Why “Ask For Forgiveness, Not Permission” is a Bad Industry Practice.
“Ask for forgiveness, not permission” gets passed around production circles like a clever survival tip.
Move fast. Don’t overthink it. Get the shot before anyone notices.
In practice—especially in New York City—this mindset is one of the fastest ways to derail a shoot, burn relationships, and create problems that didn’t need to exist in the first place.
From a location scout and manager’s perspective, here’s why this approach consistently backfires.
It Confuses Speed With Control
The logic behind “forgiveness over permission” assumes that once production is rolling, momentum will protect you.
In reality, momentum doesn’t equal authority.
If you’re:
Using space you didn’t approve
Blocking access you didn’t permit
Creating noise or congestion outside your scope
…the fact that you’re already set up doesn’t make it acceptable. It just makes the correction more disruptive.
What feels like efficiency often turns into a scramble.
It Shifts Risk Onto the Wrong People
When production skips permission, the consequences don’t land evenly.
They land on:
The location manager explaining what went wrong
The property owner fielding complaints
The crew waiting while access is renegotiated
The client absorbing delays
Asking for forgiveness usually means someone else pays the price.
NYC Doesn’t Operate on Grace Periods
New York is not a city that waits to be impressed.
Once filming impacts public space, neighbors, or buildings, the framework is already in place to address it. The NYC Mayor’s Office of Media & Entertainment, building management, and enforcement agencies aren’t required to offer flexibility simply because a shoot is underway.
If something isn’t approved, it can be stopped—cleanly and quickly.
No apology changes that.
Forgiveness Is Less Likely When Trust Is Broken
Property owners and communities are far more flexible when they feel respected.
When they feel surprised—or misled—that flexibility disappears.
Common reactions include:
Immediate restrictions
Additional fees
Escalation to management or authorities
Loss of access for future shoots
Once trust is gone, forgiveness is no longer on the table.
It Creates Inconsistent Standards on Set
This approach also creates internal problems.
If departments learn that rules are optional, boundaries erode:
Equipment expands without approval
Footprints creep
Schedules slip
Small “exceptions” pile up
By the time someone steps in, the issue is no longer small—and much harder to reverse.
Permission Is a Planning Tool, Not a Barrier
Asking permission isn’t about slowing creativity. It’s about aligning expectations.
Clear approvals:
Define boundaries
Protect the production legally
Give the location team authority on the day
Reduce on-site negotiation
Permission upfront creates freedom later—because everyone knows where the lines are.
The Industry Remembers Patterns
One-off mistakes happen. Patterns don’t go unnoticed.
Locations remember which productions:
Followed the rules
Communicated clearly
Took responsibility
And they remember the ones that didn’t.
In NYC especially, access is cumulative. Good behavior opens doors. Bad behavior quietly closes them.
The Bottom Line
“Asking for forgiveness” assumes you’ll be given grace.
In production, grace usually comes from trust—and trust is built through permission, not shortcuts.
From a location manager’s standpoint, the goal isn’t to restrict the shoot. It’s to protect it from avoidable problems.
Permission isn’t bureaucracy.
It’s insurance.
And in a city that doesn’t pause for filming, it’s often the difference between a smooth day and an early wrap—for the wrong reasons.