City Guide Filming in West Palm Beach, FL
Production Permit Fees
- Film Permit Minimum Cost: Free
- Film Permit Application Fee: Free
Minimum Insurance
- General Liability
- Auto Liability
- Aircraft liability
- Watercraft Liability
- Stunt Liability
- Workers’ Compensation
Additional Permits
- Free of charge.
Discounts
About West Palm Beach
The city of West Palm Beach is located about 50 miles north of Hollywood and is separated from the shore of the Atlantic Ocean by the town of Palm Beach which lies east. As one of the cities within the Palm Beach County of Florida, West Palm Beach welcomes filmmakers for different kinds of projects including infomercials, videos, short films, documentaries, TV series, still photography, commercials, feature films, and music videos, student projects, and lots more.
This city is one of those places that many often feel like they have visited before even when they haven’t because they have seen a movie that was filmed there. Of course, that makes sense considering the picturesque scenes and locations in the city, as well as the amazing climate that makes it the preferred destination for production companies. The landscapes and architectural brilliance on display further add to the appeal of West Palm Beach.
West Palm Beach is a desirable destination for filming, having welcomed sets and production teams on movies such as Donnie Brasco, 2 Fast 2 Furious, Police Academy 5: Assignment: Miami Beach, Smokey and the Bandit, Parker, etc. If you’re a filmmaker that has shot a movie here, it’s quite hard to resist the feeling of wanting to set up here sometime again in the future for another project. Find the location that suits your own filming requirements in West Palm Beach now on Giggster!
Do I Need a Filming Permit in West Palm Beach?
When you intend to film in West Palm Beach, you may or may not require a permit, depending on the nature of your film project.
You won’t be needing a film permit in West Palm Beach if you are going to film under any of the following conditions:
You are filming for private or personal use;
You are an employee of a news media company (electronic or print) and you are filming breaking news;
You are filming on private property and your activities will not involve any public property or interfere with public areas such as parking spaces, streets, etc.;
You won’t be filming outside noise ordinance hours;
Your private filming activity will not include any special effects or lighting, setups, or stunts.
If you are still in doubt about any of the above and how they relate to what you have in mind, you should reach out to the film office in the city just to be sure so that you won’t end up breaking any West Palm Beach filming laws. Best to err on the side of caution in these circumstances.
On the other hand, you will be requiring a film permit for your project in West Palm Beach if:
You will be filming in public areas like sidewalks and roads;
You will make use of special effects or pyrotechnics, and perform stunts;
You will be filming in an area that requires traffic control;
Scenes in your film will include firearms, props, actors in police uniforms, or weapons;
You will make use of drones.
Students too are able to secure permits for filming in West Palm Beach; however, the student must be able to demonstrate that the film production is for educational purposes. Moreover, documentation from the school will be required as part of the permit application process.
Law enforcement officers may be assigned to your filming location under certain filming conditions that require that they be deployed for safety purposes, among others. In addition, the fire service may also maintain oversight where required. In both cases, you may require a permit from the respective agency.
Permit Management in West Palm Beach
Palm Beach County Film and Television Commission
The Palm Beach County Film and Television Commission coordinates the film permitting process in West Palm Beach. They do this by managing the permit processing and issuance process for the city via their one-stop permitting platform that enables filmmakers to go through a rather simple set of steps. In addition to issuing permits for public properties, the Film and Television Commission is the place to go for permits to film in any of the city parks.
Generally, the processing of a standard film permit takes a minimum of three business days. However, filmmakers that require their permits to be processed in less than three days have to contact the Film and Television Commission and make this known well before they submit their application for the film permit. Besides, some permits take longer than three days to process, and examples of such include projects that require either road or public area closures, traffic control, or some other special circumstance(s).
For filmmakers with large commercial projects, the recommended first step is to get in touch with the Film and Television Commission to arrange a pre-production meeting where details of the project will be discussed and ironed out. Ideally, the pre-production meeting should take place about three weeks before the proposed filming date; however, this should not be less than five business days before the filming date.
There is an additional requirement that the production company notifies the residents and businesses in the area where the filming will take place ahead of the commencement of the project. Moreover, there are production insurance requirements to fulfill before the film permit can be granted by the Film and Television Commission.
With regard to liaising with external agencies, the Film and Television Commission contacts the respective agency whose involvement is required for the film production. Where required, a conversation between the Commission, filmmaker, and City agency is put in place for all parties to be on the same page.
What Insurance Do I Need in West Palm Beach?
To film in West Palm Beach, especially on any of the public properties within the city, filmmakers must provide insurance documents that are valid for the entire period of the proposed filming activity. The production insurance requirements often differ from project to project depending on the nature of the production, and as a result, the Film and Television Commission sends out the exact wording that should be used on the insurance certificate to filmmakers after they have submitted their permit application.
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 West Palm Beach?
West Palm Beach is home to a wide range of locations that perfectly suit the different scripts and the requirements of producers. Filmmakers visiting the city for the first time can enlist the help of the Film and Television Commission in finding the location that’s just right for their filming needs by taking advantage of the robust collection of spaces and photos that the Commission has.
Right here in West Palm Beach, there are plenty of studios and sound stages, each with unique features and resources that make them appealing to filmmakers. Examples of these studios include Ko-Mar Productions, Beyond The Pines Productions, Olympusat Entertainment, etc.
Another thing that’s fascinating about West Palm Beach is the fact that the city has lots of tall buildings, some rising to heights of more than 250 feet. As a result, the city offers beautiful skylines and picturesque backdrops for office shoots and urban settings. Moreover, West Palm Beach is well-known for its flat terrain, beautiful climate, and paved and narrow streets, and filmmakers have long taken advantage of these to set up diverse scenes in their productions.
As for the architectural design styles in the city, there’s so much to see and enjoy here as the different neighborhoods in West Palm Beach are filled with various styles of houses. Here, for instance, filmmakers will find Spanish-style houses, Mediterranean revival-style houses, craftsman-style bungalows, mission-style houses, frame vernacular houses, American bungalow houses, shotgun houses, and Bahamian vernacular houses, among others.
In addition to the museum, shoreline areas, and parks in the city, some of the notable buildings and structures in West Palm Beach that filmmakers may find interesting include the Palm Beach County Convention Center, Meyer Amphitheater, and Harriet Himmel Theater, and Mandel Public Library of West Palm Beach.
Special Requirements in West Palm Beach
Norton Museum of Art
Commercial filming activities are allowed in the Norton Museum of Art. Filmmakers that intend to make use of the museum are required to reach out to the Museum via email to take care of necessary details and pre-arrangements before the filming date. Parking spaces are available close to the museum as well, but this will be discussed before the production team arrives at the museum.
Port of Palm Beach
Commercial filming is allowed in the Port of Palm Beach. However, filmmakers who wish to make use of the facility have to seek permission and obtain approval from the Port before the filming date. Here are some of the things for filmmakers to consider:
For the entire duration of the filming activity, the Port will provide a certified security escort and the necessary fees will be covered by the filming company;
Where additional port resources or staff are considered essential for the filming activity, these will be provided at the expense of the film production company;
Permit and filming fees are determined by the Executive Director of the Port and may vary from project to project;
A 10% administrative charge may be added to the fees to be paid by the filmmaker;
Before filmmakers can make use of the port for filming, they must also secure a film permit from the Film and Television Commission;
Filmmakers must meet the insurance requirements as set forth by the Film and Television Commission before they can make use of the Port of Palm Beach.
Amtrak Rail Services
Filming is allowed in public areas only on Amtrak property in West Palm Beach and requires the prior approval of the Train Station Manager. Some of the restricted areas where filming isn’t allowed include crew and employee work areas, maintenance facilities, office areas, employee elevators, right of way, and track areas. Filmmakers who wish to use the facilities of Amtrak in the city should also be prepared to involve Amtrak police officers for the duration of the filming for safety and coordination purposes. In any case, filming activities are not allowed to disturb public and passenger activities.
Greyhound Lines
There is room for film and television producers to make use of Greyhound buses, resources, or facilities for commercial production activities in West Palm Beach. However, such filmmakers must obtain prior permission from the company by contacting the marketing unit via email at least one month before the proposed date of filming.
What Does it Cost to Film in West Palm Beach?
Filming in any of the public properties in West Palm Beach (buildings, parks, beaches, etc.) is free of charge, thanks to the Palm Beach County Board of County Commissioners. This means that all the services the Film and Television Commission offers to filmmakers are free, including the permit application. However, when film projects require additional city services, such as the involvement of police officers, emergency medical services, fire rescue, etc., these services will be paid for by the filmmaker at government rates. The exact cost of these additional services will be provided to the filmmaker when arranging for them and the Film and Television Commission is always happy to assist with this.
Additional Fees
While filming in any of West Palm Beach’s public properties is free of charge, photography permits are required for Private Professional Photography Sessions, including engagement, group or family portraits, school projects, and personal portfolio photos. Additional charges are also required for hiring off-duty officers if your production needs on- and off-set assistance and expertise.
Note that Commercial Photography Permits, such as photos for advertising, catalog shoots, professional videos, etc. are not covered under Photography Permits. Permits for commercial photography and filming are coordinated through the Film and Television Commission.
Geographical Jurisdiction of West Palm Beach?
West Palm Beach sits on the western shore of Lake Worth Lagoon which is bordered to the east by a barrier island on which sits the town of Palm Beach. The Atlantic Ocean lies east of the barrier island. The city of Lake Worth is located south of West Palm Beach while Riviera Beach sits north of West Palm Beach. The Film and Television Commission manages the film permitting process for over 50 municipalities within Palm Beach County, however, Palm Beach and Pompano Beach have separate permit management agencies.
Palm Beach
In order to film in the town of Palm Beach, filmmakers have to secure a film permit which can only be obtained after the application is submitted to the Town Clerk.
Here are the points to consider: The application must be submitted only between 30-45 days prior to the proposed filming date; The Town Council must approve the filming permit; Filming hours are from 10 am to 4 pm, and 6 pm to 8 am; No filming is allowed between November 15 and April 15; A duly signed Hold Harmless Agreement must be provided as part of the application;
Insurance requirements are as follows: General insurance of at least $10,000,000; Aircraft insurance of at least $100,000,000; Watercraft insurance of at least $25,000,000;
Non-refundable application fee is $1,500; The filming fee is $1,000 per day; The maximum number of filming days per month is 7 days; To film on private property, the filmmaker must provide written permission from the property owner; Filming is only allowed in commercial zones in the town; Filming is prohibited in and around government buildings; Filmmakers must not block streets or obstruct traffic during their production activities.
Pompano Beach
The first port of call for filmmakers in Pompano Beach is the Convention and Visitors Bureau’s Office of Film and Entertainment (CVBOFE) as this is the office to submit film application permits. The film permit is free, however, there are insurance requirements that the CVBOFE will enlighten the filmmaker about.
After the filmmaker meets with the CVBOFE to iron out all the details of the film project and files the application, the CVBOFE forwards the application to the city. Thereafter the application is sent to the respective agencies for consideration. If the application comes back with no issues, the filmmaker will be notified. In the event that a modification is required, the CVBOFE works with the filmmaker to resolve it.
Outreach in West Palm Beach
As per West Palm Beach filming regulations, filmmakers are required to notify, in writing, the residents and businesses in the area where the filming is set to take place. The notification is required to include details of the project as well as the contact information of a company representative that can be reached by the hosts if they have questions or concerns. The neighborhood notification must be sent to the host community at least 48 hours prior to the proposed filming date.
Community Management in West Palm Beach
In addition to the required neighborhood notification, film production companies can open up channels of communication with the members of the community where the filming locations are to create better relationships. This can be achieved through public avenues like scheduled meetings and open houses. Moreover, paying attention to special areas in the community like hospitals, schools, and religious houses also shows the community members that the filmmakers care about and are sensitive to their needs.
Conclusion
The filming prowess of West Palm Beach is one of the many things that the city is known for in the world of entertainment. Having been the site of Broadway-level shows and music festivals for years, the folks in the city are certainly accustomed to having the who’s who in the entertainment space spend time here doing their thing. That’s why filmmakers always have a swell time in West Palm Beach for the entire duration of their stay.
Filming in West Palm Beach is further encouraged by the fact that the film permitting process is made easy by the Film and Television Commission, seeing as the entire process goes through the Commission. That the permitting process is free is yet another incentive. The Film and Television Commission spells out the requirements for the permits for both commercial film producers and students and offers assistance with external agencies that may be required as part of the film production process.
What’s more, it’s hard to not fall in love with the beautiful sceneries, landscapes, streets, architectural masterpieces, and buildings, as well as the shoreline and natural areas that abound here. There’s no way you won’t find the setting that works for you, or at the very least be able to create one to your taste here. Go ahead and find your own filming location in West Palm Beach now on Giggster.