HOW TO CREATE A FILM + PHOTOGRAPHY POLICY

f your business, university, institution, venue or organization receives requests from outside film and photography productions, having a written policy can make those inquiries much easier to manage.

A good film + photography policy establishes who can film on your property, who approves requests, what production must provide and what rules apply while they're there.

It doesn't need to anticipate every possible production.

It needs to give your organization a consistent framework for evaluating requests.

WHY CREATE A FILM + PHOTOGRAPHY POLICY?

Without an established policy, every inquiry can become a new internal debate.

Who approves filming?

What should we charge?

Does legal need to review it?

What insurance do we require?

Can they use our parking lot?

Can our logo appear?

Who lets them into the building at 6:00 AM?

A written policy answers the recurring questions before a production is waiting for an answer.

It can also help different departments respond consistently.

FIRST, DEFINE WHAT THE POLICY COVERS

"Photography" can mean very different things.

Your policy should distinguish between activities such as:

  • Commercial advertising

  • Film and television

  • Commercial photography

  • Music videos

  • Branded content

  • Editorial photography

  • Documentaries

  • Corporate productions

  • Student productions

  • News media

  • Personal photography

  • Weddings and portraits

  • Social media content

Not every category necessarily needs the same approval process or fee.

A two-person engagement portrait session shouldn't automatically be treated like a 60-person commercial.

IDENTIFY WHO HANDLES PRODUCTION INQUIRIES

Establish one clear starting point for outside filming requests.

Depending on your organization, that may be:

  • Communications

  • Marketing

  • Facilities

  • Events

  • Property management

  • Campus operations

  • Another designated department

Then identify who else may need to approve requests.

That might include:

  • Legal

  • Risk management

  • Security

  • Parking

  • Facilities

  • Senior administration

  • Department heads

  • Building managers

The goal is to avoid having production contact five departments independently.

Create one entry point and an internal approval path.

CREATE A STANDARD INQUIRY PROCESS

Require productions to provide enough information for your team to evaluate the request.

At minimum, ask for:

  • Production company

  • Primary contact

  • Client

  • Type of project

  • Description of filming

  • Requested property or spaces

  • Proposed dates

  • Prep dates

  • Shoot dates

  • Wrap dates

  • Access hours

  • Crew size

  • Talent count

  • Vehicle count

  • Parking requirements

  • Equipment

  • Special activities

  • Alterations

  • Production support needs

Our guide to What Information Should You Collect From a Production? provides a more detailed intake checklist.

ESTABLISH WHICH PROPERTIES CAN BE USED

Not every property or room needs to be available.

Create internal categories such as:

AVAILABLE

Generally appropriate for filming.

CASE-BY-CASE

Requires additional review.

RESTRICTED

Available only under specific circumstances.

NOT AVAILABLE

Not offered for outside production.

This can be particularly useful for universities, healthcare properties, historic buildings and large institutions.

ESTABLISH APPROVAL LEAD TIMES

Decide how much notice your organization generally needs to review a request.

The appropriate lead time may depend on:

  • Production size

  • Areas requested

  • Insurance

  • Legal review

  • Staffing

  • Security

  • Parking

  • Permits

  • Operational impact

Rather than promising that every request will be approved within a fixed period, your policy can state that productions should submit requests as early as possible and that complex productions may require additional review time.

This keeps the policy useful even when circumstances change.

ESTABLISH A RATE STRUCTURE

Your policy should explain whether commercial filming and photography are subject to location fees.

You don't necessarily need to publish exact rates.

You can state that fees are determined based on factors such as:

  • Production type

  • Crew size

  • Areas requested

  • Access hours

  • Prep

  • Shoot

  • Wrap

  • Exclusivity

  • Parking

  • Staffing

  • Operational disruption

Internally, your organization can maintain a more detailed rate card.

See How to Establish Commercial Filming Rates for guidance.

DEFINE PREP, SHOOT + WRAP

Make sure productions understand that access outside the actual filming period still counts as property use.

Your policy should address:

  • Prep

  • Shoot

  • Wrap

  • Included hours

  • Early access

  • Overtime

  • Overnight equipment

If production needs to dress a room the day before filming and return the following morning to restore it, those dates should be part of the agreement.

Read Prep, Shoot, Wrap + Overtime Fees Explained for more information.

ESTABLISH INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS

Work with your organization's legal, risk-management or insurance professionals to establish appropriate production insurance requirements.

Depending on the production, requirements may address:

  • Commercial general liability

  • Workers' compensation

  • Automobile liability

  • Additional insured status

  • Certificate holder information

  • Required endorsements

Your policy can state that acceptable insurance documentation must be received before production access is granted.

Once your organization establishes its requirements, keep the exact instructions readily available.

See What Insurance Should You Require From Production? and What Is a Certificate of Insurance (COI)? for an introduction to these topics.

REQUIRE A WRITTEN LOCATION AGREEMENT

Commercial filming should generally be documented through a written location agreement.

Depending on the property and production, that agreement may address:

  • Dates

  • Access hours

  • Fees

  • Overtime

  • Insurance

  • Indemnification

  • Property damage

  • Restoration

  • Cancellation

  • Parking

  • Restricted areas

  • Alterations

  • Use of trademarks

  • Confidentiality

Your film policy establishes the overall rules.

The location agreement establishes the terms for the specific production.

For more information, read What Is a Location Release?.

CREATE RULES FOR PROPERTY ALTERATIONS

Productions may ask to temporarily change a space.

That could include:

  • Moving furniture

  • Removing artwork

  • Covering signage

  • Painting

  • Hanging temporary materials

  • Installing props

  • Dressing landscaping

  • Changing light fixtures

Your policy should establish what requires advance approval.

For significant changes, require the request in writing and specify how the property must be restored.

ESTABLISH PROPERTY-PROTECTION RULES

Your organization may want standard requirements covering:

  • Floor protection

  • Equipment movement

  • Furniture

  • Artwork

  • Walls

  • Food and beverages

  • Smoking

  • Open flames

  • Landscaping

  • Restricted rooms

  • Cleaning

Avoid creating rules so restrictive that normal production becomes impossible.

The goal is to protect the property while still allowing a professional crew to work.

See How to Create Film-Friendly House Rules and How to Protect Your Property During Production.

ESTABLISH PARKING + VEHICLE RULES

Parking deserves its own section—especially in Nashville.

Determine:

  • Where crew may park

  • Where production trucks may stage

  • Whether lots are shared

  • Whether spaces must remain available for customers or employees

  • Whether motorhomes are permitted

  • Where equipment can load

  • Whether a separate crew lot or unit base may be necessary

If production activity extends into Nashville's public streets, sidewalks or right-of-way, additional Metro requirements may apply.

See How to Handle Production Parking and current information from the Nashville Department of Transportation and Multimodal Infrastructure.

ADDRESS YOUR NAME, LOGO + TRADEMARKS

Permission to film at a property doesn't necessarily mean permission to identify the organization in the finished project.

Your policy should establish whether production may photograph or use:

  • Organization name

  • Logos

  • Exterior signage

  • Branded interiors

  • Uniforms

  • Artwork

  • Trademarks

  • Proprietary materials

Some organizations allow their property to portray a fictional location but don't allow their actual identity to appear.

Make that distinction clear.

ADDRESS PRIVACY

Consider who may be present during filming.

Depending on the property, that might include:

  • Employees

  • Students

  • Customers

  • Visitors

  • Patients

  • Members

  • Minors

Your organization may need to restrict production to controlled areas or require filming to occur outside normal operating hours.

Properties involving healthcare, minors, confidential information or other sensitive environments may require additional legal or compliance review.

ADDRESS DRONES

If drone filming may occur on your property, establish that it requires separate advance approval.

A property's permission to film doesn't replace applicable aviation requirements or other government approvals.

The Federal Aviation Administration's drone resources provide current federal information about operating drones in the United States.

Local restrictions or permits may also apply depending on where and how the operation occurs.

ADDRESS SPECIAL EFFECTS + HIGH-IMPACT ACTIVITIES

Require advance approval for unusual activities such as:

  • Open flames

  • Smoke

  • Atmospheric effects

  • Stunts

  • Weapons or prop weapons

  • Animals

  • Large generators

  • Heavy equipment

  • Drones

  • Significant set construction

  • Water effects

  • Large exterior lighting setups

These requests may require additional insurance, permits, safety review or simply may not be appropriate for your property.

DETERMINE WHETHER A SITE REPRESENTATIVE IS REQUIRED

Some organizations require a representative to remain with production while it is on site.

That person may:

  • Provide access

  • Coordinate with security

  • Monitor restricted areas

  • Answer property questions

  • Approve minor requests

  • Complete the final walk-through

Your policy should establish when a representative is required and whether production is responsible for the associated cost.

See Should You Require a Site Representative?.

CREATE A CANCELLATION POLICY

Production schedules change.

Establish what happens when a confirmed production cancels or reschedules.

Your policy or location agreement may address:

  • Cancellation fees

  • Non-refundable expenses

  • Weather holds

  • Rescheduling

  • Deposits

The appropriate structure depends on how much time, revenue or operational flexibility your organization gives up to accommodate filming.

ESTABLISH A DAMAGE + RESTORATION PROCESS

Your policy should explain that production is expected to return the property in the agreed condition.

Create a process for:

  • Pre-shoot documentation

  • Reporting damage

  • Final inspection

  • Repair estimates

  • Insurance claims when necessary

  • Security deposits, if applicable

See What to Do If a Production Damages Your Property for more guidance.

ADDRESS FILM PERMITS

Your permission as the property owner doesn't necessarily replace government permits that may be required for the production's activities.

Productions filming in Nashville should review current requirements with the Metro Nashville Film Office and other applicable Metro departments.

Your policy can make clear that production is responsible for obtaining required permits and approvals unless otherwise agreed.

CREATE AN INTERNAL WORKFLOW

The public-facing policy tells production what you require.

Your internal process tells your staff what happens next.

A simple workflow might be:

Inquiry → Initial Review → Internal Approval → Scout → Quote → Production Plan → Insurance → Agreement → Payment → Shoot → Final Walk-Through

Assign responsibility for each step.

This is particularly important when multiple departments are involved.

KEEP THE PUBLIC POLICY SIMPLE

Your internal procedures may be detailed.

Your public-facing policy doesn't have to be.

A useful website page might simply explain:

  • What types of filming require approval

  • How to submit an inquiry

  • What information is required

  • General lead-time expectations

  • Insurance requirements

  • Location fees

  • Property rules

  • Permit responsibility

  • Contact information

Keep the more complicated approval workflows, rate cards, security information and internal contacts internal.

REVIEW THE POLICY PERIODICALLY

Your film + photography policy should evolve as your organization gains experience hosting productions.

After each significant shoot, ask:

  • Did the approval process work?

  • Were our rates appropriate?

  • Did we require enough lead time?

  • Did parking work?

  • Were staffing requirements clear?

  • Did production understand the rules?

  • Did any unexpected issues arise?

Use that experience to improve the policy.

FILM + PHOTOGRAPHY POLICY CHECKLIST

A strong policy should address:

  • Types of production covered

  • Inquiry process

  • Internal approval authority

  • Available and restricted locations

  • Lead times

  • Location fees

  • Prep, shoot and wrap

  • Overtime

  • Insurance

  • Location agreements

  • Property alterations

  • Property protection

  • Parking

  • Security

  • Privacy

  • Branding and trademarks

  • Drones

  • High-impact activities

  • Site representatives

  • Cancellation

  • Damage and restoration

  • Permit responsibility

You don't necessarily need a complicated answer for every category.

You simply need to make the decision before it becomes an urgent question on a shoot.

THE BOTTOM LINE

A good film + photography policy doesn't make your property harder to film.

It should do the opposite.

By establishing who approves production, what information is required, what it costs, what insurance is needed, how the property can be used and what rules apply, your organization can evaluate legitimate production opportunities much more efficiently.

Start with a simple framework, involve the appropriate legal and operational teams, and refine the policy as you gain experience.

The result is a property that is easier for professional productions to work with—and considerably easier for your own organization to manage.

Nashville Location Company provides film location consulting and policy development for businesses, universities, institutions, property groups and organizations throughout Nashville and Middle Tennessee.