City Guide Filming in Swansea, ON
Production Permit Fees
- Regular production company - $100 non-refundable
- Student production company - $0
Minimum Insurance
- General Liability - $2,000,000 per occurrence
Additional Permits
- Grid Permit Fee
- Regular production company - $100
- Student production company - $0
- Location Permit Fee
- Regular production company - $300
- Student production company - $0
- Parks Permit Fee
- Regular production company - $200
- Student production company - $0
- Road Closure Permit Fee
- Regular production company - $500
Discounts
About Swansea
Swansea, a neighborhood in Toronto, has a history connected to film that dates back to the beginning of the 20th century. The early film studios that opened in Swansea during that era were the forerunners of the Canadian film industry.
Probably one of the most famous stories to have been created, and then later filmed in part in Swansea as well as other areas of Ontario, was Anne of Green Gables. Lucy Maud Montgomery wrote the literary classic during the seven years she resided in Swansea.
Many of today's top directors have been enticed to film in Swansea, and those A-list names include Stephen Spielberg, Guillermo del Toro, and Andy Muschietti. Swansea can be seen, although on occasion fleetingly, in such major productions as IT, The Shape of Water, and Billy Madison, to name but a few.
Swansea won't be a stranger to the big or small screen in years to come. An influx of film crews has recently been inundating the neighborhood to shoot scenes for productions such as:
The Murdoch Mysteries
Orphan Black
Pachinko
The Boys
The Way Home
You'll be in good company if you choose this Toronto neighborhood for a filming location. Filmmakers don't flock here for nothing. You can find out what all the fuss is about relating to Swansea filming locations by browsing on Giggster. After you've checked those out, it'll be time to prepare for the next stage of filming in Swansea by buffing up on the somewhat complicated filming regulations for the City of Toronto.
Do I Need a Filming Permit in Swansea?
All filming in Swansea that's being done for commercial purposes must be permitted. Depending on your chosen filming location in Swansea and what your film shoot involves, you may need more than one permit.
There are four different types of permits issued for filming in Swansea, and they are:
A location permit
A grid permit
A parks permit
A road closure permit
Filming at most locations throughout Toronto, filming locations in Swansea included, is only allowed twice within any given 12-month period. If the location you've chosen has been used twice for filming purposes by other production companies during the previous year, you won't be able to get a permit. In Swansea and Toronto, you need a permit for each of your chosen filming locations, complicating the process.
NB: The only exception to this rule is if you'll be filming a long-running series that depends on being shot in the same place for continuity.
Student Film Permits –
The majority of student productions are required to be permitted, but the regulations for student filming are slightly different from those of regular production companies. You can read more about student filming regulations in the special requirements section of this article.
Permit Management in Swansea
Toronto Film, Television & Digital Media Office (TFTDMO)
All film permitting for Swansea, and the City of Toronto in general, is managed by the Toronto Film, Television & Digital Media Office.
To obtain a film permit from the Toronto Film, Television & Digital Media Office, you should open a FilmPal account. FilmPal is the app the TFTDMO uses to coordinate all aspects of your permit application. Once you have completed the online application and submitted it, you will receive a confirmation email from the film coordinator that has been allocated your project.
The Toronto Film Office has specific requirements regarding application processing times. They are:
Normal permit applications – two full business working days
Park permit applications – three full business working days
Complex productions or ones involving road closures – take longer, and no specific time is stated
Film permits authorized by the TFTDMO are not issued to the production company until the day before the film shoot is scheduled.
NB: If you need changes to your submitted permit application, the permit will take another 48 hours to process. Attempt to avoid delay in getting your permit by ensuring you get the application right.
Making the following types of amendments to your film permit application are ones that will delay the process:
Asking for extended filming dates
Adding new locations
Increasing the scale of a location already submitted
Adding additional set-up and breakdown time
Adding drone use
Adding special effects
Requesting additional parking
Should it be necessary to make changes to your Swansea film permit application, you should make an additional notification distribution to the one you may have already completed. The TFTDMO will expect you to advise the community about the relevant filming location of the changes. You can learn more about conducting additional notification services in the Outreach section of this article.
What Insurance Do I Need in Swansea?
Yes, to be able to apply for a film permit in Swansea, you will need to have a valid insurance certificate. The insurance must be for the coverage indicated by the TFTDMO and contain the correct wording about what authorities are additionally insured.
If you're unsure about the quantity of coverage you need, it's a good idea to consult with your film coordinator before purchasing insurance from your broker. Unlike many other film permitting authorities, you don't need to submit the insurance certificate to the TFTDMO during the permit application process. You must present it to them one day before your permit is issued.
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 Swansea?
The Toronto neighborhood of Swansea has great filming locations, and they're not all urban streets either. Swansea has several natural areas, including a section of Lake Ontario shoreline with an extensive beach.
The Humber River flows through the suburbs of Swansea, too, and while that's a popular spot for filming boating scenes, there are also marshlands teeming with wildlife that will make you forget you're actually in a city as large as Toronto.
A lake, river, and marshlands aren't all Swansea has to offer for interesting external filming locations. Part of the extensive Toronto Ravine System lies within the boundaries of Swansea. That's a wild place with deep canyons, dense forests, and a network of hiking trails.
The ravine system is a complete contrast to the streets of Swansea. Unlike Downtown Toronto, with clusters of skyscrapers, Swansea is a low-rise neighborhood where most housing consists of independent bungalows or semi-detached properties.
Swansea has several interesting architectural features, some of which date back to the early 20th century when it was still an independent village and not part of the City of Toronto. Probably the most outstanding and photogenic is the Humber Bay Arch Bridge, which spans the mouth of the Humber River.
Internal filming locations in Swansea are as contrasting as their external ones. In Swansea, you'll come across a luxurious penthouse with fantastic views of Lake Ontario from its panoramic windows and an attractive apartment decked like a country cottage on a different level.
There are multiple businesses ready and willing to welcome a film crew into their premises, so if you're searching for a fitness gym, a studio, a cafe, a bar, or a restaurant, you'll find it with ease. Remember, when scouting for filming locations in Swansea, the best thing to do is expect the unexpected because it's a place full of surprises.
Special Requirements in Swansea
Film Shoot Code of Conduct
Not every production company that arrived in Toronto on a film shoot has behaved as professionally as they should have. Now with the ongoing increase in interest in filming in the city's neighborhoods, the TFTDMO has published a Code of Conduct they expect all production companies to adhere to.
Before you start filming in Swansea, you, or someone you designate the job to, will be required to download the code of conduct from the TFTDMO website. You will need to hand out a copy to everyone involved in the shoot, and that includes the cast as well as crew members.
The regulations included in the code of conduct may seem trivial or something you might take for granted, but not everyone, especially previous production companies, thought the same way.
A few of the general dos and don'ts put in place by the TFTDMO are:
Keep noise levels to an acceptable level
Smoking is permitted in designated zones only
No drinking alcohol on set
Wear suitable clothing
No guests or pets on set unless previously authorized
Filming With Special Effects
Production companies planning to film using special effects, pyrotechnics, simulated gunfire, or fake weapons on their film shoot in Swansea must have a police officer present during the filming of the scenes where the use of effects will be implemented.
The number of police officers required to be in attendance is decided by the TFTDMO film coordinator. The film coordinator will liaise with a representative of the Toronto Police Department, the Toronto Police Film Liaison Officer, on behalf of the production company. All costs for police attendance are billed to the production company.
Filming With A Drone
If you plan on filming scenes or b-roll with a drone in Swansea or elsewhere in Toronto, the drone must be piloted by a licensed pilot unless it weighs less than 250 grams. The pilot will be required to keep their license with them at all times during filming. Always consult with the TFTDMO film coordinator before planning drone filming, as there are some places where the use of drones is strictly prohibited.
Student Filming
As well as all of the special requirements put in place for regular production companies, student production companies need to be aware of several other regulations that apply specifically to them.
All student production units are expected to abide by the special guidelines issued by the TFTDMO, regardless of whether or not their filming requires permitting.
Student production companies must make themselves aware of the Safety Guidelines for the Film and Television Industry in Ontario published by the Ministry of Labor.
Student productions, whether permitted or unpermitted, are not allowed to:
Film between the hours of 11 pm and 7 am
Use any special effects during the shoot
Use any fake weapons or ammunition during the shoot
Implement traffic stops with or without police assistance
What Does it Cost to Film in Swansea?
The film permit fees set by the TFTDMO are relatively reasonable. The fees are as follows:
Additional Fees
Film permit applications can be made online via the local government website.
Geographical Jurisdiction of Swansea?
Swansea is a neighborhood in the southwestern area of the City of Toronto. It's a relatively wealthy neighborhood that's occupied by around 12,000 residents.
The borders of Swansea are well-defined. To the south, it's bordered by the Sunnyside Park and beach, and beyond those is Humber Bay which is part of Lake Ontario. To the west, Swansea's boundaries are delineated by the Humber River and the marshlands that line it. Swansea's northern border is formed by Bloor Street, while to the east are Ellis Park Road and Grenadier Pond.
The neighborhoods surrounding Swansea are High Park to the east, Thompson Orchard, Sunnylea, and Stonegate-Queensway to the west, The Queensway Humber Bay to the southwest, and Bloor West Village to the north.
Should any of your chosen filming locations be outside of the jurisdiction of Swansea, you will still be required to apply to the TFTDMO for filming permits, as all the surrounding neighborhoods fall under the jurisdiction of the City of Toronto.
Outreach in Swansea
Any production company planning to film in Swansea will be required to conduct outreach in the communities around their chosen filming locations. Any production company includes student production companies, so if you're a student and haven't done it before, think of it as part of your filming learning curve.
The TFTDMO has rigid guidelines about how they expect you to conduct outreach, and they expect the job to be done right.
As well as being on paper printed with the production company logo, the notification letters must include the following:
The name of the production company
The title, format, and genre of the production
Production company contact name and number
Contact details for the Toronto Film Office
Times and dates of filming
Exact locations of filming
Any parking restrictions that may occur
Outline the use of any special effects
Links to Code of Conduct and Filming Guidelines
The notifications must be distributed at least 48 hours before the proposed filming date. Occasionally, the standard notification service outlined by the TFTDMO may be deemed by them as insufficient, especially if yours is a complex shoot that may cause major disruption. In that case, they will request you to conduct a survey one week before the proposed filming date. The survey must include an end date to the objection period.
Whether you conduct a standard notification or need to make a survey, the TFTDMO will want to inspect the document before you begin distributing it. If you're unsure of how to put together a notification or survey, you'll find downloadable copies of both to use as examples on the TFTDMO website.
Community Management in Swansea
The requirements the TFTDMO has set for outreach can be exceptionally time-consuming. That's fine if you don't have a hundred and ten other things to complete, like applying for all the permits you'll need. Free yourself of the responsibility by employing a community manager.
A community manager will make light work of doing outreach in Swansea so long as you have their name on the notifications as a contact. They will also be able to deal with any questions or objections if or when they arise.
Swansea may be a neighborhood of Toronto, but it is, in essence, still a village with a surplus of some of the city's highest earners as residents. They can be difficult folk to deal with, so you will need a community manager who understands how to deal diplomatically with the entitled without bruising their egos. The last thing you want is anyone complaining to the TFTDMO about your filming activities. Should that happen, you may have wasted time and effort plowing through the endless permitting paperwork, as your permits will be canceled.
Conclusion
Swansea is a delightful neighborhood of Toronto with some filming locations. There are natural areas, fantastic public parks, and very cinematic streets. Getting the correct permits to film in Swansea can be a little laborious, but you'll have a film coordinator to assist, or possibly hinder, through the worst of it, so start scouting and make the most of what you find.