If you live in Greater Los Angeles, there is a good chance you have spotted a blue FilmLA Notice of Filming at a residence or business. If you haven't seen one yet, then you may soon. Having rebounded from the worst effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, film production in Los Angeles is again active across our many diverse neighborhoods, creating jobs that support the local economy.
FilmLA works diligently to harmonize the interests of filmmakers, community members, and local government offices. Notices of Filming are an important part of this effort. Their essential purpose is to inform community members of planned film production activity in their area. Read on to learn more about these Notices, when they’re distributed, and what information they contain.
Paid for by film production companies, FilmLA’s Neighborhood Notification program delivers timely Notices of Filming to nearby residences and businesses. Our team of 25 field services employees hits the pavement six days per week to hand-deliver Notices by the thousands. We also offer a supplemental email-based notification option, in select areas where population density and neighborhood topography make this useful.
FilmLA strives to provide two business days’ advance notice to communities, by posting blue Notices near the main entrance of all nearby residences and businesses. The notification radius typically extends a minimum of 500 feet from each filming location. For still photography shoots and productions with less than 15 cast and crew, the notification radius is reduced to 200 feet.
Notices of Filming include:
- Proposed filming dates and times
- A description of the scene
- Parking requirements
- Contact phone numbers (should you have concerns)
Because FilmLA seeks to distribute Notices as soon as possible, at the time of distribution the film permit is not usually finalized and can be adjusted. As such, the printed Notice may not reflect the final permission granted to the film production company. Nonetheless, this Notice accomplishes its primary purpose: to make community members aware of upcoming filming as soon as possible. It also asks for community input prior to the start of production, allowing for adjustments to film permits to make the presence of filming more agreeable to the neighborhood.
What if there is filming on your street, but you did not receive a Notice of Filming? Does this mean the filming is illegal? Not receiving a Notice could mean that the filming you are seeing is unpermitted, but not necessarily. There are several more common reasons a Notice can be missed, such as:
- Your home or business is outside the assigned radius for notification.
- The Notice was posted at the main building entrance you do not regularly use.
- Building security, neighbors, or passersby chose to remove the posted Notice.
If you did not receive a Notice of Filming and are within the distribution radius, you can ask neighbors or your building property manager if they have the information. You can also reach out to FilmLA directly and we will share Notice information with you.
Thank you for your support of filming in Greater Los Angeles. If you have any questions about FilmLA's notification program or any of our other community relations services, we welcome your call at (213) 977-8600 and your email at info@filmla.com.