Anything Goes : Location leagalities.. by RA Iam

Anyplace public will involve permits and maybe a fee, depending on what you are after. Those issuing the permits will want to know what type of insurance you have in place in case something goes wrong, and what kind of safety precautions you have in place. There are producers on this site who will have much more insight than me (a screenwriter). This is what they do.

Not all cities have the same legal requirements. Contact your local film commission and ask them for accurate information

Thank you Mark and Marcus. How about indie films with very few crew membersand less equipementin places like Timesquare? DO we still have to go with the permits.

No. But that doesn't mean it's legal. If you're looking for advice from people posting here on shooting guerrilla style that's different than asking about location legalities. NYC has a film office. They can tell you about the location legalities.

Shooting in NYC without a permit is risky,and can even land you and your team in jail. Don't block any sidewalks or streets, and obey police officers immediately, and you probably won't have any trouble. But getting the permit is the right way to go.

That's interesting, Gordon. Do you mean if a filmmaker is asked to leave and they refuse they can land in jail? Or can a filmmaker be arrested and jailed for not having a permit?

Thanks Gordon. what about some applying special effects(post prod) on some public places with permission. Like set extentions. My question is do we have to be specific about our scene while taking permit.

You will need to be specific about how many people will be there, what equipment will be there, how long you will be there and what you will be doing. My suggestion is you call the permit office and ask them.

Sorry for the delay. Just seeing this. Yes filmmaker can be jailed for trespass, or for not having a permit.