City Guide Filming in St Louis, MO
Production Permit Fees
- Standard Filming Permit For St Louis - $0
- St Louis County Parks Filming Permit Application Fee - $25
- Earnings Tax – 1% of the gross salary of all production employees per day
- Additional Earnings Tax – ½ % of all gross salaries paid to employees per day
Minimum Insurance
- General liability insurance
- Bodily Injury
- Per Occurrence
- Property Damage Coverage
- Minimum filming fee
- General Liability
- Personal Injury
- Property Damage
- Automobile Liability
- Minimum filming fee
- General Liability
- Personal Injury
- Property Damage
- Automobile Liability
- Aviation Liability if filming with a drone
- Missouri Trip Permit
- Missouri Fuel Permit
- Combined fuel and trip permit
Additional Permits
Discounts
About St Louis
St Louis may not initially strike you as a place with any lengthy connection to the film industry, but this Missouri city's film history actually dates back over a century. While it isn’t Los Angeles in any way shape or form, the city has numerous features that have attracted filmmakers over the years including the majestic sweep of the Mississippi River which separates it from the state of Illinois.
The presence of the United State's most famous river along St Louis’s eastern border has had a massive influence on the city's history, culture, and economy. The port of St Louis is where adventurers Lewis and Clarke set off on their expeditions. A fact that's celebrated by the city's iconic Gateway Arch.
While in current times the maritime traffic heading into St Louis on the Mississippi is now mostly cargo-related, there was a time in the past when those working ships would have been paddle steamers. That's not been forgotten and there are replica paddle steamers cruising the waterway to this day, which make ideal sets for any historic screenplay.
It's the Mississippi River and the old paddle steamers that carried the aspiring musicians down from the inland Delta region and began St Louis's long association with the Blues. It's a music genre that has, in part, given the city its unique atmosphere alongside each of St Louis's seventy-nine neighborhoods, which all have distinct characteristics.
It would be impossible to list all of the films that have been shot in St Louis since the first one, The Crisis, way back in 1916. The 1960s saw the making of the Hoodlum Priest and Paper Lion while the 1970s was the era when Delirium and A Pleasure Doing Business hit the cinema screens. Jump forward a couple of decades or more and you'll find St Louis was the backdrop for Cronies and the more recent HBO series, Sharp Objects.
St Louis is a filming location that lends itself well to all genres of film whether it's horror, comedy or true-life drama. If you've yet to find the perfect shooting location in St Louis for your film project, check out the ones on Giggster. You'll be amazed at just what is available, but before you get your camera out make sure you're fully aware of all the filming regulations in St Louis so you don't create any problems for yourself or the city's authorities and residents.
Do I Need a Filming Permit in St Louis?
As a general rule, no, you don't need a filming permit to film in St Louis. This also applies if your shoot happens to take you outside of the city limits and further into the state of Missouri in locations that don't fall under the jurisdiction of St Louis.
While you won't need a filming permit to shoot in St Louis you may well need to have prior permission to film on private or public property depending on its location and ownership. This particularly applies if you're hoping to film somewhere like the Gateway Arch National Park or any other park that falls under the jurisdiction of the National Park Service or St Louis County Parks.
National Park Service
The National Park Service is currently reevaluating its policies for issuing filming permits. At present, anyone wishing to film in any of the parks under their control is requested to contact the relevant park administrator directly. The park administrator will deal with each individual project application on a one-to-one basis and work with the production company to minimize disruptions in the park and to its visitors. It's advisable to get in touch as early as possible with the relevant park administrator to prevent any delays in the start of your shoot.
St Louis County Parks
You will need a filming permit to film in any park or area controlled by St Louis County Parks. This doesn't mean city parks, but special spots like the Laumeier Sculpture Park and Bissell House for example. Getting a filming permit from the St Louis County Parks department is a lengthy process and you will need to send in your application at least thirty days in advance of your estimated shooting date.
Permit Management in St Louis
St Louis
While the majority of the time you won't need a filming permit in St Louis there are two authoritative bodies you will come into contact with. They are the St Louis Film Office and the Film Office of the Missouri Film Commision.
If you’re filming on St Louis County Parks property then your filming and any other permit required will be dealt with by the St Louis County Parks administrative department.
St Louis Film Office
The St Louis Film Office operates an advisory service for any production company wanting to film in St Louis. The St Louis Film Office will also act as a go-between if you're looking for production crews, animators, choreographers, or post-production staff. They have an extensive directory of top professionals all based in the city they can put you in touch with if needed. The Film Office is also responsible for the organization of the annual St Louis International Film Festival.
Missouri Film Commission Film Office
It's with the Missouri Film Commission that you will need to register your production before beginning filming in St Louis or any other part of the state of Missouri. Once you register your production, the Film Office of the Missouri Film Commision will be able to advise you if you require any special permits or need to liaise with the local police or fire department or any other official department.
The registration is a simple online procedure where all you need to do is fill in a standard form answering questions such as the name of the production company, the filming dates, location, and a brief description of what you'll be doing. Once you've submitted the registration someone from the Film Office will contact you and will help to make sure every aspect of your shoot runs smoothly.
What Insurance Do I Need in St Louis?
Having the correct liability insurance is a must for any filming project you undertake in St Louis. The Missouri Film Commission doesn't publish any minimum requirements for insurance when filming in the city, but will advise on suitable coverage project by project once you have registered your production with them.
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 St Louis?
There's such an exciting range of filming locations available in St Louis that you're really going to be spoilt for choice from the word go.
Start scouting through the city's various neighborhoods for external shoot locations and you'll be amazed at what you find. The Old North Street district is full of characterful terraced houses that have a real vintage appeal. The Bevo Mill neighborhood with its enormous iconic windmill will give any shoot a European appeal as would the tree-lined avenues of Dutchtown.
For somewhere with a classy Victorian vibe then Lafayette Square is incomparable as is Southampton if you're looking for somewhere to film a laid-back suburban scene. Each and every neighborhood, including Downtown and Midtown, has its own unique characteristics so don't make a final decision until you've browsed around them all.
There are some superb parks in St Louis that are worth taking a look at too. Lafayette Park is thirty acres of green with a lake and old iron cannons, while Forest Park is where you'll come across sports fields, a golf course, and St Louis zoo. For rolling green hills that could just as easily be in England as they are in St Louis, you need to be in Carondelet Park. If you can't imagine ladies in period costumes walking the pathways there, maybe you're in the wrong job.
Is it even worth mentioning the Mississippi River paddle steamers and the river itself? They're both such an integral part of the city that they're taken for granted, but if you're shooting a period film or need a waterway scene then what better set could you ask for?
Internal shoot locations in St Louis are as diverse as outdoor ones. Diverse in St Louis means being as different as a full-scale Wild West town with a jailhouse, trading post, log cabins and an outhouse is to a state-of-the-art recording studio. In St Louis you'll find incredible theaters complete with stage and VIP boxes, magnificent ballrooms, and speakeasy bars that should really be classed as museums.
If music is the theme of your film then you'll want to take a peek at a nightclub that rivals the Cavern Club in the UK for atmosphere and heritage because of the acts that have performed there. There are modern multi-floored event spaces you can hire that could quickly be converted into nightclubs with nothing more than the right lighting.
There are cool loft pads with fantastic interior designs, concert venues with parquet dance floors, and even a workshop with custom cars in various stages of being pimped. If none of those fit the bill for your shoot, take a look on Giggster and you'll find something that will.
Special Requirements in St Louis
Filming At Washington University
If you want to film on any of the eight campuses or in any of the buildings belonging to the Washington University of St Louis you will need to get in contact with the University Marketing and Communications department first. The department will decide whether or not you will be granted permission for filming.
There are specific procedures you must follow when applying for permission to film at the university. Applications should be submitted a minimum of five working days before the estimated shoot start date.
When submitting the application for permission you must also submit a certificate of liability insurance which covers the following:-
General Liability – not less than $1,000,000 per occurrence
Personal Injury - not less than $1,000,000 per occurrence
Property Damage - not less than $1,000,000 per occurrence
Automobile Liability - not less than $1,000,000 per occurrence – if applicable
Aviation Liability if filming with a drone - not less than $1,000,000 per occurrence – if applicable
If you're granted permission to film on campus or in any of the university buildings you'll be accompanied at all times by an authorized university escort.
The minimum fee for shooting on or in university property is $500. This does not include setup times or any other expenses that may have been incurred. Final fees are billed after the shoot has been completed and the production company is given sixty days to pay in full.
Filming On Metro St Louis
To film any type of commercial film production on St Louis's Metrolink rail system or MetroBus service you will need prior permission. To obtain permission you will need to contact the Metro Communications Department which can be done either by phone call or by email. They will require you to provide a suitable certificate of insurance at least ten days prior to the shoot date. Specific insurance requirements are decided on a case-by-case basis.
Filming At St Louis Lambert International Airport
To be able to film at St Louis Lambert International Airport you will be required to obtain written approval. Applications for permission should be sent at least two weeks in advance but can take longer to process. Contact information is available on the airport's official website.
What Does it Cost to Film in St Louis?
While obtaining a filming permit for St Louis doesn't carry any cost, unless you want to film on St Louis County Parks property, there are other expenses you should be aware of.
Additional Fees
It's crucial to perform comprehensive research and planning to develop a precise budget for filming in St. Louis. Working closely with local film authorities and professionals in the industry can offer valuable information on the expenses linked to filming in this region.
Geographical Jurisdiction of St Louis?
St Louis is a city that spreads its urban reach over the terrains of Missouri for over nine hundred square miles. The central nucleus of the city is in itself an area covering sixty-six square miles. All told the city boundaries encompass seventy-nine different neighborhoods and has a total population of almost three million.
St Louis is bordered to the east by the Mississippi River and the state of Illinois. The city's most northern point reaches to the border of the Edward and Pat Jones Confluence Point State Park.
Several cities mark St Louis's western boundary and they include Jennings, Northwoods, and Wellston to the northwest, and Clayton, Richmond Heights, and Maplewood to the southwest. The cities of MacKenzie, Wilbur Park, and Bella Villa plus the Tower Tee Golf Course lie along St Louis's southern extreme.
If your shoot location falls outside of the set boundaries of St Louis, unless it's across the Mississippi River and in Illinois, it is still in Missouri so you will need to register your production with the Missouri Film Commission.
If your chosen shoot location is somewhere like Dupo in Illinois you will need to contact the Illinois Film Office who will put you in touch with the relevant authority who will issue you with a filming permit.
Outreach in St Louis
The Missouri Film Commission Film Office doesn't state that outreach is a statutory requirement for any production shoot. That said though, if you're going to be filming in a residential area it's a good idea to let the local neighborhood know in advance what's going to be occurring on their doorsteps.
Letting people know what you're up to is a polite and respectful thing to do and will also help prevent any problems arising from disgruntled residents once you get started. Basically, all you have to do is let folks know how long you'll be in the vicinity and where you'll be parking any vehicles. Always try to ensure you don't cause any obstructions and you should have a trouble-free shoot.
Community Management in St Louis
While having someone specifically on-site during filming to deal with problems should they arise isn't obligatory in St Louis, it's a sensible thing to do. Yes, it will cost you more especially as you'll have to fork out for extra earnings tax as well as a salary, but could save you money in the long run. There's nothing worse than having filming delayed because someone has complained about your activities so do the wise thing and have someone on hand to deal with it.
Conclusion
St Louis is a very film-friendly city and one where you can stage a production without incurring too many additional costs. There are endless amazing shoot locations in the city too that are as different as a paddle wheeler is to a loft apartment with contemporary furnishings. To have a great time filming in St Louis all you have to do is follow the filming guidelines set out by the Missouri Film Commission and you'll be heading into pre-production before you know it.