Filming Surveys

Community Filming Surveys are one of the community relations programs overseen by FilmLA to promote positive filming experiences for all.

Unlike other community relations programs, Community Filming Surveys are not performed by FilmLA personnel. When FilmLA determines that a survey must be performed, responsibility for going door-to-door to share filming plans and understand neighborhood concerns is handled directly by filmmaker representatives. Satisfactory completion of a Filming Survey, and a permit seeker’s reasonable attempt to address any concerns thereby uncovered, are required for permit release.

Each Filming Survey includes information about upcoming filming activity, including dates and hours of filming, area parking impacts, and other exceptional activities. Survey forms also contain contact information for FilmLA and the Production Company, to facilitate the resolution before filming begins.

Importantly, the Filming Survey is not a request for permission to film. These surveys are purely an information gathering tool, which FilmLA uses to gauge neighborhood concerns. Not all filming activity requires a filming survey; and for those shoots that do, community participation is strictly voluntary.

Please see our FAQ below for answers to common questions about Community Filming Surveys.

Guidelines and Forms

All Community Survey Forms need to be emailed for review and approval directly to logistics@filmla.com. Please ensure your packets for review are emailed by 4PM on Fridays for canvassing on Saturday, Sunday, and Monday.

If the location is already assigned to a Coordinator, you must copy the coordinator on the email.
Applications that are "waiting for assignment" can proactively send surveys to logistics@filmla.com for review.
Completed Survey packets must be sent to logistics@filmla.com and your assigned coordinator.

Survey & GuidelinesGuidelines & fillable PDF survey form (English).

Sample Survey MapSample map with radius, etc.

Sample Letter (.docx)Editable in Microsoft Word, etc.

Complete Package (.zip)Get everything in one file (English),

Survey & Guidelines - Spanish

Frequently Asked Questions About Filming Surveys

Not all requests to film on-location require a filming survey. Most often, surveys are required due to after-hours filming in residential areas, high impact activity such as street closures or significant parking requests, filming for five or more consecutive days in one location, or when there has been historically high amounts of filming frequency in an area.

Please see this page Filming in Your Neighborhood > "Filming Rules and Regulations" for further information. Filmmakers with questions about surveys should contact FilmLA’s Solution Services team.

In most areas served by FilmLA, the Filming Survey is an information gathering tool, and not a request for permission to film. FilmLA uses survey feedback to gauge neighborhood concerns with proposed activity. Not all filming activity requires a filming survey; for those shoots that do, community participation is strictly voluntary. For additional requirements per city, please see our Area Requirements page.

There are several ways this can happen, and we invite you to contact FilmLA to discuss your specific circumstances. Filming surveys are always conducted within a specific radius, depending on the planned activity. If you live outside of this radius, you might not receive an invite. Also, if you live within the radius in a multi-tenant building, your on-site building manager might have completed the survey for you. Even if you did not receive a filming survey, you are always encouraged to share thoughts about upcoming filming with FilmLA.

For community members, participation in a filming survey is strongly encouraged, but strictly voluntary. If you have no concerns with upcoming filming, there is a place to quickly indicate this on the official survey form. You do not need to provide the Surveyor or FilmLA with your contact information if you do not want to.

Declining to participate in a survey may increase your chance of experiencing a filming-related inconvenience. It will not prevent permit coordination from continuing without your input.