. The application must be accompanied by supporting documents and required fees.
Here’s a breakdown of the fees required for a film permit in East Hampton: A non-refundable application fee of $100; Filming rate on any public property per number of crew: $150 per day (For up to five people); $300 per day (6 to 15 people); $600 per day (16 to 50 people); $1,200 per day (51 to 100 people); $1,800 per day (For more than 100 people);
Filming rate on any private property per number of crew: $150 per shoot (For up to 20 people); $300 per shoot (20 people or more); A security deposit of $250 per location per day; A traffic control fee of $1,000 per day;
Beach parking fee: $50 per vehicle less than 16 feet; $100 per vehicle larger than 16 feet; An overnight fee of $3,000; Rider fee of $50; A permit extension fee of $100; Fees are payable to the Town of East Hampton.
The production insurance requirement in the town of East Hampton is at least $1,000,000 public liability insurance per occurrence, with the town of East Hampton listed as additional insured
Outreach in Southampton
Even though it is not clearly stated in the village of Southampton’s filming regulations, filmmakers that wish to engage in commercial production in the village are encouraged to reach out to the residents and businesses within the immediate vicinity of where they intend to film before the commencement of filming. Good practice would be to send out neighborhood notification letters to those within a few hundred feet radius of the location. This outreach helps prepare the hosts for the proposed activity and sets the tone for a cordial relationship between the production company and the people in the village.
Community Management in Southampton
There are various ways of engaging in community management during filming in the village of Southampton. A good example of this is attending public meetings where you can meet with the community members and get first-hand feedback on whatever concerns they may have with your production or issues with previous filmmakers that you can endeavor to avoid. Moreover, where necessary, filmmakers can also make provisions for compensation packages if they would be accepted by the hosts. In addition, keeping a clean and tidy location also goes a long way in endearing the community members to the production team.
Conclusion
The village of Southampton may appear to be a small community on Long Island, but it has had its fair share of filming greatness over the past few decades. Being a location that is frequently visited by tourists and outdoor lovers, the beauty and attractiveness of the village’s different areas are not in question. That’s why it is a desirable place for shoots, be it for large-scale productions or short ads and commercials. The residents are certainly used to having cast and crew in town anyway, and they are a hospitable lot.
To secure a film permit from the Village Clerks’ office in Southampton, you need to send an email to the office containing certain information about your production (type, personnel, duration, location, contact, etc.) and provide the required insurance cover, which has to be valid for the entire duration of filming. The Village Clerk’s office is always ready to provide information that will help every filmmaker have a smooth application and filming experience. Meanwhile, nothing is stopping you from having a nice time here the moment production is complete, seeing as the village is the home of relaxation and outdoor recreation. Film and have fun in the village of Southampton - there’s nothing in your way!